Is this resurrected and controversial property worth a look?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Image:

Sex, death, and the movies – what else really matters?

Nearly twenty five years ago, HOWARD CHAYKIN brought the 80s to a close, and comics to the brink, with his landmark erotic thriller, BLACK KISS. Now, after years of anticipation, he’s back with issue one of BLACK KISS II, a six-part miniseries that tells the story behind that legendary story – like the original, in glorious black and white.

And really, now – does it have to be so dirty?

Let me start off by saying, this book is not for everyone.  It’s a complex narrative that’s chock-full of sex, rape and nudity.  If knowing that doesn’t prevent you from purchasing this comic, then you are in for a challenging yet engaging read.  What we have here is a story that follows the life of a succubus in the early 1900s.

Howard Chaykin delivers a first-person script that yields some rather deep and disturbing thoughts.  The first half of the comic is dedicated to a perverse journey to a movie theater in 1906 while the later half focuses in on the sinking of the Titanic.  Both tales put our villainous temptress in some rather provocative situations, where she offers up some interesting insights about the nature of humanity.  While the rest of this romp is put together just fine, it’s this part of the story where the writer truly excels.

The art offered up by Howard Chaykin is highly stylized, yielding a black and white world that’s full of depth.  From the promiscuous forms to the detailed backgrounds, this comic has some excellent visuals that will surely keep any reader flipping through its pages.

Black Kiss II #1 is bound to turnoff many people due to its high level of sexual content and yet if you’re willing to sit back, have a drink and give this book a shot you might just find yourself enjoying this perverse yet compelling tale.  Recommended.

4/5