Red Light #1

Red Light #1

by Sarah H. Cho (Writer), Priscilla Petraites (Illustrator), Miroslav Mrva (Colorist)

A FUTURISTIC EROTIC THRILLER BEGINS! Get ready for a red-hot futuristic erotic thriller that sits at the intersection of sex and tech by exciting new writer Sarah Cho and artist Priscilla Petraites (Chariot, Hit Me). Lacy is an A.I. sex worker in a futuristic Red Light District. And Lacy knows exactly what her clients want — better than they know it themselves. Housed in a high-tech brothel under the watchful eye of the mysterious Mister, Lacy has little in her manufactured life besides work. All that changes when she befriends Natalie, an orphaned child who comes into her care. Now Lacy and Natalie are on a mission to escape the Red Light District, only to find themselves flung headlong into the mystery behind Lacy's creation.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Adult

27 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 10, 2023

About the author

Sarah H. Cho is a screenwriter who works in both TV and Features. She previously staffed on THE GIRL FROM PLAINVILLE for Hulu and the second season of THEM for Amazon. She has several projects in development in both the animation and live action space. Her projects cover a wide breadth of genres including drama, comedy, horror, action, and more. She’s also currently writing a graphic novel, a narrative podcast, and a short story anthology. She got her start through the Universal Writers Program and she’s repped by CAA and Grandview Management.

Reviews

[Jayson · Rating 3 out of 5]

(B+) 77% | Good
Notes: Read in trade paperback. Collective review for issues #1-4 can be found here: Red Light.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting Read!

This seemed a bit like it could take place in the Blade Runner world. The characters are interesting and the direction of the story has my attention!

[Selva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lo único medio rarito es la manera en que Natalie y Lacy se conocieron
Natalie tiene 11 años y es humana!

[Tetiana St · Rating 3 out of 5]

Емпатична A.I. в індустрії для дорослих після знайомства з випадковою підліткою накладає проекцію «навченої безпорадності» на своє життя і вирішує щось змінити.

[Wm · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a mashup of Dollhouse (ew) and Westworld, with a hint of Pretty Woman and a smattering of Alicesque references, this has potential, though I repeatedly wished for a slightly more heavy-handed editor to tighten up the dialogue – "and nearly completely unbearable" (p2), "only one girl has ever attempted" (p3).

Petraites (Hit Me was excellent) brings her A-game. Lacy is beautiful, and her world believable. But I don't see sexy (referenced in the artist's backmatter). There's nothing sexy about someone who empathizes to a pathological degree but cannot consent.

In the writer's backmatter, I wish Cho hadn't revealed how much of an empathy-Mary Sue she wrote. But that's a minor complaint; it's what's on the page that counts. Despite just 2 stars, I'm interested to see where this goes.

[Vero Exposito · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.90 Stars

I like the premise 👽👽👽. We shall see if I read the next ones but it’s dope.

[Issac Bright · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the world of Superhero Comics pretty much sucks you know the marketplace is ripe for a story of an 'AI Robot Hooker and the D-Bag that made her!' While the Big Poo (The Big 2) poop out trash every week I think comics need to lean into more erotic/love/relationship/sci-fi stuff and this one by Sarah Cho fits the bill. It's not great, I mean you're looking at a 'poor girl who yearns to seek out more from her life and her world' trope, but Petraites art is sexy and easy on the eyes and Cho's confessional in the back matter brings real emotional context to entire plot. So I'm in, I just hope it doesn't get to 'There's an AI Robot Hooker on the loose in the City'! Full take and my Red Light experience at:
https://standupcomicreader.blogspot.c...

[RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Es cierto que esta Red Light no miente ni de entrada. Tenemos una aplicación sórdida de la I.A. a modo de nueva y totalmente sumisa "mano de obra". ¿Hasta donde querrá llegar la autora con esta propuesta? De momento es cierto que tratan de caracterizar todo lo posible a su protagonista y que las escenas s*xuales puedan ir de la mano con las inquietudes o información de los demás personajes... Pero particularmente no sé hasta qué punto me interesa una trama que parece querer girar en torno al Señor de este prostíbulo de última generación que parece arrastrar un trauma que no sé hasta qué punto querrán que justifique sus actos o por lo menos, un turbulento romance (?) con esta "robopilingui" apenas empezando su camino a la autoconsciencia y búsqueda del ser.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of the book was great. The interaction between Lacy and Benson made me pick up the book. The art and characters were great and the story was really gripping my attention. Around the second half of the book things suddenly get more choppy and things don't feel well explained. Parts feel rushed or convenient for the plot. I can't help but to wonder if the writing team needed more time and they got rushed into finishing the book for it's release date. I think if they had more time to flesh out the story it would have been better.

[Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful VERY short read. It plays with a lot of the dystopian future what-ifs and considerations: i.e. AI prostitutes, AI rights/freedoms, what is a human/what is AI, etc.
The lead is a new kind of AI since she has an empathy upgrade, which allows her to track/diagnose pleasure back to her customers, as well as learn from each experience.
GORGEOUS sci fi classic comic book artwork and aesthetic, they even have the newspaper print colored dots which I like *nostalgic vibes (artist: Priscilla Petraites)
note: I read it in the smaller comic book sized chunks, to make up the "vol 1"

#1 Spoiler summary:
graphic setting of dystopian future inside a whorehouse building. the red head progagonist lacy introduces her keeper "mister", a favorite visiter, her mechanic "benson", and a new human child friend "natalie". She ends with the goal of grabbing her freedom.

[Sandra Lopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent story about A.I. models used for pleasure and gratification, but one particular one ends up feeling empathy. It continues in Book 2, 3, and 4, but the story looks pretty much the same to me. Some of the imagery can be erotic. The sci-fi elements can be confusing and odd. Some of the text was hard to read. Story kind of hard to follow, too. Bloody scenes were a little too much. These were short reads altogether. Decent overall.

[vk chompooming · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know how "erotic" this was. This synopsis felt like "click bait". An AI sexbot wants to b free of her creators. So far, it's like Blade Runner without Deckard or K. I'll keep reading cuz I'm liking most everything AWA Publications has been doing.

[Thubelihle Zondi · Rating 5 out of 5]

More

More like this, please. No matter your reasoning for getting this book, at the very least you're getting more than just smut. Art is good with very sexy details, as expected. And a good story to start with too.

[Vincent Fuentes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting story

When I saw the title figured another sex bot goes on the rampage but once you get past all the nude sex turns into another blade runner type
With them wanting to experience the world around them
New character thrown in for further exploits.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

mature audience only

Beautifully intense illustrations. Interesting concept. Quick short read to capture and make you think. There’s more parts so it’ll be interesting to see where the author takes Lacy’s story…

[Dean · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn't for me. Art a d story both good.

[pəri a. · Rating 2 out of 5]

əvvəllər bu cürə komiksləri kişilər yazırdı. indi komiksin müəllifi və illustratoru qadındır, amma eyni ssenari, eyni əzilmiş qadın. ümidvaram növbəti bölümlərdə özünə gələcək ssenari.

[Jeff Mayo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good start to the series. Great artwork, with a story that unfolds fantastically. If X-rated artwork and/or storytelling offends you, this is not for you. It is about futuristic AI prostitution.

[Vela · Rating 2 out of 5]

That was alright. It did feel a little lackluster and im not sure im curious enough to continue the series. We'll see. Cover was pretty tho 2.5/5

[Javen Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good start to the series