Milo Manara: The King of European Erotic Comics (91 Lustful Pics)
10 maart 2021 
79 min. read

Milo Manara: The King of European Erotic Comics (91 Lustful Pics)

No one draws beautiful women better than Milo Manara (1945), no one has pushed more boundaries in the comic than the Italian comic book author and artist. He is the unrivaled king of the erotic comic, and his portrayal of graceful, delightful women placed in absurd and fantastical erotic scenarios are unmatched.

Joyful Sensuality

What really stand out are his joyful sensuality and the absolute ease and delicacy in which he depicts these fanciful scenes. This is especially true of his comics series, ‘Giuseppe Bergman‘ (Fig.1), which is a mixture of experimental narrative and explicit sex.

Giuseppe Bergman Milo Manara

Fig.1. ‘Giuseppe Bergman

Italian Psyche

Manara is a household name in Italy and his memorable output of eroticism is part of the Italian psyche. In his long career that has lasted for more than 50 years up to now, he always celebrated the beauty and seduction of women in erotic positions and in very little clothing. Born in Luson, a picturesque mountain village near Bolzano, Manara was already fascinated by art from an early age, and as a kid even ran away from home to see an exhibition of the painter Giorgio di Chirico. The latter, as well as Peter Paul Rubens and Caravaggio (Fig.2) would become his most important inspirations.

Milo Manara Caravaggio

Fig.2. Litho ‘Caravaggio‘ (1992)

Teenage Years

As both his parents were workers, Milo and his brothers started doing small jobs during their teenage years in order to be self-sufficient. When Milo was 12 he made decorative panels on commission. Later he worked as an assistant to sculptors. His interest in comics was stirred up in the late 1960s, and produced his first work for ‘Genius‘ pocket books, and magazines such as Terror and Charlie Mensuel.

Milo Manara erotic illustrations

Fig.3. Page from the comic ‘Click!‘ (1983)

Erotic Work

In the early seventies Manara created, among other things, the sexy pirate ‘Jolanda‘ with scriptwriter Francesco Rubino for publisher Erregi. But he really established himself as one of the great masters of erotic comic art with the book ‘Déclic‘ (‘Click‘ in English, 1983). Click (Fig.3) was popular for its enticing subject matter – a woman is abducted by a scientist who surgically implants a remote-controlled device into her brain, that makes her sexually insatiable upon activation. Click 2 and Click 3 were issued in 1991 and 1994 respectively.

8 1/2 otto e mezzo milo manara

Fig.4. Inspired by Fellini’s ‘Otto e Mezzo (8 1/2)

Fellini

In 1987, Milo collaborated with the filmmaker Frederico Fellini, whose Otto e Mezzo (8 1/2 – Fig.4greatly influenced him, and provided the illustrations for a screenplay that was published in the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

Spider Woman Milo Manara

Fig.5. Milo’s controversial portrayal of Marvel’s Spider-Woman (2014)

Spider-Woman

In the U.S., he is best known for his work for Marvel comics. His cover art for the comic Spider-Woman No.1 (Fig.5), in particular, caused a lot of controversy, because of its sexualization of Jessica Drew. The cover was later hammered at $37,500 at Heritage Auctions’ European Comic Art event between Oct. 3 and Oct. 4, in 2020.

Lockdown

During the lockdown in 2020, he started paying homage to pandemic’s heroic females (such as nurses, cleaners, cashiers, doctors) through his art by posting illustrations of them on Facebook. Manara,’I felt it was time to celebrate other virtues, like courage, selflessness, and altruism. I somehow wanted to pay off my debt.’

Milo Manara nude from the back

Fig.6.

aphrodite milo manara

Fig.7. ‘Aphrodite‘ (1999)

Milo Manara girl shower alien

Fig.8.

interracial erotica

Fig.9.

striptease art milo manara

Fig.10. Artwork for ‘Click‘ series

Milo Manara gustav klimt

Fig.11. Variation on Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss

Milo Manara the woman

Fig.12. ‘The Woman

Milo Manara Gustav Klimt art

Fig.13. After Klimt

Milo Manara geisha

Fig.14.

Milo Manara comic strip

Fig.15.

Milo Manara painter and model

Fig.16.

Milo Manara Fellini

Fig.17.

Milo Manara Leda and Swan

Fig.18.

gulliver's travels milo manara

Fig.19. ‘Gulliveriana‘ (1995)

Milo Manara lesbian

Fig.20.

erotic cartoon milo manara

Fig.21. ‘The Diary of Sandra F.

Milo Manara threesome

Fig.22.

Milo Manara interracial

Fig.23.

Milo Manara fellatio

Fig.24.

cunnilingus art Milo Manara

Fig.25.

lesbians Milo Manara art

Fig.26. ‘Aphrodite‘ (1999)

lesbian art milo manara

Fig.27.

Milo Manara woman with dildo

Fig.28.

demon milo manara

Fig.29.

Milo Manara Casanova

Fig.30. ‘Casanova

Milo Manara erotic

Fig.31.

Milo Manara aroused girls

Fig.32.

posing nude milo manara art

Fig.33. ‘Aphrodite‘ (1999)

Milo Manara nude female with garden hose

Fig.34.

Milo Manara WWW

Fig.35. Illustrations from ‘www‘ (1999) (Source: Honesterotica.com)

Milo Manara female

Fig.36.

Milo Manara erotic art

Fig.37.

candle in the ass milo manara

Fig.38.

gustav klimt erotic posing nude

Fig.39.

female in front of a bar

Fig.40.

Milo Manara masturbation

Fig.41.

milo manara aroused female

Fig.42.

seductive female milo manara

Fig.43.

comic Milo Manara

Fig.44.

erotic comic Milo Manara

Fig.45.

posing niude milo manara

Fig.46.

seductive female Manara

Fig.47.

sex car threesome milo manara

Fig.48.

erotic art milo manara

Fig.49.

female embracing giant penis art

Fig.50.

artwork for click milo manara

Fig.51.

Milo Manara erotic strip

Fig.52.

Milo Manara scooter

Fig.53.

Milo Manara superman

Fig.54.

horny female milo manara

Fig.55. ‘Queen of Fire‘ from the series ‘Erotic Tarot‘ (2000)

vioilent milo manara

Fig.56.

milo manara peeing female

Fig.57. This illustration (the female figure) is also used for the Tarot cards ‘Earth‘ from the series ‘Erotic Tarot‘ (2000)

sm mistress Milo Manara

Fig.58.

lesbians Milo Manara

Fig.59.

brigitte bardot milo manara

Fig.60.

erotic comic book

Fig.61.

masturbating nude female

Fig.62. ‘Aphrodite‘ (1999)

masturbating nun manara

Fig.63. ‘Lettere di una monaca portoghese‘ (1997)

Milo Manara Nun

Fig.64. ‘Lettere di una monaca portoghese‘ (1997)

Milo Manara Tarot

Fig.65. ‘Lettere di una monaca portoghese‘ (1997)

nun milo manara

Fig.66. . ‘Lettere di una monaca portoghese‘ (1997)

sitting pin up milo manara

Fig.67.

Manara bdsm

Fig.68.

bdsm art Manara

Fig.69.

Milo Manara - Hommage a Frazetta

Fig.70.

Milo Manara comic artist

Fig.71.

Milo Manara nude art

Fig.72.

sex cartoon manara

Fig.73.

erotic cartoon art

Fig.74.

seductive pin up girl

Fig.75.

The Diary of Sandra F

Fig.76. ‘The Diary of Sandra F.

Milo Manara seduction

Fig.77.

Milo Manara close up girl

Fig.78.

Milo Manara pirate pin up

Fig.79.

milo manara klimt

Fig.80.

Milo Manara Marilyn Monroe

Fig.81.

Milo Manara the golden ass

Fig.82. ‘The Golden Ass

Milo Manara nudity

Fig.83.

Milo Manara erotic comic

Fig.84.

erotic Milo Manara

Fig.85. ‘because you miss something about him, my dear…’/ this is what makes you angry!/here, nobody trusts the cockless!/because the commander ooh … loves … to jerk off … aaaah…

milo manara leonardo da vinci

Fig.86. ‘Femme de Vitruve, Homage to Leonardo de Vinci

milo manara nude girl diving in the pool

Fig.87.

milo manara nude girl in the fog

Fig.88.

reclining nude on bed milo manara

Fig.89.

milo manara girl in front of a mirror

Fig.90.

milo manara famel with nude servants

Fig.91.

The following video shows how the artist draws a sexy girl…

Click HERE for the sensual comic version of the Kama Sutra by the French artist Georges Pichard….!!

More of Manara’s art can be found on the artist’s site…!!

Sources: Milomanara.it, Lambiek.net, Honesterotica.com, WashingtonPost.com

What is your favorite illustration of the above? Leave your reaction in the comment box below….!!

About the author
Marijn is the founder of shungagallery.com. With more than 20 years of experience within the sensual and erotic art of shunga he is an authority in the genre. During this time he served many customers with complementing their art collection.
Wanda
By

Wanda

on 10 Mar 2021

Stunning in their raw sexuality. You can see the base instinct of seeking pleasure on the faces of the women... Graphic and arousing to say the least. Perfect...

Marijn
By

Marijn

on 10 Mar 2021

Thanks a lot Wanda, I totally agree!

Wanda
By

Wanda

on 22 Apr 2021

I love the raw sexuality of this set... so much now is softer its like men are timid these days and alot of women try to repress the pure enjoyment... its a shame

Marijn
By

Marijn

on 24 Apr 2021

Thanks Wanda. Yes, that is the paranoid response to the 'Me-Too' movement.

derek dey
By

derek dey

on 02 May 2021

Not sure I'd call this smorgasboard of sexual adventures Wanda, as something defined as base instincts - rather an education in the varieties of sublime human nature, possibilities, potentials, and joyful expressions of creativity.

Wanda
By

Wanda

on 03 May 2021

Do you not consider pleasure a base instinct? But I do agree with you in your description of it as well .

JB
By

JB

on 12 Mar 2021

Images 63-66 are all part of the same book/series, "Lettere di una monaca portoghese." 64 and 65 are shown as part of Manara's set of Tarot cards, but I don't think that is correct. As for Manara's work, it's very sensual and he put great care in faces and expressions of pleasure which make his work in many ways unique. Some of the illustrations for the "Lettere di una monaca portoghese" remind me of that Gian Lorenzo Bernini's "The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa." One other artist that has superb work and portraits faces with the same quality as Manara is Andre Francois Barbe. His "cinema" series is amazing, and his illustrations for The Song of Songs is a poem within a poem. A third one that has created a considerable number of erotic illustrations and cartoons for underground magazines and fanzines is Vaughn Bode. All worth being added to the Shunga Gallery.

Darya
By

Darya

on 12 Mar 2021

As far as I know, Manara's Tarot is not a separate work as it's based on his comic images. Fig. 64 is his High Priestess (the second major arcanum indeed), fig. 65 is the seven of diamonds. P.S. It's very funny to watch someone who tries to make spreads with this deck and with any tarot deck because originally Italian tarocco decks were invented for play, it's just a deck of playing cards as much as the common ones

Darya
By

Darya

on 12 Mar 2021

despite all mystic and astrological correspondences and other occult garbage that every modern tarot producer includes in his creation, tarot is still linked to the game rather than to "Egyptian divinatory practice"

Marijn
By

Marijn

on 12 Mar 2021

Thank you both JB and Darya for your remarks and insights. I’ve made some adjustments to the image descriptions in the meantime. I'll certainly consider your suggestions JB.

JB
By

JB

on 31 Mar 2021

Song of Songs* not Song of Simon. Gotta hate smartphones' spellcheckers and autocorrect!

Marijn
By

Marijn

on 31 Mar 2021

Got it. I've corrected it.

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