Ever since the first primitive cave man drew a naughty picture of himself on a cave wall to show a prospective mate what she could expect between the furs, artists have been looking for any possible venue of expression which would let them depict human beings having sex.

This tendency has infiltrated the comic book industry, and across the globe artists with sweaty palms and glazed eyeballs are drawing pictures of women with breasts larger than their heads, pictures destined to be printed on cheap newsprint, saddle-stapled beneath a semi-glossy cover, and kept in a box behind the counter at the local comics speciality shop.

As in all things, of course, the nature and quality of these pictures varies wildly depending on which of Earth's many cultures the artists hail from. However, generally speaking there are three important kinds of adults-only comic book material, classed according to geography. These kinds are the European, Japanese, and American schools.

European School

The European school of adult comics tends towards either abstract caricature (such as Great Britain's Wicked Willie) or hyper-realistic art style, such as the work of the Italian artist Milo Manera, with little space in between. For some reason, the latter is less attractive than the former to many, since the artwork is so realistic - or attempts to be so - that the humanity of the characters is carried over warts-and-all. This type of erotic comic is to other adult comics what the morning after is to that gorgeous woman you met after the sixth drink at the bar last night.

Recommended European School Titles:

• Click! by Milo Manara
• Nina by Paya & Paya
• Wicked Willie

Japanese School

The Japanese school of adult comics scarcely deserves to be called a 'school' at all. Unlike the European style (which tends to focus on either realistic settings or on settings derived from familiar mythology), Japanese adult comics run the full range of realism to fantasy, and seriousness to parody. In addition, the Japanese are not above examining every aspect of their sexuality, no matter how kinky or ridiculous. Although their reputation for being all about large-breasted big-eyed schoolgirls getting raped by demons with a million tentacles is unfair, it should be noted that there is quite a lot of that sort of thing being produced there.

Recommended Japanese School Titles

• Angel by U-Jin
• Dragon Pink by Ito Yoko
• Secret Plot by NewMen
• Bondage Fairies by Kondom

American School

Finally we come to the American school, which like virtually every other form of American creative media essentially copies material from everyone else unsuccessfully. The American adult comics market in particular can be summed up in three parts: translations of the best of the other two schools, poorly written comics roughly equal to all other American pornography standards, and the occasional bit of original, creative work.

Since the American comics market is so much smaller than either the European or Japanese markets, the vast majority of adult comics are not even published in the pamphlet of newsprint which passes for 'professional' in the American market. Instead, they are printed late at night at the copy shop on letter-sized Xerox sheets and sold individually by the creator, making them very difficult to come by. Those adult comics which are distributed in the general comics market, therefore, constitute the 'cream' of the crop, such as it is.

Recommended American School Titles

• Cherry by Larry Welz
• XXXenophile by Phil Foglio
• Cream & Sugar by Solomon Russell
• Girl by Kevin J Taylor

Availability

It should be noted that, due to various laws in local areas even within the areas where these comics are published, these works are not universally available. Customs agents in many countries, but especially in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom delight in seizing and destroying anything which might reveal a nipple, much less anything happening to that nipple. Even in America, land of truth, justice and Larry Flynt, local laws can make it difficult or impossible for shopkeepers to carry these books. Despite such restrictions, artists and publishers continue to produce obscene comic works for the rest of us to enjoy and hide beneath our beds.