XXXenophile
Encyclopedia
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series, published by Palliard Press
Palliard Press
Palliard Press was a small, independent comic book publishing house co-founded by Phil Foglio, illustrator of such titles as Buck Godot, Girl Genius, and Robert Asprin's MythAdventures, and Greg Ketter, owner of DreamHaven Books in Minneapolis, Minnesota....
and later Studio Foglio. It is an anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
of short, whimsical, erotic fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
and science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
stories, written and penciled by Phil Foglio
Phil Foglio
Philip "Phil" Foglio is an American cartoonist and comic book artist best known for his humorous science fiction and fantasy work.-Early life and career:...
. Each story is inked by a different artist.
XXXenophile was originally published as a series of ten comic books from 1989 to 1995. In 1994, the contents of the first five issues were reprinted in The XXXenophile Big Book O' Fun. In 1997 and 1998, the contents of the ten issues were reprinted in the five-volume The XXXenophile Collection series; each volume contained a number of stories from the original comics (not in their original publication order) plus a new story (generally a second look at characters from an earlier story such as the superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
Orgasm Lass and her four-armed male sidekick
Sidekick
A sidekick is a close companion who is generally regarded as subordinate to the one he accompanies. Some well-known fictional sidekicks are Don Quixote's Sancho Panza, Sherlock Holmes' Doctor Watson, The Lone Ranger's Tonto, The Green Hornet's Kato and Batman's Robin.-Origins:The origin of the...
Foreplay
Foreplay
In human sexual behavior, foreplay is a set of intimate psychological and physically intimate acts between two or more people meant to create desire for sexual activity and sexual arousal. Either or any of the sexual partners may initiate the foreplay, and they may not be the active partner during...
). The additional stories were compiled separately in a final, eleventh issue of the comic book in 1998. A sixth volume of The XXXenophile Collection, with a new 64-page story, was published in 2000. In 2004 Studio Foglio released XXXenophile Quick and Dirty, a 20-page booklet
Ashcan copy
An ashcan copy is a term that originated in the Golden Age of Comic Books, meant to describe a publication produced solely for legal purposes , and not normally intended for distribution.-Origins:...
of previously unreleased material.
The series general emphasis is on the enjoyment of sexuality as a playful activity. Foglio satirizes numerous plot elements of fantasy and science fiction, such as time travel
Time travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
, cloning
Cloning
Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
, robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
s, deals with the devil
Faust
Faust is the protagonist of a classic German legend; a highly successful scholar, but also dissatisfied with his life, and so makes a deal with the devil, exchanging his soul for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures. Faust's tale is the basis for many literary, artistic, cinematic, and musical...
, love potion
Love potion
Love potion may refer to:* In folklore, mythology, or works of fiction, a love potion may refer to a type of potion designed to create feelings of love towards a person* Lappish Hag's Love Potion, an alcoholic drink* The Love Potion, a painting...
s, and geasa. It portrays a variety of sexual activities, including "oral sex, anal sex, group sex, masturbation, voyeurism, double penetration, inter-racial (literally), bestiality (although generally with an animal possessing intelligence
Body swap
A body swap is a storytelling device seen in a variety of fiction, most often in television shows and movies, in which two people exchange minds and end up in each other's bodies. Alternatively, their minds may stay where they are as their bodies adjust...
), mild sado-masochism, homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
(female, in every issue; male, just in the last issue), exhibitionism
Exhibitionism
Exhibitionism refers to a desire or compulsion to expose parts of one's body – specifically the genitals or buttocks of a man or woman, or the breasts of a woman – in a public or semi-public circumstance, in crowds or groups of friends or acquaintances, or to strangers...
, sex with any number of devices, necrophilia (or sex with a ghost, anyway), prostitution, and every single position and combination imaginable, including some that were only possible in micro-gravity
Weightlessness
Weightlessness is the condition that exists for an object or person when they experience little or no acceleration except the acceleration that defines their inertial trajectory, or the trajectory of pure free-fall...
". Foglio cited rape, mind control, pedophilia, "classical necrophilia", excretion, snuff porn, branding, piercing, heavy sadomasochism, and spanking as topics that he did not find appealing and would not write about.
Palliard Press published a related series, XXXenophile Presents, which presented stories by other creators, each story taking up an entire issue. There were five issues published, with stories by Julie Ann Sczesny, Colin Upton
Colin Upton
Colin Upton is a Canadian cartoonist and artist who was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia. Many of his comics are self-published in the minicomic format, although he has also had his work issued by commercial publishers such as Fantagraphics Books and included...
(two), and Charlie Wise (two).
Critical reception
The comic book series was acclaimed for both its artwork and stories that, while employing sexually explicit content, maintained an artistic quality that many comic book critics felt was superior to the more standard fare of this genre.Card game
A collectible card gameCollectible card game
thumb|Players and their decksA collectible card game , also called a trading card game or customizable card game, is a game played using specially designed sets of playing cards...
based on the comic was also created, with game mechanics designed by James Ernest
James Ernest
James Ernest is an American game designer and juggler. He is best known as the owner and lead designer of Cheapass Games. Prior to founding Cheapass, he worked as a juggler at various venues, including Camlann Medieval Village, and as a freelancer with Wizards of the Coast. He also worked for...
;
it was the first adult-themed CCG (with adult mechanics—some cards contained directions for the player to remove a piece of clothing). It was designed after positive reader reaction to the tenth issue of the comic's cover, which showed cards for a hypothetical XXXenophile CCG.
In 2001 this game was reworked into a G-rated non-collectible card game
Card game
A card game is any game using playing cards as the primary device with which the game is played, be they traditional or game-specific. Countless card games exist, including families of related games...
called Girl Genius: The Works
Girl Genius: The Works
Girl Genius: The Works is a card game played with a specially designed deck of 108 cards. The game, designed by Phil Foglio and James Ernest, takes its theme from the "gaslamp fantasy" of the Girl Genius comic book series...
, based on the Foglios' comic Girl Genius
Girl Genius
Girl Genius is an ongoing comic book series turned webcomic, written and drawn by Phil and Kaja Foglio and published by their company, Studio Foglio LLC under the imprint Airship Entertainment...
.
Contributors
XXXenophile stories were inked by a variety of well-known and lesser-known artists:Mark Nelson
Mark Nelson (artist)
Mark A. Nelson is an artist whose work has appeared in role-playing games and comic books.-Works:Mark Nelson has continued to produce interior illustrations for many Dungeons & Dragons books and Dragon magazine since 1985...
,
Doug Rice,
Julie Ann Sczesny,
Hilary Barta
Hilary Barta
Hilary Barta is an American comic book writer and artist.-Biography:Barta was born on June 17, 1957. His first comics work came in June 1982, when he helped legendary Marvel inkers Al Milgrom, Joe Sinnott and Sal Trapani provide inks for the pencils of Don Perlin on The Defenders #108...
,
Matt Howarth
Matt Howarth
Matt Howarth is an American comic book writer/artist known for such series as Those Annoying Post Bros, Savage Henry, Star Crossed, and Bugtown....
,
Delphyne Mori,
Gordon Purcell
Gordon Purcell
Gordon Purcell is an American comic book artist, perhaps best known for his Star Trek work, in particular his photorealistic renditions of the actors who play that franchise’s characters, as well as those of similarly licensed books, such as X-Files, Xena, Lost in Space, Godzilla, The Young...
,
Randy Crawford,
William Messner-Loebs
William Messner-Loebs
William Messner-Loebs is an American comic book writer and artist from Michigan, also known as Bill Loebs and Bill Messner-Loebs...
,
Brian Thomas,
Ruth Thompson,
Paul Guinan,
Lea Hernandez
Lea Hernandez
Lea Hernandez is an American comic book and webcomic creator who usually draws in a Japanese-influenced style. She is the co-creator of Killer Princesses with Gail Simone , and the creator of Rumble Girls...
,
Adam Hughes
Adam Hughes
Adam Hughes is an American comic book artist who has worked for companies such as DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Lucasfilm, Warner Bros...
,
John Workman
John Workman
John Workman is an editor, writer, artist, designer, colorist and letterer in the comic book industry...
,
Donna Barr
Donna Barr
Donna Barr is an American comic book author and cartoonist.She was born in Everett, Washington, the second child in a family of six siblings....
,
Stephen R. Bissette
Stephen R. Bissette
Stephen R. Bissette is an American comics artist, editor, and publisher with a focus on the horror genre. He is best known for working with writer Alan Moore and inker John Totleben on the DC comic Swamp Thing in the 1980s....
,
David Cherry,
Shon Howell,
Bill Willingham
Bill Willingham
Bill Willingham is an American writer and artist of comics.-Career:Willingham got his start in the late 1970s to early 1980s as a staff artist for TSR, Inc., where he illustrated a number of their role-playing game products...
,
David Lee Anderson,
Stephen DeStefano,
Tom Verré,
Vicky Wyman,
Frank Kelly Freas
Frank Kelly Freas
Frank Kelly Freas , called the "Dean of Science Fiction Artists", was a science fiction and fantasy artist with a career spanning more than 50 years.-Early life, education, and personal life:...
,
Rantz Hoseley,
Barb Kaalberg,
Steve Sullivan,
Lee Burks,
Lela Dowling
Lela Dowling
Lela Dowling is a graphic artist who draws fantasy and science fictional characters. In collaboration with Steve Gallacci, she drew the comic book series Fusion, a science-fiction action adventure...
,
Kevin Eastman
Kevin Eastman
Kevin Brooks Eastman is an American comic book artist and writer, best known as the creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Eastman is also the current owner, editor and publisher of the magazine Heavy Metal.-Early life:Eastman was born on May 30, 1962 in Springvale, Maine...
,
Peter Hsu,
Kelley Jones
Kelley Jones
Kelley Jones is an American comic book artist best known for his runs on Batman with writer Doug Moench and on Sandman with writer Neil Gaiman.-Biography:...
,
Geof Darrow
Geof Darrow
Geofrey "Geof" Darrow is a comic artist known for his work on books such as Hard Boiled and Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot, which was adapted into an animated TV series of the same name.-Character design and Moebius collaborations:...
,
Quinton Hoover
Quinton Hoover
Quinton Hoover is most famous for his art in the collectible trading card game Magic: The Gathering.-Career:Hoover has drawn over 70 pieces for the Magic: The Gathering collectible card game. Quinton also was the artist for the hotly desired Magic card called "Proposal" which creator Richard...
,
Terrie Smith,
Neil Vokes,
Dennis Clark,
Bob Eggleton
Bob Eggleton
Bob Eggleton is a science fiction, fantasy, and horror artist. Eggleton has been honored with the Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist eight times, first winning in 1994. He also won the Hugo Award for Best Related Book in 2001 for his art book "Greetings From Earth"...
,
Michael T. Gilbert
Michael T. Gilbert
Michael Terry Gilbert is an American comic book artist and writer who has worked for both mainstream and underground comic book companies.-Biography:Michael T. Gilbert was born on May 7, 1951 and attended the State University of New York...
,
Susan Van Camp
Susan Van Camp
Susan Van Camp is a fantasy artist, best known for her work on various role playing games.-Biography:Van Camp was born on June 11, 1959, and raised in Flint, Michigan. She began her commercial career in gaming by doing work for Steve Jackson's Car Wars series...
,
Mike Christian,
Colleen Doran
Colleen Doran
Colleen Doran is an American writer/artist, film conceptual artist, and cartoonist. She has illustrated hundreds of comics, graphic novels, books and magazines, and dozens of stories and articles, including works written by Neil Gaiman, Clive Barker, Anne Rice, J...
,
Pam Eklund,
Shepherd Hendrix, and
Brian Snøddy (two stories).