The Little Book of Tom. Military Men

During World War II, Tom of Finland served in the Finnish air force and was inspired by the German troops stationed in Finland. He began putting his military fantasies on paper in 1945, and as he attracted an army of loyal fans, he created an army of free, proud, masculine fantasy men committed to pleasure and male camaraderie. The Little Book of Tom: Military Men explores Tom's fascination with militaria through a mixture of multi-panel comics and single-panel drawings and paintings.

Format: Hardback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 28 December 2022
Publisher: Taschen GmbH

When we think of Tom of Finland, we often conjure images of muscular, macho young men in military gear. Tom's vision of masculine perfection was shaped during his service as an officer during World War II. While he served in the Finnish air force, it was the German troops stationed in Finland to assist the country in repelling invading Russian forces that served as his primary source of inspiration. After all, only the Germans had uniforms designed by Hugo Boss, meticulously tailored, adorned with designer details, and complemented by high, shiny black leather boots. At the age of 19, Tom was captivated, and his obsession deepened after experiencing his first sexual encounters with German officers in the dark streets of Helsinki during the war.

In 1945, Tom began putting his military fantasies on paper, capturing the thrilling nighttime encounters he had during the war's aftermath. Initially, the Hugo Boss uniforms dominated his artwork, but as the years passed, he incorporated American naval uniforms into his creations, eventually developing his unique hybridized designs featuring black leather, jodhpurs, boots, and peaked caps. Instead of traditional military insignia, Tom replaced them with his Men patches. As Tom's fan base grew, he created an army of free, proud, masculine fantasy men, dedicated to pleasure and male camaraderie, with pencil, pen, and gouache.

The Little Book of Tom: Military Men delves into Tom's fascination with militaria through a combination of multi-panel comics, single-panel drawings, and paintings, all packaged in a compact and affordable 192 pages. Historic film stills, posters, personal photos of Tom, sketches, and Tom's reference images provide insights into the cultural context and personal inspirations behind the ultimate Tom of Finland hero.

Weight: 409g
Dimension: 195 x 140 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783836588683
Edition number: Multilingual ed