‘Kabuki’ Archives
Kabuki vol9: The Alchemy
I've been waiting for this volume almost 10 years, but it's finally here. The continuation of Kabuki's life, after she left the Noh. She has to build a new life for her, totally different and independent from anything she's ever known in her life. It's a scary thought, but luckily she has friends helping her out. David Mack has always used [...]
Kabuki vol 6: Scarab, Lost in Translation
This is the latest Kabuki volume, and it stars Scarab, one of the other Noh agents. This story spans many years in Scarab's life, most of them told in flashback. We see Scarab at the time of Metamorphosis, while inside the Control Corps trying to get to Kabuki. We see her a few days before that, spending time with Tiger Lily. We see her first [...]
Kabuki vol 5: Metamorphosis
Metamorphosis is a continuation of both the story and the art development from Skin Deep. Skin Deep was shorter and more focused on one theme, Kabuki's imprisonment and Akemi's notes. Vol 5 is much broader, in length, in themes, in art styles. The overall story sees Kabuki's attempts to escape with the help of Akemi. Towards the end of the book [...]
Kabuki vol 4: Skin Deep
As I was saying, as soon as I finish reading a Kabuki volume I am compelled to pick up the next one and at least flip through it if not start reading at once. So here I am, with the next volume in my reviews of Kabuki. Skin Deep is a short volume, but this is where Mack's painted creativity really shines. We saw colors in vol 2, but there were [...]
Kabuki vol 3: Masks of the Noh
This third volume of Kabuki is a little different in that David Mack only drew parts of it, and it doesn't star Kabuki. It instead features the other Noh agents colleagues of Kabuki. The story is still a continuation of the overall arc: the Noh agents are trying to track down Kabuki after she disappeared at the end of Circle of Blood. Each [...]
Kabuki vol 2: Dreams
This volume reprints the two Kabuki color specials. This is the first time we see David Mack's color work, and it's clear that Mack is an illustrator in his heart. Each page is a beautiful painting, full of emotions. The first story is basically a retelling of the last few pages of Circle of Blood, with more point of view from Kabuki's [...]
Kabuki vol 1: Circle of Blood
Kabuki by David Mack is probably my favorite comic series. This is unlike anything else in the market, so I will review each volume separately. The first volume is in black and white, and it tells the beginning of Kabuki's tale. Kabuki is an agent of the Noh, a secret agency of the Japanese government whose job is to keep the balance between [...]