Tom of Finland: The Complete Kake Comics

Dian Hanson illustrated by Tom of Finland

ISBN 10: 3836502909 / ISBN 13: 9783836502900

Published by Taschen, 2008

About this Item

Soft Cover. Taschen 2008. Book condition: VF - Very Fine. Black & White illustrations. In 1965, Tom of Finland began flirting with the idea of an ongoing character for his panel stories, the ultimate Tom's Man. He tried out a blond named Vicky-a common male name in Finland-followed by a Tarzan-inspired Jack. Then in 1968 Tom settled on Kake, a dark-haired, mustached leatherman who often wore a tight white T-shirt bearing the motto "Fucker." Kake lived up to this moniker, a sort of post-Stonewall, hyper-masculine Johnny Appleseed traveling the world on his motorcycle to spread the seeds of liberated, mutually satisfying, ecstatically explicit gay sex. Tom lived out many of his most personal fantasies through Kake, and Kake's international fans made him the template for what came to be known as the gay clone look of the 1970s. Between 1968 and 1986, Tom published 26 episodes of Kake adventures, most as 20-page booklets. Tom of Finland The Complete Kake Comics collects all of these stories in one volume. Return with Kake to the days when men were men, sex was carefree, and everyone wore a big thick mustache. 704 pages. Size: 6" x 8" (150mm x 210mm). ISBN: 9783836502900. (2 TCCTOM).

Seller Inventory # TCCTOM

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Tom of Finland: The Complete Kake Comics
• Publisher: Taschen
• Publication Date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3836502909
• ISBN 13: 9783836502900
• Binding: Paperback
• Illustrator: Tom of Finland
• Condition: Fine
• Seller catalogs:
  • Books

About this title

Synopsis

<div>All 26 episodes of the Kake comic serial have been collected in one volume--a reflection of a time when gay men were men, sex was carefree, and everyone wore a big, thick, mustache.</div>

About the Author

Touko Laaksonen, the boy who would become Tom of Finland (1920-1991), began drawing cartoons at age five. His favorite subjects were the rough manly men of his native Finland, as Touko knew from an early age that men interested him more than women. His talents were further honed by art study in Helsinki. He found success in the Finnish advertising industry but secretly continued creating his increasingly erotic drawings of hyper-masculine men. In 1957 he submitted some drawings to the American magazine Physique Pictorial and the "Tom of Finland" legend was born. By the late '60s Tom's "dirty drawings" became the standard for gay art, and Tom's Men a template for a new gay masculinity. Tom's art continues to play an important role in promoting self-confidence, positive self-image and openness in the gay community. Dian Hanson is TASCHEN's sexy book editor. As a 25-year veteran of men's magazine publishing, she edited titles including Puritan, Oui, Outlaw Biker, Juggs, and Leg Show. Her many books for TASCHEN include Vanessa del Rio: 50 Years of Slightly Slutty Behavior and R. Crumb's Sex Obsessions.