'The Liberators'
by Alfredo Grassi (story) and Enrique Breccia (art)
from Merchants of Death No. 1, July 1988
Eclipse Comics
In 1988 indie comics publisher Eclipse decided to try out something new: a 40 page, magazine-sized comic book, printed on higher quality paper in color and black and white, that featured adventure tales written and illustrated by well-known Argentinian and North American talent.
Merchants of Death wasn't a major success, and the title folded after four issues. It does deserve mention as an effort to showcase South American comics to an American audience in a era when such an idea was not seen as overly marketable.
Issue one of Merchants of Death featured a story from two Argentinian comics figures: writer Alfredo Grassi and artist Enrique Breccia, with colors provided by Don Gidley.
Set in what is apparently Bolivia, 'Soldier of Fortune: The Liberators' opening pages use some well-rendered scenes of desert terrain to lend an existential atmosphere to its cynical, and very much South American, treatment of the politics of the Right and Left. As well as some sharply drawn scenes of violence - definitely not Comics Code material !
Grassi and Breccia did additional episodes of 'Soldier of Fortune' for Merchants of Death. I'll be posting those if there is interest.
This is AWESOME! How have I never seen these before, right up my alley.
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