Graphic Novel Review: Afrodisiac

Just reading the title of Afrodisiac gives you a pretty good idea of what you’re in for. Part parody of the Blaxpolotation films of the ‘70s, part tribute to comics of the same time period, Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca’s Afrodisiac is a winner all the way around.

The man himself is a mystery. The Afrodisiac, alias Alan Deasler, is given multiple origins throughout the book. The origins mirror those of Spider-Man, Captain America, and even Hong Kong Phooey. Ultimately, though, the origin is unimportant. What matters is the man, and the strange ability he has to bring women under his spell. He uses his powers not for the good of mankind, but to be as successful a pimp as he can be.

And what a pimp he is. The Afrodisiac is a man who partnered with Tricky Dick Nixon in the jungles of Vietnam. He once beat a robot God at tennis, and bested Hercules in a fistfight. He’s a man who Death couldn’t bear to take because he was just too damn sexy. And those aren’t even the best parts of the book.

The presentation is fantastic. Afrodisiac reads like a collection of the character’s adventures from over a long career. Jim Rugg’s art evokes ‘70s-era Jack Kirby and others through both the story pages and the various mock covers that appear throughout the book. Rugg and Brian Maruca co-created and co-wrote the book, and the stories and dialogue perfectly capture the era in which they are set.

That commitment to the era could prove problematic for some critics. There’s no female empowerment here – every female character save for one is completely in Afrodisiac’s thrall. The choice to have Afrodisiac act as a pimp, with his ladies being in his power, adds to the complication. The one female character that isn’t, Dizzy, works for Afrodisiac as his personal assistant/accountant, and while she never appears to be under his spell, she is still totally subservient to him.

That said, the idea of a character with a supernatural power over women is presented with tongue firmly in cheek. At one point he even uses the power to make a pair of lesbian henchwoman fall in love with and release him. The pimp aspect, likewise, is a part of the blaxploitation angle of the book. It’s all completely ridiculous, and played strictly as parody.

Fans of movies like Black Dynamite and I’m Gonna Git You Sucka are sure to enjoy Afrodisiac, as are those who enjoy a well-done homage to comics of years past. Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca’s work is funny and entertaining. The only complaint you may have is that the book isn’t longer.