Hey Isabel, stop looting Machu Picchu!

In my mind, one of the central questions to explore in this blog is where the public's distorted perception of archaeology comes from. I think I have the answer, well, sort of: Isabel Soto. You can see from this  educational comic book cover and the ones below that she dabbles in all sorts of adventures. Archaeology isn't the only mysterious subject that needs "uncovering" or "investigating." And why is she taking that golden llama away from the site? I think you might rename this "An Isabel Soto Looting Adventure."

In all fairness, these comics are relatively harmless and they do highlight some of the important themes of the discipline. Just before jumping back in time in the page, Isabel smartly notes that archaeology can contribute to the present...and I might add, even the future. That's a basic mantra for the discipline. Nonetheless, some of the classic stereotypes are reinforced here; his outfit is a prime example. Why not base this on real-life archaeologists who are working in South America as we speak, and then use the comic to profile contemporary findings? And why dumb it down and pick the only famous sites (Machu Picchu and Pompeii)? I want to see Isabel take on a topic without reinforcing the same old tired notions about archaeologists and what they do. I'm guessing that it is not going to happen -- too many Bigfoots to track and mummies to uncover.