...This blog started when I was making photomorphs of superheroes (like the ones in the banner at the top of the blog) for fun. It was sort of a hobby and a way to experiment with photoshop techniques. There were a few websites at the time (mostly straight sites I should say) that shared photomorph artwork of superheroes...mostly the female ones. And although I could have certainly added to the hundreds of sexy/nude Wonder Woman, Supergirl and She-Hulk photomorphs out there---as a gay man, I went with the male characters. Which was way more fun for me.
...Eventually, I found a yahoo group or two, that was only for gay photomorphs so, I started posting my art there. And after many requests for previous artwork that newer members missed, I started this blog. Where I could share that art with everyone.
...But as my life got more filled, and I didn't have new art finished to share, I uploaded gay/superhero related images to keep everyone entertained between new art postings. And at some point the blog became mostly about gay/superhero images, and less about my art. Because my personal life was very busy.
...So that's part of the reason I'm closing the blog down. It's sort of become something it was not intended to be. And also, I want to move on to other types of artwork. I've always said if my photos of clouds or nature had been popular I'd have made a blog about that. But gay superheroes got a massive response---so I gave what you guys wanted---hot heroes! Lol. But really no one is doing superhero photomorphs as much these days. Mainly because superheroes in the last decade have really become popular as feature films and moved into a mainstream stature. You can find imagery everywhere, even women dressed as sexy Captain America on Halloween---they sell sexy ladies versions of male superheroes as costumes. That's pretty mainstream as you can get. And that's great. But I'm ready to move onto other artwork for myself. I'll still always enjoy comics and superhero films but, I want to do other kinds of artwork. And explore the many other sides of myself, ideas and interests.
...which is common for an artist to do. And I am one. It's what I do. And it's what other artists have done in the past.
...I'll probably mention some of the nice things about doing this blog in another post later. But I want to use this post to talk about a negative thing with this blog. I can count on one hand the people in my real life who I've told about this blog. And about half of them can understand what being an artist is, they are comfortable with human sexuality and that sometimes, art and sexuality meet. While the other half turned out to be narrow minded clods, who clearly are uncomfortable with all sexuality (other than their own) and couldn't understand art, an artist or be comfortable about any of it.
...I found this shocking and strange. Maybe they just have no understanding of the world. That sex/erotic imagery is everywhere! Seriously. It's what motivates people to find love. To make families. To keep in shape. To succeed. And it motivates the plot of many books, epic love stories, the works of Shakespeare, art, tv, film, politics, it gets you to buy certain cars, to buy diamond rings, flowers, etc----it motivates you, me, them, us....everything. Ever. In the history of the world. And erotic imagery has always been in art. So it was surprising to find people who were so negative about it.
...Yet, these same people would tell me in real life about every skanky-assed piece of sex they ever got. How they used half the grocery produce section in their latest bedroom sexcapade. How they are cheating on one boyfriend with 3 different guys on the side. Would gladly have unprotected sex with some stranger they don't know. Have to take the day after meds to cover for their stupid mistakes. Would tell me about which bodily fluids they had or didn't have in their mouth. While in a some fetish gear with a drug induced haze from some pill they got that night.............and then have the balls to tell me because I posted a pic of a hot muscle guy in Batman underwear that I'm messed up?!??!? No friggin way.
...I've never once said to them "hmmm maybe you're a skanky ho." What they do in the bedroom doesn't bother me---as long as no one gets hurt. Fetishes/fantasy/vanilla sex/whatever----to me it's all fun. And to each their own. Whatever floats your boat. It's okay to me. Because all people gay/straight or otherwise are freaky. The adult film industry is mostly a straight multi-billion dollar industry. And just go look at the straight sex/fetishes/freaky stuff straight people are up to----that you can find in adult films or online. Does anyone remember 2 girls and a cup?!?!? There are adult films for diapering adults, rolling in the mud, popping balloons sex, sex with "real dolls" etc, etc, etc. It's not my thing but, go ahead and let your freak flag fly.
...But it was surprising to find a sort of backlash from these freaky people in my life (who are not in my life now, thank goodness.)
...but back to artists. Artists come in all types these day...actors, writers, singers, performers, dancers...and traditional artists. Nobody in the world gets upset when an actor or actress gets nude for a film love scene and then goes to church the next day. Nobody gets upset at a writer who writes a trashy bondage novel (hello "fifty shades of grey"---that thing was talked about for months in every form of media---with kids around. Nice job straight people.) Nobody gets upset when a singer sings a song about sex or is provocative to sell it. Nobody gets upset about grinding, twerking, etc on a dance floor or all over youtube.
...But I got to hear crap----as an artist, of this blog---- because I made some hot hero art? I say suck my balls, to those jackasses.
...That what artists do. We express ourselves in many ways and that can include erotic ways too. In my real life I do artwork for every subject out there. Clean, G-rated, innocent artwork. And here...I was expressing myself in a more erotic way to a particular genre. It's not the only genre I like...but it was the theme for this blog. And that's what I was sticking too. And to me it was good clean adult fun. No harm, no foul.
...And I'm not the first to dabble with both sides of art...innocent and erotic. Lets look at a few, that maybe they didn't know about...
...first there is Superman co-creator and artist Joe Shuster...
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...he created the look and artwork of the original Superman comics. And helped to create one of the most iconic pop culture figures of all time and a billion dollar hero franchise. But...........he also as an artist drew bondage themed S&M art for bondage books and magazines. Many of which have been collected in a recent book...
...then there's actor/artist Fred Gwynne, most famous for playing Herman Munster on the tv series "the Munsters"...
...but his mother was a famous cartoonist and he inherited her artistic skills. And before he became famous as an actor, he had a book of erotic artwork called "what's nude?"...
...after being type cast as Herman Munster he spent most of the 1970s writing and illustrating his own series of children's books, showing that while there was an erotic side to him, an actor side too, and he had a children's author side...
...then there's artist/writer Dan Decarlo, who became the artist who defined the style and look of Archie comics...
...Dan also went on to create 2 of their most enduring titles. One being Josie and the pussycats, which became a twice successful cartoon show and also a feature film...
...and his other creation, Sabrina the teenage witch. Which became a twice succesful cartoon show, and a long running sitcom.
...and on the side Dan Decarlo drew sexy adult cartoons for various mens magazine of the day too. Which have been collected in multiple volumes of books...
...All of the above is just good cheeky fun to me. They were multi-talented, and expressed themselves in various ways. And I do too. I'm just following in the same footsteps. And that's where I'm at in life and ready to move on to new art experiences. So screw the haters. What do they know? I've had fun. I plan to have even more fun and do more artwork. Some of it even erotic. GASP! Shocking! Lol. Just like artists have always done, and will always do.
...I'll post about the fun experiences of this blog a bit later. Thanks for reading :)
5 comments:
There are some of us out here who really appreciate both your artistic integrity AND this post explaining your views. Thanks for some great imagery over the past year that I've subscribed - and here's wishing you much happiness and personal satisfaction with whatever venture you throw yourself into next!
Hey Randy! I appreciate your kind words, thanks :)
Love your blog, love your work. Continue to create! Never worry about anyone else when you create your art. There will always be detractors, but there will always be those who appreciate as well. Thanks for the years of posts!
Wow, thanks JD!
Merry Christmas.
I hope that you will keep the blog open, in case you might decide to occasionally share some of your future works with us.
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