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| Suspended Animation, April 9, 2004 |
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The Glamour Girls of Bill Ward
176 pgs
$28.95
Fantagraphics books
Text by Alex Chung
Art and words by Bill Ward
Available at comic and book stores and at www.fantagraphics.com
It is no secret that men are sexually excited by female nudity, and that pornography is defined as images or words that stimulate erotic feelings. The line that separates admiration and lust, naughty and nasty, is a thin one. Bill Ward's glamour girls of the '50s, '60s and '70s straddled that line.
Ward was a popular cartoonist who drew covers for romance titles, Blawkhawk, and other Quality comic books. He also created and drew Torchy, the prototype of all his buxom, leggy babes that pandered to male fantasies.
When comic book sales faltered, Ward sold more than 9,000 single-panel cartoons of nearly naked women to digest magazines for men.
To his credit, Ward had a distinct style, although none of the captions to the more that 150 cartoons printed in this collection are mildly funny. To his discredit, his reality-based style suffered from poor anatomy and perspective.
Mild by today's standards, it is nevertheless undeniable that Ward's cartoons excited erotic feelings. Those who think that harmless will enjoy this collection. Those that think it is harmful live in the real world that Ward didn't draw.
MV MINIVIEW: Quantum: Rock of Ages [dreamchilde Press] A magical artifact and a clerk who pops between dimensions into alternate versions of himself set the stage for this intriguing 12 issue mini-series. However, the art is effective but not distinctive (anatomy and perspective are sometimes inaccurate), some scene transitions are confusing, and there is too much profanity.
MINIVIEW, TOO: Ember Six [Comic Apple] A bandaged arm that promises havoc, a waitress who knows too much but doesn't know it, and a fugitive who loves firing guns are the cast of a small comic book (6"x6") with great potential. The art, half pencil and half inked pencils, needs a more experienced inker.
Michael Vance
Shudder at Vance's Light's End horror short stories narrated by actor William Windom at www.plan9.org.
Questions? Comment? E-Mail Suspended Animation at vance@digitalwebbing.com
Any statements made, expressed or implied are solely those of columnists or persons interviewed and do not represent the editorial position of the administration, who does not accept responsibility of such statements. All characters and artwork shown are trademark and © of their respective owners.
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