"Little Sister" on the Radio
From David Mack:
	You know, this reminds me of something really funny. I was switching the dial on my radio sometime in the last year, and stopped at a station because the guy was talking about Big Brother and 1984. It was a political show (that I don't normally listen to) talking about the government and state of the world, etc. And the guy said something to the effect that "No, it is not Big Brother you have to worry about. Orwell got it wrong. It is not Big Brother which is this heavy-handed totalitarian government looking over your shoulder that is the problem, it is Little Sister that is the problem. Little Sister is the sneaky, subversive privately controlled media that is the bigger problem than Big Brother." Which really got my attention. Because of course, "Little Sister" was the reference coined in Kabuki for the Noh media. So I kept listening to the show and he went on and on talking about "Little Sister" is watching you, and continually referring the media as "Little Sister". It was really, really bizarre. That was one of several moments in the last five years, where it really hit me, really painted such a clear picture (even to the exact wording), that the world I wrote about in Kabuki: Circle of Blood in 1994 was here now.

Kabuki: The Alchemy #6 Review

Michael Peterson posted a review of Kabuki: The Alchemy #6.

Food for Thought
From David Mack:
	I, as well, enjoy food for thought of all kinds in stories I read. Political or otherwise. The way it works is that if it is part of the character's make-up or background or interests, it just comes into the story. And certainly the premise of the Noh in the world of Kabuki (from the very first issue) is founded on political intrigue. Not to mention shadow governments, conspiracy, and media control/propaganda. And that is quite fine if people read into or connect dots with current events. After all, I had intended that from the very first issue as well. I was commenting on all of those real life aforementioned things in the context of the story from the very first issue of Kabuki in '94. My point is that while correlations can be drawn by the reader to the outside world, it is part and parcel of the context of the story and even the history and motivation of the characters. You don't NEED to look outside the story for it to make sense. And if you do look outside the story, I hope you do it with a broad view. Let the story be a lense that gives you a fresh perspective on those things. Something where you look beyond just what you hear and see on TV and the news today and consider the ramifications for the future. After all, that was the point of turning up the dial on those things when I put them in the story in '94. Turn the dial up on them just a bit, so you don't take them for granted and see what they really are through the exaggeration, or (maybe not even an exageration) just the fresh view of things through the lense of government/media in another country instead of your own. And so you can see where they may lead. That is usually what any good sci-fi story does. With 1984 being the giant in that respect.

New York City Comic-Con 2006 Photo

Pat Loika posted a photo of Mandy Amano being lifted by her sister, Kat, at the 2006 New York Comic-Con.

Kabuki: The Alchemy #6 at InfinityMusic.com

Kabuki: The Alchemy #6 is available at InfinityMusic.com ($2.99).

Kabuki Collections at MailMeMyComics.com

MailMeMyComics.com, who offer 10% off all of the Kabuki trade paperbacks and the hardcovers for the second through sixth volumes, was added to the list of Kabuki-friendly stores.

MOB News Bytes

SilverBulletComicBooks.com examined Powers #17, which was written by Brian Michael Bendis and drawn by Mike Oeming.

Auction Spotlight

Clayburn Moore's latest Kabuki Statue ($159) is available on eBay ($46.99).