Hi and welcome to the September issue of Werewolf, which highlights a practical way to restore public confidence in the justice system. Ever since the Arthur Allan Thomas case in the 1970s, there has been a rash of public disquiet over the outcome of several major criminal cases – either because the verdict seemed plainly wrong, or because it relied on highly suspect evidence. In both Britain and Scotland, an independent body has been set up to investigate convictions where new evidence (or further analysis) has raised genuine concern that the original convictions were unsafe. In this issue, Werewolf interviews Professor Graham Zellick, the former head of that body in Britain between 2003 and 2008, as to why New Zealand needs the same kind of investigative watchdog on our justice system, and how such an organization would work.

The Supercity mayoral contest finally reaches a climax early next month, and this issue features an in-depth interview with leading candidate Len Brown about his views on the democratically flawed system that he may inherit, and how he plans to make it work. In other stories, James Robinson describes the learning curve he went through to track down someone stalking him on the Internet, while Rosalea Barker surveys the prospects for high speed rail between LA and San Francisco. Also in this issue Denis O’Reilly updates New Zealand’s current moves to combat the social and personal damage done by P, and Lyndon Hood casts his satiric eye at Simon Power's blitzkrieg campaign to get rid of all those messy and inefficient freedoms we associate with the Justice system.

The Classic children’s book this month is Catherine Storr’s haunting novel for young adults called Marianne Dreams. In this issue The Complicatist music column features Sleigh Bells, Joanna Newsom, Fang Island (and others) in a line-up of best new music so far in 2010 along with Youtube samples to back up our selections. In the Milestone Movies column, Brannavan Gnanalingham discusses the Spike Lee move Do The Right Thing and shows how racial preconceptions still drive much of the discourse about Lee’s film. In Cartoon Alley this month, Gordon Campbell talks about his affection for the Golden Age comic series Futura, while Brent Willis provides a new episode of Ranga the Ape. Tim Bollinger offers a new episode of his strip Little Eye plus a fascinating review of a book on Japanese manga kamishibai, or ‘paper theatre.’

Werewolf exists as a thank you’ to Scoop.co.nz supporters, and to provide a fresh outlet for writers and cartoonists. If you’d like to be part of it, email me at gordon@werewolf.co.nz. and we can talk about it. Thanks to Alastair Thompson for helping to post this issue.

Cheers,
Gordon Campbell
Werewolf/Scoop
gordon@werewolf.co.nz