"Let's talk about sex.", or PART I |
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| So far in
the Mage 2 letter-column, two different readers have made observations of overt sexually
suggestive imagery. In Issue #5 Darren MacLennan pointed out that on page 17 of Issue #4,
panel 1 contains "the opening to the other world - you could call me on this, but it
looks almost vaginal." Indeed, Matt replies, "Glad you caught the
'cosmic-vulva-in-the-sky' thing. Anyone notice the overtly phallic imagery on the
preceding page? Keep in mind that prior to the scenes below, the three Heros (Kevin, Kirby and Joe) have been "falling over themselves" and failing miserably while fighting the Sprigginflints. Let's look at the sequence in order. |
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 Kevin had thrown himself against a tree to launch himself after the retreating Sprigginflints. As Matt says, the bat is obviously a phallus. Indeed, one could say it looks as if he's laying back on a bed with his hand holding his, er, bat. |
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The portal closes before Kevin can enter to pursue the fleeing Sprig's. The portal now forms a noticable Vulvic-shape while (keeping with the tone of the imagery) Kevin appears more like a sperm, another phallic representation, or perhaps he's just there for story continuity. |
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| There are many ways the scene above
can be taken. Because the battle include Kevin, Kirby and Joe, one possible reading is as
a the three struggling over a woman or some women in a very "who's gonna take her
home" kind of way. All three are "competing" and tripping over themselves
like overly confident showoffs. It also could center strictly on Kevin, showing a growing libido and maybe a mind set on "chasing tail." Not to be too blunt, but is Kevin being led around by his "bat"? (This observation courtesy of my wife, Lisa.) Lastly, it could be seen either as a masturbation scene centering on some "pie-in-the-sky" fantasy female who is just out of reach. Following any of these lines of logic, one clearly doesn't see any penetration occuring (Kevin breaking through the portal to the other world) so this scene doesn't seem to intimate actual sexual intercourse with a woman. |
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