500 Followers And A Story Of Tattoos

When I started The Comic Vault last year, I did it with the mentality of wanting to write about something that made me happy. The more people responded to it, the more I started to set a goal for myself. Before the end of 2017 I told myself I wanted to reach 10,000 page views and 500 followers. Today, I can say I’ve smashed those targets, reaching over 10,000 and hitting 500 followers. To thank everyone, I wanted to give insight into another topic I’m passionate about.

For a long time, I’ve been fascinated with tattoos and I got my first one when I was 19. Since then, I’ve been inked a lot and I wanted to give some explanation into what each one means and the order they came in.

An Egyptian ankh modified with a sun and the words ‘Sal El Sol’ on my left bicep

The first tattoo I got was an Egyptian key of life modified to look like a sun. The Spanish words ‘Sal El Sol’ are spelled out between the rays. The phrase means the sun will always come out and I was inspired by a Shakira song of the same name. I wanted to combine my appreciation for Ancient Egypt with my determination to look towards brighter days.

A red and black tribal dragon with a Japanese Kanji symbol for belief on my right forearm

Another culture I appreciate is Japan, and it inspired me to get a dragon. For me, the dragon represents inner strength and I combined it with the symbol for belief. When I look at it, it reminds me to believe in myself.

An orange and black tribal lion with the words ‘Sentirmi Ruggisce’ on my left forearm

I come from an English and Italian family and wanted to get a tattoo that represents my heritage. The lion represents strength and the words are Italian for ‘Hear Me Roar.’

A blue helm of awe on my chest

I’m a fan of Norse mythology and it inspired me to get a Nordic symbol on my chest. Vikings used to paint the helm of awe on themselves because they believed it made them invincible and scared their enemies. It’s a reminder that I can be confident.

A laurel wreath and sword with SPQR on my left arm

When I was growing up, one of my favourite historical periods was Ancient Rome. I decided to get a laurel wreath and sword around the time I completed my first fantasy novel called The Things We Carry. I adapted Ancient Rome for one of my civilisations and the tattoo represents the milestone of writing my first book.

Mjolnir wrapped in Yggdrasil on my right arm

Thor is one of my favourite superheroes and his hammer is a great source of strength. I had Mjolnir combined with Yggdrasil, so Mjolnir looks like the trunk of the tree.

Two stanzas from William Henley’s Invictus on both arms

Together the stanzas read ‘in the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance, my head is bloody but unbowed.’ These are my most personal tattoos because they represent the past that I’ve fought to overcome. Depression has been a big part of my life, but when I look at my arms, I can remind myself I’m still here.

A Sons of Anarchy inspired Grim Reaper on my back

Sons of Anarchy is one of my favourite TV series, and when I watched it I was drawn in by the themes of freedom and brotherhood. The reaper also represents that I’m turning my back against death, that I want to live my life to the fullest.

The Manchester Bee on my wrist

When the Manchester Arena was bombed, there was an outcry of support from everyone in the city. The Manchester Bee became a symbol of unity and lots of people got it and donated the money to charity. I wanted to get it to show that I’m proud of where I was born.

Tattoos are a wonderful way of expressing yourself through art. I do plan to get more tattoos and add to the story of my life through the years. Thanks again for everyone who’s followed The Comic Vault and look out for more interesting content in future.