The history of comics and contemporary queer culture have been long intertwined. Beyond newer entries like “Gender Queer” or the continuing legacy of queercoding in mainstream series like X-Men, archives of independent queer zines are littered with long-running comic strips from the likes of Alison Bechdel and Howard Cruse; these comics were bite-sized ways to communicate community in-jokes and condense aspects of gay and trans life into funny, somewhat informative anecdotes. During the AIDS crisis, comics became a consistent way of spreading sexual health information during a blatant dearth of information on AIDS. The spectrum of informational comics spans from true infographic to satire of then-current gay sexual health options, typically with some scathing critiques lobbed at governments that seemingly reveled in the mass death of a marginalized population.
Killer Condom, written and illustrated by Ralf König, certainly falls in the satirical, angrier camp of gay comics. Following the exploits of closeted Detective Luigi Macaroni as he attempts to solve the mystery of a seemingly sentient condom terrorizing a popular love hotel, König creates a narrative where the consequences of unprotected sex are tangible and the lack of protection for those who choose to engage in sex is blatant. While certainly funny and definitely raunchy, the comic tackles both internal and external community issues related to sexual health–especially in relation to sex work and cruising practices—with lewd gusto.
Admittedly, the premise of Killer Condom sounds counterintuitive towards promoting safe sexual practices: including a sentient condom that chomps off genitals seems like the complete opposite of a pro-safe-sex comic. However, the condom itself–and, more importantly, the two characters dedicated to its eradication–point towards systemic issues around safe sex practices rather than decrying condom uses. Detective Macaroni and Sam, a sex worker that witnessed the attack of the killer condom, are seemingly the only two individuals particularly concerned with stopping the rubber beast. They’re the only two concerned about the health of others in their low-income community ravaged by a mysterious affliction. Even if a positive reading of Killer Condom’s call for safe sex seems like a stretch, there’s no denying that the comic at least portrays casual sex in a (largely) positive light. Nearly everyone in the comic is some flavor of LGBT, except a few heavily dysfunctional straight couples, which allows for plenty of opportunities for writing in sex–and boy does König run with it. Sex in the comic is portrayed as mostly awkward and sometimes a little silly, but it goes a long way in promoting a more positive view of hook-ups.
For those less inclined to reading comics, Killer Condom has a pretty faithful film adaptation directed by Martin Walz. Considering König clearly took stylistic inspiration from low-budget monster B-movies, the story’s transition to film seemed inevitable. Again, like the comic, the dedication to provocation might seem initially off-putting; arguably, the film might be more intentionally provocative than the comic, considering the hand Troma Entertainment had in its production and distribution. Despite a small budget, the work of several prominent German actors– notably Udo Samel as Detective Macaroni–and the amazing special effects on the condom and its attacks certainly make Killer Condom a fun watch. The film maintains the same intentional grime, sleaze, and dry German comedy of the comic while translating König’s highly stylized art to the real(ish) streets of 1980s Manhattan. Whatever way you may choose to consume Killer Condom, it’s guaranteed that there will certainly be a lot of cringes and laughs.
Rating:
Red Broadwell is a first-year film studies MA student at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Their other work can be found at https://redbroadwell.journoportfolio.com
–
Are you a queer horror or dark genre filmmaker? Our 2024 call for entries is now open! Check us out on FilmFreeway.
Stay spooky!
💀🏳️🌈🔪