Classic Homoerotic Images 10 - Charles Atlas

Charles Atlas - Muscles Made Easy

 It might seem to surprising to label this smiling, slightly pudgy, middle-aged man as an erotic icon, but for many years semi-clad images of him featured prominently and regularly in most boy's lives. This was a time when naked male torsos were a rare sight, other than on beaches and swimming pools but he popped up like this almost everywhere - in newspapers, magazines and even comics specifically aimed at teenagers. Even if you didn't fancy him, his continued presence was a heart-warming affirmation that men's muscles and bare skin were OK and desirable.

Charles Atlas - Sand in the Face ad

Atlas famously conjured the spectre of the beach bully who kicked sand in the faces of ordinary guys just for the fun of it and even if the context was always heterosexual, the message about being gratuitously bullied must have struck a chord with every young, gay man who saw the ad. The claim that you could do something about it and change your life for the better by developing your physique might have promised more than it could really deliver to this particular group. Nevertheless it must planted seeds of self respect and created an awareness of new pathways for isolated, non-sporting, young gays.

 

Charles Atlas testimonials - Health and Strength Dec 1949

I'm not sure that 'Dynamic Tension' really worked but it must have introduced many young men to ways that they could make themselves more attractive, so there's probably more than a grain of truth in these testimonials.

"The Slave" - Charles Atlas leading Tony Sansone

If the gays amongst them had ever seen this image of Charles Atlas 

they might have become even more inspired and excited!

Here, his more youthful self leads the legendary Tony Sansone along, supposedly as his submissive slave. Given Sansone's mega reputation as a muscle man it's an astonishing scenario, on a par with the recent sensationalism of life-long tops being persuaded to bottom for the first time on film. The homoerotic undertones are glaringly obvious*.

Atlas wasn't the prettiest of men by modern criteria but this 'before he was famous' photo suggests that modern styles might have crafted a more than acceptable image for him.

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* Tony Sansone is an interesting figure, noted for his lithe definition rather than the muscle bulk that Atlas and others cultivated. He wasn't a competitive body builder but earned money by nude modelling. There's another teasing image of him posed as a captive in chains (below).

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Tentacle Art by Ruslan

 The early tentacle render portrays a much more dramatic pose pose than most in this genre.

The unfortunate victim is being assailed from above and below by tentacles which have a technological origin, not a biological one. His arms are pinned back by the assailants and one is wrapped round his neck, like a noose, pulling him upwards. Others, emerging from what looks curiously like the innards of a piano, are entwined round his legs and levering them open, leaving the way clear for penetration and milk extraction.

I don't have a site link for Ruslan 

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Bareass Blog No 75

Bareass Bahnhof

At this time of year, gays, like other boys, dream of fantastic presents. 

Only to be let down by Daddy Santa with cheap aftershave and socks. 

Christmas Eve pick-ups flee home for Mother's festive food.  

However, if they have been very good that year (by gay standards)

A different Daddy will deliver an extra, special present to them:

A trip on his train to the land where the men of dreams roam.

Unlike some other festive trains, the secret express for gays 

does not stop in the street directly outside their home.

It's a daft place for a train to stop anyway and far too public.

The last thing anybody wants is for gangs of kids (even incipient gay ones)

to rush out and clamber on board for a second bite at Santa's cherry.

Our lucky Gay boys have riper cherries on their mind on this special night.

The entrance to a secret underground station simply appears to them,

but only on this night and only to those who have been favoured.

Being underground, there's no snow of course, in fact it's quite hot.

It's not unknown for men who didn't even know they were gay 

to stumble unwittingly onto the platform, a very special gift for them

They will find plenty of boys down willy-ing to show them their ropes 

And so, come midnight, it's dig into your trousers/jeans/pants

and get out your tickets for inspection by the conductor.

Then it's All Aboard the "Boner Express"!

(with apologies to Tom Hanks)

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Go to Bareass No76

For other Bareass boys click on the label below 

or start reading at Bareass No 1 and follow the links

Bareass Blog no 74

 Bareass Boardroom Presentation

He'll do anything to get that contract!

Willing to pull out all the stops.

Go to Bareass No75

For other Bareass boys click on the label below 

or start reading at Bareass No 1 and follow the links

Bareass Blogs No 73

 Bareass Barn Buggery

Go to Bareass No74 

I've also added a new caption to Bareass No 62, take a look!

For other Bareass boys click on the label below 

or start reading at Bareass No 1 and follow the links

Art by Drtkk

 

Drtkk - Rebels Arrested

The Roman theme is a new direction for this artist

The era is worth exploring if all rebels look like this there!

Love the skimpy trunks

Other art by Drtkk at mitchmenblog

Art by Kalabro

Kalabro - The Ice Cave

I stumbled across this image by Kalabro recently, 

it features his trademark 'hero suspended in a pit' theme

I don't know if it's new but I haven't seen it before.

It's nice to see buddies sharing their warmth in adversity.

I love the sprinkling of snow on their balls, very festive!

see Other Kalabro at mitchmenblog