Sex and Horror -Horror and Sex or Oh the Horror!!! Oh the Sex!!! A Korero Press release..
I’m not sure of what the order of those words should be but back in the those ’70s days over in the little countries of Spain & Italy there was a lot things happening between the covers. Nope sorry folks I was talking about what the Italians refer to as Fumetti(balloon & pictures) aka comic books.
When I was a kid I use to go to what I would consider a storesized newstand or an inside newstsand aptlty named *World Wide News in Downtown Rochester (N.Y.). ..still in business today!
Now I was huge comic book fan and montser mags ruled. But there was this one area where all the books and magazines had all this crazy writing but several of this “comic books” stood out with there phenomenal art work and colors.. a combination of gothic & yet surreal.. I could not understand the lingo but I loved the art and the panels and yeah the scantly clad women that adorned the covers and the pages inside. It would be years later that I discovered there true identity-Fumettis…
Fumetti’s were popular with adults and dealt with a more mature theme than our comic books and artists were extremely talented at drawing a more graphic-detailed visual along with colors and a rendering that is psychodelic in nature. There is evidence that Japanese manga had an influence on the art but still maintaining a gothic look at the same time. Also pushing to the limits the art seen in the Mens magazines and the Pulps of the ’50s and ’60s. & the Hammer Films of the ’60s and early ‘70s.
*** The written word/storylines when I mentioned dealing with a more mature theme also addressed at a very early stage LGBTQ way before other comics did. Now maybe since delving in to sex and horror … just think Carmillia who drank the blood of women or Countess Bathory. Both had dalliances with same sex…
Thanks to Korero Press we have so far four volumes in this intoxicating series Sex and Horror. The first three highlight one particular artist in that genre.
You can find no better in mind blowing art than Emnauelle…
The Art of: listed Fumetti titles of the following
Emmanuel Taglietti-
including Zora La Vampira, Wallenstein( basically Frankenstein type storyline) ,
Ulula-a werewolf , she was cursed with international exploits involving Native American Indians along with ventures in LGBTQ. Sukia a heavily sexist take on vampires and females in general-ran 153 issues. 44 Magnum- Ex-Cia and leaning towards the Dirty Harry type films and Polizia action films from the mid’ 70s or
how about La Poliziotta “The Policewoman”(Angie Dickinson’s series was never like this!!!).
Allesandro Biffignandi- could do anything from war to horror to adventure… and he was closet to the days of Pulp and Mens magazines by far more than the other artists of Sex and Horror.
His work went beyond Fumetti and he found himself designing movie posters from time to time. Iconic comic strip and comic book characters came calling even in his later years when The Phantom and wolf leaped off hi drawing baord for #1582. Imagine that many issues later.
Atlantis meets Catain Ahab.
Fernando Carcupino- cover art for Vampirissimo are within his portfolio…
if you only got to view his humrous side you might think that Fernando was one of those one panel artists for Playboy. He certainly could do sex/ humor. But his talents made him versatile. Pretty much any genre.
Fernando putting some finishing touches.
Volume Four- this edition covers an assorted amount of art and work by various artists… peplum got it’s fumetti treatment in Messalina the more amorous adventures of the Empress at 185 issues ‘66- ’74,
This was a year before Flesh Gordon took off at the Drive-Ins.
Cosmine aka Atomic Sex Bomb (just make sure your out of the area when one of these go off-lol) taking space adventure all new lengths or is it heights-think Barbarella for some it’s inspiration but a very short run at only 10 issues. Speaking of aliens and space a mid ’70s take on Flash Gordon simply called Zordon but here the hero is an alien with many humanoid features and accompanied by a character again based on Jane Fonda. And this only a sample, way more- too many to mention.
as it says below it just doesn’t get freakier than this or let’s get shook as in our boots…
Each one of these volumes exhudes with extreme detail why these are the best of the best. providing chills and awe at the same time. And yet being able to transport the viewer/reader to another plane of for a well deserved parture from everyday life.
One additional piece of trivia related to Fumetti… don’t count the female persuasion out. One of the most iconic chacaters to come out of these hypnotic collections of eye candy was an internationally known iconic series- Diabolik!
Drawn by Frenando Carcupino-he had a way of capturing noir and strong lines for powerful emotions and menace and yet he was able to allow his playful side to come as well…see above. Diabolik was spot on.
(*see related article) Created by two women and eventually brought tpo the silver screen by legendary director-Mario Bava. A genius with matte work which is an art all unto itself.
***extra extra bonus-
More from Allesandro-
How about the inspiration for Dead Ant-
I leave you with one last image…Diabolik’s eyes by Biffignandi-No one better.
See ya next time on Reviews on the Edge…. where everything is pop as in culture…
Korero Press- * coming soon from…
