Tom of Finland - Mr Universe, part 2 (interim version3)

You can read Part 1 of this article first if you wish

 

Tom of Finland - Mr Universe 08 (Oiling Up)

 

On the day of the contest, the buddies change into their costumes and oil up. The dark haired one is being assisted here by some very butch-looking young men. The scenario provides an excuse for some fairly intimate contact between them. The bodybuilder has got himself a sexy, dark pouch with a chain for the waistband, and one of the assistants actually seems to be putting him into it. It's a daring ingredient, albeit well-disguised by a confusing arrangement of hands. 

 

The blond changes his clothes, unassisted. There's a sense of his friend getting all the attention, being pampered and hero worshipped. He's playing up to it, too, striking a god-like beefcake pose with modest downcast eyes. His blond buddy does not seem too dismayed or jealous. He is, perhaps, proud of his friend changing from a clumsy, ugly duckling into a swan. Interestingly, his beefcake pose also resembles the ballet dancer's 'petit pose' and this conjures up another swan connection - 'Swan Lake', which is also about transformations. However, the Black Swan in that ballet plays a very dark role.  

 

 There's no doubt about this image being part of the 'Universe' set, it was explicitly labelled as such (with title) in Scan issue 8, circa August 1961. The distinctive chain pouch helps to assign other, later images to this set. Apart from these, I know of only one another image by Tom which features this pouch design, it is included in the mitchmen 'Tailor Group' article (previously referenced in Part 1 of Mr Universe). That other image is not part of this set, the pouch is white and it's being worn in a studio setting, suggesting a porn star being dressed or fluffed up for participation in something very different. Interestingly, it's another connected image dated as 1963 in the Tom of Finland Retrospective Vol 1, but the Universe image above is definitely 1961. 

 

Notice the number 1 written in the bottom left corner. This may offer an explanation of the 1961 v 1963 date confusion. That the later images in Part 1 were post-scripts, prequels if you like, inspired by and elaborating on the run-up to the contest.  That doesn't explain image 3, however, which is indistinguishable in style and provenance from the group presented here.

 

 

Tom of Finland - Mr Universe 09

 The boys strut their stuff on the competition stage.

 

Obviously this is only a fragment of the full image and although it didn't appear until later (in 101 Boys Art Quarterly for Summer 1965), it did so alongside other fragments from the Universe series so it's almost certainly part of it. There wasn't much mileage for Tom in drawing beefcake posing when the magazines were awash with photographs of the real thing, so it's not entirely surprising that no copies of the full image have been found. The cropping here might lead you to suppose that Tom spiced it up with some provocative, costume detail deemed too daring. However, this publication seems to have used cropping arbitrarily, perhaps to evade copyright challenges.

 

 

Tom of Finland - Mr Universe 10

 

Needless to say, one of the two boys is fated to win the contest. It turns out to be the blond who has appeared to be the more confident and polished one throughout the (my) story. In a flip of image 8, it's now him who is being feted (with exceptional generosity) by his beaten rivals. Tom uses an unconventional viewpoint at the rear of the stage which shows the enormous, equally excited audience almost clamouring to get on the stage with them. This is the era of pop star adulation, remember, with screaming 'Beatlemania' just around the corner.

 

Tom's backstage viewpoint also shows us the backsides of the bodybuilders, who are all, as expected, wearing very skimpy costumes, halfway to being backless thongs. The two-man lift has parted the blond's legs (and butt cheeks) creating an extremely suggestive view (the serial croppers at '101 Boys' printed an unsubtle fragment of this specific area framed only by a glimpse of supporting shoulders). Despite this sexy detail, the image was used to advertise the series in Scan 9 (Nov 1961).

 

However, the version above is not the complete image.....

 

Tom of Finland - Mr Universe 10 (version 2)

 This version of the victor's celebration was used to promote the series later, in Man Alive #19 (Mar 1962). It reveals that the blond's dark-haired buddy is watching the proceedings from one side and looking defeated, disappointed and envious. 

 

Notice the lines top and bottom that seem to suggest this version was meant to be cropped as well. However, the extra detail is an important link to what follows. The accompanying blurb talks portentously of 'back-stage struggles'.

 

Notice the Number '3' in the bottom corner of this picture (following the No 1 in image 8). 

 

 

Tom of Finland - Mr Universe 11

  

As the competitors leave the stage, there's an extraordinary confrontation between the two buddies. The darker one attacks his friend, clamping a hand over his mouth as if he's just made some gloating, disparaging remark about him or perhaps disclosed a secret. The cherished trophy is sent flying. This sudden animosity is entirely unexpected*. 

 

But look what is happening at waist level!  He's pulling the blond into a tight embrace, which doesn't suggest their friendship is in any danger. Both their pouches are swollen and nestling together in a remarkably explicit sexual statement for it's time. 

 

The attacker's knee is raised between his friend's thighs, which might be an angry ball-bashing attack, but in reality it seems to be more about contacting his groin and prising his legs open. This detail might just be Tom milking the erotic potential of the scene, but it also seems like an echo of what the loser has just watched other men do to his buddy in image 10. Also, it may be my over-active imagination, but the blond's six-pack seems to have taken on the shape of a giant penis. There's certainly a remarkably strong line tracing down his body to his buddy's groin. 

 

 *Perhaps his annoyance is less surprising if you discount the introductory, character developing images and narrative which I assembled for Part 1. A comment posted here while I was composing this commentary says the set was originally called 'Beating Mr Universe' which implies he's probably just a sore loser. These days we could just blame steroids.

 

There may have been some cropping of his image, but disembodied hands reaching towards the sexy subject of the picture were a popular device at this time. You can see them in Etienne's calendar images and there's a similar 'off-stage' presence in Harry Bush's surfer pictures. Perhaps it's reflecting the cruel plight of men in the 60's who suffered from forbidden desires and were doomed to a life of hiding in perpetual frustration.

 

 

Tom of Finland - Mr Universe 12

 The bystanders drag the two combatants apart. While they glare at each other, the darker one gets a gratuitous groping. It's clear he still has plenty of admirers, the two on either side of him match those seen in image 8*. 

 

Darkie is revealed to have a giant bulge in his pouch, but it's not clear whether it's because of his feelings for his buddy or because of the guy cupping his pecs and furtively snuggling up to his uncovered backside.  

 

The blond on the right seems poised to attack, this pose can be seen in other fight images by Tom. It's not particularly interesting, but Tom has cleverly positioned his fist in a suggestive position close to the crotch of one of the supporters. 

 

*Tom's fastidious attention to detailing the supporting cast as individuals and regular guys of ambiguous sexuality is one of the joys of his older work. In later years, they tended to become leather clones or cops, which were more or less the same thing.

 

 

 

ToF Index 

 

This Article is Work in Progress, 

More Commentary and Images Soon 

Mitchell - Soldiers, shorts and sexiness

Mitchell - Builder Press-Ganged

A construction site workman is arrested by a Military Policeman after a struggle that has resulted in most of his clothes being ripped off. Interestingly, the cop is tying his hands with rope rather than clapping handcuffs on him. The workman does not seem to find his predicament very worrying, on the contrary, he's positively excited by it*. Perhaps he does not realise that he has been selected for conscription into the expanding British Army and a taste of military discipline is coming his way. The MP's choice was not entirely random, of course, he could not resist the hunky man doing manual work in tight white vest and jeans. Predictably, the Policeman's own shorts are somewhat briefer and tighter than normal military issue, but who wants normal?

 *Unlike some parts of the world, British people find Military personnel a lot less threatening than civilian police. 

~ 

 This picture has many connections which date it (rather damningly from my point of view!). The central figure with the ripped vest was inspired by a 'Zipper #31' beefcake model called 'Giano', I think. He posed on a board looking very wet, but I can't find him in my back files for the moment (and thanks to Google's latest 'improvements' to its search engine, it's now disappeared off the face of the earth, until such time as a copy pops up for sale on e-bay). Any offers of help to find him?

Mike Arlen - Military Arrest

The Military Policeman (and to some extent the whole image) was inspired by Mike Arlen's photo-series about an MP arresting a suspected Arab insurgent and being seduced by him (above). 

Arlen's work in this genre and the military shorts, link back in turn to the Royale Studio military imagery of the 50s/60s.

~ 

For more pictures by Mitchell at this blog, click on the 'mitchpix' label below 

New 'Night Visitor' pic by Mitchell

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Dr Smith 2 - Mike the Construction Worker

Dr Smith has some strange obsessions with manipulating his patients (see Part 1) 
His encounter with Mike the Construction Worker is one of the most sinister - and memorable.

1

Mike is taken to Dr Smith's clinic by his site Foreman, after falling from a girder into a sandpit.

He tells the Doctor that he's hurt his abdomen and his knee is a painful as f**k. 

 

2

 

Dr Smith immediately gives him a powerful painkiller. 

So powerful, in fact, that Mike quickly becomes sleepy and groggy.

 

 

3

 Smith tells him to take off his clothes, but he's unable to get any further than his helmet. 

"I'll help you", Smith says, and picks up a pair of scissors.

 

 

4

 

Cut open from top to bottom, Mike's T-shirt falls from his shoulders.

Smith hastily clears it away, holding on to Mike, so his sedated state doesn't make him fall.

 

 

5

Smith is seduced by Mike's enticing torso and sweaty workman's odours.

He sniffs his shoulders and runs his hands over his contours in a sensuous examination.

Mike is 90% out of it and doesn't realise it's not quite professional.

 

 

6

 

Eager for more, Smith tells Mike to take off his jeans, 

ostensibly so he can examine his injured knee. 

Mike tries to comply, but he doesn't get far before he swoons again.

 

 

7

 

Smith gently lays him flat on the examination table and jiggles his jeans down.

Then he roughly jerks off them off his legs and casts them aside.

 

 

8

Mike's underpants are very workmanlike - well-used and dirty, but Smith is undeterred.

Eagerly, he sides his hand up between Mike's thighs - as high as he can dare.

 

 

9

But when he tries to slide his palm inside the waistband,

Mike comes to and, smelling a rat, insists the Doctor attends to his knee. 

 

10

Aware that Mike's Foreman is waiting for him outside, the Doctor complies.

He promises to call in at Mike's house in a day or two to see how he is recovering.

It's a special favour for him.

 

 

11

Mike goes home to rest his body, relax and get better.

It's hot, sweaty weather, so he strips down to keep cool. 

 

12

 

 True to his word, the Doctor turns up on his doorstep a few days later.

He explains he was just passing and asks if he can come in.

 

 

13

The Doctor is touchy-feely as Mike explains that he still has some pain.

Smith encourages him to take his shorts off so he can examine his knee (que?)

 

 

14

Mike kicks off his shorts and obediently sits on the settee. 

But once his back is turned, the Doctor attacks him with a chloroform pad.

(Note interesting foreground juxtaposition)

 

 

15

Mike resists strongly and succeeds in making a grab for his phone at one point.

But the Doctor comes back at him and eventually has the handsome hunk 'out for the count'.

Now, at last, he's completely at his mercy.

 

To be continued

 ~

See the plot storybook and video link for Mike sees Dr Smith at Film 911

Read Part 1 of this series about Dr Smith

Jimmy's Midnight Visitor by Mitchell

Mitchell 440 - Midnight Visitor

Jimmy was awoken in the early hours of the morning by an intruder. Before he could work out what was going on, handcuffs had already been clicked onto his wrists. In the darkness, he could tell that the guy was a lot bigger than him, and the confident way he was handling him didn't allow much space for resistance. He was alone in the house, so there was no point shouting for help, the guy was probably just a burglar and might not be alone.

Jimmy was mistaken on both counts, as he realised, when the intruder began to fumble with his pyjama fastening. They were undone and down round his ankles pretty quickly, and Jimmy knew he was in big trouble then. "What do you want?" he squawked in a voice that betrayed his fear.

"Roll over and get up on your hands and knees" was the gruff reply. 

Jimmy obeyed with alacrity, feet still tangled in his PJ's. He gasped as he felt the stranger's gloved hand, beneath him, lifting his abdomen higher so that his bare backside was way up in the air. It felt very exposed in the cool night air. The glove grazed his cock as it was withdrawn, sending a buzz of excitement through his tackle.

He was left to kneel like that for a while, hearing noises behind him, but not seeing anything. 

Then, out of the blue, something hard slapped his bottom, making him grunt in surprise. 

After a lengthy pause, it happened again. 

"What is it? What have I done? What do you want?" Jimmy squealed. 

"Keep on what you're doing now" the voice said, "You're doing just fine".

 

 This is a tidier scan of a previously published image

More Moosemind

Read Part 1 of this Moosemind post

Moosemind - Escape from the council of the apes

A great image of a fugitive fleeing from would-be captors. Guess what they want him for!

Not crazy about the simians, but it's easy to imagine your favourite, dreaded predator instead. 

Rather nice texturing and a neatly incongruous, beautiful sunset. An augury of recapture, perhaps.

 

Moosemind - You Won't Be Needing This Any More

 An equally mysterious storyline here, but it's a beautifully constructed composition, designed to showcase the central figure's body in a stimulating way. It's a classic example of less nudity is more sexy, a point reinforced by his abundance of amorous admirers. They seek to delay his departure, but there's a hint of physical restraint being applied on the right. As if where he's going involves captivity as well as nudity.

 

Moosemind - Listen Boy, Come Over To My Tent Later

There's a fascinating study of power imagery here. A man, whose posture emanates authority and strength, has been accosted in the street and seems to be embarrassed by it, angered even. The other man is taller than him and clasps his neck, assertively pulling him closer, but at the same time bowing his head in a gesture that speaks of affection and supplication. This little drama is acted out before a fascinated audience

Both men are naked and (according to the title) one of them lives in a tent, although this is an obviously wealthy city. Similarly, the onlookers are all clad in drab loincloths, as if of a lowly caste. They must be slaves or arena fighters, perhaps. Men whose close relationships are all that they have. 

This is an unfaithful lover, perhaps, returning full of regret, or a defeated opponent coming forward to pay his forfeit, knowing he will be roundly used and humiliated. We can imagine the denouement in the marginally less public setting of his tent will involve lots of shouting, humble pie, tears and sex. 

 

Moosemind - Samson Destroys The Philistines

The underlying image here is a bit of a cliché, but it's nicely modelled and if, like me, you are not enamoured of long hair, it's easy to visualise a haircut that's as tidy as his physique. The soaring architecture is the wrong era, but superbly dramatic and gives a more relatable sense of scale to the modern eye. However, it makes you realise the original tale of him bringing down the temple must have been exaggerated a tiny bit. Or else, the priests got their just reward for neglecting the long-term maintenance of the building. 

Moosemind - Jealousy

This artist's interest in ancient cultures takes in the sport of naked wrestling, but he's applied it here to a more domestic scenario. It's quite hard to capture the drama of fighting in a static image, but this is a good attempt. The cartoon-style 'impact' signal is unorthodox but serves its purpose without subverting the splendid artistic pairing of figures, whose bodies are juxtaposed together and matched in a manner that seems to invoke the private intimacy and passion that has brought them to public blows.

 

 

Moosemind - Manhandled

 Here too, there's a great sense of struggle and also of physical strength, a sight that is rarely manifested in modern day, pro wrestling but can still be glimpsed in the amateur code. This mighty lift, delivered from a seated position, seems to have caught, off guard, an opponent who was prematurely celebrating victory in the modern manner, with clenched fists. An improbable throw, but a rather satisfying comeuppance for the braggart. The characterisation of the two men, one wild and hairy, the other with a more refined and subtle masculinity, reinforces the storyline.

 

 

Moosemind - Sparring

The artist's disingenuous title doesn't quite match the image a gay observer perceives. It is a perfectly feasible wrestling moment, but you can't help thinking that both men might have lost sight of the aim of winning this contest. He who has the upper hand suddenly finds himself distracted by an unexpected development. His over-excited opponent seems to have become suddenly aware of his own vulnerability, having started something he might not be happy to finish.

 

Moosemind - The Agoge Trials

A more conventional expression of the ancient art here shows two young men struggling for supremacy before an audience of soldiers. The Agoge was a rigorous, Spartan training program for young male citizens, so this is an authentic scene, but the sensual entwining of naked bodies here makes you wonder about the thoughts of those seemingly detached on-lookers and the reward given to the winner.

 

 

Moosemind - Colonised

 

This rather unusual take on the founding of America is frank and almost political in the way it contrasts the pride and strength of the captive, Native American with the uniformed, flag-bearing pomp of his captors, who seem to regard him as a curiosity. The title is bluntly accurate, but not one that modern day politicians care to acknowledge. Popular culture takes refuge in the Wild West stereotyping of 'renegades', rather than heroic freedom fighters.

 

Moosemind - Squanto Captured

There's a similar theme here but with a greater sense of enslavement and humiliation of the unfortunate captive. The on-lookers, civilised and determinedly religious, seem oblivious of his humanity. 

 

The original story of Squanto seems to conflate episodes of settlers being helped to survive by members of the Patuxet tribe with others in which indigenous tribesmen were kidnapped and trafficked to Europe as slaves, but it serves to make the artist's point. It's unlikely that any of them were such impressive physical specimens as this man, but it helps to amplify the sense of 'difference' in a way that shows him as more of a man than his captors.

Moosemind - Zane Blaze

The boots on the other foot here, or possibly on no foot at all, with a white man (of equally muscular and equally improbable stature) held captive in a way that draws on religious imagery to cast him as a martyr too. It makes a delicious counter-point to the Squanto images. 

Zane Blaze sounds like the protagonist in a pulp fiction Western, but I can't find a relevant reference. We may guess that he's an adventurer or lawman who's got himself into undeserved difficulties. He's clearly been unlucky enough to fall into the hands of cowboys who find his physique of as much interest as his supposed misdeed. Justice sometimes took arbitrary, brutal forms in those days, but with the noose dangling in the background, I shudder to think what they have in mind for the naked Zane. 

Moosemind - Lovers in Arms - Beneath The Olive Moon

 This tender scene seems like another of those "you want it really, don't you?" moments when a man is obliged to acknowledge his inner reality. It might easily have found a place in my story of the humiliation of the Spartan army in Part 1 of this Moosemind post. The seducer here, however, seems more respectable than the cunning Throbbers who undermined the advance guard of the Spartan Army on that inglorious day. 

This man is blond, wears a white loin-cloth that is loose beyond reproach, and even has the victor's laurel wreath on his head. What could possibly be wrong with him? Alas, such is the way with men! The poor guard, struggling with his own desires, and military duty too, I hope, seems to sense that something isn't right. Probably though he's just tormenting himself, when really, there is no need.

 

Moosemind - The Blacksmith's Apprentice

 

Another out-take from the Spartan shaming. Another youth separated from his lover and transported to a distant realm to work out his life as a slave. At least this one will learn a skill to give some meaning to his life, but an interview in the nude like this suggests that forging iron may not be the only hot banging he's going to experience. His resentful look may reflect that he's just learned of that unpleasant module in his training plan. Still, at least he's alive.  

Moosemind - Bare Slave

I've always been of the view that a slave ought to work for his keep, not just idly enjoy the attentions (dubious or otherwise) of his master. And if he's a muscular slave, he ought to use that muscle to good purpose. Make 'em sweat. Makes a great show.  It's good for him, too, helping to preserve that glorious physique for other purposes. I suppose there is a risk here that he might lob his load at the temple, Samson-style, but any guard worth his salt ought to be able to keep a naked man in check.

Read Part 1 of this Moosemind post 

More Moosemind at DeviantArt

Art by Mack 22

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