INVERSE PRESS
[This review originally appeared on Patreon.]
WRITER: Erica J. Heflin
ARTIST: Amanda Rachels
24pp, Color, $3.99 (February 2013)
Flesh of White is a comic book series created by writer Erica J. Heflin (Zenescope Entertainment's Wonderland and Grayhaven Comics’ The Gathering) and drawn by artist Amanda Rachels (Arcana Studios’ The Book). The series is set in the the African nation of Tanzania.
Flesh of White #1 introduces a young Tanzanian couple who lives in the village of Wasando. Idi is a conscientious father and farmer, and Rehema is a wife and doting mother. They recently celebrated the birth of a son, Kwasi, but his birth has brought unanticipated fears. Kwasi was born with albinism, which is problematic, as he and his parents live in a part of Tanzania where fear guides the actions of men and superstition directs their lives. A scheming Witch Doctor desires little Kwasi's flesh, and he has sent The Harvester to obtain it.
Writer Erica J. Heflin offers a most intriguing concept in Flesh of White, and the setting, rural Tanzania, is filled with a sense of mystery and wonder. Artist Amanda Rachels has a drawing style that seems more appropriate for children's comics instead of a comic book that features graphic depictions of brutal violence. Yet Rachels' compositions strengthen the depictions of emotion, whether these emotions are happy and sad or are peaceful and violent, making the storytelling seem immediate and urgent.
Heflin and Rachels make a good team. They come together and fashion Flesh of White into something that is intriguing and magical. If DC Comics published comic books featuring genuine African characters, then, Flesh of White would be a Vertigo book. Left to their own devices, however, Heflin and Rachels are free to create a comic book of magic, real and simulated, that is truly unique.
http://inversepress.com/
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux
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