by Tim Pilcher
2007 saw the launch of a new erotic webcomic, Chester 5000 XYV, about a love robot whose job is to satisfy a decadent and demanding lady. Originally a gift from her absent husband, it turns wrong when passionate jealousies rise to the fore. But generally Fink’s erotic comics are enjoyable affairs, “I like it when people have new ideas about what sexy is,” says Fink. “I like presenting that in a happy way.”
Fink relishes filling the void of good porn for women. “Whenever I think of other women doing porn I always think it’s going to be really flowery and bad. Like romance novels or something…girly, nondescriptive,” she explained. “I like really graphic stuff. If it’s porn, I want it to be porn…I don’t want to talk down to women, like, ‘I know you don’t like sex so I’ll make this easy on you. Women are attracted to characters, things that feel real,” said Fink, who gets lots of comments from women thanking her for making her male characters more attractive—her work is full of metrosexuals and pretty-boy artists—”I like effeminate men,” she explains, “Maybe [short, fat, and hairy porn star] Ron Jeremy is someone’s idea of attractive, but…”
Pages from Jess Fink’s strip The Grand Finale, part of her Dirty Limericks series that appeared on Adultwebcomics.com. This was the first strip the artist had published by Eros Comix.
Jess Fink’s arousing, yet implicit, cover to Rear Entry #9 (2005).
ADULTWEBCOMICS.COM
Jess Fink’s work on Adultcomics.com is some of the best on the erotic comics website, which acts as a hub for many other talented creators. Other strips of note include the “pop art porn” of Laura O’Callaghan-White’s strip, Bukkake, which is pure unadulterated filthy fun, drawn in a bright Roy Lichtenstien style.
Isaac Priestley, who had already drawn the series Progressions, started his Chastity Towers series in 2007. It’s a classic tale of sexual experimentation in a girls’ finishing school, in the vein of Francisco Solano López’s Young Witches.
The anal antics of Lucy Luvbottom are reminiscent of the late Art Wetherall’s work for Eros, and feature the volutiously proportioned damsel of the derriere constantly looking for anal sex, in any shape or form. Its over-the-top sense of humor dissipates the shock value of the well-crafted artwork. As artist Dezi X explained, “Always the optimist, she sees an opportunity for anal adventure in every situation!”
Meanwhile, J.L. Roberson’s series, This Sickness, recounts the funny, but intensily graphic bisexual Mistress, Rosa, and her slave, Annaliese. Roberson’s other strip, Vladruska, about a fictional Soviet porn star, is a sharp satire on the old Russia and cleverly uses techniques remiscent of an old Eisenstein film.
Possibly the best strip on the website, both in terms of the quality of art and hilarity factor, was Chris Jones’Grumps (www.grumps.ca)—obviously inspired by Ren & Stimpy creator John Kricfalusi’s cartoons. The “old school depravity” featured two pensioners, Horris and Mr. Smits, in a nursing home as they constantly perv at the buxom nurses and try and sink their pink torpedoes into the fellow female residents one last time before they die. Sadly the series ended in June, 2008. Jones’ other webcomics include Byron Pinkleton, a hysterical, historical piece of tosh and the sex-mad superhero Captain Excelsior (www.captainexcelsior.com), who can’t keep it in his pants for longer than five minutes.
Chester 5000 XYV, by Jess Fink, first appeared online at Adultwebcomics.com as a fve-page story as part of her Dirty Limericks series, but developed into a ongoing narrative in February 2007.
THE EROTIC ADVENTURES OF SPACE BABE 113
John Maybury’s The Erotic Adventures of Space Babe 113 is a “naughty SF comedy” that owes a debt to previous sexy space sirens of the past, such as Jean-Claude Forest’s 1960s strip Barbarella, with the light, humorous tones of Harvey Kurtzman and Will Elder’s Little Annie Fannie. Artistically speaking, Maybury’s influences come from further afield, with Japanese mangaka Junko Mizuno being an acknowledged inspiration. “I love her stuff, it’s dark, sexy, cute, and stylish,” he explained. There’s a touch of erotic underground cartoonist Vaughn Bodé, as well. The minimalist art manages to convey a sexy, voluptuous woman, without the explicitness.
Space Babe is the catering officer on the trading spaceship Marco Polo, who—inadvertently, and invariably—gets entangled in various sexy misadventures with the ship’s misfit crew. On her departure she promised her boyfriend she would be celibate for the five-year-long mission, but it proves a challenge.
Space Babe’s humor derives from old British Carry On… movies, and typically saucy, tongue-in-cheek absurdity. For example, she wears “standard-issue European Space Force knickers, equipped with on-board artificial intelligence, which can perform the functions of a PDA and can connect to various wireless networks.” They also talk back to her.
Originally published by Soaring Penguin in the UK, as an ongoing series in a “US comics with the top chopped off” format, these black and white tales have adapted, and with stories created for the revolutionary, non-erotic, Rokcomics.com, which allows users to download comics onto their mobile phones.
Interestingly, Maybury also employs the latest technology to create his comic, first drawing it on a touchscreen PDA, then uploading the artwork to his PC where he converts the bitmap images to vector drawings. He then letters and colors the strip, assembling each panel.
So, the Internet has meant that fans of erotica need never leave the house and face the potential embarrassment of buying material in the shops, either by purchasing them from online stores, or by downloading them directly. Anime, hentai, erotic comics, and the like are now available to all. Whether this is a good thing is a moot point, as it continually perpetuates the shame factor of pornography, rather than the acceptance that there can be such a thing as—as Alan Moore puts it—“good porn,” that is healthy, happy, non-exploitative, shameless erotica for all genders and sexual persuasions. Something that maybe, one day, society will work towards.
A complete adventure—Review—of Space Babe 113 by John Maybury. The repetitive square panels are a result of the creator working on a PDA and formatting the strip so that it can be read on a mobile phone, after being downloaded from Rokcomics.com.
ART DIRECTORY
This book is an historical retrospective, critique, and review of erotic comic art. Every effort has been made to trace and acknowledge all copyright and trademark holders, and obtain permissions for the works reproduced in this book. The author and publishers sincerely apologize for any inadvertent errors or omissions and will be happy to correct them in future editions, but hereby must disclaim any liability.
Wongoboy © Jason Atomic
Scuba Girl © Vaughn & Marke Bodé
Lost Girls © Melinda Gebbie & Alan Moore
Lost Girls © Melinda Gebbie & Alan Moore
Alan Moore portrait © Frazer Irving
© Giovanna Casotto
CHAPTER 1
Faust #11 © Tim Vigil/Avatar Press
Comics Code Authority’s seal of approval © CCA
Weird Sex-Fantasy © Wally Wood Estate
Messiah © Wally Wood Estate
Phantom Lady #17 © Fox Features Syndicate/Matt Baker Estate
XXXenophile #2 by Phil Foglio & Matt Howarth © Phil Foglio
The Birth of Porn, Blab! #14 © Spain Rodriguez
The Birth of Porn, Blab! #14 © Spain Rodriguez
Bettie Page © Dave Stevens
Bettie Page © Jordi Bernet
Li’l Hot Stuff © Dave Stevens
© Frank Cho
The Deathman’s Head © Frank Thorne
© Frank Thorne
Erotic World of Frank Thorne
© Frank Thorne/Eros Comix
The Deathman’s Head © Frank Thorne
The Very Large Book of Comical Funnies
© National Lampoon
© National Lampoon
© National Lampoon
Sap Cosmix (Zap Comix) © National Lampoon
© National Lampoon
Heroes © Daniel Tor
res
Heavy Metal, Jan 1994 © Dave Doorman/Heavy Metal
Heavy Metal, May 1992 © Julie Bell/Heavy Metal
Lorna © Alfonso Azpiri
Eva Medusa © Antonio Segura & Ana Mirallés/Heavy Metal
Heavy Metal, Jan 1995 © Luis Royo/Heavy Metal
Heavy Metal © Simon Bisley/Heavy Metal
Heavy Metal © Simon Bisley/Heavy Metal
Heavy Metal, 2003 © Alex Horley/Heavy Metal
Cherry Poptart © Larry Welz
Cherry Poptart © Larry Welz
Cherry Poptart © Larry Welz
Omaha © Reed Waller, Kate Worley & James Vance
The Complete Omaha: The Cat Dancer, Volume 6
© Reed Waller, Kate Worley & James Vance
Omaha © Reed Waller, Kate Worley & James Vance
Melody © Sylvie Rancourt, Jacques Boivin & Gabriel Morrisette
Melody © Sylvie Rancourt/Jacques Boivin & Gabriel Morrisette
Melody #8 © Sylvie Rancourt/Jacques Boivin & Gabriel Morrisette
Melody #6 © Sylvie Rancourt/Jacques Boivin & Gabriel Morrisette
Sex Throughout the Ages: The Middle Ages © Blas Gallego/SQP
A Friend in Need © Blas Gallego/SQP
Dolly’s Creatures of the Night © Blas Gallego/SQP
Claw Tub Pencil © Steve Fastner/Rich Larson/SQP
Cursed Kiss © Steve Fastner/Rich Larson/SQP
One Small Smack © Steve Fastner/Rich Larson/SQP
Pocket Pal © Steve Fastner/Rich Larson/SQP
Alienated © Steve Fastner/Rich Larson/SQP
Erotic elf © Barry Blair/Colin Walbridge
Pin up © Barry Blair/Colin Walbridge
Climaxxx #1 © Barry Blair/Aircel Comics
Climaxxx #1 © Barry Blair/Aircel Comics
Faust © Tim Vigil, Jonny B. & Avatar Press
Faust 777: The Wrath #3, #1 and Faust #11 © Tim Vigil & Avatar Press
Love of the Damned © David Quinn & Tim Vigil
Faust, 1989 © David Quinn & Tim Vigil
Thick Black Kiss © Howard Chaykin Inc.
Thick Black Kiss © Howard Chaykin Inc.
Thick Black Kiss © Howard Chaykin Inc.
Thick Black Kiss © Howard Chaykin Inc.
Black Kiss #9 © Howard Chaykin Inc.
Domino Lady © Ron Wilber & Eros Comix
Domino Lady #1: Hell’s Fanged Horror of Doom! © Ron Wilber & Eros Comix
Domino Lady’s Jungle Adventure
© Ron Wilber & Eros Comix
Domino Lady © Ron Wilber & Eros Comix
Birdland © Gilbert Hernandez/Eros Comix
Birdland © Gilbert Hernadez/Eros Comix
Dirty Stories: The First Time © Dylan Horrocks
Dirty Stories: The First Time © Dylan Horrocks
Dirty Stories #2 cover © Rick Altergott/Eros Comix
Dirty Stories: One Thousand Pardons © David Lasky
Penny Century © Jaime Hernandez
Black Hole © Charles Burns
Locas in Love © Jaime Hernandez
Blankets © Craig Thompson
Kristina, Queen of Vampires © Frans Mensink
Banana Games © Christian Zanier
Queen of Vampires © Frans Mensink
Tranceptor © Michael Manning/Patrick Conlon
Palace of a Thousand Pleasures © Colin Murray
Tranceptor © Michael Manning/Patrick Conlon
Sizzle #34 © Michael Manning/Patrick Conlon/NBM
Satanika © Simon Bisley/Verotik
Ge Rouge advert © Glenn Danzig/Calvin Irving/Verotik
Satanika advert © Eric Canete/Verotik
Sunglasses after Dark #3 © Stan Shaw/Nancy A. Collins/Verotik
Advert © Martin Emond/Verotik
Sunglasses after Dark #6 © Martin Emond/Verotik
Sunglasses after Dark #5 © Jason Pearson/Verotik
Subscription card © Jason Pearson/Verotik
Fight Censorship © Frank Miller & CBLDF
An Idea Imprisoned © Howard Cruse
The Salon © Nick Bertozzi
Cruel and Unusual #2 © Jamie Delano, Tom Peyer, John McCrea & Andrew Chui
The Extremist #4 © Peter Milligan & Ted McKeever
Enigma #7 © Peter Milligan & Duncan Fegredo
The Extremist #1 © Peter Milligan & Ted McKeever
Tongue*Lash: The Hidden Place © Randy & Jean-Marc Lofficier & Dave Taylor
The Pro © Garth Ennis, Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti & Paul Mounts
American Century © Howard Chaykin Inc. & DC Comics
American Century #21 © Howard Chaykin Inc., DC Comics & Jim Silke
CHAPTER 2
© Stephen Lowther
Hard Hug © Howard Cruse
The Advocate © Howard Cruse
That Night at The Stonewall © Howard Cruse
Wendel © Howard Cruse
Homoeroticism Blues © Howard Cruse
Stuck Rubber Baby © Howard Cruse/DC Comics
Stuck Rubber Baby © Howard Cruse/DC Comics
Cherry Tree Bondage © Howard Cruse
Gay Comix #11 © Robert Triptow
Gay Comix #1:Billy Goes Out © Howard Cruse
Gay Comix #6 © Jerry Mills
Gay Comix #12 © Brad Parker
Major Power and Spunky © Mal Coney & Sean Doran
© Tom of Finland Foundation
Kake: Service Station, 1972
© Tom of Finland Foundation
© Tom of Finland Foundation
Kake: The Intruder, 1968 © Tom of Finland Foundation
Kake: Cock Hungry Cops © Tom of Finland Foundation
Maybe, Maybe Not © Ralf König
Axel © Ralf König
Maybe, Maybe Not © Ralf König
Camili-Cat in… The Djinns, Meatmen #25, 2002
© Patrick Fillion
© Patrick Fillion
Zahn in 5 Easy Steps © Patrick Fillion
Camili-Cat in The Game © Patrick Fillion
The Myth of Hycynthus, Gay Comix #21
© David Sexton & P. Craig Russell
Gay Comix #18 © Craig Hamilton & Tony Harris
Genes and a T-Shirt, Heartthrobs #1
© Robert Rodi, Phil Jimenez & Vertigo Comics
© Donna Barr
© The Desert Peach © Donna Barr
© Donna Barr
The Desert Peach © Donna Barr
Controlled Hysteria, A.A.R.G.H © David Shenton
Robohomophobe, A.A.R.G.H © Frank Miller
Clause for Concern, A.A.R.G.H © Kev O’Neill
Meatmen #25 cover © Oliver Frey & Leyland Publications
Maneater © Mike
Don’t Dream It, Be It! 1990 © Howard Stangroom & Stephen Lowther
Ride The Wild Surf © Howard Stangroom & Stephen Lowther
Stagecoach, Meatmen #25 © John Blackburn
The Hotheaded Paisan #12 © Diane DiMassa
The Hotheaded Paisan #12 © Diane DiMassa
Artistic Licentiousness © Roberta Gregory
The Italian Cousin, Juicy Mother Anthology © Serena Pillai
Logo © Giant Ass Publishing
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, 2006 © Alison Bechdel
Dykes to Watch Out For © Alison Bechdel
Dykes to Watch Out For © Alison Bechdel
CHAPTER 3
© Giovanna Casotto
Cornucopia © Milo Manara
Gullivera © Milo Manara
Indian Summer © Milo Manara & Hugo Pratt
Trip to Tulum © Milo Manara & Federico Fellini
Indian Summer © Milo Manara & Hugo Pratt
El Gaucho © Milo Manara & Hugo Pratt
Illustration © Milo Manara
The Great Adventure: The Adventures of Giuseppe Bergman © Milo Manara/À Suivre
El Gaucho © Milo Manara & Hugo Pratt
Blood for the Pope © Milo Manara & Alejandro Jodorowsky/Heavy Metal
El Gaucho, 1999 © Milo Manara/Hugo Pratt/NBM
> Little Ego © Vittorio Giardino
Little Ego © Vittorio Giardino/Heavy Metal
Little Ego © Vittorio Giardino
Little Ego © Vittorio Giardino
Little Ego © Vittorio Giardino
Morbus Gravis © Paolo E. Serpieri
Morbus Gravis © Paolo E. Serpieri
Mandragore © Paolo E. Serpieri/Heavy Metal
© Paolo E. Serpieri
© Paolo E. Serpieri
Ana © Francisco Solano López/ Gabriel Solano López
Ana © Francisco Solano López/ Gabriel Solano López
The Young Witches © Francisco Solano López/Eros Comix
The Young Witches © Francisco Solano López/Eros Comix
Sex Symphony The Young Witches © Francisco Solano López/Kiss Comix
Ana © Francisco Solano López/Gabriel Solano López
Piano Tuner © Ignacio Noe/ NBM
© Ignacio Noé/NBM
© Giovanna Casotto
Una Playa Solitaria, Kiss Comix #163 © Giovanna Casotto
© Giovanna Casotto
© Giovanna Casotto
© Jordi Bernet/Glamour International magazine
Glamour International magazine 2 © Vittorio Giardino/Glamour International magazine
© Tanino Libertore/Glamour International magazine
© Manolo Carot
Ultra Hard #4 © Editorial Astri
Ulula: Ula se Hace Monja, hembras Peligrosas, 1985
© Unknown artist
Las Cachondas Reclutas © El Asistante
La Nieta Viciosa, Ultra Hard #4 © Unknown artist
Kiss Comix #163 © Monica/Violeta /Ediciones La Cúpula
Piketes, Kiss Comix © Tobalina
R.E.M © Gabriel Bobillo
Anal Probe, Dirty Stories © Miguel Angel Martin
Akeronya © Atilio Gambedotti/Iván Guevara
Clara © Jordi Bernet
Clara of the Night © Jordi Bernet & Auad Publishing
Clara de noche © Jordi Bernet & Ediciones El Jueves
Zirk: Marooned, Heavy Metal War Machine, 1993
© John Higgins & Steve Moore
Graphixus #4 © Brain Bolland
Succuba, Graphixus #2 © Garry Leach
