Morrison's vision of a surreal force of Men in Black (well, Men in Pastels, anyway) is almost insanely twisted and thoroughly disturbing. But it's not the weirdness that's unsettling, but what it reflects of our own reality. Morrison's fascination with sex -- or at least Western culture's dark transformation of sexuality -- leaps to the forefront of the story in this issue, and as a result, the title's hardcore and unflinching nature is even more pronounced. Those easily offended -- and even those who consider themselves not-so easily offended -- should steer clear, but those seeking a challenge, an intellectual stimulus... they should pick this book up.
Anders Klimakks is the most in-demand porno actor there. His apparatus is of an impressive size, but what it produces is what makes him particularly special. He is a man without a past, and when he's arrested by Los Angeles cops for wandering naked down a busy street, it attracts the attention of the other-dimensional police force known as the Hand. An agent is sent to discover why a local porn producer is so interest in Anders, and the answer proves to be horrifying and apocalyptic.
Weston's realistic style is the perfect visual approach to reinforce the shocking quality of the plot elements and characters, but that same eye for detail and realism makes for inventive designs for the more alien aspects of the plot as well. It's unfortunate that colorist extraordinaire Matt Hollginsworth isn't working on this issue, but the Hi-Fi folks do a sharp job as well. The art is made annoying bright when appropriate, and it takes on a muted, foreboding tone, notably in some unsettling scenes in Tex Porneaux's home.
The male sexual drive is often seen as part of a drive to conquer. It often goes beyond the biological and hedonistic and then shifts into an act of violence, or near-violence. It can transition from a function of life to a function of chaos, and Morrison explores that here. He literally looks at male sexuality as a weapon of destruction in a plotline that strikes me as a cross between a Ron Jeremy flick and The Day After.
I don't purport to fully get what Morrison's saying here, but I do know that it challenges me to not only find meaning, but to be critical of the world around me. Morrison examines the ugliness that sex has become in our culture. Instead of being about pleasure and human nature, it's being used as a tool to achieve power and celebrity. Morrison's characters take it even further in an unreal but logical progression.
