We all know that sex sells and also that the internet is literally flooded with pornography, both on a paid-for and free basis these days. However, erotic comic art is a niche genre and puts a very different slant on pornography. Many of the comics in this top 10 list have been around for decades and far longer than internet pornography. Here’s an overview the top 10 erotic comics. Many of the titles below are not out of print but can be sourced second-hand and online.
10. XXXenophile – Phil Foglio
First published in the late 1980’s, Phil Foglio’s XXXenophile is in 6 volumes, the latest being published in 2000. In this comic, Foglio takes a playful look at sexuality, combining superheros with science fiction elements. There’s a wide range of sexual themes, from masturbation, to voyeurism and fetishism (although there were certain sexual themes that Foglio considered taboo and wouldn’t cover). The comics were originally published as 11 printed books.
9. Oh Wicked Wanda – Ron Embleton
This satirical comic strip, written by Fredrick Mullally and illustrated by Ron Emblazon, regularly appeared in editions of Penthouse magazine between 1973 and 1980. The artwork took great care in representing the beauty of the nude female form, whereas male characters were depicted without showing their genitals. Breasts and buttocks were careful recreated in the comic drawings. The storylines use various naughty escapades, combined with political satire.
8. Omaha the Cat Dancer – Reed Waller and Kate Worley
This critically acclaimed, adult erotic story was set in a fictional town of Mipple City, Minnesota and follows a soap-opera style plot, based upon comic animal characters, namely Omaha the feline exotic dancer. The strip was fist published as part of other comic books in the 1970’s and early 1980’s before becoming a book in its own right in the 1980’s and indeed has survived into the naughties. The latest stories were published in 2006 by Sizzle magazine. The storyline features very explicit sexual content and has been deemed a little controversial and criticised for potential obscenity.
7. Valentina – Guido Crepax
Created in 1965 by Italian artist Crepax, the heroine, Valentina Rossselli is the female lead in this series, comprising 7 books and beginning in 1967. Valentina is a sensuous, everyday kind of a woman and a sensuous Milan photographer by trade, who indulges in sad-masochistic adventures and enjoys uninhibited sexual fantasies along with her boyfriend superhero Neutron. The stories captivated her audience, because in Valentina, Crepax explores a weird and wonderful world of dreams, hallucinations, auto-eroticism and bisexuality.
6. Click Series – Milo Manara
This is a series of erotic Italian comics written by Milo Manara, first published in 1983, with subsequent sequels published in 1991, 1994 and 2001. The story features Claudia Cristiani, an attractive Italian, who is married to an older wealthy man. Initially frigid, the storyline takes Claudia through various decades of adventures after having an implant put into her brain to trigger sexual desire and sometimes outrageous sexual behaviour, at the touch of a remote control. The kinky twist to the story is that the remote device falls into the hands of other parties, who manipulate Claudia and this makes the story even more sexually thrilling.
5. Birdland – Gilbert Hernandez
The original series consisted of 4 comic books between 1990-1991 An expanded version published by Eros in 1992 contains new material. The comic strip is drawn in black and white with a colour cover. Graphic sex, with raunchy and outrageous behaviour take place, featuring two strippers, a psychiatrist and her deviant husband, who all make up a thrilling and sexually adventurous plot.
4. Ironwood – Bill Willingham
Ironwood follows the adventures of Dave Dragavon and was published in the 1990’s running for 11 issues. Dave is a young dragon in human, form who is asked to help free Pandora Breedlswight from a curse. This adult-themed comic cartoon is written in a ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ style, being a little dark and subterranean in its fantasy themes.
3. Small Favours – Colleen Coover
Funny, girly, romantic and erotic, Small Favours tells of Annie and girlfriend Nibble on their often lesbian-themed, sexual adventures. Designed for men and women to enjoy equally, it was published in 2 volumes, the first in 2002 and the second is 2003 and is hugely popular.
2. Lost Girls – Alan Moore and Melinda Gebbie
This 3 volume work of graphic erotica took its authors 16 years to produce. The reinvented characters of Alice (who we usually associate with Lewis Carrol) Dorothy (from the Wizard of Oz) and Wendy (from Peter Pan) meet up in 1913 and share erotic experiences. Sexual encounters are very graphically depicted in this comic novel. The book was first published in 2006.
1. Druuna – Paolo Eleuteri Serpieri
Hardcore porn set in the post-apocalyptic future, with some software imagery, is what this comic story has to offer. During the 13 years of publication from 1985 to 2003, the plot evolves in a place called The City and develops with some jumps in the storyline and inconsistencies but is nonetheless raunchy, sexually charged and thrilling.
The attraction of Druuna lies in the sigh-quality, half-clothed or fully nude images the heroine, who’s a beautifully curvaceous native American style of woman. Druuna is generally always sexually willing and succumbs to various advances, before engaging in hardcore sex. She starred in 8 volumes of the series entitled ‘Morbus Gravis’. The character of Druuna became most famous in America when the story was translated and published by Heavy Metal Magazine, which later reprinted the stories in book form.
