Whore
Written by Jeffrey Kaufman
Art by Marco Turini
Colors by James Brown
Letters by John Hunt
Cover by Felix Serrano, Jeffrey Kaufman
Zenescope Entertainment
Release Date: September 12, 2012
Cover Price: $9.99

Don’t be ashamed of your perversions. The title grabbed my attention, too. We’re all nasties here. While I certainly encourage everyone to embrace their affinity for the filth, there’s much more to Whore than its salacious title and eye-catching cover. Are there whores in this book? Yep. Are there any sex scenes? Tons. Is there nudity? Yeah, in an Austin Powers, conveniently-placed-objects-block-the-good-par ts kind of way. So, if that’s all you’re looking for, then read no more and buy this comic. Everything else that’s awesome about Whore is just gravy for you.

Jacob Mars was a CIA operative who was good at two things: hooking up with chicks and killing people. Along the way, he amassed a monthly child support payment of $100,000. Luckily for Jacob, the United States government was thrilled to toss $200,000 of taxpayer’s money into his bank account every month for his services. The party ends abruptly for the assassin when, out of nowhere, he is a victim of government downsizing. Jacob must now find a way to pay the bills in the private sector. Luckily for him, he’s a hot commodity in the mercenary market and quickly finds work.

Whore covers several of Jacob’s missions as a private assassin or bodyguard. In his adventures he plays a game of hoops with President Obama, protects an alleged rat mobster, and provides protection for a gay pop star who hasn’t come out of the closet yet. He is also asked to impregnate a Saudi prince’s daughter so her son can grow up with a revenge complex and kill his father. Yes, you read that right and Jacob agrees to this job knowing that it’s a long-term assassination plot on him — the money is just too good. While taking all these odd jobs, Jacob is killing assassins at every corner, for profit of course, and sleeping withevery hot woman who crosses his path. He’s a man-whore whose sole focus in life is self-preservation.

Whore is packed with over-the-top, swashbuckling action scenes. Many readers might draw comparisons to James Bond, but I think Jacob Mars is more similar to Christopher Chance from Human Target. Both characters are ex-spooks turned mercenaries. They’re also both deadly womanizers who always seem to sport a wry grin, and have time to quip no matter how desperate the situation. Jacob simply smiles in the face of death and is always a number of steps ahead of anyone that’s shooting at him.

With my mind focused on Whore‘s similarities to Human Target, I expected his jobs to be one and done, on to the next one. Jeffrey Kaufman, however, ties the whole book together into one neat little package in a great, surprising ending. Every story, every panel in this book seems to have a purpose in the overall picture. Other than the cheesy and awkward Obama basketball game, every scene makes sense and fits snuggly in the larger puzzle. Just when the book’s momentum starts to fade into routine, the lovely ladies from Terminal Alice show up and prove to be even more bat shit crazy than Jacob Mars. I haven’t read Terminal Alice, but their cameo appearance in Whore was a lot of fun — that book definitely earned a spot on my To-Read list. Jeffrey Kaufman certainly has my attention. I think I’m a fan!

Marco Turini draws gorgeous women in very natural and attractive poses. The comic is littered with lovely ladies prowling in the background of the panels. Or are they, perhaps, the prey. In Whore‘s party and club scenes, the background is a jumble except for Jacob’s target and ambient hot chicks. This subtle touch brilliantly highlights Jacob’s priorities in life: his work and his women. Not necessarily in that order. The gradient coloring is a bit overdone; a flatter look might have better complemented the comic’s theme.

I can’t recommend Whore highly enough. I also just really like writing the word, whore. This comic is a fun, sophomoric, action ride that doesn’t at all take itself seriously. Beyond the sex and scandal — and there’s plenty — the story an intriguing and fun ride that steadily builds up and comes together in a surprising fashion. 4 out of 5 stars.