How can you describe a comic book experience that you didn’t know you’d been searching for your entire adult life? Tina Horn’s sex-positive, dystopian sci-fi adventure about marginalized groups (sex workers, LGTBQIA+ individuals, kinksters, etc.) fighting against Puritanical government oppression spoke to something in me that I didn’t realize needed to be heard. The world I know has become a less hospitable place for women in the past few years, and SfSx demonstrated ways we all can keep fighting to exist authentically when society tries to force us into set roles.
Avory loved her alter-identity as Simona Salacious (pornographer, domme, exhibitionist, and all-around sex enthusiast), but when The Party stormed The Dirty Mind to “rescue them from themselves” and arrested owner and founder Margaret Jones, she let Simona fade away and tried to blend in. Marrying George (her boyfriend and Dirty Mind patron) felt safe, but even his job for The Party couldn’t shield them from all of the new laws and regulations designed to protect women from being objectified and demeaned. When an accidental elevator stop on the wrong floor gets George imprisoned in the secretive government detention chambers, Avory must choose whether she can swallow her pride and shame to ask her old friends from The Dirty Mind for help or if staying under the radar is more important to her happiness.
If the last two paragraphs didn’t clue you in, this series is meant for mature readers who are comfortable seeing explicit sex of all varieties splattered across the pages. The art features a spectrum of body types, gender identities, personal expression (plenty of body art of many varieties, as well as completely straight-edge looks), and kinks ranging from commonplace to unique. Sometimes, it was slightly uncomfortable when the pages pushed me beyond my comfort zone, but that’s the point. I needed to be pushed to see things from a different frame of reference and seek understanding.
That said, don’t share it with your five-year-old unless you want to answer a lot of questions you may not be ready for.
Volume 2 of the series diverges some from the initial exploration of a world where all non-hetero, non-vanilla/procreative sex is banned by analyzing the deeper issues behind the incel phenomenon and how providing sex isn’t the key to defusing their aggression towards women. I found it both darker and more fun, as The Party’s development of a sex bot to offer their followers adds an intriguing character to the cast.
The highlight of SfSx is the diverse cast; from the first pages, there are multiple people of color and non-cis-het alignment. None of the characters are defined solely by their gender identity or sexual orientation, which I enjoyed. They just are transgender or asexual or pansexual pain sluts in open relationships. Even if the main cast doesn’t reflect you exactly, check the background; the massive group shots are packed with a vast array of humanity!
I loved reading and digesting this series over a two-month period, and my mind replays some of the key plot points, so I can analyze them further. If you’re intrigued by a twist on female oppression, where sex workers and “perverts” lead the resistance, SfSx is the comic book series you’ve been waiting for. Pick it up, share it with like-minded friends, and have some serious discussions; you’ll be glad you did!
5 Surprisingly Savvy Bimbo Androids out of 5
Creative Team: Tina Horn (Writer and creator), Michael Dowling (Art and Color), Alejandra Gutierrez (Art and Color), Jen Hickman (Art and Color), G Romero-Johnson (Art), Tula Lotay (Cover Art), Steve Wands (Lettering), Laurenn McCubbin (Editing and Design), Alyssa Eleftheriou (Flatting), Kelly Fitzgerald (Colors)
Publisher: Image Comics
Click here to purchase.
*Tina’s Website (Signed, Personalized Copies Available)
