Comic book artist Meredith McClaren has inked an adorable, erotic romp through the sex lives of superheroes, sidekicks and villains in Super Fun Sexy Times. It puts the “graphic” in graphic novel.
In a series of five vignettes, various characters work their way through casual encounters, discussions with long-time partners, and sexcapades with wives and husbands. Two rival sidekicks spend their downtime getting to know each other a lot better while talking shop. The dialog is sometimes sweet, sometimes hilarious (“CALL ME!”). A supervillain confronts his girlfriend with a long held, sexual secret. A lesbian couple carefully plans a fantasy fulfillment scenario. A dating couple negotiates the details of a planned sexual tryst. Discussing sexual history, medical status, relationship expectations, and carefully prescribed don’ts may seem awkward and unsexy, but their discussion proves to be anything but.
Plenty of comics and graphic novels have dealt with the sex lives of supers. Peter Parker married Mary Jane Watson, Selina Kyle left Batman at the altar. The entire subplot of the Incredibles movies deals with long-term, domestic relationship issues between a superhero husband and wife. Comic superheroes’ sex lives have always fascinated readers. McClaren gives us a glimpse that is appropriate for a new century and a new generation of comic fans.
Super Fun Sexy Times is packed with ongoing consent, active listening, and the importance of admitting one’s needs and desires. It also points out the need to listen to your partner and occasionally leave your own comfort zone. Sex-positive, body-positive, and intersectional, the characters represent a variety of races (and possibly intergalactic species, as well as altered humans). They are homosexual, heterosexual, and genderfluid. The chapters do include helpful, short character bios. The characters, even the villains, are all relatable and likable (even the aging assassin who feels he’s lost his edge and needs reassurance from his husband that he’s still in the game).
The art is a sweet concoction of pastel colors. Sleek, sexy lines and plenty of explicit detail (think Batman: Damned #1, only lighter and cute). McClaren is a seasoned comic book artist with titles like Jem & the Holograms and The Wicked and the Divine on her resume. And while the art may seem frothy, the issues this graphic novel addresses are not. Sexual agency, mutual respect, and LGBTQIA+ representation in comics are issues which should be discussed openly, even if it seems awkward. Sometimes, awkward is sexy.
The rating on this graphic novel is 18+ for explicitness. It is a funny and sexy read and is fine for any adult graphic novel collection. Super Sexy Fun Times is scheduled for print release in August 2019.
Super Fun Sexy Times
By Meredith McClaren
ISBN: 9781620106501
Limerence Press, 2019
Publisher Age Rating: 18+
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Character Traits: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer, , Genderqueer, Nonbinary
