Gene Bilbrew Eneg Art

Sexetta's Empire of Bondage
Gene Bilbrew signing as ENEG
Irving Klaw
New York, New York
1954

digital replica

and

optimized, pictures-only ebook

In the 1950s, photographic prints were a cost-effective method of graphic reproduction. Made in a darkroom with an enlarger and chemicals, sets of Klaw comics were produced on sheets of 8” x 10” photo paper.

These sets were advertised in Klaw Bulletins that were later collected in catalogs titled Cartoon and Model Parade. Mr. Klaw first advertised Sexetta's Empire of Bondage in his Bulletin No. 90, in 1954.

The story is set in a fictitious ancient society populated by women. Sexetta commands her soldiers, who inflict painful bondage on shapely captives.

The first episode begins with these details:

"Sexetta"—a beautiful, platinum blonde woman, is the ruler of an Empire Of Eondage — girls by the thousands, all chained and bound to do Sexetta's every command!! The Empress' head palace mistress "Laureen", who's beauty shames the red hibiscus she wears amidst her raven locks is shackled in links of steel! No one is free in Sexetta's empire, except the silver-helmeted guards, such as "Bondi", captain of the sultry Empress' "Bondage Brigade".

At this very moment, Sexetta is questioning a palace slave, who had made an attempt on the Empress' life. Shackled in heavy chains, a spike-studded iron "waist-constrictor", with arms and hands secured to a "Bridge Restrainer", the helpless girl only stared at her ruler with eyes of terror.!!

"Speak up, you fool — why did you try to kill me?? Answer me, do you hear??" But the captive, although terrorfied, seemed to have lost her tongue— "Answer me!!" screamed the platinum-haired ruler and Captain Bondi pricked the trembling girl's back with her spherical spear.

"Bondi, take this ignorant and stubborn wench to the "Display Cage" and arrange her — I'll make her speak yet!!" hissed Sexetta.

"As you command, my Empress!!" returned the guard captain and she steered the chain-bound palace slave out at the point of her wicked spear.

Later, Sexetta appeared at the cage where Bondi had secured the slave in a stringent bondage apparatus. The Empress then turned to the captain and said, "Bring Luureen to my quarters, I want to question her on this matter too," she commanded. . .

Mr. Bilbrew's drawings delineate strong women with smooth curves, turned, bent, twisted, pressured, poked and stretched by complex mechanical assemblies. Both his pictures and the adjacent text are generous in their depictions of ornate contraptions.

A masked character whose costume includes feathers intends to subvert Sexetta's authority and liberate her captives. Episodes 11 and 12 dramatize the Empress' suspicions about her personnel and the devices she uses to coerce her suspects to reveal dangerous secrets.

The Empress Sexetta flew into a state of savage madness when ahe learned of the "feathered one's" escapades. "I'll throw the whole palace in irons unless some one tells me who this masked demon is!" shrieked Sexetta. "Where is Captain Bondi?" asked the infuriated Empress.

"She is out on special patrol, in search of the "feathered one", answered Lareen.

The green-eyed ruler turned to her head palace mistress and eyed her with suspicion. "You, Lareen, you night know the identity of this vandal I seek — speak up — who is she — why does she wish to win my Kingdom? Tell me — tell me, or I'll decree punishment upon you that you'll never forget. Do you hear?" screened the Empress.

"My Empress, I — I know nothing of this mysterious girl. I am loyal to you, Sexetta!!" returned Lareen, becoming frightened at the Empress' stern stare.

"You lie — you lie to me Lareen. I'll wager you are her spy!" accused Sexetta.

"That's not true!" put in the palace mistress irately.

"For speaking to me in that tone of voice, you must be punished. Guards, arrest this woman and take her to my private dungeon!" ordered the ruler.

Later, the Empress confronted her victim Lareen, who was seourely bound to en apparatus that would [force] its hapless victim to endure the most terrifying of ordeals.

The outstanding feature of the device called for the slave maid to be forced to hold her leg rigidly enough to keep the twin blades from piercing her body. To add to this test of endurance, heavy steel balls, fastened to the leg board, added an over-whelming weight to the already off-balanced gadget.

The angry Empress continued her disciplinary action upon the many palace slaves and hand-maidens. "The longer you remain silent, the more severe I shall be with you!" warned Sexetta to Lareen.

"I've spoken the truth to you, my Empress!" moaned Lareen. I know not the identity of the "feathered one"."

Sexetta gave the roped slave another back twist. Lareen screamed in anguish.

"You'd better be telling the truth!" swore Sexetta. "But to make sure you're not the mystery girl, you shall remain in bondage until I've completed my investigation!"

The Empress next visited a chamber where two of Lareen's hand-maidens were undergoing poignant ordeals, in hopes of getting information on the "feathered one".

"It's easy to see you two have more punishment to endure, for I have yet to hear one cry out in confession!" The slave whose body was tightly pinned in an apparatus that twisted the mid-riff only, released a slight moan as the turn-plate swung in its half circle. The other slave, whose body was strapped securely, could say nothing, for her mouth was gagged. This girl, if she wished to confess, would signal Sexetta by spreading her fingers, but kept them tightly clenched, signifying pressure.

In producing these splendid ink renderings, Mr. Bilbrew must have used something like Rapidograph pens, which make lines of uniform thickness. His gray areas seem to be ink washes.

The distraught lovelies in this story are as pretty as can be, with alluring contours and long legs. Most are clad in bras and panties and high-heeled mules or sandals.

One ebook presents the 15 episodes that comprise the complete set at full size without modification. They are a mix of vertical and horizontal orientations.

Brightness and contrast were adjusted. Shadows were reduced to disclose details. Some specks were re-touched. The digital replica shows the original art on 15 pages as Mr. Bilbrew designed them.

A second, optimized ebook contains the picture panels of the episodes without text. Each panel appears complete, followed by virtual enlargements of bondage schemes and figure features. This presentation technique intends to make all the tapering femininity and precarious bondage easy-to-see, reducing the need for zooming and scrolling. 120 pages.

All original scans.

Two ebooks, one optimized, delivered by download from your 30th Street Graphics account.