Tigress Island #1: She-Devils of the Pacific

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, a group of women meet in Hong Kong seeking a new lease on life after much trial and error. After celebrating the riches coming their way, they are drugged and spirited away to an exotic island in the middle of the Pacific to be the latest additions to an eccentric billionaire’s harem where now they must fight for their lives to reach civilization. Oh you haven’t? Well get ready for an action-packed and sexy ride. 

Exploitation films are important cornerstones in the history of American film, having their peak in the 60s and 70s before slowly losing prominence towards the start of the millennium. Tigress Island definitely takes inspiration from this underground genre, specifically the “sexploitation” subgenre where it centers on the sexual appeal of the women it centers on. Our stars: Lonni, Yulia, Bridget, Vanessa, Delight, and Hema all come from different walks of life from across the globe with each having their own reasons for coming to Hong Kong. None of them expected for this new courtesan job to turn out like this though.  

Patrick Kindlon crafts a very fun, sexy, and dangerous narrative for this first outing. Each of our main women are all unique with their own distinct stories and personalities that so far mesh well without anyone taking up anyone else’s role. While they can sort of cater to stereotypes at times (for example, Yulia being a Russian former Olympian who is constantly asking for vodka), they are so far an enjoyable group to follow. That also goes for their “den mother” Sorhina, who is very much made in the vein of Ilsa, She-Wolf of the SS.  

French artist EPHK pencils are very eye-catching. There is a sort of wispiness to them, reminiscent of the old Adult Swim show from the aughts called “The Oblongs”. The somewhat muted lighting gives the book the atmosphere of a 1980s b-movie that you’ve seen on VHS a hundred times over. Definitely a standout on the shelf.