Indochine's Top Shelf

Melyssa Ford

Melyssa Ford 2011 Malibu Photo Shoot

There's no denying Melyssa Ford is an icon in the urban modeling genre. Yet the below photo of Melyssa in Scott Hebert's port has nary a comment beneath it on Model Mayhem. There was a time you couldn't release a photo of Melyssa Ford without a herd of fanboys and jealous women swarming it with comments and passing it around. Which leads to the question: is Ms. Ford still relevant?



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Very Good Documentary on Video Vixens

This one is a classic. A V H - 1 documentary on video vixens at the apex of the genre, from a few years ago, and the best I've seen. Just about every perspective is represented here, and represented well for the most part. Perhaps my only gripe is that Karrine Stephans is the center piece of this show.

Notwithstanding that, this one should be mandatory viewing for any woman considering doing this. The points made are all still valid considerations today.

This probably won't stay up long, but it's very difficult to find, so I'd suggest using something like Download Helper to save it to disc.


Documentary on Video Vixens by Putney-Swope

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Melyssa Ford - Staying on her Toes

Melyssa looking good as usual here. Reach her on Twitter here social---twitter_16x16

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"Video Girl" - Meagan Good Gets Her Video Vixen On... (Movie Review)

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"Video Girl" got a lot of things right - acting, cinematography, and direction are all notable. I always say we need to see more movies about African Americans just living life and doing things everyday people do. This is one of those movies. It tells the story of Lori Walker, strongly played by Megan Good, who moves from her small town to Los Angeles to pursue music video modeling. You can tell that the people involved with making this movie knew the business, because they got the nuances right, like the atmosphere of a music video set. Lorie's submergence into the world of music videos also felt true to real life, as did the interaction between the key players. Good brought her considerable acting experience to bear in this movie, taking it up several notches.

There needs to be a separate mention for cinematographer John Barr, who was camera operator on Capote and Frost/Nixon. This guy knows what he's doing, and he gave the movie a professional, self assured look that is rarely seen in independent African American films. People may not notice small things like the lighting on the golf course music video scene, but as a photographer I certainly did. Bravo John.

Melyssa Ford has a nice part as a bad influence on Lorie. Esther Baxter also has a small part in the movie, as do Suelyn and Angel Lola Luv. All of the supporting cast is fairly good, and particularly La'Myia Good as Lorie's sister (La'Myia is Meagan's real life sis) and Haylie Duff (Hilary's older sister) as Lorie's "friend." (Haylie is uncredited in the movie for reasons unknown to me.)

The first half of the movie is enjoyable in a low key way. If you don't already like Meagn Good, you probaby will after this movie: she apparently has no bad camera angles. The problem comes with the third act of the film, as Lorie succumbs to the fast life in Los Angeles. This part of the movie feels overwrought and drawn out. Additionally, Lorie's sudden cocaine abuse problem feels cliche and dated. (It probably should have been an oxy or vicodin addiction.) But the main issue is that we aren't shown any of the real problems an aspiring video vixen might encounter (e.g., being a single parent, homelessness, rape) in a meaningful way. Success actually comes pretty easily for Lorie, except that "Shark," the music video director who takes her under his wing, becomes overly possessive. There's some back story about issues at home leading to Lorie's unraveling, but it also seems cut and paste.

Despite this, "Video Girl" is still a pretty likable movie. It's not everyday you see a quality black, indie like this, and I suspect that as word gets around, this will become a favorite in the community. Kudos to all involved.

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Melyssa Ford at Event Prior to BET Awards

Hit Melyssa up on Twitter here social---twitter_16x16

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Melyssa Ford 2004 Calendar - April

Still better than most doing it today. Winking (Scan thanks to my new Canon 9000F.) More to come... Download link to higher res version.

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Update 6/3 (September):
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Melyssa Ford 2004 Video

If you're in the mood for a little nostalgia, you'll enjoy this high quality rip of Melyssa Ford's first DVD. I think this came out in 2004 and it was definitely Melyssa at her peak of thickness. I've included the original DVD Box Art for the true fans. Just click the image to see the video (Quicktime required)

Here's the direct link to the video: http://www.indosplace.com/assets/MelyssaFord2004DVD.mp4

That damn FlowPlayer I'm using for Carol's video has commandeered the javascript for everything pic and video on this page, lol.

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Melyssa Ford 2004 Calendar - Sweet Spot

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The 2004 Melyssa Ford Calendar represents an undeniable sweet spot for urban modeling. Shot by Garth Aikens in Melyssa's heyday, this calendar set the bar for eye candy at the time. Interestingly, due to a dispute with her manager at the time, Jeff Robinson, distribution of this calendar was very shoddy and many people who ordered it never saw their copy. (I got mine off eBay early on - at one time, these calendars were going for up to $100 on eBay.)

Another interesting factoid about this calendar is that photos from it never hit the internet in high quality. As proof, just try to find either of these pictures at this quality level anywhere on the net. The reason for that is that, due to the unusual size of the images in the calendar, this is not an easy scan job - the photo has to be scanned in three parts and stitched together. There about 6 photos from the 2004 Melyssa Ford calendar that are truly scan worthy and over the next month, I will post them in hi res just like this one. Enjoy!

(Click the images to be taken to super hi res version)

UPDATE: Additional pic added...

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Melyssa Ford Black & White

I hate to double up like this on Melyssa Ford, and I'll probably get flack for it (the obsession continues, right? lol), but honestly, I'm having problems finding stuff to post these days. Sad I think I've kinda painted myself into a corner being all principled about what I think urban modeling should be, lol. I mean, there's stuff like Jazzie Belle's new shots for Gorgeous Magazine, all retouched to death with her wearing blue contacts (*sigh*), but I'm just not posting stuff like that any more. I guess this could lead to fewer posts over time, but I'm gonna try to just stick to stuff that I'm really excited about and that I think is good for this small niche market (steps off soap box)... (P.S. This does not mean no more voluptuous women and booty shots - just only the really good ones Winking )

Melyssa Ford Black and White



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Melyssa Ford - KING July 2004

One of the regular contributors on my blog read that I no longer had this issue of KING Magazine from July/August 2004 and was kind enough to send it me. I hadn't seen this actual magazine in several years. The pages with Melyssa Ford in it are in pristine condition, so I decided to share back with my blog and scan this page.

Looking at this picture, it reminded why I have this blog to begin with (and yes, sometimes I have to remind myself why I keep this effort going). Unfortunately, you can't see all the details from this scan, but this picture doesn't have the same type of cartoonish retouching you see these days. That's 90% real Melyssa Ford, and that's just crazy. Where did these type of models disappear to? To me, this image represents what urban modeling used to be about, and needs to return to. Fine women with unusually curvaceous bodies and pretty faces. No tatts, no piercings - just unadorned beauty. (Click to enlarge)

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Melyssa Ford - One Pic From New KING

One photo from the new KING magazine featuring Melyssa Ford that I hadn't seen anywhere on the net. Many people commented that the picture on the cover of KING did not look like Melyssa - well, this definitely does. This is classic Melyssa Ford. (Click to enlarge)

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Melyssa Ford on Cover of New KING

Let me make a few positive comments. I like that KING has been loyal to Melyssa and vice versa. You see this type of loyalty between mainstream outlets like Esquire magazine and Jennifer Aniston all the time, where she will get repeated covers. It's nice to see it in the urban genre as well. Also, kudos to KING for putting out a high rez version of their covers. It preserves their branding. They know it's going to get scanned anyway, so they might as well have the best representation out their of it they can: theirs! Finally, whatever else I've said about Melyssa, I have never contended that she represented anything other than the game at its best, and right now we need leadership, damn it! Nice work KING. (See the rest of the pics on KING's website.)

(Melyssa is kind of giving off an Essence Atkins vibe in this photo, no?)

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New Melyssa Ford Candids

You can never underestimate this woman where visual stimulation is concerned. Just when you think she's gotten irreversibly scrawny in an attempt to fit into the Hollywood ideal of beauty, she comes out looking thick and scrumptious, reminding you of the Melyssa Ford of yore. (Click to enlarge)

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Melyssa Ford - The G.O.A.T. (of Urban Modeling)

Let's be clear about something: just because I think Melyssa Ford isn't that appealing as an actress doesn't diminish her as an urban model. In fact, in my opinion, she is the undisputed G.O.A.T. of urban modeling because she did more to define the genre than anyone else. (Note: I couldn't find a verified Twitter account for Melyssa. If someone knows what it is, let me know.)

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Why Melyssa Ford (and Most Urban Models) Will Never Successfully Make the Transition to Acting

It's simple. To be a successful actor/actress, first and foremost (even more so than having the chops) you have to be likable. Audiences have to be able to empathize with you. That usually entails being likable in real life, but not always.

Consider this - Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz, Jim Carrey, Will Smith, Harrison Ford - all of these people are relatable and likable onscreen. I think this is even more important for actresses, just because male jerks are considered "cool" in our society (see Jack Nicholson).

The problem Melyssa Ford and most other urban models have is that they just are not likable people. They are stuck up, self centered, snippy assholes. Men have catered to them their entire lives and now they believe their own hype. This personality disorder usually runs so deep in them, they can't even fake it on screen or in an interview. It seeps out through every pore of their being.

That's it in a nutshell. I would be willing to bet that Melyssa will never be a truly successful actress for this basic reason.

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Melyssa Ford circa Jada Kiss's "Knock Yourself Out" Video

These rare shots of Melyssa Ford taken on the set of Jada Kiss's "Knock Yourself Out" video demonstrate why she will probably be the final word in video vixens for some time to come.

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Melyssa Ford - '03 Ebony Rider DVD - High Quality

The thick Melyssa Ford before she did her own DVD or calendar. Very interesting to hear her talk about leaving Canada for New York with only $25 in her pocket. Hmmm.... I wonder about the truthfulness of that, lol. Click here to download the HQ version.

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Melyssa Ford - The Rare Jean Shorts Set

Stick around this blog long enough and you will see every lost or forgotten Melyssa Ford artifact you can imagine. A couple other guys and I on an unamed message board started a little competition on who had the most rare Melyssa Ford photos. Needless to say, that thread went 30+ pages. Oh yeah.

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Melyssa Ford - The Lost Silver Swimsuit Set

Early on in Melyssa Ford's career she did three photo CDs with a site called BlaqueImage.net. The first two CDs eventually leaked out to the net, but that third CD never shipped (although there was a preview shot of it on the site). My guess is that there was a dispute with Melyssa over these pics. After all, these are far from Melyssa's best pics and certainly rough by comparison of what was to come. Through mining around the message boards, I eventually found the third CD of 26 photos. There is a certain raw sexuality emoting from even these early pics of Melyssa. This is one model who has the IT factor in spades.

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The History Of XXL's Eye Candy

This history of XXL Eye Candy, which starts with issue number 4 somewhere around '97-'98 and goes through 2006, gives you an idea of the evolution (or perhaps the devolution) of the urban eye candy genre. As you can see, it started off with celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez and Traci Bingham. This was back when BlackMen magazine still featured women like Tyra and Beyonce on the cover of their magazine.

We also see that Melyssa Ford was an Eye Candy as far back as August 2000, which means she's been in the game nearly a decade now. Notice there is a lot of repetition in those early years, because there was a dearth of name brand eye candy models. People like Gloria Velez, Sincerely Ward, and Pasha were all featured twice.

And then between 2004 and 2006, urban modeling hits its stride, with models like Vida, KiToy Johnson, Summer Walker, and Esther Baxter. Too bad that's where it ends. It would be interesting to have seen the years between 2007 and 2009. (Click to enlarge)

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Melyssa Ford Alter Ego Shoot - Final Results

I posted the BTS previously, but this is the final result.

Interestingly, the classic booty shape is still there. All you have to do is imagine this same, exact shape like 10-15 pounds heavier to know why no one was really messin’ with Melyssa in her prime.

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Are Urban Models Allowed The Same Range of Sexual Expression As Their White Counterparts

What if Melyssa Ford had done a provocative photo like this in her heyday. What would the black communities’ reaction be to it? Would we say this is going too far and is in poor taste? Sometimes it feels like there are greater restrictions on the commercially acceptable* sexual expression of black models, and the curvier and more innately sexy they are, the greater those restrictions. Just food for thought. Be interested to hear other’s opinions.

* By this I mean sexual expression that is allowed mainstream acceptance, versus sexual expression that is limited to the internet and sites like Model Mayhem, but will never see the inside of a Barnes & Noble book store.

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Vintage Melyssa Ford - 2001 Soca Gold CD

Can you believe Melyssa Ford has been in the game for a decade now!? Who else has gone this long? She should be an inductee into the Urban Modeling Hall of Fame (if there was one).

She was recently exiled from Twitter, otherwise I would post that link. But not to worry - life goes on. Melyssa just completed a shoot in Atlanta today called “alter ego” where they made her up to look like a sexy crocodile. Check out the BTS shots here and here. (Click pics to enlarge)

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Why It’s Important We Bring Some Class Back To Urban Modeling

I’m going to take a break in my regularly scheduled programming to talk about something that warrants discussion in my opinion: the rapid decline of the urban modeling industry.

As anyone who follows urban modeling knows, after Buffie the Body hit the scene in 2004, the quality of the market took a serious nosedive*. These days, booty shaking videos and thongs abound; one piece, full back bikinis, however, are nearing extinction. Say what you will about Melyssa Ford, but at least she did this with some class.

Why is class important?

Advertising Dollars

For urban modeling to be taken seriously as a genre and attract advertisers that will support the magazines and websites featuring your favorite models, it cannot continue in the direction it is heading. Advertising in print magazines is already becoming increasingly rare as media migrates to the net, but poor content is also to blame for top advertisers abandoning ship on urban modeling magazines. "Advertisers refuse to advertise in Smooth because a black woman with curves…resembles pornography." (Westhoff, “End Run, How a Few Black Publishers Are Making a Play for the Maxim Man” Village Voice (May 22, 2007) The Village Voice Online.) That’s right. To the mainstream world, a picture of Bria Myles oiled down in a thong is pretty much porn, and quality advertisers do not want to be affiliated with that type of content. No advertisers means no money, and no money means no sustainable business model for profitability, aka a dead industry.

The Best Models Are No Longer Willing To Do It

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I recently shot a model named Sabrina Hunter who was featured on this blog. She got an incredible response and quickly started burning a trail through the internet. But less than a month after we had shot, she decided she didn’t want to do it anymore. Her reason: “I HATED the reputation urban models have earned and I don’t want to be guilty by association.” (See Sabrina’s Blog Post)

This is not an isolated incident. The more urban modeling is associated with stripping and booty shaking videos on Youtube, the less any self-respecting woman is going to want to do this. Fewer quality models means less respect for the genre and fewer advertising dollars, not to mention that we the consumers miss out on the best girls because the market has become a cesspool. Again, a dead industry.

What’s The Problem; What’s The Solution

The women who’ll do anything for some spotlight aren’t really the problem; it’s the consumers who are too shortsighted to see that their insatiable desire for increasingly risqué content is driving this market into the ground. For the market to be restored, consumers have to demand quality.

To analogize with the black filmmaking movement, ten years ago people complained that there were too many “ghetto” films, but when a quality flick like “The Best Man” or “Love Jones” came out, it didn’t draw the same large numbers as “Jason’s Lyric” or “Menace to Society.” So the studios stuck with the safe bet and we got more ghetto movies. When they finally realized those movies had run their course we were left with nothing. That will soon be the case with urban modeling. At this rate, there won’t be any urban modeling in 5 years. It will just be porn.

We’re at a turning point with this market. I saw a thread on a message board the other day with a picture of Bria from her recent J’Adore pictorial and someone said: “She is a beautiful young woman…No back shot needed.” We’re going to need a lot of more of that and a lot less “When she gonna do porn?” if the market is going to revive.

For those of you shaking your heads and thinking “This fool doesn’t get it. I could care less about respecting these women, I just wanna see ass!” Don’t worry; there will always be Cubana Lust type videos. The internet opened a flood gate to that sort of content that will never be closed. But there won’t always be quality magazines and websites featuring top-notch women if this train doesn’t get back on track.

Regularly scheduled programming will resume forthwith. Laugh

*Buffie was not the cause of this nosedive per se, but her entrance on the scene marks the point when the quality really started to slip.




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Rare Melyssa Ford Backshot

You can count how many of these she did in her career on two hands, and even those were somehow vaguely unfulfilling. Always some weird camera angle or obstructed by something. None of them were just both cheeks in the wind, unabashed back shots. This shot here doesn’t even fully look like Melyssa to me.

Oh well, with Melyssa you take what you can get. (Click to enlarge)

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What's Melyssa Ford Up To?

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What’s this TheBesFantasySports.com all about?

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What Happened To The Value of Urban Magazines??

The screencap of eBay bidding below is from three years ago, and shows one of Melyssa Ford’s magazines going for upward of $200. Check eBay today and you’ll see that many Smooth and BlackMen auctions end without so much as a single bid, let alone reaching $200. On average, these magazines sell for about $3, about $4 below their newsstand price. What gives? Even old issues of the now defunct KING don’t seem to have any value on eBay. Is it a sign that the urban eye candy market is officially dead?

Click to enlarge.

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Melyssa Ford in Jamrock

Every aspiring urban model out there should read this interview with Melyssa Ford in the new issue of Jamrock. If nothing else, this girl knows what she’s talking about when it comes to this business. Among the stand-out quotes:

[1]"A video vixen is kind of like a diva but a level below. It is a woman whose career commands respect, because she's worth it. So a vixen is a diva with her training wheels on..." [2] [On the show Candy Girls] "It's great TV, but the unrealistic part is the girls living in the house. A bunch of video models living in a house funded by this agency? Okay, let me know where the hell that happens!" [3] "I'm trying not to be part of the [Hollywood] machine but it's difficult not to feel like you have to conform in order to find another level of success so I am definitely here to tell every girl, if you are thinking that videos are going to be the springboard in helping you get a career in acting you have another thing coming. It's not going to happen, and if it does, well more power to you, because I couldn't figure it out."

Click pics to enlarge.

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Melyssa Ford in Chris Rock's "Good Hair" Trailer

Lawd this woman is fine.

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Melyssa Ford in Jamrock Mag

Here's an interesting quote from Ms. Ford: "Most people aren't interested in knowing all of the layers that make me. I feel like I need to get super skinny to be looked at like a different person." Yeah, I think she might have taken that too far.


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Melyssa Ford - The Classics

Aspiring models take note: when you take a shot like this, looking this good, you've arrived. This Melyssa Ford, appearing in the Winter 2002 Swimsuit Special of BlackMen, has yet to be eclipsed in the urban market. This is the top of the game. I should add that this photo is very difficult to find in high res on the net (click to enlarge).

Melyssa Ford - Classic
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The History of Urban Modeling - Timeline

This list isn’t exhaustive, but these are what I see as the major events in the development of the urban modeling genre. Click on the link for an interesting tour through urban modeling history. (NOTE: You’ll need the latest Quicktime plug-in and no pop-up blockers to view the video.) Also, you can pause the Quicktime movie if moves along too fast to read an entry on the timeline.

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Melyssa Ford - Florida Shoot

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This is a shoot Melyssa Ford did for BlackMen Magazine a few years back. It was always one of my favorites of her. For additional pics Click Here


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Top 10 Urban Models

I look forward to getting feedback on this one. Winking
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When In Doubt, Melyssa Ford is Always a Sure Bet

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Eye Candy Queen: Melyssa Ford

So Melyssa Ford was in my hood today on Crenshaw Blvd. for the Lady Hennessy promotional tour. A friend of mine took this pic for me, and like many others, he said she looks even better in person and radiates intelligence. I'm a little bitter I wasn't able to meet with her, but maybe next time.
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New J'Adore 2nd Anniversary Issue

Taneish is doing it big time! This is what the urban modeling industry needs - an infusion of class. Bravo!

(Look for Bria Myles in this issue as well... )
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Bria Myles, Melyssa Ford, Esther Baxter, etc. - J'Adore Anniversary Issue

J'Adore's Anniversary Issue is about to drop and it features some of the hottest video vixens in the business. Check out a behind-the-scenes video here.

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Melyssa Ford - Setting the Standard

In terms of legitimizing urban modeling and raising the bar, I don't think anyone has done as much as Melyssa Ford for the industry. Check her out at Black Men Digital. (Click to enlarge)

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Melssya Ford At Her Best (circa 2003)

In this rare outtake from her Jada Kiss video you get to see just how pretty this girl is...

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Melyssa Ford - KING July 2004

Why did I ever sell this issue on eBay? Did I really need the cash that badly? This was one of the last magazine features where Melyssa was still thick. Also, this issue proves two things: 1) Melyssa is still the best there ever was in this genre, and 2) I don't think she's quite as young as she claims to be. As bad as she is, this was back in 2004 and Melyssa still looks like she could be pushing 30 on this cover.

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