Or: So X-rated, they don’t have enough Xs for it.

       Slowly zooming out of darkness, we see something that resembles an asshole more and more. Eventually, we see a tube-like construction penetrating the possible hole in the ground. We are then revealed that the tube is an outgrowth of a suspended building or space ship. Thus begins the first chapter of Johnny Ryan’s demented masterpiece Prison Pit, Book One. The chapter is, appropriately titled Fucked and, indeed, this comic is truly fucked. As fucked as its protagonist, Cannibal Fuckface (the awesomest name ever and it will be the name of my child, if I ever decide to have one), whose apparel consists of kneepads, a Speedo and his half-bloodied head.

        Unfortunately, I was not acquainted with the works of Johnny Ryan and I stumbled upon this by mistake. But, by God, I’m so happy I did. It’s extremely irreverent and over the top – there’s a character that creates a monster just by masturbating – and it’s impossibly funny. The humor is all-out slapstick with penises, broken bones, shattered limbs, decapitated monsters. Add a dash of very crude humor and it’s a recipe that shouldn’t work and couldn’t work in a perfect world yet it somehow accomplishes its goals at the end of the first (very short) book: it’s balls-kicking funny!

          To top it all off, the graphic design is so naïve and immature that just by looking at the pictures you’ll be compelled to giggle uncontrollably, let alone when C.F. takes his dong out and we see that it’s adorned with spikes or when we meet the gang leader who looks like a Nazi & BDSM version of the Michelin man. It truly is remarkable how hysterical the art is and it’s a testament to the genius of Johnny Ryan how all the mindfuck and the tongue-through-cheek humor meshes with everything. Go find this as soon as possible because it’s worth it (there are currently 3 more books in the series).

Score: 5/5