Serena Williams's serving arm stretches so far behind her that she's close to patting her own behind with her racket. The pose also means that the tennis player's chest is thrust forward. If this image—drawn by R. Crumb in 2002 and pictured here—feels overtly sexualised, then that's because it is: his portraits of star sportswomen are lessons in objectification. Nor is anything less to be expected from the seasoned underground comix artist: he is way into his half-century preoccupation with sex, drugs and scatology. We should not let Crumb—or the viewer—off the hook by veiling this in irony, though. In another work, a female bodybuilder—all bulging thighs and rounded posterior—is described in a handwritten caption as "an inspiring vision to the artist". Crumb is sincere in his ardour, knowing in his politics.