Carnal Comics
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Carnal Comics is an adults-only comic book imprint created in 1992 which has so far been published by three companies:
Revolutionary Comics Revolutionary Comics was an American comic book publisher specializing in unauthorized profiles of entertainers and professional athletes, as well as a line of erotic comics. Its flagship series was ''Rock 'N' Roll Comics''. Founded by Todd Lore ...
, Re-Visionary Press, and Opus Graphics. Carnal Comics' flagship title is '' Carnal Comics: True Stories Of Adult Film Stars'', which features autobiographies co-created with porn stars. Since the line’s inception, over 100 Carnal Comics have been published, including several crossovers with other adult comic publishers (
Rip Off Press Rip Off Press Corporation, Inc. is a comic book mail order retailer and Distribution (business), distributor, better known as the former publisher of adult-themed series like ''The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers'' and ''Rip Off Comix'', as well as ...
,
Mu Press MU Press (officially Miscellanea Unlimited Press) was an independent comic book publisher based in Seattle, Washington, which operated 1990 – c. 2006. MU Press was one of the industry's most prolific " furry" comic publishers, while its mid-199 ...
,
Eros Comics Fantagraphics (previously Fantagraphics Books) is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, manga, magazines, graphic novels, and the erotic Eros Comix imprint. History Founding Fantagraphics was founde ...
and others). Carnal claims to have sold over a million comic books, and their late-90s series '' Triple-X Cinema: A Cartoon History'' was reported to be the best-selling adult comic ever carried by
Diamond Comic Distributors Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. (often called Diamond Comics, DCD, or casually Diamond) is an American comic book distributor serving retailers in North America and worldwide. They transport comic books and graphic novels, as well as other po ...
, the leading (and essentially only) full-service
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comic book distributor. Carnal’s comics were the first monthly comics widely carried in adult novelty boutiques and their inclusion in large-scale mail order catalogs like
Adam & Eve Adam and Eve, according to the creation myth of the Abrahamic religions, were the first man and woman. They are central to the belief that humanity is in essence a single family, with everyone descended from a single pair of original ancestors. ...
’s enabled the line to sell in numbers previously unheard of for standard 32-page adult comics. At its peak, Carnal also had a color section in each issue of '' Oui'' on newsstands, and its stars were doing regular TV and radio promotions on shows with
Howard Stern Howard Allan Stern (born January 12, 1954) is an American radio and television personality, comedian, and author. He is best known for his radio show, ''The Howard Stern Show'', which gained popularity when it was nationally syndicated on terre ...
,
Jenny Jones Jenny Jones may refer to: People *Jenny Jones (presenter) (born 1946), United States television personality and host of ''The Jenny Jones Show'' *Jenny Jones, Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (born 1949), British Green Party politician, member of the ...
, and others. Ads for the comics even infiltrated mainstream magazines, earning the company some notoriety and, in at least one case, inclusion in a stack of comic contraband taken during a police raid of a retail comic shop.


History


Revolutionary Comics

Carnal Comics was initially created to be an adult comic imprint for San Diego-based
Revolutionary Comics Revolutionary Comics was an American comic book publisher specializing in unauthorized profiles of entertainers and professional athletes, as well as a line of erotic comics. Its flagship series was ''Rock 'N' Roll Comics''. Founded by Todd Lore ...
, which in 1991 was riding high on the popularity of their flagship title ''
Rock 'N' Roll Comics ''Rock 'N' Roll Comics'' was a comic book series published by Revolutionary Comics from 1989 to 1993. Revolutionary's flagship title, the series was notable for its unauthorized and unlicensed biographies of rock stars, told in comic book form ...
.'' Publisher
Todd Loren Todd or Todds may refer to: Places ;Australia: * Todd River, an ephemeral river ;United States: * Todd Valley, California, also known as Todd, an unincorporated community * Todd, Missouri, a ghost town * Todd, North Carolina, an unincorporated ...
received a comic submission from ''Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics'' creator
Lyndal Ferguson Lyndal is a feminine given name. List of people with the given name * Lyndal Davies (born 1967), Australian journalist and zoologist * Lyndal Harrington, American blogger * Lyndal Howison, Australian politician * Lyndal Oatley (born 1980), Aus ...
for an erotic anthology series called '' Sexpot'' featuring short, expressionistic (and X-rated) stories. Around the same time, an illustrator named
SS Crompton Steven S. Crompton is a Canadian-born artist, author and designer who has worked in the role-playing and comic genres since 1981. In the gaming industry he is best known as the artist for the Grimtooth's Traps books as well as other ''Catalyst' ...
submitted some sketches in hope of landing assignments with Revolutionary Comics, including a drawing of a sexy character dubbed
Demi the Demoness Demi the Demoness is a fictional, humorous, erotic comics character whose fantasy adventures have been published since 1992. Demi was created by SS Crompton. Demi has appeared in numerous comics crossovers with other characters, including ''Shaun ...
. Loren, who had recently expanded his comic line to include non-biographical titles, decided to launch an adults-only imprint to publish Ferguson’s comic and one featuring full-length adventures of Crompton’s Demi character. Revolutionary contributor
Allen Salyer Allen, Allen's or Allens may refer to: Buildings * Allen Arena, an indoor arena at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee * Allen Center, a skyscraper complex in downtown Houston, Texas * Allen Fieldhouse, an indoor sports arena on the Univer ...
created a third adult title, '' Pineapple Perfume'', and Loren announced the three comics’ impending publication in other Revolutionary titles. The first three Carnal Comics were to be printed and released all at once, but Revolutionary’s printer objected to what it perceived as “demonic” content in ''Demi The Demoness'' and refused to work on it. That job was moved to a Canadian printer (who later earned all of Revolutionary’s substantial business) and the three inaugural Carnal Comics were finally released in 1992. In 1994, Revolutionary was being run by Loren’s father
Herb Shapiro In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...
and the company’s managing editor
Jay Allen Sanford Jay Allen Sanford (born February 18, 1960) is an American author and cartoonist best known for his work with Revolutionary Comics, Carnal Comics, and Pacific Comics. He began writing the comic book '' Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics'' (created by Todd L ...
. The band
Kiss A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...
was working with the company on a three-issue comic series, and around this time Kiss bassist
Gene Simmons Gene Simmons (born Chaim Witz; he, חיים ויץ, ; born August 25, 1949) is an Israeli-American musician. Also known by his stage persona The Demon, he is the bassist and co-lead singer of Kiss, the hard rock band he co-founded with Paul ...
invited several staffers to his birthday party in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
. Sanford has reported that Simmons had once, previously, suggested that the company do “Jesus or porn star comics”, and in fact the notion of porn star bios had come up shortly after Todd Loren’s death. Sanford and editor Patrick McCray discussed reviving the Carnal Comics name to do porn star bios, but the idea was abandoned when it became clear that making deals with the stars themselves would be too great a challenge and Revolutionary Comics was already putting out upwards of a half dozen comics per month. At Simmons’ party, numerous porn stars were present and apparently the notion of ''Carnal Comics: True Stories Of Adult Film Stars'' took off there. Sanford soon announced that Revolutionary had signed porn star Sarah Jane Hamilton to co-script a three-issue series, telling her life story. Each issue would also have a second fictional story scripted by Sarah-Jane herself, taking place in different time periods and featuring the popular British redhead meeting up (and getting intimate) with various historical figures. Sarah Jane herself participated with in-person promotions like a hugely attended press party in April 1994 at
Golden Apple Comics Golden Apple Comics is a comic book store in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. History The store's original owners, Bill Liebowitz and Thom Smitham, opened Golden Apple Comics on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles in 1979. The original inventory of ...
, L.A.’s biggest comic shop, as well as appearing at events like GlamourCon, Erotica L.A. and the famed
San Diego Comic Convention San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is co ...
. By its second issue, "Carnal Comics: True Stories Of Adult Film Stars" was selling in numbers almost as high as ''Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics'' (which, while in decline along with all U.S. publishers at the time, were still selling around 15,000 to 20,000 copies per issue).


Re-Visionary Press

In summer 1994, Revolutionary Comics’ publisher Herb Shapiro decided to close the company, in part because of debt accrued by a failed color sports comic line. Managing Editor
Jay Allen Sanford Jay Allen Sanford (born February 18, 1960) is an American author and cartoonist best known for his work with Revolutionary Comics, Carnal Comics, and Pacific Comics. He began writing the comic book '' Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics'' (created by Todd L ...
made a deal to acquire rights to the Carnal title and formed a company called Re-Visionary Press to publish the series. His common-law wife Heather Dawn designed the company logo and the third porn star Carnal Comic, ''Sarah-Jane Hamilton'' #3, was published from the couple’s home in
La Mesa, California La Mesa () is a city in San Diego County, located east of Downtown San Diego in Southern California. The population was 61,121 at the 2020 census, up from 57,065 at the 2010 census. Its civic motto is "the Jewel of the Hills." History La Me ...
, before they’d even been able to set up a computer or company phone line (the editorial column was typeset on a typewriter). From that point forward, each month saw the release of a new Carnal Comic, each one featuring a different star (no more multiple parts for a single woman), and before long the company expanded to doing several titles per month. Company principals Sanford and Dawn were the main creators, working with a wide spectrum of contributors from the now-defunct Revolutionary Comics, newcomers, and even some well-known mainstream creators like
Pat Broderick Pat Broderick (born November 26, 1953) is an American comics artist, known for his work on the ''Micronauts'' and ''Alpha Flight'' for Marvel Comics, and ''Legion of Super-Heroes'', ''Captain Atom'' and ''Green Lantern'' for DC Comics. Broderick a ...
(X-Men), Kevin Breyfogle (Batman) and
Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock music, rock band formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. The band is known for its eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, Folk music, folk, country music, country, jazz, bluegrass music, bluegrass, ...
album cover painter Phil Garris. Re-Visionary’s flagship title was formally christened ''Carnal Comics: True Stories Of Adult Film Stars, Told By The Stars Themselves''. The first Carnal Comic to carry only the Re-Visionary logo was '' Tyffany Million'' #1. Million had been popular as a former pro wrestler for G.L.O.W. (
Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (also known by its initials as GLOW or G.L.O.W.) is a women's professional wrestling promotion that began in 1986 (the pilot was filmed in December 1985) and has continued in various forms after it left television. C ...
) and the issue sold very well, as did subsequent issues which were released every 30 days. The Million issue, and many early Carnal Comics, were drawn by a female artist calling herself Fauve (she was later known by her real name, Holly Golightly). Sanford met Fauve at a
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
comic convention and decided her sensual artwork was perfect for the comic. Her first published work would be for Carnal. She drew for all three Sarah-Jane issues and she went on to become a well-known and popular illustrator and writer, even contributing eventually to
Archie Comics Archie Comic Publications, Inc., is an American comic book publisher headquartered in Pelham, New York.Broadsword Comics Jim Balent () is an American comics artist, writer, and publisher from Pennsylvania. He is best known for his long run on ''Catwoman'' between 1993 and 1999. Balent has also drawn '' Batman'' and '' Lobo'' for DC Comics, as well as some of the is ...
banner, assisted by
Catwoman Catwoman is a fictional character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Debuting as "the Cat" in ''Batman'' #1 (spring 1940), she ...
artist
Jim Balent Jim Balent () is an American comics artist, writer, and publisher from Pennsylvania. He is best known for his long run on ''Catwoman'' between 1993 and 1999. Balent has also drawn '' Batman'' and '' Lobo'' for DC Comics, as well as some of the is ...
. In the late nineties, Carnal expanded and began launching additional titles, sometimes several per month, such as '' Porn Star Fantasies'', '' Superstars Of Erotica'', '' The Golden Age Of Triple-X'' (adaptation of vintage adult films), the psychosexual horror series '' Nightingale: Mistress Of Dreams'' and many others. Many stores and municipalities still considered Carnal’s publications obscenity and sometimes issues were seized by police and border officials as such. Advertising outside the adult magazine market was a challenge, as newspapers and magazines often rejected Carnal ads because of the sexual nature of the comics, without ever inspecting copies of the comics themselves. One comic book store, Planet Comics and Science Fiction Store, in
Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
, was raided by police in September 1995, and copies of Carnal Comics,
Verotika ''Verotika'' is a 2019 American anthology horror film written, directed and scored by Glenn Danzig. Based on a line of comic books published by Danzig's company Verotik, the film stars Rachel Alig, Alice Haig, Natalia Borowsky, Sean Kanan, Sco ...
,
Eros Comics Fantagraphics (previously Fantagraphics Books) is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, manga, magazines, graphic novels, and the erotic Eros Comix imprint. History Founding Fantagraphics was founde ...
, and others were used in a court case that eventually caused the shop to be shut down. Re-Visionary’s major 1997 project was a three-issue series called ''Triple-X Cinema: A Cartoon History''. Scripted by Jay Allen Sanford, participating in its creation were dozens of the major figures of the erotic film industry including
Marilyn Chambers Marilyn Ann Taylor (née Briggs; April 22, 1952 – April 12, 2009), known professionally as Marilyn Chambers, was an American pornographic actress, exotic dancer, model, actress, singer and vice-presidential candidate. She was known fo ...
,
Bill Margold William Margold (October 2, 1943 – January 17, 2017) was an American pornographic film actor and porn film director. Known as Bill Margold, he was a former director of the Free Speech Coalition and was a co-founder of X-Rated Critics Organiza ...
,
Hyapatia Lee Vicki Lynch, known professionally as Hyapatia Lee, is an American former adult film actress. As part Cherokee, she was the only Native American in the adult business during her tenure; this contributed to her becoming one of the best-known actre ...
,
Porsche Lynn Porsche Lynn (born February 14, 1962) is an American exotic dancer and pornographic actress. Career Lynn chose her stage name from the Porsche car company after seeing one of their cars during a drive to one of her earliest film shoots; she add ...
,
Nina Hartley Marie Louise Hartman (born March 11, 1959), known professionally as Nina Hartley, is an American pornographic film actress described by CNBC as "a legend in the adult world". Early life and education Hartley was born on March 11, 1959 in Berk ...
, Seka,
Kay Parker Kay Taylor Parker (28 August 1944 – 14 October 2022) was a British pornographic film actress who later worked as a metaphysical counselor and mentor. She was the author of an autobiography ''Taboo: Sacred, Don't Touch'' which chronicles her ...
and dozens more producers and performers, including the elusive
Gerard Damiano Gerardo Rocco "Gerard" Damiano (August 4, 1928 – October 25, 2008 ) was an American director of adult films. He wrote and directed the 1972 cult classic '' Deep Throat,'' which starred Linda Susan Boreman ''aka'' Linda Lovelace. He also dir ...
, who directed the original '' Deep Throat'' film. Re-Visionary was placing its adults-only line in places that had never been exposed to comics before. A big boost came from joining forces with
Adam & Eve Adam and Eve, according to the creation myth of the Abrahamic religions, were the first man and woman. They are central to the belief that humanity is in essence a single family, with everyone descended from a single pair of original ancestors. ...
, at that time the largest mail order catalog of adult merchandise in the world. Adam & Eve even had their own cable network, so this provided the line with real growth. The women who starred in Carnal Comics were promoting the line on
Spice A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants used for flavoring or as a garnish. Spices a ...
(the channel owned by Adam and Eve), the
Playboy Channel Playboy TV (originally The Playboy Channel) is a pay television channel based in the United States. History The channel first launched on December 9, 1980, as Escapade by Rainbow Programing Services (a joint-venture of four cable companies, ...
, and TV shows like ''
The Jerry Springer Show ''Jerry Springer'' is an American scripted syndicated tabloid talk show that aired from September 30, 1991 to July 26, 2018. Produced and hosted by its namesake, Jerry Springer, it aired for 27 seasons and nearly 5,000 episodes. The television ...
'' and '' Geraldo'', and the comics generated positive press in ''
Hustler Hustler or hustlers may also refer to: Professions * Hustler, an American slang word, e.g., for a: ** Con man, a practitioner of confidence tricks ** Drug dealer, seller of illegal drugs ** Male prostitute ** Pimp ** Business man, more general ...
'', ''
Chic Chic (; ), meaning "stylish" or "smart", is an element of fashion. It was originally a French word. Pronounced Chick. Etymology ''Chic'' is a French word, established in English since at least the 1870s. Early references in English dictiona ...
'', ''
High Society High society, sometimes simply society, is the behavior and lifestyle of people with the highest levels of wealth and social status. It includes their related affiliations, social events and practices. Upscale social clubs were open to men based ...
, ''
Screw A screw and a bolt (see '' Differentiation between bolt and screw'' below) are similar types of fastener typically made of metal and characterized by a helical ridge, called a ''male thread'' (external thread). Screws and bolts are used to fa ...
'', ''
Adult Video News ''Adult Video News'' (also called ''AVN'' or ''AVN Magazine'') is an American trade magazine that covers the adult video industry. ''The New York Times'' notes that ''AVN'' is to pornographic films what '' Billboard'' is to records. ''AVN'' spon ...
'', and dozens of other major magazines. Carnal Comics was spun off into a comic strip version as well. Sanford began producing a multi-page, full-color version of "Porn Star Fantasies" for various adult magazines, most notably '' Oui Magazine'', one of the four top-selling men's periodicals at the time. Heather Dawn provided hand-painted colors for R-rated versions of Carnal’s best X-rated stories. ''Ouis Carnal Comics ran for almost two years and Carnal produced similar color strips for '' Hustler Humor'', '' Adult Cinema Review'', ''
New Rave New rave (also typeset as nu-rave, nu rave or neu rave) is a genre of music described by ''The Guardian'' as "an in-yer-face, DIY disco riposte to the sensitive indie rock touted by bands like Bloc Party." It is most commonly applied to a British ...
'', ''
Dirty Dirt is an unclean matter, especially when in contact with a person's clothes, skin, or possessions. In such cases, they are said to become dirty. Common types of dirt include: * Debris: scattered pieces of waste or remains * Dust: a genera ...
'', and others. Publishers in several countries bought exclusive licenses to reprint Carnal Comics, such as Christos Koudakis & Associates, which has the exclusive rights to publish 48-page magazine versions of Re-Visionary’s adults-only line in
Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
. The Greek version of Carnal Comics has its covers feature paintings by famed movie poster and book cover artist
Boris Vallejo Boris Vallejo (born January 8, 1941) is a Peruvian-American painter who works in the science fiction, fantasy, and erotica genres. His hyper-representational paintings have appeared on the covers of numerous science fiction and fantasy fiction ...
. Around early 1999, the Carnal line was gradually shutting down. In the 2004 book ''Carnal Comics: The Inside Story'', publisher Sanford said:


Opus Graphics

In 2001, Re-Visionary Press handed over the Carnal Comics imprint to Opus Graphics, the firm set up by Crompton to publish its titles. Though no longer on a monthly schedule, Carnal Comics still produces several titles per year, including fantasy-based comics like ''
Demi the Demoness Demi the Demoness is a fictional, humorous, erotic comics character whose fantasy adventures have been published since 1992. Demi was created by SS Crompton. Demi has appeared in numerous comics crossovers with other characters, including ''Shaun ...
'', ''
Djustine ''Djustine'' is an Italian comic book series created by Enrico Teodorani. The Djustine character was created from a fusion of Sergio Corbucci's film character Django, and the Marquis de Sade's titular " Justine". Publication history In the l ...
'', ''
Calavera A calavera (Spanish language, Spanish – for "skull") is a representation of a human skull. The term is most often applied to edible or decorative skulls made (usually by hand) from either sugar (called Alfeñiques) or clay, used in the Mexican ...
'', '' Strange Bedfellows'' and occasional biographical comics on stars such as
Jenna Jameson Jenna Marie Massoli (born April 9, 1974), known professionally as Jenna Jameson (), is an American model, former pornographic film actress, businesswoman, and television personality. She has been named the world's most famous adult entertainme ...
, Felecia,
Aurora Snow Aurora Snow is an American retired pornographic actress, director, and columnist. Early life Snow was raised by a single mother and was the oldest of three siblings. Career Adult films Snow entered the pornographic entertainment industry when ...
, and
Tricia Devereaux Tricia Devereaux (born January 12, 1975) is an American former pornographic actress, XRCO Hall of Fame inductee, and co-owner of Evil Angel studios. Career Devereaux was introduced to the adult industry when her then husband, Patrick, got a job ...
.


Contributing creators

A number of well-known artists have contributed to the Carnal line. Album cover painter Phil Garris painted one of the most iconic images of all time – the fiddle-playing skeleton on the cover of the Grateful Dead’s ''
Blues for Allah ''Blues for Allah'' is the eighth studio album by the Grateful Dead. It was recorded February 27  May 7, 1975, and released September 1, 1975. It was the band's third album on their own Grateful Dead Records label and their third studio album ...
'' album. Garris (also known for famed covers for Toto, Steve Miller and others) painted two Carnal covers, one for ''Aja'' #1 and another for a comic on porn star
Savannah A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the Canopy (forest), canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to rea ...
.
X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
and ''
Micronauts Micronauts is a North American science fiction toyline manufactured and marketed by Mego Corporation, Mego from 1976 to 1980. The ''Micronauts'' toyline was based on and licensed from the ''Microman'' toyline created by Japanese-based toy compan ...
'' artist
Pat Broderick Pat Broderick (born November 26, 1953) is an American comics artist, known for his work on the ''Micronauts'' and ''Alpha Flight'' for Marvel Comics, and ''Legion of Super-Heroes'', ''Captain Atom'' and ''Green Lantern'' for DC Comics. Broderick a ...
drew stories on
Brittany Andrews Brittany Andrews is an American exotic dancer, pornographic actress, film producer and club DJ. In 2008, Andrews was inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame. Career Andrews worked in a Milwaukee beauty supply company before starting her career as an ...
and duo Summer Cummings & Skye Blue, while ''
Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
'' artist Kevin Breyfogle drew a number of Carnal issues. Creator-owned Carnal editions have been launched by one-time ''
Howard the Duck Howard the Duck is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Steve Gerber and artist Val Mayerik. Howard the Duck first appeared in ''Adventure into F ...
'' and ''
Doctor Strange Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #110 (cover-dated July 1963). Doctor Strange serves as Sorce ...
'' artist
Frank Brunner Frank Brunner (born February 21, 1949) is an American comics artist and illustrator best known for his work at Marvel Comics in the 1970s. Early life Brunner attended Manhattan's High School of Art and Design. He was in the same graduating class ...
and ''Stickboy'' creator Dennis Worden. Painter Jeff Pittarelli – who went on to work with
Traci Lords Traci Lords (born Nora Louise Kuzma; May 7, 1968) is an American actress and singer. She entered the adult film industry using a fake birth certificate to conceal that she was two years under the legal age of eighteen. Lords starred in adult fi ...
– did many Carnal covers, as did
Jamie Murray Jamie Robert Murray, (born 13 February 1986) is a Scottish professional tennis player from Scotland who specialises in doubles. He is a seven-time Grand Slam doubles champion (five in mixed doubles and two in men's doubles), a Davis Cup win ...
(best known for book covers for series featuring ''
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
'' and TV’s ''
Beauty & The Beast ''Beauty and the Beast'' (french: La Belle et la Bête) is a fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in ''La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins'' (''The Young American and Marine T ...
''). Popular pinup painter Todd Borenstein also contributed several Carnal cover portraits (Letha Weapons,
Christi Lake The XRCO Hall of Fame lists well-known adult entertainment works and workers. The list is managed by X-Rated Critics Organization and inducted annually during the XRCO Award The XRCO Awards are given by the American X-Rated Critics Organizati ...
, Roxy Rider, etc.). The very first Carnal comic to feature a porn star – ''Sarah-Jane Hamilton'' #1 – sported a cover by Ken Meyer, Jr. (''
Ghost Rider Ghost Rider is the name of multiple antiheroes and superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Phantom Rider. The first s ...
'',
Magic: The Gathering ''Magic: The Gathering'' (colloquially known as ''Magic'' or ''MTG'') is a tabletop and digital collectable card game created by Richard Garfield. Released in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast (now a subsidiary of Hasbro), ''Magic'' was the first ...
, etc). Author and cartoonist
Jay Allen Sanford Jay Allen Sanford (born February 18, 1960) is an American author and cartoonist best known for his work with Revolutionary Comics, Carnal Comics, and Pacific Comics. He began writing the comic book '' Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics'' (created by Todd L ...
is an American author and cartoonist best known for his work with
Revolutionary Comics Revolutionary Comics was an American comic book publisher specializing in unauthorized profiles of entertainers and professional athletes, as well as a line of erotic comics. Its flagship series was ''Rock 'N' Roll Comics''. Founded by Todd Lore ...
, the ''
San Diego Reader The ''San Diego Reader'' is an alternative press newspaper in the county of San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a ...
'', and
Pacific Comics Pacific Comics (PC) was an American comic book publisher that was active from 1981 to 1984. It was also a chain of comics shops and a distributor. It began at a San Diego, California, comic book shop owned by brothers Bill and Steve Schanes. Alo ...
. He began writing the comic book ''Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics'' (created by
Todd Loren Todd or Todds may refer to: Places ;Australia: * Todd River, an ephemeral river ;United States: * Todd Valley, California, also known as Todd, an unincorporated community * Todd, Missouri, a ghost town * Todd, North Carolina, an unincorporated ...
) in 1989 as of the title's second issue, and still oversees the rock comic reprints published by
Bluewater Productions TidalWave Productions (previously known as Bluewater Productions, StormFront Media/Publishing & Storm Entertainment) is an independent production studio of comic books and graphic novels. Based in Portland, Oregon, United States, Bluewater publis ...
and others.


Film crossovers

Carnal also delved into actual filmmaking. The first was a combination comic book and film called '' Sordid Stories'', starring
Annabel Chong Grace Quek (), known professionally as Annabel Chong, is a Singaporean former pornographic actress who became famous after starring in an adult film that was promoted as '' The World's Biggest Gang Bang''. The film was commercially successful a ...
as superhero Pink Stiletto (Chong later gained fame doing the first '' World’s Biggest Gangbang''). Sanford scripted the film and comic and the film was produced by Amazing Pictures and John Bowen, aka
John T. Bone John Gilbert Bowen (11 February 1947 – 26 January 2019) was a British pornographic movie director who used the name John T. Bone. He is best known for directing two large gang bang movies: '' World's Biggest Gang Bang'' in 1995 starring ...
(known for his sexploitation/sci-fi film projects). ''Sordid Stories'' was nominated for two
Adult Video News Awards The AVN Awards are film awards sponsored and presented by the American adult video industry trade magazine '' AVN'' (''Adult Video News'') to recognize achievement in various aspects of the creation and marketing of American pornographic fil ...
(the adult industry’s
Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology), ...
equivalent), and more filmmakers began contacting Re-Visionary about storyboarding and other pre-production work. Before long, Carnal was doing full film treatments and shooting scripts, most all of them based around fantasy and science fiction storylines. Another comic/film project was a superhero thriller from
Wicked Pictures Wicked Pictures is an American pornographic movie studio headquartered in Canoga Park, California. Between 2004 and 2021, it was one of the only heterosexual studios to maintain a condoms-only policy. Company history Steve Orenstein founded Wi ...
, known for their high-gloss, big-budget adult features, starring
Jenna Jameson Jenna Marie Massoli (born April 9, 1974), known professionally as Jenna Jameson (), is an American model, former pornographic film actress, businesswoman, and television personality. She has been named the world's most famous adult entertainme ...
, then the best-known and most-popular porn star in the world. The half-million dollar movie was shot on film (a rarity in adult movies). As with ''Sordid Stories'', the '' Wicked Weapon'' comic book and video were released and cross promoted simultaneously in the comic and adult boutique markets. Carnal also produced a special 16-page mini-comic which was included with the entire initial video run of the big-budget adult film ''Wicked Weapon'', packaged with the video itself, now one of the rarest of all Carnal publications. The ''Wicked Weapon'' video was nominated for five AVN awards, increasing Carnal’s credibility and reputation in the adult marketplace even more. By this point, Carnal was long past calling prospective subjects to work with - they had a year-long waiting list of girls clamoring to be in a Carnal comic book. For its next comic/films Carnal teamed up with former porn legend
Veronica Hart Jane Esther Hamilton (born October 27, 1956) is an American former pornographic actress and current adult film director who performed under the stage name Veronica Hart during the 1980s. She is sometimes credited as Jane Hamilton, V. Hart, Ver ...
, who was directing two movies featuring comeback appearances by women who'd long been out of the adult film business but whose names were still legendary -
Ginger Lynn Ginger Lynn Allen (born December 14, 1962), known professionally as Ginger Lynn, is an American pornographic actress and model who was a premier adult-entertainment star of the 1980s. She also had minor roles in various B movies. ''Adult Vide ...
and
Marilyn Chambers Marilyn Ann Taylor (née Briggs; April 22, 1952 – April 12, 2009), known professionally as Marilyn Chambers, was an American pornographic actress, exotic dancer, model, actress, singer and vice-presidential candidate. She was known fo ...
. Chambers' last X-rated film had been 1980's '' Insatiable''. She remained in the public eye with R-rated TV series on
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,
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, The Playboy Channel and more. Lynn had retired from hardcore in 1986 and gone on to some success in films like the ''
Vice Academy ''Vice Academy'' was a series of six comedy films, which aired on the USA Network throughout the 1990s, particularly on their ''Up All Night'' programming block. Created by director Rick Sloane of ''Hobgoblins'' fame, the cast included former po ...
'' series and music videos. Chambers’ new film was to be called '' Still Insatiable'', while Lynn’s was called ''Torn''. Both were filmed by
VCA Pictures VCA Pictures (Video Company of America) is an American pornographic film production and distribution company. The company was founded by Russ Hampshire, and was formerly a major player during the 'Golden Age of Porn'. Throughout the 1970s and 198 ...
, known for lavish, groundbreaking and expensive feature films and an exclusive stable of the industry’s most-popular performers. Carnal’s official comic book souvenir magazines based on the two most-heavily promoted films in X-rated history were the company’s best sellers since ''Triple-X Cinema: A Cartoon History''. In May 2008 Carnal's longest-running character
Demi the Demoness Demi the Demoness is a fictional, humorous, erotic comics character whose fantasy adventures have been published since 1992. Demi was created by SS Crompton. Demi has appeared in numerous comics crossovers with other characters, including ''Shaun ...
was released on DVD as a live-action movie. The adults-only film, directed by Steve Steele and co-written by current Carnal publisher and Demi-creator SS Crompton, featured Demi and co-star Vampirooni fighting an evil but beautiful witch. The film starred Ellie Idol as Demi the Demoness, Sinn Sage as Vampirooni and Audrey Elson as Lyssa the Witch.''Demi the Demoness'' official website


References


Notes

{{reflist


Sources consulted


"Carnal Comics: The Inside Story,"
San Diego Reader blog (September 8, 2007). * "Carnal Comics: The Inside Story": 1994, Infinite One, Inc., various authors, 56 pages * "Unauthorized & Proud Of It: Todd Loren's Rock 'N' Roll Comics": 2005, Bulletproof Film * J. Johnson. "Remember Todd Loren?": ''Comics Buyers Guide'' 6-16-06, cbgextra.com * "Todd Loren's Rock 'N' Roll Comics": ''Bay Area Reporter'', 5-11-06 * Groth, Gary. "Todd Loren - First Amendment Advocate Or Lying Sack Of Shit": ''Comics Journal'' #138, October 1990 * Groth, Gary. "Revolutionary In Financial Disarray": ''Comics Journal'' #164, December 1993 * "New Kids vs. Revolutionary": ''Rolling Stone'', April 1992 * "Comic Books Grow Up": ''Oui Magazine'', February 1995


External links


Carnal Comics
official site
Carnal Comics blog

(re)Search my Trash interview with Carnal Comics publisher SS Crompton
Comic book publishing companies of the United States Erotic comics Pornography Publishing companies established in 1992