The Playboy: A Comic Book
Encyclopedia
The Playboy is an autobiographical
graphic novel
by Canadian
cartoonist
Chester Brown
, dealing with the author's obsession with Playboy
Playmates, his desire to keep his collection hidden, and how it affected his ability to relate to women into adulthood.
story mostly of Brown's obsession with the Playmates in Playboy
magazine. Brown's character obsessively masturbates
in secret, terrified of being found out, but unable to resist the urge to masturbate. Afterwards, he feels guilty, sometimes getting rid of the magazine(s), only to come back to them again later.
The book also touches on Brown's prejudice
s, as in his disgust at seeing a black
Playmate.
The narrator of the story is a winged, not-quite-angelic version of Brown himself, who often talks to the Chester Brown character. Brown never acknoledges the narrator, though, who appears to be visible only to the reader.
The story happens mostly during Brown's adolescence
, but winds up at the time of the book's creation. Along the way we see how Brown's Playboy obsession affects his ability to relate to women.
Brown depicted actual Playmates and issues of Playboy
throughout the book.
:Brown's character obsessively masturbates, which is depicted graphically throughout the book. Brown's character is notable for his masturbation style, in which he faces down and rubs his penis
with the palms of both hands.
Guilt
:Brown's character is terrified of being caught masturbating, or with copies of Playboy
. He also shows signs of regret after masturbating.
Relationships:As in most of Brown's autobiographical
works, Brown's character is depicted as an introvert who has difficulty connecting with other people. In The Playboy, his difficulties are mostly with women: he has truble sustaining relations with women who can't compare to his favourite Playmates; he feels guilty lying to his girlfriend Kris about his Playboy collection.
At first, Brown intended The Playboy and I Never Liked You
to be one story, but found it too complex to handle when he started to plan it out.
The story was originally called Disgust when serialized in issues #21-23 of Brown
's Yummy Fur comic book
, at the time still being published by Vortex
. The collection was published by Drawn and Quarterly
in somewhat different form after Brown moved publication of Yummy Fur there.
Like Brown's other acclaimed autobiographical graphic novel
, I Never Liked You
, originally was, the panels of The Playboy are set on black pages. In 2002, Brown revised the pages of I Never Liked You, making the pages white, saying, "I like austerity. The white background looks more austere to me." However, he has left the The Playboy as it is with the original black pages.
The book was dedicated to "Seth
for his example as an artist".
and several shorter pieces, The Playboy placed #38 on the prestigious Comics Journal's list of the 100 best comics of the century. It was also nominated for a Harvey
in 1991 for Best Single Issue or Story for "The Playboy Stories" in Yummy Fur
#21-23.
The book is admired by critics and many of Brown's fellow cartoonist
s. Gilbert Hernandez
, of Love and Rockets
fame, has said, "The Playboy and I Never Liked You
are probably the best graphic novel
s next to Maus
", and critic Frank Young said it was the "pivotal work" in the autobiographical comics
trend of the early 1990s.
Brown says a number of women took offense at the book, saying it glorified pornography.
Hugh Hefner
sent Brown a letter after The Playboys publication, giving Brown "bewildered fatherly advice", showing concern that a someone who grew up during the sexual revolution
could still have suffered through the confusion and anxiety that Brown did.
Autobiographical comics
Autobiographical comics are autobiography in the form of comic books or comic strips. The form first became popular in the underground comics movement and has since become more widespread...
graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
by Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
Chester Brown
Chester Brown
Chester William David Brown , is an award-winning, best-selling Canadian alternative cartoonist and, since 2008, the Libertarian Party of Canada's candidate for the riding of Trinity-Spadina in Toronto, Canada....
, dealing with the author's obsession with Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
Playmates, his desire to keep his collection hidden, and how it affected his ability to relate to women into adulthood.
Overview
The book is an autobiographicalAutobiographical comics
Autobiographical comics are autobiography in the form of comic books or comic strips. The form first became popular in the underground comics movement and has since become more widespread...
story mostly of Brown's obsession with the Playmates in Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
magazine. Brown's character obsessively masturbates
Masturbation
Masturbation refers to sexual stimulation of a person's own genitals, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation can be performed manually, by use of objects or tools, or by some combination of these methods. Masturbation is a common form of autoeroticism...
in secret, terrified of being found out, but unable to resist the urge to masturbate. Afterwards, he feels guilty, sometimes getting rid of the magazine(s), only to come back to them again later.
The book also touches on Brown's prejudice
Prejudice
Prejudice is making a judgment or assumption about someone or something before having enough knowledge to be able to do so with guaranteed accuracy, or "judging a book by its cover"...
s, as in his disgust at seeing a black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
Playmate.
The narrator of the story is a winged, not-quite-angelic version of Brown himself, who often talks to the Chester Brown character. Brown never acknoledges the narrator, though, who appears to be visible only to the reader.
The story happens mostly during Brown's adolescence
Adolescence
Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development generally occurring between puberty and legal adulthood , but largely characterized as beginning and ending with the teenage stage...
, but winds up at the time of the book's creation. Along the way we see how Brown's Playboy obsession affects his ability to relate to women.
Brown depicted actual Playmates and issues of Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
throughout the book.
Themes
MasturbationMasturbation
Masturbation refers to sexual stimulation of a person's own genitals, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation can be performed manually, by use of objects or tools, or by some combination of these methods. Masturbation is a common form of autoeroticism...
:Brown's character obsessively masturbates, which is depicted graphically throughout the book. Brown's character is notable for his masturbation style, in which he faces down and rubs his penis
Penis
The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...
with the palms of both hands.
Guilt
Guilt
Guilt is the state of being responsible for the commission of an offense. It is also a cognitive or an emotional experience that occurs when a person realizes or believes—accurately or not—that he or she has violated a moral standard, and bears significant responsibility for that...
:Brown's character is terrified of being caught masturbating, or with copies of Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
. He also shows signs of regret after masturbating.
Relationships:As in most of Brown's autobiographical
Autobiographical comics
Autobiographical comics are autobiography in the form of comic books or comic strips. The form first became popular in the underground comics movement and has since become more widespread...
works, Brown's character is depicted as an introvert who has difficulty connecting with other people. In The Playboy, his difficulties are mostly with women: he has truble sustaining relations with women who can't compare to his favourite Playmates; he feels guilty lying to his girlfriend Kris about his Playboy collection.
Publication History
Brown ran into problems doing contemporary autobiographical stories, as his story interconnected with the stories of those around himthe friends he portrayed did not always agree with the way they were portrayed (as can been seen in Showing Helder). Brown then decided to turn to his teenage years, as he had lost contact with most of the people he knew from that time.At first, Brown intended The Playboy and I Never Liked You
I Never Liked You
I Never Liked You is an autobiographical graphic novel by Chester Brown, dealing with Brown's introversion and difficulty talking to others, especially members of the opposite sex....
to be one story, but found it too complex to handle when he started to plan it out.
The story was originally called Disgust when serialized in issues #21-23 of Brown
Chester Brown
Chester William David Brown , is an award-winning, best-selling Canadian alternative cartoonist and, since 2008, the Libertarian Party of Canada's candidate for the riding of Trinity-Spadina in Toronto, Canada....
's Yummy Fur 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...
, at the time still being published by Vortex
Vortex Comics
Vortex Comics was a Canadian independent comic book publisher that operated during the years 1982 to 1994. Under the supervision of president, publisher, and editor Bill Marks, Vortex was known for such titles as Dean Motter's Mister X, Howard Chaykin's Black Kiss, and Chester Brown's Yummy Fur...
. The collection was published by Drawn and Quarterly
Drawn and Quarterly
Drawn and Quarterly is a Canadian comic book publishing company, headed by Chris Oliveros, and based in Montreal, Quebec. Its focus is on graphic novels and underground or alternative comics. Drawn and Quarterly was also the title of the company's flagship quarterly anthology during the 1990s...
in somewhat different form after Brown moved publication of Yummy Fur there.
Like Brown's other acclaimed autobiographical graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
, I Never Liked You
I Never Liked You
I Never Liked You is an autobiographical graphic novel by Chester Brown, dealing with Brown's introversion and difficulty talking to others, especially members of the opposite sex....
, originally was, the panels of The Playboy are set on black pages. In 2002, Brown revised the pages of I Never Liked You, making the pages white, saying, "I like austerity. The white background looks more austere to me." However, he has left the The Playboy as it is with the original black pages.
The book was dedicated to "Seth
Seth (cartoonist)
Seth is the pen name of Gregory Gallant , a Canadian comic book artist and writer. He is best known for comics such as Palookaville.Born in Clinton, Ontario, Seth attended the Ontario College of Art in Toronto...
for his example as an artist".
Reception
As one of "The autobiographical comics from Yummy Fur", along with I Never Liked YouI Never Liked You
I Never Liked You is an autobiographical graphic novel by Chester Brown, dealing with Brown's introversion and difficulty talking to others, especially members of the opposite sex....
and several shorter pieces, The Playboy placed #38 on the prestigious Comics Journal's list of the 100 best comics of the century. It was also nominated for a Harvey
Harvey Award
The Harvey Awards, named for writer-artist Harvey Kurtzman and founded by Gary Groth, President of the publisher Fantagraphics, are given for achievement in comic books. The Harveys were created as part of a successor to the Kirby Awards which were discontinued after 1987.The Harvey Awards are...
in 1991 for Best Single Issue or Story for "The Playboy Stories" in Yummy Fur
Yummy Fur (comic)
Yummy Fur was an award-winning and highly influential alternative minicomic and comic book series written and drawn by Canadian cartoonist Chester Brown from 1983 until 1994...
#21-23.
The book is admired by critics and many of Brown's fellow cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
s. Gilbert Hernandez
Gilbert Hernandez
Gilberto Hernández, born February 1, 1957, in Oxnard, California, usually credited as Gilbert Hernandez and also known by the nickname Beto , is an American comics writer/artist...
, of Love and Rockets
Love and Rockets (comics)
Love and Rockets is a black and white comic book series by Gilbert Hernandez and Jaime Hernandez, sometimes cited jointly as Los Bros Hernandez. Their brother Mario Hernandez is an occasional contributor...
fame, has said, "The Playboy and I Never Liked You
I Never Liked You
I Never Liked You is an autobiographical graphic novel by Chester Brown, dealing with Brown's introversion and difficulty talking to others, especially members of the opposite sex....
are probably the best graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
s next to Maus
Maus
Maus: A Survivor's Tale, by Art Spiegelman, is a biography of the author's father, Vladek Spiegelman, a Polish Jew and Holocaust survivor. It alternates between descriptions of Vladek's life in Poland before and during the Second World War and Vladek's later life in the Rego Park neighborhood of...
", and critic Frank Young said it was the "pivotal work" in the autobiographical comics
Autobiographical comics
Autobiographical comics are autobiography in the form of comic books or comic strips. The form first became popular in the underground comics movement and has since become more widespread...
trend of the early 1990s.
Brown says a number of women took offense at the book, saying it glorified pornography.
Hugh Hefner
Hugh Hefner
Hugh Marston "Hef" Hefner is an American magazine publisher, founder and Chief Creative Officer of Playboy Enterprises.-Early life:...
sent Brown a letter after The Playboys publication, giving Brown "bewildered fatherly advice", showing concern that a someone who grew up during the sexual revolution
Sexual revolution
The sexual revolution was a social movement that challenged traditional codes of behavior related to sexuality and interpersonal relationships throughout the Western world from the 1960s into the 1980s...
could still have suffered through the confusion and anxiety that Brown did.
Foreign editions
| Translations | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Language | Title | Publisher | Date | ISBN |
| French French language French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts... |
Le Playboy | éditions Les 400 coups | 2001 | |
| Spanish Spanish language Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the... |
El Playboy | Ponent Mon | 2008 | |
| Portugese Portuguese language Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095... |
A Playboy | Loja Conrad Do Brasil | ||
| Korean Korean language Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing... |
플레이보이 | Sai Comics | 2008-09-20 |
Sources
- Juno, Andrea. Dangerous Drawings. Interview with Chester BrownChester BrownChester William David Brown , is an award-winning, best-selling Canadian alternative cartoonist and, since 2008, the Libertarian Party of Canada's candidate for the riding of Trinity-Spadina in Toronto, Canada....
. Juno Books, LLC (1997). pages 130–147. ISBN 0-9651042-8-1 - Beaty, Bart. "Selective Mutual Reinforcement in the Works of Chester Brown, Joe Matt, and Seth". Graphic Subjects: Critical Essays on Autobiography and Graphic Novels (editor, Michael A. Chaney), pages 247–259. University of Wisconsin Press, 2011. ISBN 978-0-299-25104-8
External Links
- preview at Drawn and QuarterlyDrawn and QuarterlyDrawn and Quarterly is a Canadian comic book publishing company, headed by Chris Oliveros, and based in Montreal, Quebec. Its focus is on graphic novels and underground or alternative comics. Drawn and Quarterly was also the title of the company's flagship quarterly anthology during the 1990s...
's website