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Created for Haute Macabre by Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab -- HAUTE MACABRE Oak leaf, bourbon vanilla, almond husk, and black leather accord darkened by a 13-year aged black patchouli. This scent is exclusive to the Haute Macabre site!

Heretic is back in stock at Heretic Salon! HERETIC Dark, spicy, animalic: Nagdi frankincense, bois de cade, beeswax, Somalian myrrh, and Laotian oudh. 1724 N. Vermont Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90027 (323) 666-2965 http://www.heretic-salon.com/

We've finally joined the rest of the interwebs: BPAL has a tumblr now! http://blackphoenixalchemylab.tumblr.com/ xoxo

CcNow is doing some year-end maintenance, and are, for some inexplicable reason, marking all existing orders as shipped almost immediately, and are sending out ship notices to our customers. You will receive a click and ship from the USPS when it actually ships. Though we are shipping orders today, we don’t expect USPS to pick up again until Wednesday. We believe CcNow is only accepting Visa and Mastercard as payment options at the moment. We don’t know why. We’re currently in the process of redoing our web sites, which will finally extricate us from the demented clutches of CcNow. The sites are projected to be complete by mid-January; hopefully CcNow’s shenanigans will be at a minimum during this time. Thank you so much for understanding! We hope your New Year’s Eve is bright and beautiful, and that 2013 brings you prosperity, peace, joy, and contentment!

Please list your whole order in the comments field. =) Sometimes I'm too bimbo'fied to be able to cross-reference efficiently, especially when the PayPal email address you use doesn't match the one you correspond with. Thanks, guys!

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab and Black Phoenix Trading Post will be dark from December 21 through December 25 while we all take a little breather. We will be back on the 26th, and our lunacy update will go live then. We had a Doomsday-themed update slated to go live on 12/21, but it’s staying on the shelf for the time being. It was a light-hearted take on the end of the world, but this is just… not the time. The Doomsday update will go live after the new year, assuming Dread Cthulhu doesn’t rise from the depths of R’lyeh on the 21st! We’re in the process of working on new web sites for both BPAL and BPTP (so much love to Kaitlin @ Form & Function!), and will be finally extricating ourselves from CcNow (Hallelujah!). CcNow is moving their operations overseas or somesuch, and will effectively be shutting down their services as of January 1st, 2013. (Mixed blessing?) There is a very slight possibility that there may be a few days around the new year when you may have to utilize PayPal exclusively in order to place an order with BPAL or BPTP. We’ll keep you posted as the situation develops. Happy holidays to all of you from all of us! May your Yule season be filled with love, light, peace, and shared joy. - Beth

Make a purchase at Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab on Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, or Cyber Monday, and receive a free imp of ECONOMIC RECOVERY: a fun little blend of traditional money-generating herbs, resins, and flowers, including patchouli, ambrette seed, bergamot, Irish moss, rice flower, and thyme. If you make a purchase at Black Phoenix Trading Post on Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, or Cyber Monday, you’ll get a squirt of a TAL-inspired blend, THRIVE: a warm, vibrant, prosperity-generating blend of ginger root, gingergrass, frankincense, cardamom, tonka, and hay absolute. A portion of every purchase made from both stores on these three days will go to Kiva, an organization that provides microloans to small businesses all across the globe. Shared blessings!

Happy tenth anniversary, Black Phoenix. Holy shit. TEN YEARS. TEN! First off, I’d like to thank our customers – our friends – that have stayed with us through all these years. Thank you for sharing your joys and sorrows, thank you for your limitless kindness, your contagious joy, and the warmth of your friendship. The single most important gift that Black Phoenix has given me throughout this decade is the phenomenal, world-encompassing family that I now have because of all of you. You can’t imagine how much you mean to me. Thank you. With genuine love and gratitude… Thank you, Brian, for being the dearest and truest of friends. Without you, this company would be a series of abstract ideas without form. You give this company stability, cohesion, and an ever-renewing vigor. Thank you, Ted, for being my heart’s joy, my eternal muse, and my strength. You are as vital to me as breath and light, and as much a part of me as the blood that flows through my veins. Lilith, though you don’t technically work at the Lab (yet!), you are my tiny muse, and I want to thank you. You have shown me the immensity of true love. My tiny muse, my little butterfly… you are my greatest teacher. Thank you, Kathy, for being a true and wonderful friend. Thank you for all the help you give us, and thank you for sharing your talent, your kindness, and your light. Thank you for being a shoulder to cry on, a friend in joy and in the darkest of times, and a sister in the truest sense. Thank you, Jacquelynn, for all of your tremendous hard work, your dedication, your creativity, and your huge heart. Thank you, Lisa, for being an absolute saint. Thank you for everything you do for us; you truly are our knight in shining armor! Thank you, Piolet, for being an oasis of calm, no matter how crazy things get here! Thank you for your hard work and your strength of character, and thank you for always making me laugh. Thank you, Will, for your hard work, diligence, and dedication! Thank you to Sue and Del at Dark Delicacies for everything you do. Thank you for giving a second home to Black Phoenix, and thank you for being the greatest grandparents a little demoness could ask for! You are wonderful, wonderful people, and it is an honor to be your friend. Thank you, Sara and Lori, for all the love and enthusiasm you put into every event. I adore you! Thank you to the mods and administrators of bpal.org. I love you guys. Oh, man, I love you guys so much. Thank you for being my sisters. Thank you for always being there for me. Thank you to Jen, Lisa, Val, Maggie, Ali, Court, and Tom for making this year’s road show possible. I know it was Trial By Fire! You were all amazing – thank you so much for being there for us, and for giving so much of yourselves to the events! Thank you, Donna and Linda, for being our Stuff’s babysitters! You are livesavers. Thank you, Courtney and Suki, for being our extended Will Call family! Thank you for all the energy and love you put into every event! We are all truly grateful! Huge amounts of love and HUGE amounts of gratitude to Laura Hall and all the wonderful people at Laika studios. Your generosity and kindness is beyond measure. Thank you to Neil Gaiman, Amanda Palmer, Peter S. Beagle, Terry Pratchett, Terry Moore, Mike and Christine Mignola, George Perez, Peter David, Molly Crabapple, Mark Waid, Storm Constantine, Matt Wagner, Jim Henson Productions, Brian Pulido, Joseph Michael Linsner, Eva Hopkins, Gris Grimly, and Ysanne Spevak for giving Black Phoenix the opportunity to interpret your work. Thank you, Carolyn Hennesy, for being a wonderful friend and a constant joy. Your stories are adorable, your talent is boundless, and you bring so much joy to so many people! Thank you to the noble souls at the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and the Hero Initiative. You are an inspiration. Thank you, Charles, for being an inspiration and a true friend. Much thanks to Peter S. Beagle and Connor Cochran for their friendship. You bring so much joy to so many people! Love and thanks to the artists that have lent us their talent: Adam Hughes, Alicia Dabney, Julie Dillon, Madame Talbot, Quique Alcatena, Jennifer Rodgers, Manda Lander, Tanya Bjork, Andrew Fogel, Brian Kessinger, Abigail Larson, and Sarah Coleman! Gratitude, love, and thanks to Geek Girl Diva for being a pillar of strength and a wonderful friend. You’re always there for me, and I’m grateful beyond words. Love and thanks to the Mütter Museum, Heretic Salon, Whole Foods, Pretty Indulgent, Healthy Living, Bedlam Bedlam, and Dark Delicacies for giving our products a home in your stores! Love and thanks to the bloggers, journalists, magazines, and other media outlets that taken the time to write about Black Phoenix. Honestly, I cannot thank you enough. I said this last year AND the year before, and it holds just as true now: ‘Thank you for sharing our joy and for standing with us during difficult times. The family that has grown around BPAL is like no other in the world. Every time I wander into the forum, I see people supporting one another in times of need, showing selfless kindness and offering support to one another… to me, you all are models of emotional generosity and true friendship, and it is truly an honor to be a part of your lives. I cannot express my gratitude enough. Thank you for celebrating the beauty of living with us, and for holding our hands during times of stress and sorrow. This year has been turbulent for just about everyone we know. It’s been a hard year filled with challenges and hidden lessons, but none of it is insurmountable because we all have this tremendous, genuinely loving family. Thank you.’ Thank you. Thank you so much, everyone, for being with us for the past ten years. I truly hope we’ve been able to bring you as much joy as you have given to us. Here’s to the next ten years! And without further ado, the Anniversary scents! ++ BPAL ANNIVERSARY UPDATE To celebrate our tenth anniversary, we created a complex set of scents inspired by the classical planets. Each scent symbolizes a renewal of the spirit as manifested through the benevolent aspects of each celestial body. May the upcoming year bathe each of our lives in transformational fiery splendor! MERCURIAN PHOENIX HERMES, draw near, and to my pray’r incline, Angel of Jove, and Maia’s son divine; Studious of contests, ruler of mankind, With heart almighty, and a prudent mind. Celestial messenger, of various skill, Whose pow’rful arts could watchful Argus kill: With winged feet, ’tis thine thro’ air to course, O friend of man, and prophet of discourse: Great life-supporter, to rejoice is thine, In arts gymnastic, and in fraud divine: With pow’r endu’d all language to explain, Of care the loos’ner, and the source of gain. Whose hand contains of blameless peace the rod, Corucian, blessed, profitable God; Of various speech, whose aid in works we find, And in necessities to mortals kind: Dire weapon of the tongue, which men revere, Be present, Hermes, and thy suppliant hear; Assist my works, conclude my life with peace, Give graceful speech, and me memory’s increase. A blessing of wit, opportunity, and skill: yellow sandalwood, bergamot, gum mastic, gum Arabic, lavender, lemongrass, angelica root, and anise. VENUSIAN PHOENIX HEAV’NLY, illustrious, laughter-loving queen, Sea-born, night-loving, of an awful mien; Crafty, from whom necessity first came, Producing, nightly, all-connecting dame: ‘Tis thine the world with harmony to join, For all things spring from thee, O pow’r divine. The triple Fates are rul’d by thy decree, And all productions yield alike to thee: Whate’er the heav’ns, encircling all contain, Earth fruit-producing, and the stormy main, Thy sway confesses, and obeys thy nod, Awful attendant of the brumal God: Goddess of marriage, charming to the sight, Mother of Loves, whom banquetings delight; Source of persuasion, secret, fav’ring queen, Illustrious born, apparent and unseen: Spousal, lupercal, and to men inclin’d, Prolific, most-desir’d, life-giving., kind: Great sceptre-bearer of the Gods, ’tis thine, Mortals in necessary bands to join; And ev’ry tribe of savage monsters dire In magic chains to bind, thro’ mad desire. Come, Cyprus-born, and to my pray’r incline, Whether exalted in the heav’ns you shine, Or pleas’d in Syria’s temple to preside, Or o’er th’ Egyptian plains thy car to guide, Fashion’d of gold; and near its sacred flood, Fertile and fam’d to fix thy blest abode; Or if rejoicing in the azure shores, Near where the sea with foaming billows roars, The circling choirs of mortals, thy delight, Or beauteous nymphs, with eyes cerulean bright, Pleas’d by the dusty banks renown’d of old, To drive thy rapid, two-yok’d car of gold; Or if in Cyprus with thy mother fair, Where married females praise thee ev’ry year, And beauteous virgins in the chorus join, Adonis pure to sing and thee divine; Come, all-attractive to my pray’r inclin’d, For thee, I call, with holy, reverent mind. A blessing of beauty, passion, and kindness: red rose, benzoin, apple blossom, lemon verbena, red sandalwood, rose mint, sweet cherry, hibiscus, cardamom, tonka, tomato leaf, and vetiver. MARTIAN PHOENIX Magnanimous, unconquer’d, boistrous Mars, In darts rejoicing, and in bloody wars Fierce and untam’d, whose mighty pow’r can make The strongest walls from their foundations shake: Mortal destroying king, defil’d with gore, Pleas’d with war’s dreadful and tumultuous roar: Thee, human blood, and swords, and spears delight, And the dire ruin of mad savage fight. Stay, furious contests, and avenging strife, Whose works with woe, embitter human life; To lovely Venus, and to Bacchus yield, To Ceres give the weapons of the field; Encourage peace, to gentle works inclin’d, And give abundance, with benignant mind. A blessing of strength, energy, and courage: dragon’s blood, thistle extract, galangal, opoponax, tobacco absolute, cactus flower, peppermint, black pepper, cumin, white fig, and bloodroot. JUPITERIAN PHOENIX O Jove much-honor’d, Jove supremely great, To thee our holy rites we consecrate, Our pray’rs and expiations, king divine, For all things round thy head exalted shine. The earth is thine, and mountains swelling high, The sea profound, and all within the sky. Saturnian king, descending from above, Magnanimous, commanding, sceptred Jove; All-parent, principle and end of all, Whose pow’r almighty, shakes this earthly ball; Ev’n Nature trembles at thy mighty nod, Loud-sounding, arm’d with light’ning, thund’ring God. Source of abundance, purifying king, O various-form’d from whom all natures spring; Propitious hear my pray’r, give blameless health, With peace divine, and necessary wealth. A blessing of optimism, prosperity, and sound judgment: sarsaparilla, juniper berries, Himalayan cedar, Terebinth pine, sweet clove, green tea, nutmeg, and hyssop. SATURNIAN PHOENIX ETHERIAL father, mighty Titan, hear, Great fire of Gods and men, whom all revere: Endu’d with various council, pure and strong, To whom perfection and decrease belong. Consum’d by thee all forms that hourly die, By thee restor’d, their former place supply; The world immense in everlasting chains, Strong and ineffable thy pow’r contains Father of vast eternity, divine, O mighty Saturn, various speech is thine: Blossom of earth and of the starry skies, Husband of Rhea, and Prometheus wife. Obstetric Nature, venerable root, From which the various forms of being shoot; No parts peculiar can thy pow’r enclose, Diffus’d thro’ all, from which the world arose, O, best of beings, of a subtle mind, Propitious hear to holy pray’rs inclin’d; The sacred rites benevolent attend, And grant a blameless life, a blessed end. A blessing of stability, manifestation, and wisdom-from-sorrow: cypress, myrrh, white lily, cassia, violet, pomegranate, tamarind, and opium poppy. SOLAR PHOENIX HEAR golden Titan, whose eternal eye With broad survey, illumines all the sky. Self-born, unwearied in diffusing light, And to all eyes the mirrour of delight: Lord of the seasons, with thy fiery car And leaping coursers, beaming light from far: With thy right hand the source of morning light, And with thy left the father of the night. Agile and vig’rous, venerable Sun, Fiery and bright around the heav’ns you run. Foe to the wicked, but the good man’s guide, O’er all his steps propitious you preside: With various founding, golden lyre, ’tis mine To fill the world with harmony divine. Father of ages, guide of prosp’rous deeds, The world’s commander, borne by lucid steeds, Immortal Jove, all-searching, bearing light, Source of existence, pure and fiery bright Bearer of fruit, almighty lord of years, Agil and warm, whom ev’ry pow’r reveres. Great eye of Nature and the starry skies, Doom’d with immortal flames to set and rise Dispensing justice, lover of the stream, The world’s great despot, and o’er all supreme. Faithful defender, and the eye of right, Of steeds the ruler, and of life the light: With founding whip four fiery steeds you guide, When in the car of day you glorious ride. Propitious on these mystic labours shine, And bless thy suppliants with a life divine. A blessing of nobility, leadership, and generosity: Roman chamomile, yellow rose, pineapple, bay laurel, frankincense, heliotrope, and Ceylon cinnamon. LUNAR PHOENIX HEAR, Goddess queen, diffusing silver light, Bull-horn’d and wand’ring thro’ the gloom of Night. With stars surrounded, and with circuit wide Night’s torch extending, thro’ the heav’ns you ride: Female and Male with borrow’d rays you shine, And now full-orb’d, now tending to decline. Mother of ages, fruit-producing Moon, Whose amber orb makes Night’s reflected noon: Lover of horses, splendid, queen of Night, All-seeing pow’r bedeck’d with starry light. Lover of vigilance, the foe of strife, In peace rejoicing, and a prudent life: Fair lamp of Night, its ornament and friend, Who giv’st to Nature’s works their destin’d end. Queen of the stars, all-wife Diana hail! Deck’d with a graceful robe and shining veil; Come, blessed Goddess, prudent, starry, bright, Come moony-lamp with chaste and splendid light, Shine on these sacred rites with prosp’rous rays, And pleas’d accept thy suppliant’s mystic praise. A blessing of imagination, pleasure, and foresight: galbanum, orris root, lettuce, pink lotus absolute, purple lily, bay, jasmine, narcissus, camphor, mugwort, narcissus, yam flower, jasmine, passionflower, parsley, and white papaya. And also! – If you attend any of the November Black Phoenix Will Call events (Vermont, Seattle, or Los Angeles), please consider participating in our food and toy drive. For every $10 in food that you donate, you will receive a 5ml bottle of FOREVER IS MERCY BUILT Tamarind, tonka bean, patchouli, golden amber, and white fig. For every toy valued at $10 or more that you bring, you will receive a 5ml bottle of G’MILUT CHASADIM Honeyed pomegranate, rose, myrrh, osmanthus, and wild plum. We are offering these oils while supplies last, and cannot guarantee that any Will Call location will be able to fulfill all donation exchanges. We’ll do our best! Food donations made at our Los Angeles will call will support the Burbank Temporary Aid Center, and the toys will be donated to the Los Angeles location will be given to Spark of Love, the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s toy collection campaign. The west coast will call event will be held on Wednesday, November 28th from 6 to 9pm at Dark Delicacies. Dark Delicacies 3512 W. Magnolia Blvd (1 block east of Hollywood Way) Burbank, CA 91505 www.darkdel.com ___ New England Will Call will be held at Healthy Living Market on Sunday, December 2nd from 4:00 to 7:00pm, in the Learning Center. Healthy Living Market 222 Dorset Street, South Burlington, VT, 05403 ___________ Seattle Will Call will be held at Bedlam Bedlam on Saturday, December 1st, time TBA. BedlamBedlam 613 East Pike Street Seattle WA 98122 http://bedlambedlam.com/ If you have any questions about will call events, please email us at willcall@blackphoenixalchemylab.com. — Make a purchase at Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab on Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, or Cyber Monday, and receive a free imp of ECONOMIC RECOVERY: a fun little blend of traditional money-generating herbs, resins, and flowers, including patchouli, ambrette seed, bergamot, Irish moss, rice flower, and thyme. If you make a purchase at Black Phoenix Trading Post on Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, or Cyber Monday, you’ll get a squirt of a TAL-inspired blend, THRIVE: a warm, vibrant, prosperity-generating blend of ginger root, gingergrass, frankincense, cardamom, tonka, and hay absolute. A portion of every purchase made from both stores on these three days will go to Kiva, an organization that provides microloans to small businesses all across the globe. Shared blessings! — Also, there’s new some more stuff up on our Etsy site. — Keep your eyes peeled for the Black Phoenix Trading Post Yule update. It’s coming soon!

100 bottles of Autumn Lace will be back in stock at @darkdel tomorrow. When they're gone, they're gone!

Autumn Lace, our latest Dark Delicacies exclusive, will go on sale at our October Lunacy event at Dark Delicacies – Saturday, October 27! It will be on the Dark Delicacies web site soon! AUTUMN LACE An October funeral, 1888. Black linen and delicate, sugar-spun lace suffused with the scent of tobacco, black tea, Indian musk, liturgical incense, and cognac, with a drop of laudanum and crushed Autumn leaves. The theme for our October will call is wizards and witchery. Spellbinding finery encouraged, but not required! All costumes welcome! The west coast will call event will be held on Saturday, October 27th from 4 to 7pm at Dark Delicacies. Dark Delicacies 3512 W. Magnolia Blvd (1 block east of Hollywood Way) Burbank, CA 91505 www.darkdel.com - - - - - - - - - - Heretic is back in stock at Heretic Salon in Los Feliz! HERETIC Dark, spicy, animalic: Nagdi frankincense, bois de cade, beeswax, Somalian myrrh, and Laotian oudh. 1724 N Vermont Ave Los Angeles, CA 90027 (323)666-2965 Call the salon, or swing by for info!

Some words from Charles Brownstein (Executive Director of the CBLDF) and m'self! -- Be Counted: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab Creates Exclusive CBLDF Member Fragrance! Becomes Corporate Member! Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, purveyors of unique, literary minded olfactory experiences have answered CBLDF’s call to Be Counted! The long-time CBLDF supporters are joining the organization as our newest Corporate Member and encouraging individuals to become members of the CBLDF to receive the exclusive, Members Only fragrance TWO-PLY BRISTOL for members who join at the Advocate ($100) level or higher as part of our Fall Be Counted membership drive TWO-PLY BRISTOL Smells like acid-free, 100% cotton 2-ply bristol paper with a touch of F lead. Public service announcement: (There is no lead in this perfume. The ‘F Lead’ is color copy, and indicates that we’ve created an accord that gently mimics the scent of pencil lead.) This Fall, CBLDF is asking people invested in protecting the freedom to read comics to Be Counted by becoming members of the organization. These membership contributions will help the Fund continue its important work protecting readers, librarians, retailers and artists of comics when they come under attack. Apart from this recent case, in the past month alone, CBLDF has spoken out against the ban of the graphic novel SideScrollers in Connecticut, sponsored Banned Books Week, and just yesterday, spoke out in support of a library in Seattle that came under media attack for offering manga in its adult collection. Of their reasons for supporting CBLDF, Black Phoenix creative chief Elizabeth Barrial says: The First Amendment is the doorway to a tolerant, educated, open society; that’s why we at Black Phoenix embrace it so strongly, and that’s why we back the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund with everything we’ve got. Without the First Amendment, the rest of the Constitution just doesn’t amount to much. The First Amendment – freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religious association, and freedom of assembly and petition – is a set of guarantees that is the essential, indispensable core of freedom itself. Without the First Amendment and the rights that it promises to every American citizen, other fundamental rights granted in the US Constitution are rendered practically meaningless. The First Amendment is so much more than just protecting our right to make controversial art, wear profanity on a t-shirt, burn a flag, or explore all the dimensions of sexuality through the power of expression. It protects our right to express unpopular political ideas, to worship any god (or gods) we please (or none at all), and promises that we can speak to our political leaders about our concerns and grievances without fear of reprisal. It protects our press from government censorship and ensures that we are not forced to pay homage to a state-sanctioned religion. The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is an organization comprised of good, hardworking people who work tirelessly and selflessly to protect the rights of those that have neither the power nor the resources at their disposal to defend themselves. They help protect and preserve the rights of artists, retailers, writers, publishers, and fans in an industry that is often misunderstood, controversial, and provocative. The comics medium has been a venue of political and social commentary, as well as intimate personal expression, since its inception. It’s criticalthat this medium of expression remain vibrant. Even if you can’t join at the Advocate level, please consider joining at whatever level you can afford. The more of us who become counted as members of the CBLDF, the more distinctive our collective voice becomes when the CBLDF works to protect our free speech rights. Join Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab as a fellow member of CBLDF. Be Counted today.

In addition to the bulk of our general catalogues, both Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab and Black Phoenix trading will have our Halloween exclusives on hand. Black Phoenix Trading Post will be bringing overstock of Aunt Rosie’s Cephalopod Bath, Mechanical Dragon Manufactory, Exhibit Hall Fatigue Bath Oil, and Con Cramp Massage Oil. Also, there will be New York Comic Con exclusives inspired by a gentlemen’s guide to the seraglios of New York City that was published in 1870. (All grammatical and spelling deviancies within are sic erat scriptum.) NEW YORK COMIC CON EXCLUSIVES ++ THE GENTLEMAN’S DIRECTORY: NEW YORK CITY IN 1870 Nothing extenuate, Nor set down aught in malice. We don’t intend to tell the reader where the Central Park is, the Croton Aqueduct, the new Court House, Cooper Institute, or Knox the hatter, as any one can point out to him the location of these celebrated places, but we propose to acquaint him with locations and with facts, a knowledge of which he could not procure elsewhere. We claim no credit got telling a person that Cape Horn is on the island of Terra del Fuego, or that London is on the western side of England; but when we impart information that is not generally known, even to old denizens of the city, and give him an insight into the character and doings of people whose deeds are carefully screened from public view; when we discribe their houses, and give their location, we supply the stranger with information of which he stands in need, we supply a void that otherwise must remain unfilled. Not that we imagine the reader ever desire to visit these houses. Certainly not; he is, we do not doubt, a member of the Bible Society, a bright and shining light, like Awful Gardner or John Allen. But we point out the location of these places in order that the reader may know how to avoid them, and that he may not select one of them for his boarding house when he comes to the city. Our book will, therefore, be like a warning voice to the unwary – like a buoy attached to a sunken rock, which warns the inexperienced mariner to sheer off, lest he should be wrecked on a dangerous and unknown coast. + BLACK PHOENIX TRADING POST GREENE STREET ATMOSPHERE SPRAY This thoroughfare has become a complete sink of iniquity. In the short space of six squares, included between Canal and Bleecker streets there are 41 houses of assignation, 22 houses in which furnished rooms are let to girld, and 11 segar stores. With few exceptions, these houses are of the third class; and, although they are now kept pretty quiet by the police, yet there is sometimes an outburst in which the people amuse themselves by cracking each other’s crowns, and raising the d--- generally. The scenes enacted here, the filth and turmoil would lead a stranger to suppose that he was in Baden Baden, or that old Sodom and Gomorrah had risen from their ashes to greet the sun once more. A filthy patchouli-infused, dirt-caked vetiver splashed with rum and reeking of opium smoke and tobacco. HATTIE TAYLOR’S HOUSE OF ASSIGNATION ATMOSPHERE SPRAY The establishment at No. 111 Spring street is a house of assignation kept by Hattie Taylor. It is a third class house where may be found the lowest class of courtezans. It is patronized by roughs and rowdies, and gentlemen who turn their shirts wrong side out when the other side is dirty. Balding suede, oiled leather, swarthy cologne, rough oak, and darkwood cinnamon. MISS EMMA BENEDICT’S PARLOR HOUSE ATMOSPHERE SPRAY The establishment at No. 84 W. Houston street is kept by Miss Emma Benedict. It is on the corner of Laurens street. It is a first class house with eight lady boarders. Everything here is arranged in the first style, while the bewitching smiles of the fairy-like creatures who devote themselves to the services of Cupid are unrivalled by any of the fine ladies who walk Broadway in silks and satins new. Lush ivy twining through bouquets of buxom roses, cheerful carnations, shy sweet pea, narcissus, and lacy ferns. ++ BLACK PHOENIX ALCHEMY LAB BADGERS As a general fact, these girls are smart, good-looking, well educated and are near, and prepossessing in appearance. This is especially the case with those who are called “Badgers,” but more widely known as panel thieves. These plunderers have had full swing, of late, and have robbed many an unsuspecting stranger of his all. Sweet patchouli, soft, honeyed leather, sassy sarsaparilla, honeysuckle, and French vanilla. NYMPHES DE PAVE In passing up Broadway, any evening, between the hours of 7 and 11 o’clock, one is surprised to see so many well-dressed and comely females whose ages range from fifteen to twenty-five years, unattended by companions of the other sex. These young ladies are Nymphes de Pave or as they familiarly termed “Cruisers” have furnished rooms in which they receive visitors of the other sex, and ply their vocation in the streets for a livelihood. White fig, rose otto, honey, and bourbon vanilla. MISS IDA Miss Ida Thompson keeps a first class house at No. 126 E. Twelfth street. This elegant parlor house is furnished in the most elaborate and magnificent style. The landlady and lively young ladies are a very pleasant set, full of fun, love, and fond of amusement. The carpets, mirrors, furniture, and paintings are of the latest and most costly designs. This is a truly splendid establishment of the very first class. French vanilla, white gardenia, Moroccan jasmine, and lemon verbena. MISS JENNY Miss Jennie Creagh, a dashing brunette, has splendidly furnished her palace at 17 Amity street, from top to bottom, sparing neither expence nor labor to render it a palace of beauty forever, with it’s French mirrors, English and Brussels carpets, rosewood furniture, superb bedding and everything in character. This emporium of love and beauty is one of the finest in the city. Pink peony, white carnation, freesia, white peach, amber, and pale woods. MRS LEWIS Mrs. Lewis of 45 E. Houston street keeps a private house of assignation. It is conducted very quiet and orderly. White sandalwood and tea roses.

Re: the Black Phoenix Gazette! We’ve run three virus scans on the Gazette, and from what we can tell -- all clear. If any of you run into any problems with the site, please take a screenshot and email it to our customer service. Thank you so much!

Heretic is now available at Heretic Salon in Los Feliz! HERETIC Dark, spicy, animalic: Nagdi frankincense, bois de cade, beeswax, Somalian myrrh, and Laotian oudh. 1724 N Vermont Ave Los Angeles, CA 90027 (323)666-2965 Call the salon, or swing by for info!

We're getting reports from people that our blog (not the BPAL site itself) is infected with malware. We're currently running SiteLock, and will do everything we can to clear this up. A million apologies to anyone that was affected! Please refrain from hitting up the Gazette (www.blackphoenixgazette.com) until further notice. Thank you!

Black Phoenix Trading Post’s customer service will be on hiatus from the evening of August 28, 2012 til September 5, 2012. We’ll be at Dragon*Con, and Teddy won’t be able to get to his email during that time. If you have an emergency, please contact answers@blackphoenixalchemylab.com, and the fine folks at Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab will do their best to help you out. Thanks! See you in September!

+ BPAL DRAGON*CON EXCLUSIVES: DRAGONFIRE AND MOONLIGHT BAKUNAWA Ang bulan namon sang una, sang una Guin ka-on sang bakunawa Malo-oy ka man, i-uli, i-uli Korona sang amon hari. In the far-flung mists of time, long before man walked the earth, Batala, the Omnipotent Creator, set seven moons in the sky. The radiant dance of the moons enchanted the bakunawa, dread serpents of the oceans. In thrall to their gluttony and longing, the bakunawa rose out of the depths of the sea to swallow the moons whole. Hypnotic, luminous lunar herbs and blossoms radiating forth from a blend of midnight musk, jungle orchids, oakmoss, and palm. CUÉLEBRE Fond of gold, fattened cattle, and the company of the fae Xana, these indolent, slothful dragons only venture forth from their caves when tempted by food, treasure, or vengeance. Blood red pomegranate juice, gleaming leather, black myrrh, saffron, Spanish juniper, Apple of Cain, and green cognac. LINDWORM Signelil sits in her bower alone, Of her golden harp she waked the tone. Beneath her mantle her harp she played, Then in came striding the worm so laid. "Proud Signelil, if thou me wilt wed, I'll give thee store of gold so red." "Forbid the heavenly God so great That I should become the Lindworm's mate." "Since thee I may not for a wife acquire, Kiss me only and I'll retire." The linen so white betwixt she placed, And the laidly worm she kissed in haste. With his tail of serpent up strook he, From beneath her dress the blood ran free. The Lindworm down from the chamber strode, Wringing her hands behind she trode. And when she came out upon the stair Her seven bold brothers met her there. "Welcome our sister, whither dost hie? Keep'st thou the Lindworm company?" "Ah, yes! with the laidly worm I go, Because hard fate will have it so." The Lindworm into the mountain strode, Wringing her hands behind she trode. She fell on her knee, and her prayer she made, "Now son of Mary deign to aid." And when he had come to the mountain in, Off he cast his serpent's skin. His snake's appearance off he shook, And the form of a stately knight he took. "Thanks for thy trouble, proud Signelil, Now live and die with thee I will." Now is proud Signild free from fright, In a prince's arm she sleeps each night. Smoky green leather smeared with crushed grasses and wild herbs. ZMEY GORYNYCH The Zmey Gorynych were dragons of unimaginable wealth and phenomenal strength that were skilled in ancient and potent magics, and possessed of profound wisdom. These lusty, gregarious, virile dragons loved to couple with beautiful humans, and as such, they were the fathers and mothers of many of Russia’s great heroes. A robust, lewd, and powerful blend of daemonorops resin, red musk, amber incense, galbanum, frankincense, and creaking leather that has dusted with gold and limned with tunda frost. The label artwork for our dragons was created by Julie Dillon! ++ DRAGON*CON SINGLE NOTE: GEORGIA’S STATE FLOWER CHEROKEE ROSE SINGLE NOTE Following the Indian Removal Act of 1830, the Choctaw, Seminole, Muscogee, Chickasaw, and Cherokee tribes were driven from their homes, prompted in part by the Georgia Gold Rush. This forced westward emigration was rife with grief, suffering, and tremendous hardship, and resulted in the deaths of thousands upon thousands of Native Americans. In their sorrow, the Cherokee called upon Unetlanvhi, the Great Spirit, to give strength, succor, and comfort to their people. Whenever a mother’s tear fell upon the ground, the Creator gave life to a five-petaled white rose. In the center of each blossom, the Great Spirit placed a gold coin, symbol of the white man’s greed. Each flowering stem sprouted seven leaflets, one for each Cherokee clan. The roses were strong, beautiful, and prolific, and spread quickly along the Trail of Tears, reaching far and wide to reclaim some of the Cherokee’s lost homeland. The thorns on the stem served to defend the rose, protecting it against those who would try to move it, and symbolized the Great Spirit’s safeguarding of the Cherokee people. As the clans saw the roses spread, they felt Unetlanvhi’s love and strength, and knew that they would survive and flourish in the new Cherokee Nation. Cherokee Rose will be available at Dragon*Con while supplies last. If we have remaining stock, they will go live on the Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab site a little while after we return from the Con. Proceeds from every single bottle sold will go to the Native American Youth and Family Center. Some of the upcoming Halloween blends may be available for purchase at Dragon*Con (based on availability!) along with previews of the imminent Black Phoenix Airship Fleet and Submersible Flotilla scents -- manufactured by Phoenix Steamworks! We will have the bulk of our general catalogue, plus Harvest Moon, the three Blue Moons, a smattering of Single Notes, and a few surprises. The Cherokee Rose Single Note is $24, and each of the Dragons are $23.

In addition to much of the BPTP general catalogue, the 'Post will also be featuring the following products at Dragon*Con: MECHANICAL DRAGON MANUFACTORY ATMOSPHERE SPRAY Molten gold, well-oiled gears, coal dust, dragon’s blood incense, flame-retardant leather, and precious resins. AUNT ROSIE’S ALL-PURPOSE CEPHALOPOD BATH OIL Makes washing eight tentacles as easy as washing one! NOW SUITABLE FOR BIPEDS, TOO! Keep those suckers and knobs squeaky clean and smelling fresh! Lush coconut, ambergris accord, sweet rice milk, Siamese benzoin, white ginger, and orange pekoe. Shea oil, olive oil, apricot kernel oil, fractionated coconut oil, rosehip seed, evening primrose oil, vitamin E, isopropyl myristate, glycereth-7-cocoate (derived from coconut), oleth 3, and Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab perfume blends. Label artwork for Mechanical Dragon Manufactory Atmosphere Spray and Aunt Rosie’s All-Purpose Cephalopod Bath Oil by Brian Kesinger! These ‘con stress-alleviating blends will also be available at Dragon*Con! -- EXHIBIT HALL FATIGUE BATH OIL A bracing, invigorating blend of lemon, lime, pink grapefruit, Italian bergamot, and peppermint will replenish your senses, refresh your mind, alleviate stress, and banish exhaustion! Shea oil, olive oil, apricot kernel oil, fractionated coconut oil, rosehip seed, evening primrose oil, vitamin E, isopropyl myristate, glycereth-7-cocoate (derived from coconut), oleth 3, Citrus limon, Mentha piperita, Citrus aurantifolia, Citrus paradisi, Citrus bergamia and Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab perfume blends. CON CRAMP RELIEF MASSAGE OIL Our therapeutic, anti-inflammatory blend of lavender, gingergrass, clary sage, eucalyptus, turmeric root, ashwagandha and peppermint will help relieve muscle strain, cramps, and fatigue! Rub it out and get yer ass back into that ‘Con! Almond oil, refined rice bran oil, fractionated coconut, rosehip seed oil, evening primrose, vitamin E, Ashwagandha/Bala oil, Mentha piperita, lavender 40/42, Eucalyptus globulus, Vetiveria zizanoides, Salvia sclarea, Curcuma longa, and Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab perfume. All of these are 4oz, and are 25 bucks each! Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab’s D*C exclusives and whatnot will be announced soon!

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab and Black Phoenix Trading Post will be vending at Dragon*Con this year! Sorry for the short notice – we came in under the wire! Dragon*Con is a massive popular culture convention that spans sci fi, fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and cinema. This year, D*C will be held August 31 - September 3 (Labor Day weekend!) in Atlanta, GA. Please join us! http://dragoncon.org/ Info on the host hotels: http://dragoncon.org/location.php#Host_Hotels We’ll be posting info on our booth location and exclusives soon. Stay tuned!

Join us after the ‘Con! Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab will be showcasing the CBLDF benefit blends at the CBLDF Comic-Con Welcome Party, starting at 8pm on Thursday July 12th at the Westgate Hotel! We will have all of the Neil Gaiman-inspired blends from the Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab catalogue, Black Phoenix Trading Post tees inspired by Neil Gaiman’s 15 Painted Cards From a Vampire Tarot, and a selection of discontinued CBLDF fragrances. At this event, we will be debuting two scents from the upcoming Coraline line. Happy 10th Anniversary, Coraline! BUTTERSCOTCH AND BLACKBEETLES The other mother sat down on the big sofa. She picked up a shopping bag from beside the sofa and took out a white, rustling, paper bag from inside it. She extended the hand with it to Coraline. “Would you like one?” she asked politely. Expecting it to be a toffee or a butterscotch ball, Coraline looked down. The bag was half filled with large shiny blackbeetles, crawling over each other in their efforts to get out of the bag. “No,” said Coraline. “I don’t want one.” “Suit yourself,” said her other mother. She carefully picked out a particularly large and black beetle, pulled off its legs (which she dropped, neatly, into a big glass ashtray on the small table beside the sofa), and popped the beetle into her mouth. She crunched it happily. “Yum,” she said, and took another. “You’re sick,” said Coraline. “Sick and evil and weird.” “Is that any way to talk to your mother?” her other mother asked, with her mouth full of blackbeetles. Butterscotch candies flecked with dirt, encased in a shiny black shell of myrrh, patchouli, and anise seed. MOUSE CIRCUS In the flat above Coraline’s, under the roof, was a crazy old man with a big mustache. He told Coraline that he was training a mouse circus. He wouldn’t let anyone see it. “One day, little Caroline, when they are all ready, everyone in the whole world will see the wonders of my mouse circus. You ask me why you cannot see it now. Is that what you asked me?” “No,” said Coraline quietly, “I asked you not to call me Caroline. It’s Coraline.” “The reason you cannot see the mouse circus,” said the man upstairs, “is that the mice are not yet ready and rehearsed. Also, they refuse to play the songs I have written for them. All the songs I have written for the mice to play go oompah oompah. But the white mice will only play toodle oodle, like that. I am thinking of trying them on different types of cheese.” A toodle oodle of pink cotton candy noses, vanilla spun sugar fur, scattered kernels of popcorn, and a touch of polished golden wood. Coraline label artwork by the inimitable Vera Brosgol! Butterscotch and Blackbeetles is extremely limited: only 288 bottles were made, and when they’re gone, they’re gone. Mouse Circus will be available on the Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab website this summer, and Butterscotch and Blackbeetles will go online at the same time if any bottles remain. SINGLE NOTE: INDIA INK To celebrate the CBLDF’s event and celebrate our love of comics, we created an India Ink single note: a lot inky, a little papery, a little resinous, and strangely wearable. India Ink will only be available at the party, while supplies last. In addition to our American Gods, Anansi Boys, Good Omens, Graveyard Book, Neverwhere, Stardust, and 15 Painted Cards From a Vampire Tarot, and Lemon Scented Sticky Bat perfumes, we will have very limited stock of the following discontinued scents on-hand: LA MANO DEL DESTINO Powerful Sumatran patchouli and enigmatic Brazilian copaiba with pao d’arco, cacao absolute, bourbon vanilla, Ceylon cinnamon, and tobacco. EL NUEVO PURITANO The wicked wrath of moral panic: unmoving, rigid oak, dry leather, tonka, gunpowder tea, and pious olibanum with a core of perverse and furtive vanilla bean, bay leaf, clove bud, and lime. Artwork for La Mano del Destino and El Nuevo Puritano by J. Gonzo! COHEN V. CALIFORNIA In April of 1968, Paul Robert Cohen was arrested for wearing a jacket emblazoned with "Fuck the Draft" inside a Los Angeles County Courthouse. He was convicted of violating California Penal Code § 415, prohibiting "maliciously and willfully disturb[ing] the peace or quiet of any neighborhood or person [by] offensive conduct," and was sentenced to thirty days imprisonment. The California Court of Appeal upheld the conviction, and the California Supreme Court denied review: On April 26, 1968, the defendant was observed in the Los Angeles County Courthouse in the corridor outside of division 20 of the municipal court wearing a jacket bearing the words 'Fuck the Draft' which were plainly visible. There were women and children present in the corridor. The defendant was arrested. The defendant testified that he wore the jacket knowing that the words were on the jacket as a means of informing the public of the depth of his feelings against the Vietnam War and the draft. In affirming the conviction, California's Court of Appeal held that offensive conduct translates to "behavior which has a tendency to provoke others to acts of violence or to in turn disturb the peace," and that "it was certainly reasonably foreseeable that such conduct might cause others to rise up to commit a violent act against the person of the defendant or attempt to forcibly remove his jacket." However, the US Supreme Court granted a writ of certiorari, and the case went off to the highest court in the land. In essence, the Supreme Court had to decide whether or not Cohen's unseemly speech was punishable or protected under the auspices of the First Amendment. The Court held, by a vote of 5[en dash]4, that "Absent a more particularized and compelling reason for its actions, the State may not, consistently with the First and Fourteenth Amendments, make the simple public display of this single four-letter expletive a criminal offense." Cohen, by way of his "Fuck the Draft" jacket, was not tossing out "fighting words," and was not provoking violence through his jacket [sartorial display]. The Court denied the State the broad power to censor its citizens in the name of creating a clean, civil society through the censorship of public discourse: "[T]he issue flushed by this case stands out in bold relief. It is whether California can excise, as 'offensive conduct,' one particular scurrilous epithet from the public discourse, either upon the theory . . . that its use is inherently likely to cause violent reaction or upon a more general assertion that the States, acting as guardians of public morality, may properly remove this offensive word from the public vocabulary." The whole of Justice John Marshall Harlan II's closing arguments were eloquent and compelling, but there is one phrase that strikes to the core of what I feel is the essence of the First Amendment: "For, while the particular four-letter word being litigated here is perhaps more distasteful than most others of its genre, it is nevertheless true that one man's vulgarity is another's lyric." One man's vulgarity is another's lyric: black tea, apricot, honey, saffron, apple blossom, tolu balsam, ginger grass, white ginger root, and vetiver. LIBERTY Liberty was created for the CBLDF, inspired by Eugene Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People: frankincense, beeswax, olive blossom, chamomile, sampaguita, magnolia, apple blossom, gunpowder, and smoke. BANNED IN BOSTON Banned in Boston was a phrase coined in the 19th century that was used to describe material, be it a motion picture, photograph, literary work, or other work of art, that contained objectionable or obscene content. Boston city officials and the Watch and Ward Society took their lead from the Comstock Law, which prohibited obscene materials from being distributed via the US Mail service, and formed their own strict censorship guidelines. Provocative or offensive material was prohibited from distribution or exhibition within Boston city limits. The effect was much like that of the RIAA Parental Advisory tags: if something was Banned in Boston, it only served to pique interest and spike sales or attendance. Obscene, lewd, lascivious, and decidedly objectionable. A filthy, post-coitus scent: sweaty and sweet, laced with laudanum, splashed with booze, and stained by tobacco. SUNBIRD Inspired by Neil Gaiman’s short story, Sunbird. They were all so hungry the following morning. Zebediah T. Crawcrustle had a comedic apron on, with the words KISS THE COOK written upon it in violently green letters. He had already sprinkled the brandy-soaked raisins and grain beneath the stunted avocado tree behind the house, and he was arranging the scented woods, the herbs, and the spices on the bed of charcoal. Mustapha Stroheim and his family had gone to visit relatives on the other side of Cairo. "Does anybody have a match?" Crawcrustle asked. Jackie Newhouse pulled out a Zippo lighter, and passed it to Crawcrustle, who lit the dried cinnamon leaves and dried laurel leaves beneath the charcoal. The smoke drifted up into the noon air. "The cinnamon and sandalwood smoke will bring the Sunbird," said Crawcrustle. "Bring it from where?" asked Augustus TwoFeathers. "Why, where it always is, third lane after the old market in the Suntown district, just before you reach the old drainage ditch that was once an irrigation canal, and if you find yourself outside One-eye Khayam's carpet shop you have gone too far, "began Crawcrustle. "But I see by the expressions of irritation upon your faces that you were expecting a less succinct, less accurate description. Very well. It is in Suntown, and Suntown is in Cairo, in Egypt, where it always is, or almost always." Label illustrated by Julie Dillon. In Neil's words, "'Sunbird' smells like resin and deserts and the phoenix." 413 U.S. 15 / Miller Vs California In 1974, a court ruling established a litmus test for obscenity in the United States. Does the First Amendment protect dirty birds? Yes, and no; it depends on where you are and what your neighbors perceive as naughty. The Court's majority opinion stated that material could only be defined as obscene if "(a) the average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest; [and] ( the work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law; and © the work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value" If all three conditions are satisfied, voila - your work is obscene. But is it art? Although a work considered to have literary, artistic, political, or scientific value cannot, in theory, constitutionally be found to be obscene regardless of whether it appeals to prurient interest or is patently offensive, the question lies in how we can possibly determine with certainty whether or not a film, photograph, tale, or limerick has social value when philosophical and moral compasses vary so wildly from person to person and community to community. Is a perfume inspired by an 18th Century painting of a dildo obscene? What would your friends and neighbors say? Leather, cognac, fig, ripe berry, and cream, stuffed into a plain brown paper bag. SNOW GLASS APPLES Inspired by Neil Gaiman’s short story, Snow, Glass, Apples. In Neil's words, 'It smells like green apples and like sex and vampires, all at the same time. (Actually, it smells like sexy vampire apples.)' Label artwork by Julie Dillon! Proceeds from every single sale go to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Don’t just come for the BPAL stuff! A bevy of Image Comics stars will be there! – Ales Kot, Amanda Conner, Ben McCool, Ben Templesmith, Brandon Seifert, Charles Soule, Chris Giarrusso, Cory Walker, Dan Brereton, Darick Robertson, Deborah Vankin, Dexter Weeks, Dirk Manning, Edwin Huang,Eric Shanower, Eric Stephenson, Erik Larsen, Gerry Duggan, Glen Brunswick, Jim Mahfood, Jim McCann, Jim Valentino, Jim Zub, Jimmy Palmiotti, Joe Keatinge, John Layman, Joshua Hale Fialkov, Joshua Williamson, Kody Chamberlain, Kurtis Wiebe, Mark Poulton,Matt Hawkins, Michael Moreci, Moritat, Nate Bellegarde, Nathan Edmondson, Phil Noto, Richard Starkings, Ron Marz, S. Steven Struble, Scott Tuft, Sina Grace, Steve Seeley There’s a Threadless fashion show! Badass gift bags! Auction items on display! Come down, have a drink with us, and support free speech in the process! The CBLDF Comic-Con Welcome Party Thursday, July 12th 8pm – 11pm The Westgate Hotel 1055 Second Avenue San Diego, CA 92101 This party is FREE for CBLDF Members. Non-Members, suggested $10 - $20 donation at the door, please!

Dragon Moon is high in the sky over Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab and Black Phoenix Trading Post! Art by Julie Dillon! DRAGON MOON 2012 In some cultures, the Dragon is benevolent, bestowing blessings and granting wishes. In others, the Dragon is an icon of destruction and harbinger of catastrophe. In all its incarnations, both baneful and benign, the Dragon is a symbol of strength, authority, and the raw power of nature. This Dragon Moon represents the forces of rebirth and the vigor that springtime brings: dragon's blood resin, galbanum, coriander, patchouli, wild arbor vitae, blue sage, lavender, peppermint, sweetgrass, frankincense, moonglow magnolia, bergamot, Terebinth pine, fire-blackened wood, and green cedar. Also? Big. Happy. Golden. Balls. ++ PON POKO PON NO PON Sho-sho- Shojo-Ji Shojo-Ji no niwa wa Tsu-tsu-tsuki yo de minna dete koi koi koi! Oira no tomodacha Pon poko pon no pon. Makeru na, makeru na Oshosan ni makeru na Koi koi koi koi koi koi Minna dete koi koi koi! Sho-sho-shojo-Ji Shojo-Ji no hagi wa Tsu-tsu-tsuki yo ni Hanazakari. Oira wa ukarete Pon poko pon no pon. Stuffed full of beans and sake, the magical, shapeshifting Tanuki are harbingers of joy, prosperity, and change. These big-bellied, big-balled raccoon dogs are clever schemers and irrepressible tricksters. They conjure illusions and play pranks on the unwary, often raising up the downtrodden and casting foolish, prideful, and despotic people low. Bring a little more light and laughter into your life with our Pon Poko series! The garden is bright under the moonlit night! Let’s thump a snazzy little beat on our golden drums together! JIBIKI DANUKI Casting a fishing net. Purple sage and oakmoss with black and white musks. TANUKI NO AMIUCHI Catching birds. Sandalwood incense, patchouli, matcha, cumin, white cedar, white gardenia, ti leaf, and vetiver. TANUKI NO DÔKE DARUMA A raccoon dog having his scrotum painted in imitation of a Daruma doll. Red currant, champaca flower, apple blossom and apple pulp, goma, tomato leaf, and brown grasses. TANUKI NO HIKIFUNE Towing a scrotum boat. Honeydew, honey, and sparkling golden-green musk. TANUKI NO KANBAN Tanuki shopkeepers putting out their signboards. Golden musk, ginkgo nut, persimmon rind, and bitter almond. TANUKI NO ÔRAI Comings and goings. White peach, golden peach, mango, persimmon, lotus petal, osmanthus, and shishito. TANUKI NO SENKIMOCHI Afflicted with senki. Anise seed, furry brown musk, cypress sap, myrrh, and smoky woods. TANUKI NO YÛDACHI Seeking shelter from an evening rainstorm. Lilium speciosum, rice wine, white grapefruit, lotus root, bourbon vanilla, and vanilla orchid. Three new comic scents are going live, benefiting Hero Initiative! So much love and thanks to Jim McLauchlin, Matt Wagner, Joseph Michael Linsner, and all the wonderful people at Top Cow Productions! Proceeds from every bottle sold of Dawn: Mourning Victory, Grendel: Cyborg, and Magdalena go to Hero Initiative, the first federally recognized not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping comic book creators, writers and artists in need. Founded in late 2000 by a consortium of comic book and trade publishers including Marvel Comics, Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Wizard Entertainment, CrossGen Comics and Dynamic Forces Inc., the 501©(3) charity aims to assist comic creators with health, medical, and quality-of-life assistance. ++ HERO INITIATIVE DAWN: MOURNING VICTORY Red sandalwood, night-blooming jasmine, white tea, hyacinth, rosehips, and tuberose. GRENDEL: CYBORG Gleaming metal and black leather over a khus-darkened bay rum. MAGDALENA Frankincense, myrrh, leather, ti leaf, saint wood, benzoin, and labdanum absolute. And last, but zomg not least… THE LABYRINTH SERIES IS LIVE. A million, trillion thanks to the Jim Henson Company and Labyrinth Enterprises for enabling us to interpret the fantastical world of Labyrinth to life through scent! It is both an honor and a pleasure to work with a company that we respect so tremendously, and with a story that we cherish so fondly. We are thrilled to present the first in our Labyrinth series… ++ LABYRINTH Frustrated with babysitting on yet another weekend night, Sarah, a teenager with an active imagination, summons the Goblins to take her baby stepbrother away. When little Toby actually disappears, Sarah must follow him into a fantastical world to rescue him from the Goblin King. Guarding his castle is the labyrinth itself, a twisted maze of deception, populated with outrageous characters and unknown dangers. JARETH I ask for so little. Just let me rule you... and you can have--everything that you want. Just fear me... ...love me... ...do as I say and I will be your slave. Ethereal lilac fougere and gleaming leather with ti leaf, tonka absolute, white musk, and oudh. HOGGLE I ain't never been no one's friend before. Fermented pumpkin, brown leather, dust, tobacco leaf, and dark woods. GOBLIN CIDER A dark, earthy ginger cider. 13 HOURS You have 13 hours in which to solve the Labyrinth...before your baby brother becomes one of us...forever. A scent of profound foreboding: dusty black stone, dried rosehips, black moss, and creeping ivy. FAIRY BITE "It bit me!" "What did you expect fairies to do?" "I thought they did nice things. Like -- like granting wishes." "Shows what you know, don't it?" Osmanthus and honey with lavender, chamomile, white peppermint, raspberry, honeysuckle, thyme, raw honey, and Dracula orchid.

Black Phoenix Trading Post’s customer service department will be closed from today, March 16th, until March 26th. If your question requires immediate attention, please contact answers @ blackphoenixalchemylab.com during that time, and they will do their best to help out! Thank you so much!

Something is amiss with the BPTP email at the moment, and we're unable to respond to any customer service inquiries until we're able to get it fixed. Thank you so much for your patience while we sort this out!

Happy New Year, everyone! Here’s to a 2012 filled with mirth, sweetness, love, excitement, and light! WARAIZOME BPAL’s First Laughter of 2012 is inspired by an image of Tanuki merchants honoring the first transaction of the year by thumping a huge testicle taiko! This is an airy, cheerful prosperity-themed scent talisman that celebrates the creation of wealth through joy, creativity, kindness, honesty, and community: German chamomile, red sandalwood, oakmoss, sassafras, verbena, and aniseseed. Waraizome will be bangin' away until February 10, 2012.

We received the Krampus tees today, and the tissue tees are not what we expected. They’re a scoop-neck babydoll in a standard cotton blend, not tissue material. If you’d like a refund or have any questions, please email Ted at tradingpost (at) papow (dot) net. Thanks so much!