Underground Adult Comics – The Incal

Found Books, Cyberpunk Comics Book Review by Oana Maroti

Underground comics for adults conceal a cruel reality, even when the narrative and characters are transformed and the story is set in the future. Cyberpunk storytelling is built around this same concept of the journey and addresses analogous social issues.

This future world features massive machines, gadgets, and megatechnology, yet it retains humanity's atrocious colonialist habits.

The story behind this book reunites a team including immigrants and fostering intercultural communication—and that is precisely what makes it so magnificent.

Plus, Moebius's style connects continents and can stimulate visual pleasure. The perspective is inviting, and reading feels like a journey.

My only issue is the psychedelic world (a world I can only observe)—incorporating astrology and mysticism—which feels somewhat unconvincing; nevertheless, from the standpoint of fantasy storytelling, it is fascinating. It has influenced entire generations as well as some of our favorite movies and series, such as *Mad Max* and *Futurama*.

European comics are excellent; there are incredible projects with a strong social focus. Sexuality and adult-oriented works are just as important as the quality of the content. In both books and real life, adult play involves eroticism—which is not a negative thing; however, eroticism linked to instruments of colonialist domination is unacceptable, as it impacts our social behavior.

Given that the content has become repetitive and diluted in recent decades, it is worth noting that there are teams and projects so powerful that entire generations may end up replicating them—essentially "copy-pasting"—without even realizing it.

Comics and animations for adults are a magnificent visual medium. They clearly stimulate the audience, but they also shape a specific vision of eroticism. In practice, they serve as an educational tool: we can teach how to enjoy pleasure without engaging in abuse.