Spirit of the Amazon #1

Posted: Tuesday, July 8, 2003
By: Darren Schroeder

Cover of Spirit of the Amazon #1 Writer(s): Orlando Paes Filho
Artist(s): Rodrigo Pereira (P), Nelson Pereira & Jose Wilson Magalhaes (I)
Publishers: NW Studios
From: USA
Price: $2.95 (US)

The global economy demands resources, and the Amazon rain forest teams with life, which is sustained by water. At the moment oil fuels the 1st world, but soon the need for water will be just as important. Secretary Walter of the Brazilian government understands this, but cannot convince the Diplomatic visitors from America that they can’t go on doing what they want without a thought for others. At the same time as these meetings, a team of hi-tech mercenaries are establishing a secret base in the Amazon, and it appears that a team of gods are helping them defend their land.

The look of this book is pure Rob Liefield. The poses and facial features of the characters, the linear hatching used to give texture, the number of buxom females who wear loincloths and show off their thighs and firm buttocks. There's a lot of skill gone into the artwork, and the colouring is dynamic, but it's all so derivative that it doesn't really spin my wheels.

The characters are all rather perfunctory in this issue, we get to see a lot of them (quite a lot of the females actually) but there is nothing in the way of back-story so far. It appears that there is a team of super powered folks who look after a bunch of mystical Indians. Secretary Walter is part of them. Over in America a ruthless businessman plans world destruction as a profit making exercise. Lots happening, too much to get any real tension going. The environmental theme is interesting, but it is overdone to an almost ridiculous extent. Indians as mystical types who talk in metaphors all the time, Animal spirits who go around killing lots of bad guys for the good of the planet. At least they haven't started talking to mother earth...yet.

So, the book looks great and has it's heart in the right place, it's just trying too hard to copy a style of superhero comic that I thought died about 5 years ago. But then, what do I know. I didn't like the style the first time.

In a Word: Simulacra.



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