Erotic comics for adults and the advanced

We’re a big, grown-up company now. So, it’s time to look at some adult topics. Erotic comics definitely belong in that category. Especially since you can find a number of truly interesting pieces in our selection of adult comics.

Erotic comics have a relatively long history worldwide, shaped almost exclusively in Europe. In prudish America, they still don't have it easy, unlike comics where blood and guts splash all over the reader… A separate chapter is Japanese manga and Asian comics in general; the socio-cultural background there is significantly different, and eroticism is perceived differently as well. It's definitely worth mentioning Ecchi manga with its slightly erotic, or rather suggestive, content, which we also carry.

In our country, classic erotic comics began to appear in the late 90s thanks to anthologies from the Julit publishing house. The magazine was called XXX Comix and, surprisingly, it almost immediately ended up in bargain bins. The local market and comic fans apparently needed some time to mature. Today, the situation is different. Crew Publishing broke the initial bad luck, and now everyone is publishing drawn erotica. Reviews even appear in renowned periodicals and on major websites.

Among the most famous authors of this suggestive genre are two Italians – Milo Manara and Paolo Eleuteri Serpieri, who can be considered the founders of modern erotic comics, or if you prefer, comics for adults.

The author of the famous game Doom once wrote (and everyone still throws it in his face today) that “Story in a game is like a story in a porno.” That might have been true for video games back then, and it still holds true for porn. Unfortunately, authors of erotic comics often followed this bon mot as well. Heroes regularly deal with nonsensical situations and have nonsensical conversations. Partly because the now-classic works were created at a time when comics were made differently, and partly because it’s all just filler before the genitals are shown and the action begins.

Something that might irritate today's reader even more (and not in a good way) is related to the era of their creation. Women in these comics are depicted as objects that anyone can do whatever they want with. And nobody asks for their opinion. It was a different time, and significantly easier for sexual predators… This appears regularly in the work of Milo Manara. In Click, the main character is “tortured” by a device that instantly turns her from a cold lady into a sex-obsessed femme fatale. The Perfume of the Invisible is about a man who becomes invisible and uses this superpower to abuse women. Manara isn't much of a writer, often bordering on parody, but I must admit that few can draw the female body as beautifully as he can.

Are you ready to explore the world of erotic comics? Or have you already discovered quite a bit and are looking for more inspiration? Let me pick a few titles that are worth reading.

Druuna

The adventures of this black-haired beauty are among the classics. Paolo Serpieri created a dark, apocalyptic sci-fi world where technology triumphs over humanity. The beautifully illustrated panels are full of pipes, tentacles, and mutants. And running around in the middle of it all is the perpetually confused Druuna, the ideal woman who, as luck would have it, loses her clothes every time and solves all her problems with sex. Druuna is exceptional because if you strip away the drawn softcore porn, you are left with a quite interesting sci-fi story with philosophical depth, which I would compare to the work of Alejandro Jodorowsky, who, by the way, has also dabbled in erotic comics repeatedly.

Esmera

I personally consider this comic one of the best. It has the right amount of suggestive content and, besides that, a meaningful and interesting script that would work even without the erotic scenes. Young Esmera grows up in a strict religious school in the sixties. That, however, doesn't stop her from exploring her own body and the body of her friend. In doing so, she discovers an interesting thing. At the moment of orgasm, she changes into the opposite sex. After another one, she turns back, and so on. Not only can she enjoy the life of both men and women, but it also brings an interesting perspective on the development of society. Highly recommended!

Pink and Black

This current novelty has practically everything in it - decent porn scenes, an interesting story, mystery, melancholy, and absolutely beautiful stylized painting. One day on the beach, a young girl named Gloria experiences strange, dreamlike sex with a mysterious albino. Together with her friend, she then discovers that a pink penis is growing out of her vagina. Orgasms, demons, pink snakes, and the secret of her missing father all come into play. Pink and Black is hard to describe, but the resulting impression and atmosphere are top-notch.

Sunstone

This series is in my selection deservedly, even though it is not a classic erotic comic. While there is eroticism here, it is a very light version that could easily appear in a teen magazine. The main theme is BDSM. An abbreviation that covers practices like bondage, dominance, slaves, and spanking. In short, something commonly practiced in society but still heavily tabooed. The main character, quiet and shy Lisa, has always secretly longed to be tied up. When she meets the dominant Ally, her life changes. Sunstone is also a tender love story, but above all, a really interesting insight into like-minded circles. It manages without explicit images, and despite its theme, it is human and absolutely brilliantly drawn.

Borgia

Alejandro Jodorowsky is an author you either love or hate. It's not easy to find a way into his work. His pieces are full of mysticism, references, and philosophy. But once you get a taste for it, an extraordinary experience awaits you. In Borgia, he joined forces with the aforementioned Milo Manara, who complemented his decadent script with top-tier art. Borgia is the story of the family of the same name, which during the Renaissance controlled practically all of Italy and even reached the papal throne. History, however, has partly unfairly attributed to them the reputation of a family that stops at nothing - bribes, intrigues, even murders. And of course, sex must be a part of it. In this case, not for the faint of heart…

Erotic comics are a distinctive genre that has been experiencing a true renaissance in recent years, at least here. We have seen the release of older classics, new and fresh pieces, and even the history of sex in comic form. Thanks to them, eroticism and sex are shedding their stigmas and becoming what they should be - a natural part of human life.

author Karel Krajča