Defining the Mythic Retro
I cry out for magic I feel it dancing in the light It was cold Lost my hold to the shadows of the night
I’ve had this fleeting thought in the back of my mind for the best part of a decade. It’s a specific fantasy aesthetic that I’m calling Mythic Retro.
Mythic retro is a vibe that includes the following:
- Pewter statues of dragons, wizards, unicorns and fairies
- 70s fantasy book art, particularly Michael Whelan’s Pern.
- Dragonlance art by Larry Elmore
- Burning incense
- Large silver rings shaped like dragons with big gems in them
- Early Rainbow and Dio songs, particularly Stargazer.
- Crystals, stones and tarot cards
It’s iconic, even tropey. Dragons, knights, wizards, unicorns, witches. It’s not orcs, but it is goblins. It’s not beholders but it is skeletons. It’s stop-motion but not CGI.
High noon, oh I'd sell my soul for water Nine years worth of breakin' my back There's no sun in the shadow of the wizard See how he glides, why he's lighter than air
