Wet Sand

Doyak debuts with a frankly erotic webcomic-to-print that plunges readers into a dangerous love triangle amid gangland intrigue. Jo, an aspiring photographer working at his family’s restaurant, snaps a picture of a handsome man one night, inadvertently attracting his attention. The man in the photo is Ian Shin, a Korean gangster who’s trying to go straight but is constantly dragged back into the life by his bosses and his ruthless, tattooed lover TJ. While Ian is torn between the wholesome Jo and the corrupting TJ, Jo’s feckless cousin gets involved in gang life and is soon in over his head. The blend of sex, violence, and underworld politics makes for a heady brew, flavored by Doyak’s sleek, attractive art and rich colors. Ian and Jo look confusingly similar, but they’re certainly handsome, and the supporting characters are distinctively drawn. The sex scenes are steamy and explicit, leaving nothing to the imagination. Doyak’s sensual art and well-paced story, with plenty of plot and character threads strung into place for development down the line, place this among the best of recent web-to-print romance comics. Boys’-love fans will be sated. (May)