Wallowing in self-worth for years riding the backs of the one dollar notes in the United States of America, the Illuminati are looking outside the real mainstream for even more exposure.
Questionably an unknowing party to their scheme, comicbook rumour columnist Rich Johnston has been reminding the faithful readers of Lying in the Gutters to the symbol of the eye set in a pyramid. A symbol synonymous with the order of the Illuminati.
The move started when Marvel Entertainment's publishing division, now reducing their character reserves for film options, announced a new creator-owned imprint, ICON. Their logo drawing immediate comparisons to Australian L. Frank Weber's Crab Allen graphic novel published under the name of Icon and below an eye of the Illumine kind.
Following up and amidst apparent red herrings mentioning Iconic Comics and Milestone's Icon, the column dropped another image of the all-seeing eye. This time, from Third Eye Publishing.
Early as it is, and with the nature of the comicbook readership regarded as highly insular and rather cannibalistic, the actual tactics and reasons behind the move are muddy at the riverside.
Written on Friday, 30 April 2004