Paul Gravett is back, this time with Peter Stanbury, casting his deep-thinking, analytical mind over some of comics’ biggest questions. However, despite the fact that scholarly Gravett is usually found pondering the cultural impact of manga or the link between superheroes and war-time propaganda, this book reveals his other side: a lover of comic books’ ability to shock and surprise.
Holy Sh*t isn’t (perhaps unfortunately) an anthology of comics like Gravett’s cracking Mammoth Book of Crime Comics, but instead offers covers, descriptions and sneak peaks at some of comics’ more depraved moments. Amputee Love, Tales from the Leather Nun and Trucker Fags in Denial grace its pages, leaving you (depending on your outlook on life) either thirsty for more comic madness, or quietly quite pleased that most of the comics discussed never made it to the big time.
Note: Published in the UK as The Leather Nun And Other Incredibly Strange Comics