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Resource type: Journal Article Language: en: English Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1080/21504857.2017.1307239 BibTeX citation key: Barry2017 Email resource to friend View all bibliographic details |
Categories: General Keywords: Gender, Pornography, Sexuality, Tijuana Bibles, USA, Violence Creators: Barry Collection: Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics |
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Abstract |
In the pre-Playboy era, erotica was not hidden under mattresses or under false floorboards; rather it was hidden in pockets, constantly available for perusal and arousal. Measuring 2.5 inches by 4 inches, the average wallet size of the era, Tijuana Bibles were eight-page pornographic comic books sold from approximately 1930 to 1960 behind counters, in back rooms and behind closed doors. Inspired by the growing comic book industry, the ‘bibles’ fulfilled growing demand for affordable and discreet erotica in the era of rapidly changing gender relations. The depictions of intercourse and, frequently, sexual violence in these comics were specifically designed to reflect the desired self-image of the typically male reader, while the portable nature of the books encouraged a dominant sharing and swapping culture within homosocial communities. This paper explores how Tijuana Bibles worked to promulgate and reinforce the glorification of sexual violence as a measure of sexual performance within said homosocial communities.
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