Mitchell's on holiday

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Mike Radon looking fabulous in cocksox underwear

 and wondering where his clothes got to.

I'll be back posting in mid-October

A-Z of Fetish Artists - Zelolee

Zelolee - Shoot at this Guy

   

Zelolee's style is at the opposite end of the spectrum to Zaria, his captives are muscular, masculine and mature. As you can see from this image, his stories are concerned with fantasy worlds where men are men, but as captives, naturally, they are shown no more mercy than Zaria's erotically tormented younger men (who seem to have turned here out to witness this ancient hero's self-abasing humiliation in what looks like a very modern jail cell). There's a certain 'plasticity' about his rendering of the muscle detail here which is distinctive if not entirely convincing.

Rokudenashi - Crisis page 9

In this example from Rokudenashi's comic book 'Crisis', however, the same rendering technique works very well on the hero's skin-tight suit, suggesting a clingy suppleness that must be a treat to wear!

Zelolee - Brothers

Zelolee draws upon pseudo-medical imagery for this scene with a needle poised threateningly above the captive's vital organs. His technique here is very basic with minimal body detailing but the same sense of style and design is very apparent.

The Perverted Sage - page 14

This versatile artist shows another side in 'The Perverted Sage'. It's another tentacle saga but one is struck by the extreme stylisation which depicts these entities as arching, pointed, almost one-dimensional shapes, rather like blades of grass. That association imparts to them a quality of flexibility and delicacy which makes the possibility of arousing their victim a credible one. Their capability to grip and penetrate is also portrayed but the artist's technique suggests it's through an almost magical gentleness, leaving the viewer to imagine the what follows.

Zelolee matches this lightness of touch with a restrained palette of pastel colours which suggests normality rather than drama. It seems to drain the energy from the captive warrior. Notice too that the Sage and the Warrior are almost indistinguishable with similar angular, masculine features and stylised hair. It suggests an equivalence in their heroic status which is illusory, the Sage is an alien with self-transforming capability, but their similarity lends an erotic twist to their struggle.

The Perverted Sage - page 19

In the final frames the captive is imprisoned by the tentacle entity which is seen to have a simplicity of structure that does allow us to draw on our normal constructs for beastly beings. It focuses us on what it is doing, holding the captive and milking him of his semen which has acquired the status of a gastronomic delicacy for the alien being.

Zelolee - The Battlefield Urinal page 5

'The Battlefield Urinal' is set in a more real world with no magic or fantastical beings and Zelolee accordingly adopts more earthy tones. I suspect 'Urinal' is a mistranslation as this story does not concern golden showers. It recounts the tale of a captured soldier who develops (or reveals) under torture an erotic response to pain. It leads to much abuse until a sympathetic officer intervenes and sends him back to his own side. Unfortunately his secret is soon discovered there by his commanding officer who cannot resist adopting him as a sexual slave. 

 

Zelolee - The Battlefield Urinal page 15

Zelolee characterises the hapless soldier visually as something of a muscular brute in comparison with his normal looking colleagues. In fact he shows heroic qualities under torture by his enemies before his weakness is revealed. His misleading appearance adds pathos to his serial subjugation in which even his own side abuse him. It's the sort of tale that Tagame specialises in, but Zelolee's simpler approach to illustration allows the psychological sub-text to show alongside the more visual mechanics of his tortures.>

Zelolee - When The Ice Meets The Fire

I've left this picture to last because I simply like the depiction of the muscular captive. His face is less forbidding than some of Zelolee's heroes seen above and the gleaming bruised body with a tantalising smattering of body hair is terrific. I confess that for me the monster between his legs is more arresting than the one looming over him.
~

I haven't found a site yet for Zelolee* but search engines will bring up examples for you.
(*Thanks to reader lamlamblam for supplying Zelolee's pixiv page
and correcting my attribution of 'Crisis' - see comments below)

 For more articles in this series click on the A-Z label below or search for specific artists using the index page or search boxes (in the navigation banner and top right)

Zaria Update

Zaria - Mob 1 page 15

I have updated my A-Z article on Zaria with some additional material from the story 'Mob', which I mistakenly omitted on the first draft. The next A-Z article featuring Zelolee will follow shortly.

A-Z of Fetish Artists - Zaria

Zaria's comic art features fetish themes but like other Japanese artists he flirts with cross-generational, coming of age themes that are highly sensitive these days, making my task of representing his work here a tricky one.

Zaria - Kinbaku, cover

This coloured image comes from 'Kinbaku' (tight binding), a fantasy about the punishment of a run-away slave. The decorative use of white lily flowers seems an oddly romantic embellishment to Westerners in a bondage context, but in Japan they symbolise chastity and purity, thereby loading this image with overtones which I will refrain from commenting on.

Zaria - Kinbaku, page 13

 I'm not totally enamoured of the spiky manga style of drawing, but Zaria's approach is mellower than some and the precision of his rope detail here is admirable. I don't have an uncensored version but that's rather less important in this classic, rear-view, erotic pose which is the stuff to spark the imaginations of voyeurs and artists alike – oh, to recast this with a more adult captive! The preoccupation of Japanese artists with anal egg vibrators is something of a puzzle to me although I can see the appeal of total insertion of the device with remote, external control symbolised by a slender, electric cable. I suppose the prolonged exposure to the egg's vibration suffered by Takaya, the captive in the story, would become extremely trying - eventually.

 

Zaria - Kinbaku, page 14

This frame documenting the humiliating, grudging submission of Takaya, after a lengthy, petulant exchange with his urbane captor is a beauty too. You can almost feel the pressure of those chunky ropes, en-wrapping the young man's flesh Comic images rarely work well when separated from their context but apart from the disjointed dialogue, this one does. Even though these pictures are in English, remember to read them from right to left to get the gist of the scene. The same applies to the next frame.

Zaria - Mob 1 p10 (det)

This picture is taken from Zaria's story 'Mob' and it's a fantasy of exploration and self-discovery that speaks for itself. This image which is just a single frame plucked out of over 100 pages is amazingly detailed and quite different to to the ones I show above and below. It's a miniature masterpiece of story-telling (but you'll have to read the book if you want to know exactly what is going on with these two. Clue: - it's not a burglar). The combination of the crudely functional, leather restraining harness and the elaborate, luxurious, gothic-looking bedroom creates a sense of secret depravity and a surrender to gentle coaxings in a comfortable, safe haven. A surrender which we are able to furtively observe through the sheer draperies. The power play is subtle and insidious, almost feminine and quite different to the in-your-face domination and raw sex of the traditional, dungeon, training technique, but it's arguably more powerful. That contrast is drawn out as the story proceeds.

Zaria - Mob 2 p20 (det)

'Mob' is mainly concerned with the induction of a young man into military service  and as you can see, the gentle attentions of his former life are soon replaced with cruder, brutal encounters as his fellow soldiers discover his leanings. This frame sits between two others that overlap and encroach on it. That creates a great sense of confusion and excitement but I've isolated it here to draw out the simple, erotic beauty Zaria has found in what is otherwise, a commonplace, copulation scene. The gentle detailing of the recruit's exposed torso is marvellously effective. 

Zaria - Mob 2 p25

 The aerial viewpoint in this scene shows the influence of film techniques on Zaria, the fan lazily revolving above the urgent activity below. Don't worry it's all consensual! Once again there's some superb detailing here, notably the spectator in the dark tee shirt whose face is enviably captured.

Zaria - The Pet, page 1

No fetish content here but I like the sinister atmosphere created by this opening page of 'The Pet' and the characterisation of a ordinary-looking young man. It illustrates Zaria's cinematic approach to story-telling which greatly enhances the drama. In this story, the young man (Yuki) wanders 'off-piste' and seeking a way of getting drugs for his sick brother is persuaded by a gang to submit himself to auction as a 'pet'. 

 

Zaria - The Pet, page 14

In this frame the clink of his chain signals the moment where the gang reveal their true intentions of enforced subjugation. I've always liked the collar as a symbol of domination and in this simply-conceived but striking image, Zaria emphasises it by setting it in stark contrast to the captive's total nudity, which is rendered with simple clean lines and tones to create a sense of smooth flesh.

Zaria - The Pet, page 24

In my article on Zane I commented on the difficulty of making cages look erotic visually. I think Zaria passes that test here by having his prisoner, Yuki, pressed up against the cage wall, whose curving, square mesh pattern assumes some of the characteristics of a net, not just imprisoning it's victim but enveloping him. Zaria's precise detailing allows us to see Yuki's succulent body clearly, unhampered by the mesh. I should perhaps explain that the constricting effects of the cock cage, preventing it's wearer from ejaculating, are a major element of the storyline.

Zaria - The Pet, page38

This final picture is another masterpiece of seeming simplicity but anyone who has attempted to depict a complex threesome will understand the artistic challenges involved. There are some miscalculations in the shading here and there, but the visual integrity of the 3 separate participants is superbly realised. I actually chose this picture because at first sight it seemed like an image by Stephen/Etienne had been transplanted into this manga world. The poses and the styling are just like those in his famous comic stories. I don't know if Zaria is a fan of Etienne, it isn't obvious elsewhere in his work, perhaps it's a case of 'great minds think alike'.

I'm not aware that Zaria has a site but his work seems to circulate freely and if you search on his name you will track down further examples.

 For more articles in this series click on the A-Z label below or search for specific artists using the index page or search boxes (in the navigation banner and top right)

A-Z of Fetish Artists - Zane

Zane - Run Little Leather Boy

 Zane's art is from the era of Drummer magazine and the example above was used for the cover of Larry Townsend's famous book, 'Run Little Leather Boy'. It features dungeon facilities few are likely to encounter in real life.

Zane - Mohican

 This image is more flattering to Zane's ability as an artist, in fact it's barely recognisable as the work of the same hand. Interestingly it features a similar block of stone. The mohican hair cut narrowly qualifies it as fetish art and the treatment of both men's hair is worth comparing to Zamok, my last artist in this series, who creates a similar effect with a slightly more sensitive touch.

The title I have for this image is 'Great State' but I don't know if that is correct, although it sort of links to the subject matter suggesting 'Big Brother' captivity and experimentation. The glass container is a form of cage and has such an obvious metaphorical relevance to the gay condition in the 20th century (i.e. the invisible bars of captivity) that it's surprising that it doesn't crop up more often in the art of the period. It makes an innocuous 'cover' for bondage and kidnap plot lines, but like images of caged men, it's actually quite hard to create a distinct, erotic, visual effect - as you can see here. Nath66 had some success with the idea in one of his sci-fi/alien themed works.
The Bound Gods water tank videos have explored the more sinister possibilities. 

Zane or Zoom?

I have included this image as a bonus. I actually have it catalogued as the work of  'Zoom' but I know of no other work by that artist and there are some similarities to Zane's style, perhaps not the graphic bulge, though. Information from readers would be welcome.

I can't find any website for Zane. Again info welcome.

For more articles in this series click on the A-Z label below or search for specific artists using the index page or search boxes (in the navigation banner and top right)

A-Z of Fetish Artists - Zamok (part 2)

Read from Part 1

 6

Zamok moves further into Franco territory with this image which is clearly a milking machine. The soccer player persona provides a suitably virile donor with their reputation of leading the playboy lifestyle providing a pleasing justification for the rather brutal extraction mechanism which does not appear to involve any stimulation of the normal pleasure zones relying instead on a chunky, electro-assisted plug. Blindfolds are featured in a number of Zamok's early pictures and outwardly they give the impression of forced involvement. But the removal of external visual stimuli, forcing the captive to focus on what he physically feels seems to be another expression of the introspective interest I noted earlier.

The slightly vague mechanics of the machine are actually less engrossing than the delicious, lean physique of the soccer player (with his authentic, well-developed, thigh muscles). Observe once again the superb detailing of his clothing and body hair. The spiky hair cut which gives a boyish air to what is clearly a mature man (no Franco college jock he!). His maturity and the realistic depiction of his body makes his nudity more striking and the uncomfortable pose the machine obliges him to adopt for this procedure all the more humiliating.

 

7

Zamok has also produced a group of images which he labelled 'Denim', featuring men in tight skinny jeans. It's a fashion style which has enjoyed a recent renaissance in my part of the world, but primarily as 'yoof' garb (as are the sports shoes). As a result this clothing on a mature man seems less than flattering to me, but I don't know if that is Zamok's intention.

There's a predominantly manual, milking process in this fantasy, administered again by an anonymous hand. The machine on which the subject is mounted seems to be little more than a complex restraint device. It's most striking feature appears to be a large wheel with chunky rubber tyre, which presumably spins between his legs. It suggests this man has automotive interests, but it's not clear whether the wheel's purpose is to provide direct friction - or just the intimidating threat of it. If it's the former, a spectacular shredding of those skinny jeans is in prospect. The whole arrangement seems to fantasise a sort of dynamic, motorised 'wedge' (click on 'riding the wedge' in the list of labels below if you don't get this allusion!).

I might be getting carried away with my wedge theory, but at least the customary ball-stretching cord is keeping the poor man's ball-sack out of harms way. However the deliberate narrowing of it's gauge to wire-like dimensions at the ball-loop end is equally capable of sinister interpretation.

8

The sinister is not entirely absent from this image either. It has a medical flavour, provided essentially by the automated syringe to which the eye is irresistibly drawn but it's subtly supplemented by the man's bandage-like gag. The syringe is poised to inject a sizable amount of fluid into the athlete's balls which are offered up, deliciously tautened by a clamping ring. This replaces the usual stretching cord, but the stretching action is now provided by the athlete's own weight, brought into play by the (adjustable?) height of the ring. It's also potentially amplified in an angular way by the action of the impressive piston up his rear.

The detailed mechanics of this device probably don't reward closer scrutiny, but the captive's physique certainly does and whilst Zamok's Central European male does not vary very much in appearance, neither does his erotic appeal. This recumbent, gagged position adds an extra frisson of helplessness which is very erotic.

9

In this more recent work (after a gap of 7-8 years) the mechanics of entrapment are much simpler. It's essentially an electrified sounding rod which has been crudely weighted to gradually insert itself deeper and deeper into the captives dick. The restraint on him is minimal too, but the use of a much more substantial leather gag (no doubt incorporating a plug) signals a more demanding test than usual for this captive and judging by the arching of his body and the tension in his neck, it is already under way. Notice how the shaping of his buttock suggests the support platform is little more than a round pole adding a balancing problem to his woes.

Once again, Zamok's treatment of the man's chest and pubic hair is exquisite and the naked body line connecting them is a revelation of the possibilities of erotic portrayal. This is a man in command of his artistry.

 

10

The artist revisits familiar, previous torments here in another simplified concept showing just ball weighting and a butt support platform, which presumably incorporates an anchoring plug. But there's a sense of new beginnings about this image too. Thus, although the athlete's contemplative expression harks back to earlier pieces, a dribbling emission for once shows evidence of a spontaneous, 'unassisted', un-milked sexual response.

Similarly, while the inclusion of a detailed background is also a return to earlier practice after the long run of starkly focused 'experiment' images, the choice of a dungeon setting is most unexpected, considering his preoccupation with sporting connections hitherto. It follows the inclusion of a leather, fetish gag in the previous image and this perhaps reflects a growing awareness that there is a part of a real world in which experiencing invasive and painful body fantasies is not a solitary occupation.

In fact this captive seems to be on display, not a public display, but only for those select few who have access to the cell where he is being kept. The tight restraining ropes and straps of previous imagery have become simple, rigid loops which allow movement and are probably not inescapable, so performing a ritualistic role as much as a functional one.

11

This is the most recent work I have by Zamok. It's one of his most complex 'entrapments' but the multiple attachments to the athlete's body have the delicacy of a spiders web quite different to the robust urgings of the gym machines. There is still a chunky, butt plug-cum-piston steadying his body and forcing it forward into an erotic display position, a function augmented by the collar pulling backwards on his neck.

The intrusion of the butt plug is balanced by a sounding rod, rigged up to insert itself under the weight of a control device which has replaced the usual cbt, ball attachment. They are both wired as electrodes, creating an axis through the body for the torment itself, which is electrical in nature.

In this image the idea of a watching audience in a dungeon scenario is not just referenced but positively celebrated, the notice at the back conjuring up a fairground atmosphere and giving the impression of being in a tent. However said watching audience are nowhere to be seen. As ever this picture seems to be about the subject's experience and the sign adds exposure and humiliation into the usual physical discomforts. In this context the man's kneeling position and bowed head seems to significant, suggesting penitence and being exacted for erotic misdemeanours.

Those of you more knowledgeable in European languages than I may be able to pinpoint Zamok's mother tongue here – somewhere in central Europe maybe or possibly we're in Spain.

The familiar socks and plimsolls are superbly detailed as always. The sheen of the socks almost suggest women's stockings but it does reflect the authentic soccer gear of the period, so we won't go there!

  

~~~~

I'm sure my admiration for Zamok's work is plain to see. His technical drawing skills are obvious but he has a sense of the erotic that is enormously pleasurable and stylish because it is so subtle, based on realistic, observed anatomy and not over-inflated organs. I have compared him and contrasted him with Franco, based on the common use of machine-like restraints, but they are really very different. Zamok machines appear to have complex mechanics but are really just restraint frames. Franco's machine's look simple and improbable, but really work their victims hard. Zamok's work tends to the static, while Franco's is often dynamic and full of movement. Zamok's subjects internalise their emotions and experiences, often alone, while Franco's emote wildly, performing for their captors. How lucky we are to have both of them!

Zamok doesn't have a website as far as I know. For a while he seemed to be releasing new work via blog perros but that has stopped now. You can find some more of his art via search engines. I know of only 23 published pieces by him (+ one possible).

For more articles in this series click on the A-Z label below or search for specific artists using the index page or search boxes (in the navigation banner and top right)

A-Z of Fetish Artists - Zamok (part 1)

Zamok is one of those artists (like Chris -Musclemaxx) whose contributions to our erotic art are occasional but always special. When I set out on this A-Z survey, I knew Zamok would be the star of the last letter and nothing has changed in the intervening years to change that position.

1

He burst onto the scene with a group of bondage images featuring soccer players being given ingenious and humiliating, sexual punishments on the pitch. This location left open the possibility that a crowd of spectators was there to witness their downfall although they are not shown. You can see immediately in this example that this artist has drawing skills of a very high order. The mid-European faces are extremely realistic and vividly conjure up the era when Italy seemed to be the home of vain, overpaid, prima donna players. The anatomical detail is impressively accurate and very seductive, successfully showing muscular definition without breaking up the overall body shape. The touches of body hair are restrained but erotically suggestive, distancing the image from the purely academic. Last but not least, the superbly detailed, vestigial clothing gives these images a classy, erotic embellishment.

The disembodied teasing hand coming in from the side seems to be a tribute to the erotic artists of the 50's and 60's who sometimes used this technique (less explicitly) to add witty, sexual innuendo to beefcake poses. It has complex overtones and associations – the anonymity of the hand reflecting the oppression of the times, the forbidden touching of naked bodies and the unattainable nature of those perfect males who were presumed to be straight. Zamok's use of the symbolism in 2001 is intriguing.

2

Zamok is probably best known for his 'Alternative Gym' pictures in which athletes are given workouts on complex bondage machines, like this daunting stretching device. It's a vehicle for a spectacular body pose but despite the explicit sexual ingredients Zamok's image is oddly desexualised. He does not indulge in over-sized organs, in fact the normality of his subjects in this respect is slightly disturbing.

Zamok has a knack for convincingly conveying the directional pull of the rope and it's effect on the body part involved, a science which other erotic artists struggle with. The function of the post between the poor athlete's legs is rather more obscure though. Notice the graduated scale under the table suggesting perhaps a tilting mechanism?

A detail of this image which particularly appeals to me is the athlete's vest and shorts which are casually draped over the weight suspension post almost as though this were an interruption to a normal workout. The stretching device with it's table and pulleys seems to combine elements of medical equipment with conventional gym training machines. Even the gag looks like it might be genuine sporting paraphernalia and Zamok leaves you in no doubt that it's tight. The whole image is a study in tension. Coloured pictures by Zamok are rare.

 

3

It is highly appropriate that my review of Zamok's work should follow hot on the heels of my recent re-appraisal of Franco's lab rat and milking machine art. This image is very much in that vein with the 'jock' in the chair being milked by his coach but Zamok reverses the role of machine and man. The captive is forced to work the machine (to alleviate the pull of it's weights) instead of it working him as Franco would have it. Zamok's machinery detail is also more convincing mechanically, although (as in the previous image) the anal ingredient is slightly vague, presumably it's action is linked to that hydraulic leg support. You need to an engineering mindset to to fully comprehend Zamok's wicked genius!

Notice that the coach who is administering the 'coup de grace' is only vaguely defined, it looks like Zamok toyed with making him undressed but in the end opted for a less involved, sketchy anonymity. As an authority figure he's distinctly underwhelming, more like a janitor who's wandered in to tidy up (so to speak). This is quite different to Franco's 'supervisors' who are usually characterised in great detail to create a contrasting impression of power, ugliness or malign intent and who revel in their subject's discomfort. Usually, Zamok's athletes are left to deal with the machines entirely on their own, although clearly someone else must have been involved in putting them in that position. Zamok does not tease us with those possibilities, inviting us to focus on the man's predicament instead – restrained, under physical stress and sexually exercised.

4

This is a great picture, albeit one that is slightly puzzling. Technically skilled, it captures a strange sense of shared purpose between the two protagonists which is fascinating. The eroticism is quite mild and seems to originate from the well-used, slightly sleazy clothing as much as the explicit sexual bondage. 

This is the only Zamok image I know of where the 'tormentor' is present and depicted in equal detail with his victim. It differs from Zamok's usual style in other ways too. There's no machine involved, so there's a direct connection between the two men, literally - it's the cords attached to the weight and the captive's sex organs. But they are not looking at each other, communicating emotion of any sort, but simply looking down presumably contemplating what will happen when the weight is released. The mood seems quite calm and matter of fact, as though this procedure is not particularly out of the ordinary. The victim in his ritual restraints seems to submit dutifully, if not willingly necessarily. 

This scene could easily be an exploration or a trial of strength, but if it is a punishment there's no sense of glee or distress or of the confused emotions that characterise Franco's work. It's perhaps worth bearing this sense of detached observation in mind when viewing Zamok's other, more spectacular images as well.

 

5

In an earlier picture, Zamok featured a goalkeeper hanging like this from the goal cross-bar. As is usual for him that picture showed his captive in profile and this variation is an ambitious departure with challenging perspective. It's such a striking image that it's not surprising that Ulf also produced a similar picture - 'Time Out', dated in the following year. It's not exactly the same, but the similarities are so striking that it's obvious they have been inspired by the same source. 

There's nothing wrong with artists taking inspiration from each other, Tom of Finland's work has inspired numerous images over the years. But it's interesting to compare how the two men have tackled the idea. Zamok seems to have contented himself with depicting the predicament in it's barest form but Ulf has embellished it with colour and sensual tones and a richly detailed background suggesting the corner of a back yard. The plant trailing down the wall seems to imply that this is a neglected area and the prisoners detention might be lengthy, 

(see also my Ulf Retrospective for 2003).

If you look at the arms and legs in Zamok's picture you can see the man is stretched out almost straight and there's a tangible tension in the ball stretching cord between his legs. A slight twist in the body suggests his true discomfort. Ulf's man by contrast is flexing both his arms and his legs. It looks as though he is still struggling and this produces an extra opening of the legs that is subtly erotic. You can also see that, at this level of detail, the two images are completely different.

In fact the original inspiration for both images is, I believe, an S&M, dungeon photograph which I thought I had in my archives but sadly have been unable to find for this article. It's the sort of scene that might have come out of a Zeus video. 

As a stop gap, I did manage to turn up this similar item of a western tourist detained for fun in a Middle Eastern carpet emporium which I thought was worth sharing. How times change.

continued in part 2

For more articles in this series click on the A-Z label below or search for specific artists using the index page or search boxes (in the navigation banner and top right)