True Porn: Volume 2

Readers will be disappointed if they are attracted by this title because they expect the quick gratification that pornography provides. The pleasures here are far more human and interesting. The creators of these 46 vignettes claim to be sharing parts of their personal sexual experiences, and with so many people involved there are bound to be many types of sex, depicted in many forms of comics storytelling. There are bits of comedy, tragedy and all the human landscape between those poles. Especially striking are Manning Leonard Krull's self-mocking account of threesomes he hasn't taken part in, Ed Malys's jagged depiction of his tendency to fall asleep during sex and Hope Larson's wistful glimpses of all the facets of intercourse that her partner doesn't notice. Sex seldom gives these people easy release from their tension. In fact, satisfying their immediate needs turns out to be only part of what they want—even though each participant has trouble figuring out what more there could be. That's what makes this such a fascinating anthology—though the comics artists represented are revealing themselves in graphic detail, they recognize that sex is both mundane and mysterious. (Oct.)