It has been suggested that beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. If this is true, then perhaps it can be said that all things ‘Cheesy’ lie in the metaphoric nose of the beholder as well. That is to say one person’s pop culture Velveta may be another’s fine art gourmet fromage. Or, conversely, where one smells the sweet berries and savory nuts of a guilty pleasure, another smells the old socks of irredeemable bad taste.
Regardless of your preferred analogy I feel I must make the obvious, but important, statement that one’s taste in the arts (as in cheese), in all its varied forms, is subjective. I’ve heard it said that Cheesiness is “anything that strives for artistic integrity beyond the abilities of those creating it and therefore becomes an altogether different piece of entertainment in the process than that which was intended.” While valid (in that it is one man’s opinion concerning a matter of much subjectivity, and therefore as valid as the next.), it does not necessarily jive with my own. This view, though perhaps widely accepted, seems to insinuate a deficiency of artistic muscle in the cheese maker, whereas I truly believe the creation of fine cheesy art to be a talent held by few, and one to praised and lauded. And this is not to say that Cheesiness itself is an art form but rather a BI-product, an effect, maybe even a state, of artistic endeavor. Cheesiness can be the result of deliberate intent, though in my experience few have the comical wherewithal to produce a quality product this way (I consider myself a dramatic writer, and have always admired those with a true comic voice). It can also come to life by happy accident, an attempt to create a serious (or seemingly so), heartfelt work, instead arriving at the joyous state of Cheesiness those of us in the know have happily feasted upon throughout this modern age of mass media. Movies, music, television, all have produced scores of moldy, lactose-laden deliciousness we happily spread on our mind’s snack crackers of kitsch appreciation. But it is the noble field of Comic Books I have been commissioned to talk about today, and so I embark on my review of my favorite Cheesy Comic Books.I first began my search for a particular genre within the world of comics where I might find the highest concentration of cheese. I started with the obvious; humor books. Much fine cheese has been produced in the pages of such books as Knights of the Dinner Table, PVP, PS238, and Too Much Coffee Man. But no, this seemed too easy. Expected, even. Though to my mind these books are fine examples of finely crafted comical cheese, sometimes the tastiest bits can be found where you might least expect them. I then took a step back and once again gazed upon the wider world of mass entertainment and asked myself one simple question; Where, in all the various forms of distraction, has the highest quantity, if not quality, of cheese been produced. And the answer was obvious. Porn.Yes, porn. A quick scan of any adult video store’s shelves will reveal such cheddary nuggets as “Yank My Doodle, it’s Dandy,” “On Golden Blond,” ‘Edward Penishands’, ‘Womb Raider’, and ‘Spankenstein’. And while the quality of most cinematic porn cheesiness is sorely lacking, some fine, epicurean examples can be found in the realm of adult comics. And here, finally, I come to this column’s primary subject of review; Tony Libido’s (Yes!) Here Come the Lovejoys.

Here Come the Lovejoys follows the sexual misadventures of the Lovejoy family. Oversexed mother Mildred strips for anything on two legs, from the unsuspecting plumber, to members of her Sex Addicts Anonymous group, to the best friends of her own daughter. The only one not sampling her well-endowed wares is her own husband, Frank. Frank, frustrated by his wife’s apparent lack of sexual interest, turns to the women of his company’s secretary pool, and begins to develop a strong, if unhealthy, interest in his blossoming teenage daughter, Jenny. Filled with comical, sometimes slapstick, moments, the Lovejoy’s explore the lighter side of infidelity, sexual fetish, and incest. And not content to be just another porn comic, Libido throws in a scene for the Uber-Comic Nerds amongst us. Alone one quiet day, Mildred throws in one of her favorite videos and watches as the Fantastic Four-ish group of super persona engage in a little off-hours recreation. Suffice to say, Invisible Gal really takes one for (or is that from?) the team.Yes, Here Come the Lovejoys is first and foremost an adult comic, with nudity, sexual situations, and the intent that all that comes with. But its references to geek culture (the previously mentioned Fantastic Four scene, as well as the inclusion of a Boffy the Vampire Slayer short story) and the constant sexual shortcomings of father Frank (blind folded, tied to a chair, and left to the whims of the family dog…need I say more?) make this book a gem among cheesy comics.

And for those who have already enjoyed the Lovejoys, here are a few more suggestions for your cheesy-comic book reading pleasure.

Once again in the arena of adult comics, we find the classically silly and sexy Cherry Poptart. Drawn in a style reminiscent of the beloved, wholesome Archie series, Cherry lives a life that would make the most adventurous Riverdale resident blush. You like Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll? Cherry is the girl for you!

Giant-Size Man-Thing! No, no, not me, but thank you! No, the Man-Thing was Marvel Comics impotent answer to the popular, and groundbreaking, DC creation Swamp Thing. “Whatever Knows Fear Burns at the Man-Things Touch!” The story is nothing to rave about, but worth seeking out for the title alone.

Battle Pope by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore follows the misadventures of a hard drinking, womanizing, ass-kicking Pope in his battle against evil. This, my friends, is quality, intently crafted, cheese.All of these fine titles are available at your local purveyor of comic-y goodness! Go! Now! What are you waiting for?!Read On!J.D. Arnold has been reading comics for the past 35 years, selling them for the past 15 years, writing them for the past 5 years, and now owns his own comic selling shop, and is therefore more qualified to review them than you.