By Nick Couture — Hot off a stellar #1 issue, the creative team of the new Image comic, SFSX (Safe Sex) continues to gel on all levels. That team, by the way, is Tina Horn, Michael Dowling, Chris O’Halloran, Steve Wands, Tula Lotay, and Lauren Mccubbin. The story here is about Avory, a former artist and sex worker, wrestling with the sudden detainment of her partner George by the evil anti-sex totalitarian government, and it intensifies in the second issue as she approaches former friends and colleagues to ask for help. Safe Sex is dystopian. It’s grim, but it’s so lovingly crafted you feel like you’re in safe hands.

Avory is a great protagonist for us to view the story through. The issue opens with a flashback to a young Avory meeting with Jones, the leader of The Dirty Mind. The Dirty Mind is a safe space for sexuality to freely be explored. Jones welcomes timid young Avory into the club, allowing her to shoot her erotic films there as well as screen them. She also gifts her a swanky leather jacket and the promise that she’ll always belong to The Dirty Mind. We see Avory as a timid young artist finally finding community. This scene gives essential context to the coming events. Midway through the book we are introduced to a new character who is a former client/friend to Avory. It’s a nuanced, complicated relationship. Avory’s thoughts on their friendship are revealed to us and it really highlights the complex relationships sex workers often have to engage with. I’m immediately invested in these characters. It feels extensively researched and respectful and lived in. Historically, sex workers have not been respected in society or the media. What Tina Horn, and the rest of the team, have created is a beautiful human look at sex work. 

While displaying a slight style change from some of his previous works, mostly notably Unfollow, the short-lived but fantastic social media/hunger games Vertigo book from a few years back, Dowlings work remains stronger than ever. He seems to be taking a less detailed approach throughout, yet doubling down on character acting, body language, and movement. I can’t help but draw a comparison to the work of Sean Phillips on books like Criminal, Fatale, and countless others. The stylistic shift by Dowling is perfectly suited to this story and really makes it feel like a crime book. There are no big action set pieces (yet). There are no explosions (yet). Just a series of scenes escalating in tension, and I’m here for that.

The art is also helped wonderfully by Chris O’Halloran on colors. Chris gives a muted, clean watercolor look to the book that works. Paper shows through the colors and also provides a great texture and feel. The art is also complemented by letterer Steve Wands, who often has lots of text to work with but makes it flow well.

A good bulk of new creator-owned comics that come out tend to lean toward big high-concept fantasy, sci-fi, and horror. In my experience, sex positive, relevant political books tend to be regulated to the OGN/book world. So when a comic like Safe Sex comes out it makes me want to yell from a rooftop. This is what monthly comics can be. Yes, I’m sure this story would work great in one big collected volume, but there’s something special about reading books in the floppy format. It’s especially important when it’s a story we’re not seeing told. There should be space for this book to exist and thrive. 

The design work done by Lauren Mccubbin at the front and end of the book also makes it feel like a zine. Given the importance of zines to underground scenes it totally makes sense why that would be an inspiration for the book. It fits really nicely and gives the book a cohesive feel. The back matter of the book, which includes: a letter from Tina Horn, a 22-song playlist for the issue, and an extensive interview with an artist, feels like the perfect space for a community to grow.

Overall: Backed by great art from Michael Dowling and a strong point of view from Tina Horn, Safe Sex #2 is one of the best new Image titles this year. Avory’s perspective is unlike the majority of protagonists we currently see in comics. Her journey remains effortlessly fascinating with plenty left to explore. 9.5/10

SFSX #2
Writer: Tina Horn
Artist: Michael Dowling
Colors: Chris O’Halloran
Letters: Steve Wands
Design: Lauren Mccubbin
Publisher: Image

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Nick Couture is a video producer living in Lansing, Michigan with his wife and daughter. His first love is film but comics have been a constant source of creative fuel for him for many years. He loves drinking coffee and long-distance running.