Review of "Bettie Page: Queen of the Nile," by Jim Silke

Review of

Bettie Page: Queen of the Nile, by Jim Silke ISBN 1569714738


Five out of five stars

 To appreciate this graphic novel, you must know some history of the subject matter, specifically Bettie Page. In the fifties, she was the undisputed queen of the pinup image, often appearing semi-naked in now classic T & A style. She had both the face and the body for it. After falling into a hole of obscurity, she enjoyed a resurgence of interest in her later years, this book is one of the consequences.

 The story involves a machine that transports Bettie to another time and place on Earth, quite naturally when it acts on her, it strips her naked. She first lands in a primitive culture where she is a slave and then ends up in ancient Egypt in the time of Caesar and Cleopatra. Since she is packed with feminine charm and generally scantily dressed, Bettie competes for the power of royalty. In a twist of modernity, Bettie is assisted by a personal rocket pack and a powerful sidearm. The most amusing caption is when she gives Cleopatra a powerful spanking on her bare butt for trying to kill her.

 This is an odd, yet entertaining graphic novel. Bettie Page was the queen of the nude pinup and this story follows that tradition. There is bondage, nudity and an absurd story that provides the context and means for those features.