Unsolicited: Dick Pics and Interactional Omissions as Visualized in Swedish Comic Art

Abstract This article explores unsolicited dick pics—explicit digital images of male genitalia sent via web or mobile technology—by analyzing their representation in Swedish feminist comic art. Drawing on the work of Swedish comic artists Nanna Johansson and Ellen Ekman, the study illustrates how comic art satirizes the unsolicited dick pic as a form of communicative failure. Using principles of interaction analysis, particularly the concept of pre-sequences, the article argues that the abrupt, non-consensual nature of unsolicited dick pics violates established norms of interaction. While comics deploy humor to expose and resist the practice, this strategy also risks trivializing the harm and normalizing sexual harassment. Ultimately, the article positions comic art as a uniquely effective yet double-edged medium: it both critiques the dick pic’s unsolicited nature and contributes to a broader discourse that may either resist or reinforce its normalization in digital culture. Comic art is highlighted for its ability to complement empirical studies to better understand the problematics of unsolicited dick pics.