Manara's Gullivera Puts Erotic Spin on Jonathan Swift

Milo Manara is an unquestionable master of the erotic female form -- his much maligned Spider-Woman notwithstanding, he work on books like BUTTERSCOTCH and CLICK are highlights of a medium that, understandably, doesn't get a lot of publicity.

In GULLIVERA, Manara takes a distaff view of Jonathan Swift's GULLIVER'S TRAVELS, turning them into a somewhat erotic tour de force while simultaneously incorporating much of the original source material.

Gullivera is a lovely young lady on holiday, taking the opportunity to float out into the water on an inflatable for some nude sunbathing. When she loses her suit, she swims to an odd boat that has been docked in the harbor for some time with no signs of life. When she puts on the tricorner hat she finds, a storm whips up from nowhere and blows the ship to sea.

In short order, Gullivera finds herself in strange lands occupied by tiny people, giants, and talking horses, as well as a floating island inhabited by sleepy academic men and their nubile bored women who have to make their own excitement.

Compared to the aforementioned BUTTERSCOTCH and CLICK, GULLIVERA is quite tame. Yes, there's a surfeit of unabashed nudity, and some dabbling with fetishism. But in terms of actually "getting busy," the buxom Gullivera is almost prudish, shyly rebuking naughty comments and spurning the advances of the women of the floating island of Laputa (and surely Manara could have made quite the pun with that name).

Humanoids is re-releasing GULLIVERA this summer in an oversized deluxe edition -- perfect for this lush, exquisite artwork -- as well as an oversized deluxe edition of THE GOLDEN ASS.