Before a slew of historic reenactors, teenage metalheads clad in spikes, and quite possibly a fierce Scandinavian pagan deity or two knock on my door, I must clarify that by "abusing" I am merely referring to reusing an illustration I made of Leif Eriksson (or what I imagined he'd look like) aeons ago as an undergraduate project in graphic design.

Being a young and feisty metaller myself at that time, obsessed with all-things-Viking like all self-respecting representatives of the given subculture, I hand-drew a realistic image for "Leif," who was really just a dude from Amon Amarth. The portrait ended up on a panel I arrogantly punned "Norse America" (CONTROVERSY!) detailing the Viking arrival in what was the New World for the Europeans around 1000 AD.

Since then, my Leif has been reused for a variety of illustrative purposes getting more and more obscured by computerized effects, but still going strong--no doubt, much like the original specimen.

P.S. At least I don't draw Vikings with horned Wagnerian helmets, and that should count for something, right? RIGHT?