Borgia (2 points)

 For this week I read the Borgia series by Milo Manera and Jodorosky. When I saw this was a historical drama I instantly was super excited to read it. I love to learn more about history through any artistic format. And while reading this I saw way to much sex than i antsicatped. I knew a little that Alexader VI was a sex addict but i didn't know everyone who walked was also a sex addict. 

First talking about the art style. I love this watercolor/marker combo. It makes for the renaissance period to really shine through. The soft transitions between color with only a few prominent black lines makes this very gruesome story feel a lot less gruesome. But this also made the sex feel more luxurious and almost special until someone was fucking a brother or had there head cutoff mid way. This is still the renaissance period so i feel this style tries to mimic that while using watercolor thus creating a different vibe compared to an oil painting. I feel like if they used a style like Mauz or Nanking the story would become too intense to enjoy. Since the story switches between love and death i feel like this style of soft transitions/shading with death or incest really show how chaotic yet prosperous this period was becoming. 

Moving back to the historical drama story. This really is dramatised yet when reading into how Pope Innocent VIII died maybe they aren't so far off. I knew a small amount of pope Innocent VIII but knew nothing about his successor Alexander VI or Rodrigo Borgia. This man was cut throat. If he wanted something he would get a bag of dicks to make sure it was done. Some of the things that seemed normal within this time period incest was, for this family at least, was very common. This whole family wanted sex from who ever could walk. Which was really strange to constantly read. I didn't like how the daughter was fine with getting fucked by both her father and brother. Most times homosexuality wasn't seen as bad, depnding on whos ruling of course, but this comic didn't make the sex between the same sex as strange as the ones between difference sexes. The hetero pairing most times was used for poltical gain or done behind closed doors. Also the hetero pairing seemed to die the most while having sex. This felt more like sex the story more than a historical drama. Was there drama? Yes people dying while having sex and barking like a dog. There's your drama. They skip over the battles and they prolong the battles in bed. I would have preferred if they showed more battles or political tatics over the pages and pages of sex. At first it was a shock to see so much then it got annoying and kinda of boring. This felt like I was reading hentai that had some historical backing. It was interesting to learn about who Pope Alexander VI was but i didn't want to see THAT much. He is known for sex but man. I think they played it up too much. 

Also another thing that was really strange to me was that the black slaves in this comic didn't feel like how an american slave would be treated. They were still slaves at the end of the day but they were seen as important to most that had them. It felt like a relief to not see a bunch of black people getting blamed for all their problems as well as seeing them in a better position than i've ever seen. 

To sum up what i've read. Dicks are in a bag and sex is worth more than money and is used for political power. Ive been through a roler coster of sex tonight. i want more history.