Customer Reviews

Black Wade: The Wild Side of Love

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There was a time when ships were the only form of transportation between the old world in Europe and the new colonies across the waves. In those days, the oceans were full of bold pirates, waiting to seize large war-ships and merchant vessels and rob them of the riches they carried. There was not a port or tavern where the sailors did not recount the tales of the notorious Captain Black Wade, the terror of the seven seas...

So begins Black Wade: The Wild Side of Love, a beautifully illustrated and surprisingly engaging book from Bruno Gmunder by Italian duo Franze and Andarle. Officially a "gay adult comic," to simply call it that does it a major injustice; this book is visually stunning, with a story that not only flows, but flows well- and somehow allows you to escape almost immediately into the story. Black Wade brilliantly combines rich graphics with a captivating tale- of pirates!

Of course the story is simple, as it should be. It's also superbly crafted, however, by someone with an excellent grasp of language, expressing much in so few words. Of course, most people won't be focusing on the words- and who can blame them when the images are this hot? Between the dark, mysterious and slightly hirsute Captain Black Wade, the young, strong, smooth blonde Lieutenant Wilkins, and the men of both the pirate ship and the British fleet, there's enough eye candy - and resulting sexual encounters - for a short series, yet somehow it's never gratuitous.

And while the story may be somewhat predictable and borrow from old legends - and stereotypes - it's also enthralling and highly erotic... with a surprising ability to arouse. The warmth and detail of the illustrations brings the images to life; you'll likely find yourself rooting for the captured young Lieutenant even as you're secretly eager for Captain Black Wade to take advantage of him. With kidnapping, pillaging, pirate attacks, and plenty of lustful encounters, this is a passionate, wild story... with a happy ending.

Black Wade deserves a spot in your bookshelf, where you can pull it out on a quiet Sunday afternoon and escape into a quick fantasy. You may want to make sure you're alone though...

I can understand exactly what Franze and Andärle mean when they say that their style is; nifty and thoroughly in the details. This precision makes the world of Black Wade incredibly rich and one that you will want to revisit often.

The opening is well scripted with a backstory that deftly gives you an understanding of Jack. A young man, engaged to the luscious Annabeth, but filled with forbidden desires for more masculine curves. Jack has great strength of character and integrity, but he is no match for the merciless pirate who captures him and subjects him to all manner of wicked, nasty goodness. Black Wade is a swarthy, likable rogue with much lustrous hair and beard. I'd like to give him pats. He also has rugby player thighs. These are the very best kind of thighs to have you understand! heh.

The art is incredibly beautiful. The tension and lust between Jack and Black Wade is palpable and so spectacularly hot. I think my favorite panels are of Jack when he is sleeping early on in the book and having some rather erotic and lickable dreams! I also liked the images of Wade lolling about in his room, ship, bath and bed. All of them! He is just lush. The whole book is so gorgeous and it is difficult to narrow it down to just one or two images. The emotion conveyed through the color is also a large part of what makes this such a memorable read and the moody, dark palate used in the picture of Wade on the bridge illustrates this point beautifully.

This is absolutely a must have and has to be one of my favorite reads I've purchased this year. It has everything, dashing heroes, star crossed lovers, bad guys, knee breeches, ships, rope, leather boots and more swashbuckling than you can shake a stick at. Clever, beautiful, utterly romantic and total 5 star plus read.

So, I liked it. Just a bit.

This book popped up under one of Amazon's "recommended also" features. I hesitated to buy it since it seemed a little expensive. However, I found that it was well worth the price. "Black Wade" is a gay romance graphic novel - similar to hard yaoi in theme and tone. And I do mean HARD yaoi, this book contains very graphic sex scenes, including noncon at the beginning. A typical yaoi manga runs about $12.95 to as much as $15.95 for a trade paperback in black and white. This is not only a hardcover edition, it is also FULL COLOR throughout like standard graphic novels. So the higher price is actually reasonable. There is no dust jacket, but the cover image is printed right on the binding. It has 80 pages, but the pages are larger format so readers get about as much content as a manga, perhaps a tad bit less. Also, the production values are high quality. The paper is heavier stock than normal graphic novels, and very bright showcasing the brilliant coloring of the artwork.

Art is subjective, but I found the artwork here to be excellent, and extremely well done. Clean lines and good proportions on all characters and the text was carefully placed to retain clarity but not block any of the imagery. I found no typos, and the language fit with the period nature of the story. I enjoy yaoi, but sometimes the characters look a little feminine. Not so here, these are "manly men." Right down to having hair on their chests (and other areas ;-) Still, they were attractively drawn. It's a pirate story, so there's action outside the sex as well and the ending leaves room for more without cliffhanging.

I enjoyed the novel so much, I went looking for the publisher's site to see if there would be more from the authors. No news yet, but I really hope they do a sequel. Highly recommended to hard yaoi fans, and M/M fans looking for something new to try.

When I first decided to review Black Wade for M/M Romance Month, I thought, "ha - a graphic novel - easy!" I could not have been more wrong!

Where do I begin? I should say first that if you're not a fan of the "rape turns to love" storyline you won't like this book. The actual story itself is short - Lieutenant Jack Wilkins is captured at sea by the infamous pirate, Black Wade. Black Wade has certain well-known "preferences" as far as his sexual partners go, and he rapes Jack. From the excellent illustrations we already know Jack has thoughts of manlove, and although he doesn't acknowledge it yet, he likes Black Wade's "visits". As they develop feelings for each other, the crew grows restless and Black Wade must set Jack adrift at sea to prove his ruthlessness. Jack manages to get home to England and his fiancee, but he can't stop thinking about Black Wade. When the English capture Black Wade, Jack must make a choice...

As I mention above, the story is short, but the illustrations are fabulous. You can't get the story without admiring the fantastic artwork that accompanies it. For a vanilla housewife like me - is it naughty? Yes. Did I hide it from hubs and kids? Yes. Did I love it? Yes!!

I must confess this is the first graphic novel I've read. Black Wade gives a whole new meaning (to me at least) to the term "Graphic Novel"!

Bruno Gmünder Verlag takes another major step forward in quality book publishing with the release of first class, very high quality book BLACK WADE: THE WILD SIDE OF LOVE - in every respect an artwork, this one falling into the ever-growing popular category Graphic Novel. In a story by Franze and Andärle with drawings by Franze and color by Andärle this is a story about piracy on the high seas in the time of British Naval superiority a couple of centuries ago. It deals with a British ship full of gold on which Jack Wilkins, a Lieutenant in the British Navy protects the cargo until a pirate ship manned by Black Wade overtakes the ship - and Jack. Jack is a member of high society in England with a wealthy lass awaiting his return for their marriage. But his direction changes when Black Wade takes him prisoner, using him as his sensual slave. Lust abounds, but eventually the ship is recovered and Jack is returned to England and his impending marriage. But Jack is an awakened man and his experience as Black Wade's prisoner etc take over his mind and libido and Jack returns to the high seas and more adventure than he ever anticipated.

The story moves very well and will satisfy even the most daring reader with the explosive portions! But what makes this book so fine is the quality of art and the manner in which it is presented. Yes, it is 'sensational' in content, but illustrations are so fine that each page could well be framed. This is a successful book on every level! Grady Harp, March 11

Black Wade is by far the best well put together Gay graphic novel i had picked up. It felt as if you were watching a R rated Disney animated film. The art work is amazing and colorful. The details would make you fall off the map.

i was very pleased with the hardcover it wasn't what i was expecting at all..it definitely looked new and i was really happy with how fast it got here (it got here way before the dates given to me from the shipment date)!!!! very colorful with beautiful artwork...awesome buy and worth the money! i would buy again from this seller :)

Loved it,loved it, looooved it!! Yes, there's "Cartoon Sex" in this book
and that's what you should expect You might not expect such amazing
graphics, detail, and yes even beauty. "Black Wade: The Wild Side of Love"
is a like one of those paper back love novels with "Fabio" on the front
that your mom and aunt would read when Papa wasn't around. Adult
material of this quality leans toward the "Disney-esque" (my wording)
and my friends that viewed the graphic novel were putting it on their lists for
gift giving!
FIVE STARS!!
Henk 10

great book. it has a really fun and unique story that will want you to keep reading. the illustrations are fun and very detailed. though it is a wee bit short, it will keep you wanting more. hope they make the second one as soon as possible!

I was not going to get this as it is really too expensive with freight added for a mere 80 pages. But I am glad I did. Pages after pages of glossy quality artwork and so erotic. I am no artist but I thought the bright coloring is lovely with all the fantastic shadings. And on the guys..Over muscular or beefy men is not my type as I am a Yaoi fan. I do prefer my men to be more pretty. But surprisingly I find myself liking the two guys physique in Black Wade. They are so sexy. As for the sex scenes it is very graphic and hot! The plot is predictable but it is the right one for the artist to excel: regency period, pirates scoundrels and their ship, the wild sea, the English lords and ladies in their costumes, fighting scenes, an island... Regretably this gorgeous book is out of stock in Amazon.