More than any other story, Den contains the most elements that formed the core of the arguments against Heavy Metal in both the long- and short-term. There was fighting and a basic plot, but that wasn’t what got the dander up.

Half the population (male and female) walk around naked. Those not completely naked are only clothed from the shoulders up. (Extrapolatory worldbuilding suggests a tropical or sub-tropical environment.) And, just to make sure that all aspects of the word “fantasy” are covered, all of the women have large breasts* and the men are well-endowed.

I don’t know that Richard Corben needs a defense on this. It is what it is. It knows what it is and Corben was unapologetic in publishing it. Like most of the work in Heavy Metal, the story is fairly pulpy but it is pretty to look at. This being the main qualification for a Heavy Metal story, it managed to last for a while. In the process, it helped define the reputation of Heavy Metal, for better and to the worse.

Also, I’m curious to see how realistic the breast movements are.

(Heavy Metal issue #11, February 1978 – Page 13 Den by Corben)

*It is possible that he only had one, busty model to work with. All of the women look very similar, top to bottom.