Drawn & Quarterly
Available: 05/10/11
5.97 x 7.95 · 292 pages
Ages -
9781770460485
CDN $24.95 · cl
With dust jacket

 Canadian Title

print

Paying for It

A Comic-Strip Memoir About Being a John

Chester Brown

A CONTEMPORARY DEFENSE OF THE WORLD'S OLDEST PROFESSION

Chester Brown has never shied away from tackling controversial subjects in his work. In his 1992 book, The Playboy, he explored his personal history with pornography. His bestselling 2003 graphic novel, Louis Riel, was a biographical examination of an extreme political figure. The book won wide acclaim and cemented Brown's reputation asa true innovator.

Paying for It is a natural progression for Brown as it combines the personal and sexual aspects of his autobiographical work with the polemical drive of Louis Riel. Brown calmly lays out the facts of how he became not only a willing participant in but a vocal proponent of one of the world's most hot-button topics - prostitution. While this may appear overly sensational and just plain implausible to some, Brown's story standsfor itself. Paying for It offers an entirely contemporary exploration of sex work - from the timid john who rides his bike to his escorts, wonders how to tip so as not to offend, and reads Dan Savage for advice, to the modern-day transactions complete with online reviews, seemingly willing participants, and clean apartments devoid of clichéd street corners, drugs, or pimps.

Complete with a surprise ending, Paying for It provides endless debateand conversation about sex work and will be the most talkedabout graphic novel of 2011.

Chester Brown lives in Toronto, where he ran for Parliament in the general election as a member of the Libertarian Party of Canada.