Latex, leather, bondage and every orifice thoroughly enjoyed, the Spider Garden offers an array of imagery with a loose yet on going plot; at a young age Michael Manning became incensed with Japanese sexual imagery from old erotic Japanese art prints. Following the story of a Shaalis, the Mastress of a garden of pleasures that include pony/dog girls/boys, living sentinel robotic sex machines, tengu and human relations (technically tengu’s are Japanese demons but they look like horses to me), geisha sex slaves and living candelabras, presented in black and white, there really is something for everyone.

Overall this graphic novel is impressive. I’m what you might say is a very roving type and have a variety of gentleman callers arriving for some tea and good romp and frolic or two in the sheets, on the floor and once in a library. Needless to say this book has been utilized for ideas, getting in the mood, and some great role playing. The best part of this book is the large size of it; the pages are decent enough in size as that two people can read it at the same time. The detail to the human anatomy is very delicious yet detailed to look at and helps the mind by not leaving anything to the imagination. Interestingly enough, after viewing only a few images – perhaps three or four pages, enough simulation and craving is built up resulting in actual foreplay and escapade. If I know my lover would not be interested in including this book in our repertoire, I find reading this before they come over, will get me in that sexual frame of mind, which is something that can be hard to achieve when under stress from work or just plain tired.

It is also important to point out that being that this is a book; it is therefore made of paper. I recently had to purchase a new version of this due to the poor thing getting wet – I am obviously referring to the book as that other parties to the incident involved thoroughly enjoyed being wet, when used with a partner there lies the risk of this book becoming damaged – so play nicely until said book and all books are safely out of harms way.

I was adding new books to my bookcase today, and found myself flipping through many of my books to see which to switch out with the new ones. I stumbled upon The Spider Garden, and spent a bit of private time becoming reacquainted. I found that I still enjoyed the art very much - still provocative and refreshing. In my day to day readings, no book has given me sex gardens, horse/demon god sex and pony concubines. Imaginative, wild, and sophisticated comes to mind, flipping through pages of the most amazing art you'll ever come across. This after almost two to three years still has a place on my shelf.