I love my local library. In the Young Adults section it has a couple of cases of graphic novels, which is good news for me because my own graphic novel bookcase at home is FULL, plus I get to explore the world of Manga comics for free. Manga is good for pretty-boy heroes (and villains) and steamy m/m romance. This week's discovery was Gerard & Jacques by Fumi Yoshinaga, which is set during the French Revolution and is more or less Mills 'n' Boon with blokes ... if Mills & Boon did anal rape that is.
I really have no idea if the librarians realise what's inside the covers of this book. It amuses the hell out of me to think that what we have here is public-funded free porn for teenagers - and porn it is, of the most artistic sort: erect cocks, cum-shots, semen spilt on young men's lips and all. I certainly have no intention of bringing the contents to public notice: I was avidly reading the dirty bits in adult novels from about age 10 myself, and see no reason other generations should be deprived of my education. (And believe me, I was far from the poster-girl for underage promiscuity.)
Huzzah for local government!
Hi Janine!
ReplyDeleteI followed you over from "Lust Bites." I agree, everyone in manga is pretty. One, however, I felt that didn't use the softer lines, was Nobuhiro Watsuki. Ok, so I admit, I know very little about manga/graphic novels, but I do know that not all of Nobuhiro Watsuki's characters are bishounen. I haven't read any graphic novels in a long time... haha - my friends in high school loved them, and one asked for graphic novels for her birthday. Her uncle, nice guy that he was went to the bookstore to try to find graphic novels for his 18 yr old niece. The book seller was scandalized and told him not to buy a high school girl porn... *rolls eyes*
I'm not a Manga expert by any means - just dipped in to different series here and there. I quite like Rig Veda. I really like The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service - but that's creepy horror and not at all erotic.
ReplyDeleteIf you want a genuine flat-out pornographic (but very literary) graphic novel I recommend you take out a bank loan and buy Alan Moore's Lost Girls. Alan Moore is a god. I've been reading his stuff since I was 16.
Uh, wow. I had no idea such goodies were hiding in the YA section at the library!
ReplyDeleteI'll have to check it out, and see what kind of looks I get at the checkout counter. Can't be any worse than I'm used to. ;)
That's the problem with libraries Kathleen ... or maybe it's a bonus freaking the staff out!
ReplyDeleteWhen I worked at a university library I once "borrowed" a book through the back door (I brought it back the same way!) because I didn't want to check out a collection of lesbian s/m porn in front of my colleagues...
Yikes, I can't believe they put Gerard and Jacques in the YA section. It's full on... gorgeous, but full on.
ReplyDeleteBugger. Just noticed you are missing from my blogroll Madelynne - will fix it now.
ReplyDeleteHell, I bet they don't have these in my local library!
ReplyDelete