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Sex Criminals #1-2
Big Hard Sex Criminals, Volume One
Collecting the first ten issues of the Eisner and Harvey awardwinning, TIME Magazine Best Comic of the year of our lord 2013, SEX CRIMINALS, in an oversized hardcover format guaranteed to embarrass you to order.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published March 25, 2015
51 people are currently reading
3392 people want to read
About the author
Matt Fraction
1,221 books1,864 followers"How he got started in comics: In 1983, when Fraction was 7 years old and growing up in Kansas City, Mo., he became fascinated by the U.S. invasion of Grenada and created his own newspaper to explain the event. "I've always been story-driven, telling stories with pictures and words," he said.
Education and first job: Fraction never graduated from college. He stopped half a semester short of an art degree at Kansas City Art Institute in Missouri in 1998 to take a job as a Web designer and managing editor of a magazine about Internet culture.
"My mother was not happy about that," he said.
But that gig led Fraction and his co-workers to split off and launch MK12, a boutique graphic design and production firm in Kansas City that created the opening credits for the James Bond film "Quantum of Solace."
Big break: While writing and directing live-action shoots at MK12, Fraction spent his spare time writing comics and pitching his books each year to publishers at Comic-Con. Two books sold: "The Last of the Independents," published in 2003 by AiT/Planet Lar, and "Casanova," published in 2006 by Image Comics.
Fraction traveled extensively on commercial shoots. Then his wife got pregnant. So Fraction did what any rational man in his position would do -- he quit his job at MK12 to pursue his dream of becoming a full-time comic book writer.
Say what? "It was terrifying," said Fraction, who now lives in Portland, Ore. "I was married. We had a house. We had a baby coming. And I just quit my job."
Marvel hired Fraction in June 2006, thanks largely to the success of his other two comics. "I got very lucky," he half-joked. "If it hadn't worked out, I would have had to move back in with my parents.
- 2009. Alex Pham. Los Angeles Times.
Education and first job: Fraction never graduated from college. He stopped half a semester short of an art degree at Kansas City Art Institute in Missouri in 1998 to take a job as a Web designer and managing editor of a magazine about Internet culture.
"My mother was not happy about that," he said.
But that gig led Fraction and his co-workers to split off and launch MK12, a boutique graphic design and production firm in Kansas City that created the opening credits for the James Bond film "Quantum of Solace."
Big break: While writing and directing live-action shoots at MK12, Fraction spent his spare time writing comics and pitching his books each year to publishers at Comic-Con. Two books sold: "The Last of the Independents," published in 2003 by AiT/Planet Lar, and "Casanova," published in 2006 by Image Comics.
Fraction traveled extensively on commercial shoots. Then his wife got pregnant. So Fraction did what any rational man in his position would do -- he quit his job at MK12 to pursue his dream of becoming a full-time comic book writer.
Say what? "It was terrifying," said Fraction, who now lives in Portland, Ore. "I was married. We had a house. We had a baby coming. And I just quit my job."
Marvel hired Fraction in June 2006, thanks largely to the success of his other two comics. "I got very lucky," he half-joked. "If it hadn't worked out, I would have had to move back in with my parents.
- 2009. Alex Pham. Los Angeles Times.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 195 reviews
February 28, 2020
3.5 stars
I'm trying to get back into this series. I read the 1st volume about 5 years ago and then forgot about it for some reason. <--more than likely because even though it's unique, the premise is so weird that I just didn't care about the characters as much as maybe I should have.
But I do like this.
It is such and an odd story that you can't help but wonder where it's going, you know?
Then again, maybe it's not going anywhere.
In case you don't know, the gist is that these two people both discover that time stops for them when they have an orgasm. They meet, have sex, orgasm together (ha!) and realize that they aren't alone anymore, wherein they proceed to explore The Quiet (her word for it) & Cumworld (his word for it) together. Happy times!
But the library she works at is in danger of being foreclosed on by the back, so they decide to stop time and rob said bank to save it. <--enter the Sex Police!
Who are they?
Where do they come from?
Are they even real police?
And then spoilery things happen.
This is a cute comic in a Not For Kids sort of way.
What makes it tolerable is that you can tell Fraction & Zdarsky are obviously having a blast writing this thing. And it's all very tongue-in-cheek, which makes for just a fuckton of sex-related puns.
Some good, some bad, and most in-between.
Do you want to read this?
I don't know.
I think each person who is contemplating this one needs to dig deep and ask themselves some very important questions.
For example: Do I like dick jokes? A lot of dick jokes? Are time-stopping vaginas going to hold my interest? How comfortable am I roaming around in porn stores?
Would I wear a Fleshlight as a hat? <--to spice things up around the office?
If you answered yes to the majority of those questions, I think Big Hard Sex Criminals is for you. If not, give it a pass.
I'm trying to get back into this series. I read the 1st volume about 5 years ago and then forgot about it for some reason. <--more than likely because even though it's unique, the premise is so weird that I just didn't care about the characters as much as maybe I should have.
But I do like this.
It is such and an odd story that you can't help but wonder where it's going, you know?
Then again, maybe it's not going anywhere.
In case you don't know, the gist is that these two people both discover that time stops for them when they have an orgasm. They meet, have sex, orgasm together (ha!) and realize that they aren't alone anymore, wherein they proceed to explore The Quiet (her word for it) & Cumworld (his word for it) together. Happy times!
But the library she works at is in danger of being foreclosed on by the back, so they decide to stop time and rob said bank to save it. <--enter the Sex Police!
Who are they?
Where do they come from?
Are they even real police?
And then spoilery things happen.
This is a cute comic in a Not For Kids sort of way.
What makes it tolerable is that you can tell Fraction & Zdarsky are obviously having a blast writing this thing. And it's all very tongue-in-cheek, which makes for just a fuckton of sex-related puns.
Some good, some bad, and most in-between.
Do you want to read this?
I don't know.
I think each person who is contemplating this one needs to dig deep and ask themselves some very important questions.
For example: Do I like dick jokes? A lot of dick jokes? Are time-stopping vaginas going to hold my interest? How comfortable am I roaming around in porn stores?
Would I wear a Fleshlight as a hat? <--to spice things up around the office?
If you answered yes to the majority of those questions, I think Big Hard Sex Criminals is for you. If not, give it a pass.
October 29, 2020
ADULTS ONLY
Time stops when you come. Or is it when you "cum"? I've never been too sure about the appropriate usage of either word, whether the two words are interchangeable or if they refer to different parts of the orgasm - the orgasm itself, or perhaps simply the ejaculate? What word is for the feeling and what word is for the product? I dunno. If anyone has any hard, fast rules on the topic, please share. Sharing is caring. Although honestly, I'm not sure I care?
Anyway, the comic book series Sex Criminals takes this conceit of time stopping when having that perfect Angel into Buffy moment, that gasping moment of bliss, that little death, and it runs with it. When these sex criminals orgasm, perhaps with the one they love, or just really like, or are just really attracted to, or perhaps all by themselves, or by themselves plus some toys.... time stops. And what do they do when time stops? Sometimes fun things, like rearranging people and objects in hilariously inappropriate tableaux that cause much chagrin when time starts again. Sometimes more serious things, like robbing banks to stop capitalist oppression of the little guy, or in this case, the little library.
SPOILER: capitalism usually wins. For now, at least...
ADULTS ONLY
This is an adult book, but not because of the graphic sex. Teens know all about graphic sex, whether they've had it or not; sex isn't just for adults. This is an adult book because it is about adults, what it means to be an adult, to grow to change to not-change to be disappointed to examine the past to search for the flaws to rationalize to try to heal to try to keep growing to try to understand yourself to try to understand others to try to understand the world to try to understand your place in it to try and be okay with the fact that you can't change things to realize you can't even change yourself to keep on trying to change to keep on going to keep on growing to keep on feeling pain to keep on feeling love to keep on keeping on to try to feel sane to try to feel normal to try to connect to try and to fail and to keep on trying
The book is raw and honest and real; it is meta and postmodern and surreal; it is intimate and personal and private; it is a fun and clownish adventure; it is a sad song about sad lives; it is a happy tune about trying to do the right thing, for yourself, for others, for the world.
It is certainly an original achievement!
ADULTS ONLY
The writing is smart, soulful, witty, and wise. I wonder if I appreciated it so much because I have a lot of years behind me. I wonder what I would think about the book if I had just as many years ahead of me.
The art is colorful and eclectic, often as goofy and vibrant as the story itself, and sometimes as mournful, with people that look like real people and sex that looks like real sex.
I'm really looking forward to getting the second volume! It's not cheap, but hey I'm an adult and can afford such things.
Time stops when you come. Or is it when you "cum"? I've never been too sure about the appropriate usage of either word, whether the two words are interchangeable or if they refer to different parts of the orgasm - the orgasm itself, or perhaps simply the ejaculate? What word is for the feeling and what word is for the product? I dunno. If anyone has any hard, fast rules on the topic, please share. Sharing is caring. Although honestly, I'm not sure I care?
Anyway, the comic book series Sex Criminals takes this conceit of time stopping when having that perfect Angel into Buffy moment, that gasping moment of bliss, that little death, and it runs with it. When these sex criminals orgasm, perhaps with the one they love, or just really like, or are just really attracted to, or perhaps all by themselves, or by themselves plus some toys.... time stops. And what do they do when time stops? Sometimes fun things, like rearranging people and objects in hilariously inappropriate tableaux that cause much chagrin when time starts again. Sometimes more serious things, like robbing banks to stop capitalist oppression of the little guy, or in this case, the little library.
SPOILER: capitalism usually wins. For now, at least...
ADULTS ONLY
This is an adult book, but not because of the graphic sex. Teens know all about graphic sex, whether they've had it or not; sex isn't just for adults. This is an adult book because it is about adults, what it means to be an adult, to grow to change to not-change to be disappointed to examine the past to search for the flaws to rationalize to try to heal to try to keep growing to try to understand yourself to try to understand others to try to understand the world to try to understand your place in it to try and be okay with the fact that you can't change things to realize you can't even change yourself to keep on trying to change to keep on going to keep on growing to keep on feeling pain to keep on feeling love to keep on keeping on to try to feel sane to try to feel normal to try to connect to try and to fail and to keep on trying
The book is raw and honest and real; it is meta and postmodern and surreal; it is intimate and personal and private; it is a fun and clownish adventure; it is a sad song about sad lives; it is a happy tune about trying to do the right thing, for yourself, for others, for the world.
It is certainly an original achievement!
ADULTS ONLY
The writing is smart, soulful, witty, and wise. I wonder if I appreciated it so much because I have a lot of years behind me. I wonder what I would think about the book if I had just as many years ahead of me.
The art is colorful and eclectic, often as goofy and vibrant as the story itself, and sometimes as mournful, with people that look like real people and sex that looks like real sex.
I'm really looking forward to getting the second volume! It's not cheap, but hey I'm an adult and can afford such things.
October 13, 2019
Click to embiggen
This charming comic series has one high-concept central idea, but no real plan about what to do with it. It focuses on the confusing lives of Suzie and Jon, two twentysomethings in a nameless American city who share an unusual condition: every time they reach orgasm, time stands still. (Literally, that is, not figuratively.) Instead of reflecting on the metaphorical significance of this curious superpower, they make use of their free time to carry out a bank heist.
Such, at least, is the set-up, and the first couple of issues which explain and illustrate their situation are full of all the fun and energy that the associated worldbuilding calls forth. Matt Fraction's snappy writing means that Jon and Suzie are dry, snarky, full of their own issues and enthusiasms – they are, in a word, adorable – and you can't help rooting for them. But Chip Zdarsky's artwork also contributes a whole feast of entertaining background detail, ensuring that no book-cover, DVD rack or shopfront is allowed to sneak into a panel without featuring a lot of bad puns and silly jokes. (The porn DVDs on display in one sex shop, for example, include such titles as Un Chien Anal-ou, alongside magazines like Barely Illegal – ‘These ladies are THIS close to getting American citizenship’.)
Click to embiggen
Entertaining as this world is to spend time in, it does become clear that the long-term plot is a little shaky, and indeed being worked out as we go along. Like a Netflix show with too many episodes, we start to depend a little too much on excavating people's emotional backstories and on discovering unsuspected, implausible links between minor characters. I was also a bit disappointed by the development of the antagonists – a gang of self-styled ‘sex police’, whose masks and lycra costumes borrow a little boringly from the superhero paraphernalia which this series otherwise does very well without. And while it doesn't do to think too hard about the realism of this kind of thing, I did find myself scratching my head over how, even in theory, any ‘police’ could know whether someone had frozen time, or could enter into the same frozen moment even if they did.
Of course, the comics format, by its very nature, shows individual frozen moments of time in each panel. So I was curious to see how Zdarsky would illustrate the concept of ‘frozen time’ in a way that was distinct from – well – normal business. In the event, it's all done in the colouring, with some higher saturation and a few overlaying lens-flare light effects. It's a perfectly serviceable solution, if not an especially innovative one.
Click to embiggen
In the world of hentai (I understand), time-stop porn is practically a genre unto itself, so it's worth pointing out that this is not a sexy book, it's a comedic one. Fraction and Zdarsky both seem completely uninterested in the erotic mode, and indeed go to some lengths to ward it off. In fact this is baked into the very concept: the time-freeze corresponds to the characters' refractory periods, meaning that frozen time is non-sexy time by definition. This avoids any of the noncon connotations that gather around such antecedents as Nicholson Baker's The Fermata, for example, but it also somehow limits their ability to say anything very meaningful about sex. The effect is a bit like reading a book about horror which is deliberately not frightening: it's all very grown-up and interesting, but aren't we missing a trick somewhere?
Not that I would want to imply that this book is trying to be serious or mature – it's knockabaout and silly and often gleefully immature, and all for the better for it. This hardback edition (collecting the first ten issues of a still-ongoing series) comes with some neat appendices that showcase the humour especially well, including background art details that were obscured in the finished product, as well as a compilation of the Sex Tips that appeared in the original printings (sample advice: ‘If she doesn't want to go down on you, try improving the taste of your semen by eating watermelon, celery, her pussy’). Overall there is definitely a pervasive sense of directionlessness, but most of the time I was having far too much fun to care.
May 22, 2018
Sex Criminals. For mature readers. Duh.
The premise of a graphic novel about a couple who stop time when they orgasm, so they rob banks, was enough to get my juices going but little did I know that after the first issue I'd be laughing hysterically and fully engrossed in the on page hot woman on man action.
With their series, Sex Criminals, Fraction and Zdarsky have created a many layered science fantasy story about people whose orgasms stop time, a discussion of our sexual repressions and appetites, a laugh-a-panel dick joke-fest, and give the impression that the mythology behind the concept is just getting warmed up as our protagonists grow as people and delve further in to the time stopping orgasm scene or Appletown/America/The World. Fraction writes with depth and subtlety, as well as some expected silliness, whilst Zdarsky seems to have immersed himself fully in the silliness that such a concept can provide to an artist who takes their time to include as many visual jokes as humanly possible in each and every panel.
This deluxe hardcover edition is actually a thing of beauty too, the kind of clean high impact design I can really get behind, it's as far from titillating as you could get/expect from such a button pressing title and not even remotely like any graphic novel cover I recall seeing previously.
I can't wait for more Sex Criminals to enter my life (but preferably not after they've stopped time to break in to my house and fuck with my shit.)
The premise of a graphic novel about a couple who stop time when they orgasm, so they rob banks, was enough to get my juices going but little did I know that after the first issue I'd be laughing hysterically and fully engrossed in the on page hot woman on man action.
With their series, Sex Criminals, Fraction and Zdarsky have created a many layered science fantasy story about people whose orgasms stop time, a discussion of our sexual repressions and appetites, a laugh-a-panel dick joke-fest, and give the impression that the mythology behind the concept is just getting warmed up as our protagonists grow as people and delve further in to the time stopping orgasm scene or Appletown/America/The World. Fraction writes with depth and subtlety, as well as some expected silliness, whilst Zdarsky seems to have immersed himself fully in the silliness that such a concept can provide to an artist who takes their time to include as many visual jokes as humanly possible in each and every panel.
This deluxe hardcover edition is actually a thing of beauty too, the kind of clean high impact design I can really get behind, it's as far from titillating as you could get/expect from such a button pressing title and not even remotely like any graphic novel cover I recall seeing previously.
I can't wait for more Sex Criminals to enter my life (but preferably not after they've stopped time to break in to my house and fuck with my shit.)
May 13, 2022
This is in some ways a reread for me because I read this hardcover collection as vol. 1 & 2 in trade form. Honestly, I’ve never felt like sex criminals was for everyone. It’s full of a lot of crude humor that sometimes meets its mark and other times falls completely short. Surprisingly, there were some parts of it that I didn’t remember. The premise is simply about two characters who stop time when they orgasm. At first, they think they’re all alone but eventually they find that there are more people who are capable of doing this than they anticipated. While they attempt to use their “powers” to save a bookstore, things get a little more complicated than they expect. What surprised me the most is that for all the silly things this comic does, it tackles some pretty heavy themes like mental health. I completely forgot how heavy that’s explored in volume 2. It does use some sexual humor to lighten up darker moments in this exploration but it still does bring to the forefront of the relationship between the main characters. I enjoyed the artwork in this one. I’m always surprised about the funny things you’ll find in the background of each panel. I’ll definitely continue to pay close attention in the next few volumes. I could also appreciate the amount of layering that had to be done to create the affect of “the quiet.” It’s fascinating. Last but not least it’s clear that Fraction and Zdarsky had fun writing this comic. The pure joy and positive energy that they had creating this comic is clearly expressed in every panel. If you’re interested in the premise of this story, I would definitely recommend giving it a try.
September 14, 2025
The funny, sexy, weird-as-hell graphic novel “Big Hard Sex Criminals” answers the age-old question of what one would do if one had the ability to stop time after every orgasm. The answer, of course, is rob banks. Nothing original there: every TV show, movie, or novel that deals with the idea of magically “stopping time” inevitably comes to this decision. Robbing banks would be the best thing to do.
But that’s jumping the gun (or the ejaculate, in this case), because the real story is the relationship of Jonathon and Suzanne, the two protagonists with said ability to stop time after orgasming, who---by fate or coincidence or divine intervention---have managed to find each other in this crazy, mixed-up world of millions of non-time-stopping orgasmers.
Writer Matt Fraction and Artist Chip Zdarsky have turned what could have been a pretty lame, gratuitous pornographic fuck-fest into an intelligently-written, thoughtful, moving, and satirical pornographic fuck-fest.
What Fraction/Zdarsky have done is tell a pretty relatable story about relationships and sexuality in the 21st century. It’s about connections with people, or lack thereof, and the precious and few encounters with the people that become important parts of our lives. And robbing banks.
But even the bank robbing stuff is all pretty understandable in context. See, Suzanne is a librarian of a city library that is being threatened by developers to be torn down to make way for condos that she or anybody in her tax bracket would never be able to afford. She’s trying (unsuccessfully) to raise funds to save the library, but very few people seem to care.
Then she meets Jonathon, and a one-night stand turns into a financial opportunity. And maybe even a cool boyfriend.
But wait! There’s more!
Jonathon and Suzanne, who both think that their orgasmic time-stopping powers is unique, soon discover that there are more people like them. In fact, there are a cadre of kinky clock-blockers (see what I did there?) who fashion themselves “Sex Police” who are trying to stop Jonathon and Suzanne.
The first volume compiles the first ten issues of the comic book series and is published in a beautiful cloth-bound pink hardcover. Very sexy.
I enjoyed this series for its audacity, weirdness, and because it definitely took me places that I didn’t expect. I look forward to subsequent volumes.
But that’s jumping the gun (or the ejaculate, in this case), because the real story is the relationship of Jonathon and Suzanne, the two protagonists with said ability to stop time after orgasming, who---by fate or coincidence or divine intervention---have managed to find each other in this crazy, mixed-up world of millions of non-time-stopping orgasmers.
Writer Matt Fraction and Artist Chip Zdarsky have turned what could have been a pretty lame, gratuitous pornographic fuck-fest into an intelligently-written, thoughtful, moving, and satirical pornographic fuck-fest.
What Fraction/Zdarsky have done is tell a pretty relatable story about relationships and sexuality in the 21st century. It’s about connections with people, or lack thereof, and the precious and few encounters with the people that become important parts of our lives. And robbing banks.
But even the bank robbing stuff is all pretty understandable in context. See, Suzanne is a librarian of a city library that is being threatened by developers to be torn down to make way for condos that she or anybody in her tax bracket would never be able to afford. She’s trying (unsuccessfully) to raise funds to save the library, but very few people seem to care.
Then she meets Jonathon, and a one-night stand turns into a financial opportunity. And maybe even a cool boyfriend.
But wait! There’s more!
Jonathon and Suzanne, who both think that their orgasmic time-stopping powers is unique, soon discover that there are more people like them. In fact, there are a cadre of kinky clock-blockers (see what I did there?) who fashion themselves “Sex Police” who are trying to stop Jonathon and Suzanne.
The first volume compiles the first ten issues of the comic book series and is published in a beautiful cloth-bound pink hardcover. Very sexy.
I enjoyed this series for its audacity, weirdness, and because it definitely took me places that I didn’t expect. I look forward to subsequent volumes.
July 21, 2017
Image publishes really high quality deluxe hardcover collections of their comic books and this edition of Sex Criminals is a stellar example! Not only does it collect the first two wacky volumes of the series, it also comes with extras you can't miss! It starts out with a hilariously inappropriate fake book cover underneath the dust jacket, which already has an eye-catching title. Then at the end, it includes a gallery of all the beautiful cover art, articles on the creative process, a hefty list of useful sex tips from the creators, and a really cool piece highlighting some of the clever jokes hidden in the artwork.
A stellar deluxe release that's sure to be a collectible!
The two volumes included in this edition are also sold separately:
Sex Criminals, Vol. 1: One Weird Trick
Sex Criminals, Vol. 2: Two Worlds, One Cop
A stellar deluxe release that's sure to be a collectible!
The two volumes included in this edition are also sold separately:
Sex Criminals, Vol. 1: One Weird Trick
Sex Criminals, Vol. 2: Two Worlds, One Cop
October 25, 2015
Firstly can I just say the hard cover under the dust sleeve on this book is hilarious and very creative....
Secondly, this story is brilliant. It's almost like a whole new genre! It had me laughing out loud, but it also gripped my attention. I really wanted to know the characters.....and the artwork...awesome.
It is a very adult book more so than I expected, which was a pleasant surprise. I love the bit in the toilet with all the random positions I've never heard of haha.
Read it and brighten up your life.
Secondly, this story is brilliant. It's almost like a whole new genre! It had me laughing out loud, but it also gripped my attention. I really wanted to know the characters.....and the artwork...awesome.
It is a very adult book more so than I expected, which was a pleasant surprise. I love the bit in the toilet with all the random positions I've never heard of haha.
Read it and brighten up your life.
October 12, 2017
Love. This. Book.
April 23, 2023
It's a dirty, dirty graphic novel with laugh-out-loud moments and likable characters. The scenario is simple: when our protagonists climax, time stops. Literally. And so they decide to rob a bank (for a noble cause). Sex Police isn't happy with this.
Of course, it's much more than sex. The art is great, and Fraction takes a deep dive into the characters' traumas and mental problems.
Despite the high fun-factor, I was sometimes bored so I'll give it 3.5/5. But I'll eventually read the sequels.
Of course, it's much more than sex. The art is great, and Fraction takes a deep dive into the characters' traumas and mental problems.
Despite the high fun-factor, I was sometimes bored so I'll give it 3.5/5. But I'll eventually read the sequels.
April 26, 2025
So this is a very out there book with a very interesting premise. This is definitely a good and promising start to the series, it’s a fun and funny book with both protagonists being likeable. Looking forward to what comes next.
(The hardcover editions of these books are hilarious)
(The hardcover editions of these books are hilarious)
April 14, 2015
So...the creators have a perverted sense of humor...and it's kind of awesome. The comic is this weird mix of humor, serious stuff, and safe sex practices that, oddly enough, totally work. There's also extra content at the end that's really cool. I'm a little unclear as to why there were no protests at the fact that Suzie's library was going into foreclosure or how it was legal for , but I can't wait for the next volume.
December 9, 2021
Original, funny, and poignant. This is what modern magical realism looks like.
full review for all three volumes at https://amanjareads.com/2021/11/16/se...
full review for all three volumes at https://amanjareads.com/2021/11/16/se...
December 13, 2023
3.75 stars. There are a few different layers to this story and ways I think you can read this one. The first layer is the obvious one, being that of a story about sex and the ridiculous and embarrassing situations that can put you in. Another layer you can get into with this is the situation of companionship and loneliness and the mental frustrations and deficiencies we find ourselves in when we crave relationship on different levels but find ourselves alone or falling short of those various relationships at times. On the other end of this story, there are a couple genre-specific ways to enjoy this story. The first way would be as a crime book, which drives the plot of this book as much as the sex in this book does. And the second genre-specific way to enjoy this book is the humor. I’m not so much talking about the obvious dialogue or the in-your-face jokes about sex. I’ve mostly enjoyed the various subtle jokes you can find in Chip Zdarsky’s art. While the content of this book isn’t one I’d typically enjoy reading, the story’s plot and the creative team have me actually interested in seeing where this story will continue to go. Incredible bonus material included at the end of this collection also!
April 29, 2018
I read this book and there was sex in it.
January 24, 2019
Venía con un bundle de Image y la verdad es que me daba un poco de pereza. Matt Fraction no es santo de mi devoción aunque esta premisa la verdad es que es cuanto menos curiosa. La verdad es que me ha gustado mucho, es un cómic divertido y con una trama interesante. Me gusta el tono con el que tratan el tema del sexo. Ayuda a derribar tabúes, a romper mitos de la adolescencia y a deshacer sexualidad tóxica.
June 2, 2017
For a while I lost my interest there.
But yesterday I picked up this and read it cover to cover.
The graphics is awsome and the story - welk at times it gets a bit boring - but overall it's good stuff when all comes together.
But yesterday I picked up this and read it cover to cover.
The graphics is awsome and the story - welk at times it gets a bit boring - but overall it's good stuff when all comes together.
March 23, 2020
I absolutely loved this. Chewed through it quickly. The art is appealing and the story is quirky, cheesy and totally vulgar. It checked off all the boxes.
October 10, 2020
Well developed and paced, although a bit hokey for a sex book.
March 3, 2018
I’d read Volume 1 before and was pretty “meh” about it. I just did not get why so many people were so crazy about it. Cue to my reading the Big Hard edition and now I get it. It turns out that this is one of those series where you need to read the first two volumes to really get into the story.
All the things that I found lacking in the first volume get fixed in the second… Or, if you’re just reading the Big Hard edition, you get a full story with character development and plot points get explained and fleshed out.
It’s somewhat crazy and over the top at times, but the concept is rather original and a fun read for mature readers.
All the things that I found lacking in the first volume get fixed in the second… Or, if you’re just reading the Big Hard edition, you get a full story with character development and plot points get explained and fleshed out.
It’s somewhat crazy and over the top at times, but the concept is rather original and a fun read for mature readers.
September 18, 2019
I read the first volume of this series previously. I felt like it held up pretty well on the reread in this collection. This series is a lot of fun and I definitely want to read more.
February 12, 2025
This was pretty fun, very raunchy, and also funny! I’ll probably read the next Volume. The amount of times this straight couple is able to orgasm simultaneously during penetrative with seemingly no other stimuli for our leading lady is verrrry hard to believe though. Also, public libraries dont work like that 😅
January 16, 2024
Okay y’all it’s not what it looks like (it is)
So, I got bored watching Netflix, so I was like, what if I find something to read off of Libby, and so I found this. I read all three volumes, but I feel like that would be cheating for my reading challenge if I marked all 3 separately. Anyways, yes, there is nudity and other grown-up topics. (what else do you expect????)
Okay, so I got lost a bit throughout the storyline, but I think my problem solving skills helped me through it.
I think the ending was rushed a bit, but overall, it was a nice read with semi-realistic stories and lessons. I thoroughly enjoyed the art style and the way the story was presented too.
Didn’t make me tear up unlike my previously 4/5 star graphic novel reviews. But it was funny! Sometimes a good laugh is better than making me cry 😍
Thanks for reading this much if you did.
I’m 33.33…% of the way done with my reading challenge!!!!!!
TL;DR interesting story, good art style and presentation, ok ending and themes, LOTS of nudity
feeling: not that horny…? 🤪
ok bye!!!
So, I got bored watching Netflix, so I was like, what if I find something to read off of Libby, and so I found this. I read all three volumes, but I feel like that would be cheating for my reading challenge if I marked all 3 separately. Anyways, yes, there is nudity and other grown-up topics. (what else do you expect????)
Okay, so I got lost a bit throughout the storyline, but I think my problem solving skills helped me through it.
I think the ending was rushed a bit, but overall, it was a nice read with semi-realistic stories and lessons. I thoroughly enjoyed the art style and the way the story was presented too.
Didn’t make me tear up unlike my previously 4/5 star graphic novel reviews. But it was funny! Sometimes a good laugh is better than making me cry 😍
Thanks for reading this much if you did.
I’m 33.33…% of the way done with my reading challenge!!!!!!
TL;DR interesting story, good art style and presentation, ok ending and themes, LOTS of nudity
feeling: not that horny…? 🤪
ok bye!!!
May 13, 2023
P-Norris gonna come for me neck when he sees this one. But what can I say? As much as a enjoyed the writing, I was just always a little thrown by the soft-core porn. Price I pay for not having a dick I guess. It wasn’t bad, and I’ll finish the series out of respect for pruett and also because I’m curious. But enjoyment factor is….iffy.
November 6, 2021
Let me just say, I love Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky. I love them individually, and I love them as a team. And I very much enjoyed a lot about this first volume! It's a completely absurd, borderline silly premise: a couple finds out that when they orgasm, they stop time, and use this power to rob banks. Or, a bank, anyway. A few times. That's kind of where I'm going with this.
As witty and engaging and laugh-out-loud funny as a lot of this is, the premise itself really kind of wobbles around, never quite finding its footing. At least not in this first volume. It's kind of about a magic sex duo that robs banks, but they really do very little bank robbing. They mostly talk about sex, and remember things about their previous sex lives, and deal with mental health issues, and all that kind of stuff. It's more of a deep-dive into the sexuality of these two people (and a couple of others) than it is a high-concept comedy crime comic. Which, maybe that's fine! But I found myself constantly hoping for more.
There's a little bit of world building in this volume, but not really what I'd call "enough." The series feels like it's finding its footing throughout this entire volume, never really landing on what exactly it's trying to do. The central characters are almost exclusively defined by their sex lives, rather than their actual, whole selves, and for me, that started to get a little old. I want to really know and love these characters, not just their thoughts about sex. Towards the end we get some exploration of Jon as a person, but Suzie remains kind of vaguely defined and mostly there to Think About Sex.
The vagueness is a bummer, because with a little more to latch onto, this could easily be one of my favorite series. The dialogue is zippy but not unrealistic, Zdarsky fills seemingly every panel with a thousand great visual jokes, the premise is completely bonkers in a fantastic, comic-booky way. But, as it stands, I'm just hoping for a little more character development and world building in the second volume. Here's hoping I get what's, um, cumming to me.
As witty and engaging and laugh-out-loud funny as a lot of this is, the premise itself really kind of wobbles around, never quite finding its footing. At least not in this first volume. It's kind of about a magic sex duo that robs banks, but they really do very little bank robbing. They mostly talk about sex, and remember things about their previous sex lives, and deal with mental health issues, and all that kind of stuff. It's more of a deep-dive into the sexuality of these two people (and a couple of others) than it is a high-concept comedy crime comic. Which, maybe that's fine! But I found myself constantly hoping for more.
There's a little bit of world building in this volume, but not really what I'd call "enough." The series feels like it's finding its footing throughout this entire volume, never really landing on what exactly it's trying to do. The central characters are almost exclusively defined by their sex lives, rather than their actual, whole selves, and for me, that started to get a little old. I want to really know and love these characters, not just their thoughts about sex. Towards the end we get some exploration of Jon as a person, but Suzie remains kind of vaguely defined and mostly there to Think About Sex.
The vagueness is a bummer, because with a little more to latch onto, this could easily be one of my favorite series. The dialogue is zippy but not unrealistic, Zdarsky fills seemingly every panel with a thousand great visual jokes, the premise is completely bonkers in a fantastic, comic-booky way. But, as it stands, I'm just hoping for a little more character development and world building in the second volume. Here's hoping I get what's, um, cumming to me.
October 23, 2019
The numerical reviews I give are meaningless. There's just no way to contextualize using stars the difference between a captivating, near-perfect book that made me update my worldview and a weird, well-written book about flawed people with a very specific super power and a location in it called Cumworld. I liked this book. It's very good at what it does and tells a heartfelt story. So I'm giving it four stars and we're all going to agree that star-based evaluations are empty when used outside of the second grade. Why am I being so defensive? Probably because part of me doesn't know for sure if I really liked it "four stars"-worth or if I'm giving it an extra star because I'm a pervert? Also probably because, even though I'm well on my way to middle age, I'm still deeply uncomfortable talking about boobies and orgasms with other humans? If I run for Senate, is this the review that my opponent is going to run in the campaign ads? "He wants you to believe that he has your values but, when given the chance, he rated a sexy comic book with butts and wieners four stars, the same number he awarded two Tolstoy works, a Shakespeare play, and a graphic novel series about the civil rights movement of the 1960s. He probably has a boner RIGHT. NOW. Don't send this depraved cretin to Washington. Vote No on Nick Campbell." The opponent won't even be running against me. Just running ads to make sure I don't get it. Anyway, this book is good even in between the magical fornicating. Would recommend.
January 3, 2019
Given the blatant sexual innuendos visible on the cover I expected weak humor spiced up with "sex" in order to sell a few copies but the first 10 pages were enough to correct my misconception. Well, the sex jokes are still there, but It doesn’t feel like an added bonus to deliver a few laughs; it’s clever humor that comments on modern romance and relationships and even manages to feel fresh amidst the hundreds of sexual puns you encounter while reading this book. The thing that made me interested enough to continue; however, was neither the humor nor the overall story, but the characters. The story falls from time to time but the characterization is so brilliantly done that keeps you interested enough to turn another page.
I also have to pay an ode to Chip’s detailed artwork; I enjoyed scanning each page and zooming to read every bit of little joke he’s added in the posters and shop signs in every panel.
I also have to pay an ode to Chip’s detailed artwork; I enjoyed scanning each page and zooming to read every bit of little joke he’s added in the posters and shop signs in every panel.
March 7, 2019
so, this book was recommended as a read-aloud for an adult (naughty) story time on a library group on facebook. seeing the title, i needed more information. reading the summary, i laughed out loud, and thought, "what the hey."
and what the hey is right...what a weird, sad, safe-sex discussing, mental health addressing, funny, and GRAPHIC graphic novel! :)
there's a cute romance (although if suzie said "this guy. this fucking guy," while swooning over jon ONE MORE TIME i'd have...been annoyed), some laugh out loud relatable moments (especially if you hate your job, i imagine), some robin hood action (literally) to save a library (!! as a librarian I APPROVE), and a swerve into weird territory with sex police and some sort of technology that notifies them when people do it.
i lost it a little with that last bit, but i mean, it's a book about people who can stop time when they have sex, so let's not think too hard about it and just enjoy the ride. (see what i did there?)
i added the fourth star for the extras in the back. one of my favorite thing about graphic novels is finding all the hilarious stuff in the artwork, and this book includes several pages of "chip's stupid details," with "a bunch of stuff i (chip) want you to see." love!!
and what the hey is right...what a weird, sad, safe-sex discussing, mental health addressing, funny, and GRAPHIC graphic novel! :)
there's a cute romance (although if suzie said "this guy. this fucking guy," while swooning over jon ONE MORE TIME i'd have...been annoyed), some laugh out loud relatable moments (especially if you hate your job, i imagine), some robin hood action (literally) to save a library (!! as a librarian I APPROVE), and a swerve into weird territory with sex police and some sort of technology that notifies them when people do it.
i lost it a little with that last bit, but i mean, it's a book about people who can stop time when they have sex, so let's not think too hard about it and just enjoy the ride. (see what i did there?)
i added the fourth star for the extras in the back. one of my favorite thing about graphic novels is finding all the hilarious stuff in the artwork, and this book includes several pages of "chip's stupid details," with "a bunch of stuff i (chip) want you to see." love!!
August 24, 2020
English version below
CZ
Je to jiné a je to zábavné. Téma celého komiksu je správně šílené a Matt Fraction s tímto nápadem dobře pracuje a rozvíjí ho. Občas je lehce matoucí střídání časových rovin a nebo také situace, kdy vyprávění (a bourání čtvrté zdi) přímo přechází v dialog v příběhu. Občas jsem měl taky problém se slangovýma frázema. Je zajímavé, že ačkoliv je to komiks o sexu, tak to není erotický komiks. Výtvarná stránka je fajn a nemám jí co vytknout. Snad jenom že toho zakrývá zbytečně moc :-) .
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EN
It’s different and it’s funny. The theme is crazy and the script is working well with that. Sometimes flashbacks and breaking of the fourth wall are a little confusing but it’s not a big problem. Sometimes it is hard to understand all slang phrases. It’s interesting that although it’s about sex that it’s not erotic comics. The art is nice.
CZ
Je to jiné a je to zábavné. Téma celého komiksu je správně šílené a Matt Fraction s tímto nápadem dobře pracuje a rozvíjí ho. Občas je lehce matoucí střídání časových rovin a nebo také situace, kdy vyprávění (a bourání čtvrté zdi) přímo přechází v dialog v příběhu. Občas jsem měl taky problém se slangovýma frázema. Je zajímavé, že ačkoliv je to komiks o sexu, tak to není erotický komiks. Výtvarná stránka je fajn a nemám jí co vytknout. Snad jenom že toho zakrývá zbytečně moc :-) .
---
EN
It’s different and it’s funny. The theme is crazy and the script is working well with that. Sometimes flashbacks and breaking of the fourth wall are a little confusing but it’s not a big problem. Sometimes it is hard to understand all slang phrases. It’s interesting that although it’s about sex that it’s not erotic comics. The art is nice.
March 18, 2017
Anytime I finish a volume, i always begin to miss that mild stripe of self-consciousness I get reading such filth in public.
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