Domino runs an exclusive underground sex club, the Lovesick Club, where deepest darkest depravities are catered for by her and her girls. The club offers live stream, red rooms and snuff movies. This then is not your usual titillation arena. True there is latex, leather and fishnets on show, but Domino offers that which you can only experience once, albeit by her cruel. knife wielding hand, death and its pleasure.
Italian writer /artist Luana Vecchio has created a dark world of horror-erotica or torture porn, the latter being something of a fan favourite in the movies a little while bak. Taking the writing first; Vecchio wastes not time in setting the scene. There is no preamble, it is straight to the action. Vecchio uses different media types to deliver different. tones of messages, be it the seductive elements of an invitation to join, the purring nature that tantalises her volunteers and the narrative from the chat room which serves to act as the public “normal life” perceptions and world views. There are some uncomfortable language and terms used, though I feel this used to get a reaction out of the reader more than anything.
The art is disturbingly gorgeous. Domino look great in her outfit as do her girls. That is only part of the art though. Vecchio has created a dark world, where dark deeds are all too real. The aesthetics may be familiar, who hasn’t seen a bondage mask for example. The lines have that classic European vibe with a style that looks like a heavier nuanced version of Guilem March’s fine lines. The colors, also supplied by Vecchio are almost monochromatic with one colors used as a kind of coverall over, at times, well-detailed backgrounds. The contrast to this method is the use of red, and as there is some blood spilling, there is plenty of red on show!
This book is not for the faint hearted. With some topics of the books being easily identified, it is the idea of what does consent mean that actually powers the book. The smoke and mirrors aside, there’s no real reason documented as to why Domino does what she does. It will be interesting to see these motivations, possibly hinted at in places, comes to light. With the terseness of the locales, art and script, I would hate for something supernatural to supplant the not-quite-real-world styling of this issue.
Writing – 5 Stars
Art – 5 Stars
Overall – 5 Stars
Written & Art by; Launa Vecchio
English Adaption by; Edward Caio
Published by; Image Comics
Author Profile
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I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow
Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network
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