Jero - Baseball Jock 1

I think this series probably ought to be entitled, 'The Baseball Jock's Dream' since it features a strikingly handsome man's intimate experiences with some little green men. I don't normally favour fetish scenarios with cartoon characters, but in this day and age these gremlin-like creatures are probably a safer bet as purveyors of mischief than the diminutive humanoids which I've featured in a couple of posts in the recent past. Anyway, this guy is so hunky I couldn't resist bringing him into the fold. Even without the invaders this image of him fast asleep in a vulnerable position with the window wide open would make a pleasing erotic statement all by itself.

Jero - Baseball Jock 2

Jero - Baseball Jock 3

 An extract from the latest chapter of Mitchell's 'Flat Cap Gang' at mitchmen Google Group

Mitchell - Pawed and Groped

Detective Constable Ferret (right) has been abducted by the Flat Cap Gang and trained to fight and provide other services for the amusement of punters in the 'Butt Bar'. Facing a grudge fight against the Chief Guard, he is tethered to a display post by his collar which incorporates electronic punishment routines to keep the captives under control. He is unexpectedly joined at the post by the notorious 'Black Trainer' (so called because he usually dresses in black). He has been condemned to a punishment fight by his superior in the gang because of his ill-treatment of the prisoners. He has never had to wear a control collar before.

~

"In the Butt Bar, Ferret was eyeing the Black Trainer, wondering how his old foe had fallen from grace and ended up tethered to the same post as him. He was tempted to gloat, but to his surprise the Black Trainer turned to him and cool as a cucumber, said in the chummy East End fashion, “Alright mate?” as though there were nothing odd about the situation and had never been any animosity or friction between them. Despite this facade however he could see The Black Trainer was unhappy. He kept twisting his neck trying to make the collar more comfortable, but it wasn't designed to be comfortable. Finally in frustration he shook his head vigorously, Ferret tried to warn him, but the collar controller reacted quicker. It automatically administered a brief shock to both of them and rapidly wound in their leads. They were drawn up together on tip toes, their bare bodies touching. The Black Trainer grunted angrily but Ferret could feel him trembling. A group of customers who had seen what had happened gathered round them, pawing them and groping them with clumsy, clammy hands."

~

The Flat Cap Gang continues in weekly instalments at the mitchmen Google Group.

.

Planet Gay - Vampire 1

These first two images by Planet Gay are an unusual take on the Vampire theme seeming to imply that the blood-sucking predator might have an alternative existence as a spider rather than the traditional bat. Trapped in his web the victim awaits his fate. The gleaming highlights on his (rather enticing) body suggest that it's either an unusually hot dungeon, perhaps thanks to all the candles (see below) or that he's overwhelmed with fearful thoughts. 

Notice the cat-like beings in the background.

This image draws on two common themes from bondage photo art - suspension and spider's webs. The combination of the two in this case creates a compelling impression of captivity. The chain webs seen in bondage photos have the same potential but often seem to end up as simple spreader frames for a captive standing on the ground. With notable exceptions of course.

Planet Gay - Vampire 2

The victim, as you might expect from this artist, is a strikingly handsome young man. He courageously matches the Vampire's gaze (a dangerous thing to do if my memory serves me right). No doubt he's wondering whether his captor intends to torment him from the floor - perhaps using the candelabra - or whether he is going to morph into his spidery self to scale the web and one shudders to think what might happen after that. Spiders, you probably recall, liquefy their prey rather than sucking its blood.

This guy's entrapment is more in the nature of conventional bondage than the mysterious stickiness of the spider's web. However, there are echoes of spidery behaviour in the wrapping of his nether regions by the criss-crossing ropes, to create a sort of packed lunch. I suspect the protection and modesty they seem to provide may prove illusory, not least because the ropes bulge outwards at the point of convergence in a manner that suggests a considerable and enticing presence lurks behind them. 

Notice that there are bats in this image instead of cats. This must be where the vamp keeps his pets.

Planet Gay - Art Exhibit

Planet Gay - Cupid's Arrow

Planet Gay Intoxications

Planet Gay - Bromance

Planet Gay - Knight and Squire

Planet Gay - Party 09

Planet Gay - Steam Punk Sauna

Another example of pet-like devotion.

Planet Gay - Party 06

Planet Gay - Party 11

A rather sexy picture of a somewhat bewildered man, tied up and gagged in his underwear. His armband, I think, is that of a military policeman and most of  this artist's output seems to feature military scenarios. You sense this image is derived from a photograph, the bold angling somehow looks familiar, but the artistic transformation using economical outlines and subtle colouring creates a pleasing result.

In this image the bondage ingredient is given the context of an abduction with a hooded villain lording it over his captive. The top of the head is quite a sensitive area, so touching it like this is more unpleasant than it looks, it's usually inflicted on children in our culture and they hate it.

 The speech bubbles (with an unusual, angular shape) suggest the villain is better at shibari style bondage than gagging, since his captive is still able to converse with him. The language is Thai, making this the first contribution to mitchmen from that part of the world. I haven't a clue what they are saying, I'm afraid. Maybe one of my readers can help out.

The artist has shied away from a realistic depiction of what happens when two tight ropes pass under a man's crotch like this, instead they are resolutely straight (if you'll pardon the expression) and don't appear to be troubling the contents of his pants.

This image switches the captivity and restraint theme to a Police scenario, but the belt buckles suggest that the captive himself is also a cop. His captor's relaxed stance and smile suggests that it's not interrogation at the forefront of his mind. 

His crossed arms showcase meaty muscles indicating that it was his superior strength that enabled him to overpower his Police colleague. Psychologically, though, the pose closed and unthreatening, as if he's not really interested in investigating the unzipped, sagging trousers. Nevertheless the captive seems to be having an 'oh no, not that' moment. 

The detailing of the exposed underwear is a clue to this artist's interest in such garments which almost matches his obsession with uniforms.

Underwear comes to the fore again here. A traffic cop has been part-stripped, gagged and restrained in a mild hog-tie arrangement. His underpants are intact but have been soiled by his captor's body fluids as has his uniform and his body. It looks as if his boots have been stolen in the manner of 'Boot Lust' fetish, but it seems that it is the despoiling of the man and his uniform that excites this artist most. To a military man, his uniform is sacrosanct and such contemptuous treatment would be extremely offensive and degrading - and likely to get him into hot water with his superiors (figuratively speaking of course!).

By contrast, this shibari bondage image is almost academic in nature. The naked captive has been given a muscular body and his face and haircut seem to be be indicative of inner strength and dangerous qualities if provoked. However, that potential has been tamed by this comprehensive restraint. Holding the strip of cloth in his mouth seems to be hugely submissive, it's as if he is passively waiting to be gagged with it. 

The cloth actually resembles the Japanese fundoshi or loin cloth and I believe there is a Thai equivalent, equally drenched with cultural significance regarding maleness and coming of age. Being gagged with one's own personal loin cloth is more humiliating, I suspect, than the western equivalent of stuffing mouths with designer Calvins.

That sense of power and strength being tamed and contained (and abused!) is equally evident in this colourful image of a Thai boxer who has body tattoos that lay claim to the dangerous qualities that characterise the dragon. I guess 'windy' does not mean cowardly in Thai!

This man tied to a rail in an enclosure of some sort seems from his clothing to have the qualities of a workman or labourer, with his tee shirt logos suggesting a military background too. 

Notice that he, like the cop above earlier, seems to have lost a boot, perhaps suggesting this is an encounter with  a stronger man who has an interest in the olfactory side of foot worship. Personally I find the leg openings of his shorts more tempting.

This image introduces the theme of buddies kidnapped together but it's also interesting in the way it draws attention to the intensely observed detailing of the uniforms, even their creases, in this artist's pictures. I'm fascinated by the thumb resting on the bench but I've no idea if it's a particularly significant detail. The wary, expectant looks of the prisoners tell of unpredictable captors.

This final image is a calming example of classic shibari with a near total absence of erotic undertones - on the part of the artist anyway. The captive's restraint imposes an unnatural posture on him that may become increasingly painful but he has been spared the demands of a shorter neck-to-ankle linkage. 

The colour palette is beautifully balanced here. The dark toned, plain background seems to reflect the captive's inability to see what is happening around him. The colouring of his uniform is suggestive of an Air Force man but most of the uniforms drawn by this artist seem to incorporate a winged badge, sometimes more than one.

~

This artist has multiple social network pages including Team52 @ Twitter and Team52 @Instagram but the best selection seems to be at Team52Crazy's facebook page. Most of the public art is censored or innocuous with a few exceptions but you get nice drawings of military men undressing or in suggestive situations. The adult content is (presumably) at Team52 @Patreon 

The gay art of Oztangles
Read this mitchmen series from Part 1

2020

Oztangles - The Temple 02

Oztangles produced a series of images in 2020 called 'The Temple' and in this one he creates the atmosphere of a sacrificial chamber with a captive lying spread-eagled across Oz's favourite altar stone. Before him stands a monk-like guard armed with a very sharp-looking machete.  

Two more men are suspended from nearby pillars looking on as they await their own fate. Meanwhile they are being utilised as light sources having been fitted with somewhat incongruous, leather fetish gags which are apparently come supplied with an ingenious, candle sconce accessory that you won't get from Ikea. Judging by the skeletons dangling just behind the altar, this is a long term commitment. 

Oz's rendering of anatomy and clothing reaches impressive levels here, but the background architecture is a bit flat. He dips into perilous waters with his retro, Afro-cum-Oceanic characterisation of the High Priest.

Oztangles - The Temple 06

The denouement turns out to be more prosaic as the intimidating guard melts away leaving the principals to get down to some dirty work.

A nicely balanced composition with good suspension imagery. 

Oztangles - Zane in Trouble

Suspension is the main focus of this image with a captive about to be dipped into water. The men are clad in traditional leather fetish gear but the setting has the feel of a modern workshop. It's a background Oz has used to good effect in other images. Here it all looks surprisingly clean and clinical.  

An ingenious transparent container is used for the dunking water. It gives a stronger sense that Zane is being lowered into it, not just suspended above it. It looks a tightish fit too, with not much scope for Zane to struggle, let alone lifting his head out of the water once he is dipped in it. 
These two are not playing games.

The character at the controls on the left has an other worldly quality about him that is quite sinister with dark, unreal skin toning and a fierce face that resembles the vengeful characters seen in medieval paintings and statues. Zane's pointing finger suggests he is attempting to negotiate a reprieve.

Oztangles  - Big Mistake

The man in this image seems to have made a surprising choice for the location of what seems to be his first tattoo. I can't say I'm qualified to comment on just how painful this is and, since tattoos feature in Oz's images infrequently, I suspect he is commenting from the side-lines too. Judging by his erectile state the recipient is finding some compensation in the caring hands of the tattooist, if not the needle itself - or maybe it's the combination of the two that is so stimulating. 

I'm no expert but the way the needle is being applied here doesn't look conventional. One might wish the tattoist would be showing more concentration on the task in hand and surely he doesn't need to spread his legs quite that wide!

The tattooing scenario disguises the sexual implications of this scenario only thinly, but there's a second, less obvious layer to the eroticism. It's the customer's right hand, tightly gripping the armrest of the chair. It also appears to be resting in the tattooist's crotch, indeed it's easy to mistake his wrist with a suggestive body part belonging to the other man. In its way, this element is a mini-masterpiece of  hidden eroticism that the old masters of gay art would have greatly appreciated. 

Oz has managed to find some interesting and authentic-looking background detail for this picture which greatly enhances it. For once there isn't a dildo in sight.

Oztangles - Zdeno's Workout 1

I rather like this straightforward piece showing a boxer beefing up in a gym. It's a place which we've visited several times before in this retrospective (see Part 4, covering 2015-19). If you've seen those images there are no prizes for guessing what happens to the mirror in the companion piece to this picture - Zdeno's Workout 2 (Clue #1:- he's naked in it, Clue #2 see below).

2021

Oztangles - Quarantine Wank

Lest we forget, 2020-21 gave the word 'isolation' a whole new meaning. For gay men obsessed with cruising the deprivation must have been at least the equal of the more well-publicised traumas.
The very term 'lock down' must have seemed a cruel irony 

This image celebrates the consolation prize God left with men, for use when they weren't required for procreation. You probably remember that we have seen other versions of this memorable, sexy pose  at mitchmen blog. 

Oz's cum-spattered mirror seems to have become something of an obsession, extending back a long way (e.g. 2015), well before the virus struck, but the 'virtual' partner seen in the reflection acquired a new vividness in those months of isolation. The 'Angel' character goes back even further to 2009  and has made other sporadic appearances since then (notably in 2019). His imaginary wings that which might have allowed him to fly away to freedom became a poignant symbol in a period that was a time of introspection and nostalgia for the old days.

And who believed the politicians who said Covid would become the new normal? 
They actually got it right for once, dammit!

Oztangles - Ed's Nightmare 05

The centrepiece of 2021's offerings has to be 'Ed's Nightmare' in which he is abducted from his bed by a military gang and handed over in shackles to the leather clad thug we see in this picture. In a typically Oz, high-tech torture chamber he is mounted in a metal spreader frame in front of a TV camera which is dispassionately recording every moment of his nightmare. 

 The X-frame and spread-eagle pose is standard bdsm imagery, but combining it with suspension is less common and very disorienting for the recipient. Oz manages to infuse Ed's limbs with a degree of tension that make it look genuinely stretched. His body shaping and skin tones are softly succulent and the dramatic, ethnic tattoo on his backside accentuates his vulnerability and nudity. 

Those grey demonic skin tones seen in 'Zane in Trouble' (above) surface again in this villain (if you view him as one). He sits back contemplating his prey and  allowing Ed plenty of time to assess him in return, wondering what he is planning to do with him. Meanwhile the camera catches every minute.

Oztangles - Ed's Nightmare 11

Ed is subjected to a series of torments without ever leaving the frame. Many of them utilise electricity and this, the last scene, is arguably the most dramatic. Notice the time that has elapsed during this demanding examination. His feet have been lowered closer to the ground, perhaps to achieve electrical grounding, but he can still only reach it with his toes. The curious balancing on curled toes here seems to reference ballet technique, a painful way to support body weight for the untrained - and it looks it here, although it's not clear whether the frame is obliging him to do that in this set-up.

Oztangles - Tony's Adventure 06

Oztangles - Tony's Adventure 09

Oztangles - Tony's Adventure 07

This is an intermediate scene. Normally I would pass over an image like this since it's frequently replicated in every porn film you've ever seen and most homoerotic art. But I think Oz has made an exceptionally good job of it here. Tony's pose is perfection and his chunky physique is transformed into an idealised form that any man would appreciate. Paradoxically, the slender stripper unexpectedly exhibits gloriously chunky thighs, an exaggeration that I appreciate. His sitting position has no hint of submissiveness, he's comfortable giving service. Nice.

Oztangles - Laundry Day 01

This is a more everyday fantasy, which was memorably invoked in 1985 (but not fulfilled) in the Nick Kamen launderette ad for Levi jeans and also in one of my own ramblings My Beautiful Launderette. Like the 'Tony' series this story features a man whose outward appearance might be considered unattractive by some, in this case because he is wearing spectacles. 

By contrast his opposite number is a classic, desirable hunk with a trendy, undercut hairstyle, an enviable physique and skimpy cut-off shorts intended to make sure everyone notices him. But in an unusual twist on the 'Unattainable Bar Man' syndrome, it's he who falls for the Laundromat attendant - or his ass at any rate - as he watches him tending the machines.

Oztangles - Laundry Day 05

Oztangles - Pier Street Sunday Morning

This image is also based on an unusual pose, but it is really a commonplace sight on city streets and at surfer beaches. Oz transforms the imagery by making the city skateboarder a grown up man and stripping away his clothing to reveal an emphatically adult and well-honed physique. The resulting figure study seems surprisingly original and his twisted body and balancing pose is comparable in beauty to the male statues of antiquity - just imagine the skateboard replaced by a discus or a javelin in his hand. However, this modern, over-grown kid is much sexier. 

This is one of those render pictures where it's hard to tell where the software leaves off and the artistry begins, but for me it's the result that counts and this is a great result. It's one of several images in 2021 where Oz explores athletic, unconventional body poses (like the wheelbarrow and quarantine images above) and it's much to the benefit of his art.

Oztangles - Naughty Corner 02

The title of this piece prepares you for another S&M romp but in fact this is more chuck-flick than bdsm. It shows the moment when Mario, the sub is freed from his chastity cage and tether after 3 weeks in isolation for dilly-dallying with the plumber. Oz does not indicate whether the formidable electrical installation nearby has figured in this punishment.

 The sub-title to this scene is 'Keep still, dammit, the key's stuck!'  So it's actually a comic moment with the master kneeling, apologetically almost, before his hyper -frustrated slave. 

Another cum-splattered mirror seems in prospect.

Oztangles - A Busy Day (detail)

I won't leave 2021 without mentioning this series, entitled 'Execution'. It's a frank and disturbing telling of a grisly tale with a twist of cynical exploitation thrown in. Coming from this artist, it's unexpected. I have covered noose art here at mitchmen before (see 'noose' label at foot of the post for other posts on the subject) but this detail is all I intend to show of Oz's challenging contribution to the genre. 

You can view the whole sequence at the link given at the end of this post. 

2022

Oztangles - Punishment Cell 01

Oztangle's 2022 work is dominated by the Punishment Cell series. It picks up the theme of isolation as punishment which featured also in Naughty Corner (just above). However, in this case it's a Military Punishment for answering back. The nudity of the prisoner here doesn't quite fit with that background and the chastity device on a chain which is only just long enough to allow him use the bucket seems to take us into Guantanamo country. It seems that he is in the midst of relieving his (understandable) anxieties when the disciplinarian Sergeant Vane arrives wearing his 'wet work' outfit and bringing rope and blood-curdling promises.

Oztangles - Punishment Cell 03

Jack, the hapless offender is released from his chain, but only to be trussed for punishment on a bloodstained table. Hopefully, the assorted implements on the bottom shelf mean the torments planned for him will be bloodless. 

The tight leg restraint shown here is a tie that has long excited me, going way back to the 'My Initiation' image. It's ultimately a demanding stress position and often features (without ropes) in wrestling contests. Tied like this, I doubt that Jack could achieve the back-lift shown, unaided.

Oztangles - Punishment Cell 05

Sgt Vane's ropework ultimately results in this neat shibari packaging coupled with suspension (again). The Sgt proceeds to torment imaginatively Jack's unprotected, vulnerable areas. 

This is a further example of Oztangle's interest in unusual, stressed positions for the male body which seemed to begin in 2021. Technically it's a significant advance from the simple X-Spreading deployed in Ed's Nightmare (see above) and several other Oz images.  For the observer this tight, self-contained restraint causes the erotic focus to shift from the body of the prisoner to the restraint mechanism. 

This tight relative of the hog-tie position is very hard to capture, even in photographs, so Oz has done well here. The eternal rendering problem of achieving a snug-looking fit with clothing and (here) rope doesn't prevent him from producing a great, stimulating image.

Oztangles - Punishment Cell 08

Sgt Vane is not without a sense of humour. He expounds the theory of chaotic movement as he swings Jack on the suspension chain with weights attached to his nipples and balls and going in different directions. Oz manages to capture a real sense of swinging movement in this picture and his contrasting characterisations of the two men work well too. The more subtle bdsm of this image lies in the tweaking of Jack's arms as he swings, heavily weighted on the chain.

Oztangles - Punishment Cell 10

Lesson learned,  Jack formally makes amends in the time-honoured, homoerotic way. 

Offering service while tied up is not uncommon in fetish imagery but I can't recall it being portrayed in quite this way before. Oz emphasises Jack's restraint and submissiveness, rather than the sexual exchange. This position, formally kneeling with head-bowed, departs from the usual 'oral' formula whereby the sucker is expected to look up at his master as though entranced with him and anxious to know that he's doing the job correctly.  

By contrast Jack's pose looks detached and rather dignified and it is intensely appealing.  

Oztangles - Five More Minutes

This image relies on a similar use of weights to torment, but with the focus on simple endurance rather than rough tugging. Once again, Oz does well to create a real impression of stretching with the captive forced to stand on tip-toes. It's a virtually inescapable form of restraint and immobilisation and it's pure simplicity heaps frustration on top for the captive. His agonised expression gives a real sense of that his thresholds are already being tested to the limit and the announcement (in the title) of an extension to his designated time is adding anger to his difficulties.

The tormentor's slightly unkempt and grizzled appearance contrasts with the college boy neatness of his test subject and predictably he's completely indifferent to the poor man's mute appeal. Characteristically abreast of the latest trends, Oz shows him taking a photo of his discomfort and helpless captivity. It adds a little twist of sadistic humiliation with the further threat of a public airing of his plight for the amusement of strangers - and possibly those who know him.

These two make an improbable couple, but Oz des not enlighten us on what has brought them together in this way.

Oztangles - The Night Before

This image may offer a clue to that puzzle. It seems to show the same older man, but dressed in an unexpectedly professional manner. He's approaching a younger street hustler who's neatly dressed and clean looking, but provocatively appealing. More fantasy than reality alas. He has a similar appearance to the prisoner in the preceding picture.

Oztangles - The Morning After

The companion image shows a very different outcome with both parties having ended up in a seedy hotel(?) room, naked and apparently unfulfilled. It harks back to the 2019 Night Clerk image which seemed to embody a similar sense of disillusion and disappointment. In another Oz reversal of the usual, depressing rules of life, it seems to be the prodigiously equipped young hunk who has not come up to the mark.

Oztangles - Imperial Guard

This is Oz's latest posting at Renderotica as I write. 

Here's to 2023!

Read this mitchmen series from Part 1

~

Oztangle's work is not always perfectly crafted but there a plenty of impressive highlights. He explores interesting bdsm themes but also more commonplace feelings which ordinary mortals can relate to.

There's an extensive collection of Oztangles at Renderotica which is free to join. The filters applied to some works don't always stop you viewing them, but they're not always as exciting as you might hope!

Cas - Hustler

The 1960's artist Cas was an omission from my original A-Z series on fetish artists which seems unwarranted in retrospect. This image, one of his better known, probably explains why I left him out. The hustler clad in skin-tight leather pants has a splendid muscular body but Cas has depicted him as a coquettish, effeminate vamp right down to the way he is holding his symbolically smouldering match in a pose worthy of Marlene Dietrich. It seems to encapsulate the negative, self-contradictory stereotyping of the era which portrayed gays as being effeminate and at the same time sexual predators which ordinary (i.e. straight) men apparently found hard to resist. 

It's not a look that grabs me erotically but I suppose I should have appreciated that Marlene's persona was a deliberate, bold assertion of female sexuality and strength that completely debunked the 'little woman' conventions and restraints of her era. Cas is emulating that here, his hustler is mocking the stereotyping by owning and flaunting it, he oozes (almost literally it seems) self assurance and confidence. If you cover his face, the depiction of his muscularity is probably the most erotic in all of Cas's work.

Cas - Aperitif

In this brilliant picture, Cas flips the coin, poking fun at gays who adopt a façade of rough, butchness that cannot hide their cultivated inner-selves. This biker is a visual treat for leather lovers. He casually sprawls across an antique chair, beautifully drawn with torn, dishevelled clothes, unkempt hair and stubbled cheeks, projecting an image that promises rough and dirty sex. There's a cleverly disguised outline of something big in his pants. However, his delicate cigarette holder and tiny glass of aperitif, reveals him to be highly refined, the shoulder-ribbons suggest he's something of a dandy too. 

You can also take this to be an Eliza Doolittle scenario where a tough is being taught manners by a man of a 'higher station' in life. That scenario was not an uncommon experience for gay men back then. By necessity, they met anonymously in public places - toilets, discreet gay bars or clubs - where they were equally likely to meet a plumber or a professor, a rich man or a poor man, a young man or a pensioner, a soldier or a ballet dancer.

Cas - Director's Cut?

The label to the left of the captive's foot says 'Intolerance Scene 1724', bottom left and is probably referencing the message of  DW Griffith's epic 1916 film, although it did not deal specifically with sexual intolerance.

It's ironic that the sadism of Christian story-telling and imagery has for centuries provided a cloak of legitimacy for homoerotic art that explores the darkest forms of  desire.

Cas - Laundromat

'mitchmen' has visited the laundromat scenario a few times recently (see Art of Oztangles 5 , 'Laundry Day' image for links) but you might be surprised to learn that Cas beat Nick Kamen to it by about 20 years. It's another wry dig at the whole 'butch biker' image of course but he's done it by taking a common, semi-clad, beefcake magazine pose and dropping it into a real world setting where the erotic implications of the residual cap and boots are enhanced and can ferment in the pants of imaginative viewers. 

The oppressive restrictions of the day deterred him from suggestively showing another man in the image, although a cartoon woman or women registering some sort of comic response, like that in a 'saucy' seaside postcard by McGill would have probably have been perfectly OK.

Smoking cigarettes features in many of his pictures. In those days it was a near-universal practice, often characterised as masculine and expected of you if you wanted to fit in.

Cas - Roughhouse

This image shows the sort of scenario that might have been triggered by that innocent laundry image. Ostensibly a dramatic wrestling scene it's pretty obvious on further inspection that this man is having his jeans removed by the two assailants. They are both essentially naked as far as we can see, leaving the strong suspicion that his underpants will go the same way.

The wooden boarding at the back and the cap and boots worn by one of the attackers look rather like sea-faring imagery at first sight but the badge on the cap points to a biker scenario in the days when turned down boot tops were trendy and WW2 German army logos were a commonplace way of expressing individuality (a practice which spectacularly resulted in Prince Harry hitting a brick wall of revulsion and providing an early demonstration of his uncanny ability to manufacture unwarranted press intrusion by wearing a full blown uniform to a party in 2005).

Cas - Bar Fight

Fight scenes were a legitimate way of showing men interacting in a highly physical manner with their inadvertently ripped clothes exposing sexy flesh, although Cas here seems to rely more on the ambiguity caused by relatively featureless, skin-tight clothing. A scattering of playing cards provides a simple excuse for the argument if not the extensive semi-nudity (strip poker doesn't usually get this heated)!  

Etienne - Bar Brawl

Cas - Black Master

Cas - Balancing Above

Cas - Tights

Cas - Gardener in Ledehosen Shorts

No link for Cas I'm afraid

Planet Gay - Waiting For Christmas

I already expressed my admiration for the artwork produced by Planet Gay and the delicious hunks he's populated them with in several articles this year, but I couldn't resist making this image the centrepiece of my Christmas Day offering, which as usual is dedicated to anyone who is alone or who feels alone at this time of year when everyone else seems to be enjoying themselves.

I suppose this image of togetherness with a gay couple gazing out of a window at the winter wonderland might seem an odd choice in that context but gays don't have to be in a relationship to share such pleasures and you don't have to be in a relationship to appreciate the joy sharing brings. Besides, looking out for Santa's sleigh is a cute allusion to happy childhood memories. 

For me, this is also a normalising image that gives gay men a legitimate place of their own in a festival that is resolutely 'family' oriented in our society (for 'family' read 'heterosexual'). Hence I've tagged this post with my 'Pride' label at the bottom.

If, on the other hand, you think this picture is far too slushy 
and hardly in keeping with this blog's fetish credentials, well, read on.....

Planet Gay - Who's Not Been A Good Boy

It turns out the two young men are waiting for Santa to arrive and the light in the first picture signals the approach of his gift-laden sleigh. (It looks like Rudolph's nose has been upgraded up this year or else he's been replaced by a lighting system borrowed from a  Pop Festival). The fact that the pair seemed to have stripped off in readiness for Santa's arrival suggests they haven't put a train set or an Action Man at the top of their Christmas list. 

We all know that boys who haven't been good during the year don't get a present from Santa. Unfortunately gay men have a talent for being naughty even if they do have skills with dressing and décor (witness the authentic Victorian chaise). I'm not sure whether getting spanked by Santa counts as a present or a punishment, but I'm glad to see the pink-cheeked recipient looks genuinely discomforted. 

I suppose he'll be getting a consolation gift from Santa's sack afterwards - I'm talking about the one sitting on the floor of course, filled with nutritious fruits, nuts and gingerbread men. Yum!

Planet Gay - We Heard You Weren't a Good Boy

In this picture his partner already has his gingerbread man, so he may have been spanked already.
The roaring fire in the background could be a clue to the fiery heat that he's feeling.
Unfortunately the way Santa is weighing up his backside doesn't suggest he's finished with it yet.
Hence the telling look of dread on his face.

Perhaps the biscuit is a bribe to comfort him in readiness for 
the blunt end of the chunky candy cane being brandished by the elvish assistant.

It's not clear whether the gym horse that the young man has been set astride is a piece of equipment the couple keep in their living room for daily exercises or has been brought along by Santa on the luggage rack of his sleigh for this express purpose.

Planet Gay - Vaxxi-Claus

Brick - Slave Academy 2022 (No 10)

~

The table below lists the most popular of the new mitchmen posts published during 2022. I'm sticking with last years method of simply counting hits with a mention of other factors in the notes.
(Titles have links to the original posts, column 4 shows annualised hit rate).

On mobiles the table is best viewed by turning your phone sideways

Read Part 1 of this article - Bondage Art by Team52Crazy

This picture is a further variation on the eroticism of violating the sanctity of uniforms 
but I certainly can't accuse this one of lacking courage.

Two cops amuse themselves by employing their batons for a ball-beating challenge instead of using them to direct traffic. It's one of a series, a later picture shows one of them reflecting on the mound it has produced in his trousers.

This picture with it's painful test of manhood and the artist's curious way of depicting eyes, plus the cropped hair in earlier pictures reminds me very much of the Art of Andy Warlord who I plan to feature here in the new year. 

Even service men are allowed to have their own secret desires. At first sight it appears this one has been overpowered and gagged by some predator but the artist reveals to us that he has a secret fetish. Hidden beneath his uniform is a set of leather fetish regalia. We might suppose from his gag that he likes to be dominated in the uniquely ritualistic way that is leather S&M.

This curious way of trying to show erotic things that are normally hidden is a phenomenon that seems to be a particular feature of Asian art. It's more commonly used add explicitness in showing sexual penetration but this is a more interesting application. In effect it's trying to show us what goes on inside this man's mind. A sort of ying and yang image, although you might argue that a man in uniform is the embodiment of submission to a master anyway. The leather thongs merely add an explicit erotic dimension.

This image carries the same message, but less subtly. Ordinarily daubings like this are applied by someone else as a demonstration of their power, so the undressing action here is an act of voluntary submission in response to that. 

A man in the act of undressing always makes an interesting picture and this one cleverly combines two examples of that particularly sexy moment when the fastenings are undone and begin  to reveal what is underneath. In this case it includes an intriguing jockstrap with a military green waistband and a blue pouch covered with patterns which are vaguely reminiscent of camouflage but strangely suggestive of contents that are extremely interesting and full. Notice how the lower edge of the waistband detours round the mound. Nice.

There's a powerful sense of submission here too. A salacious detail is obscured on the left, but for me the main interest lies in the soldier's arching torso, bursting out of his uniform in a vivid demonstration of the real human inside. The depiction of his groin area is beautifully detailed but commendably restrained.

This is a great beefcake picture that combines the power imagery of a uniform with the accentuated masculinity of highly developed muscles. However, this image also seems to show there's a rather different, youthful and somewhat innocent creature within. He has just knelt at the altar of another man, communed and been duly anointed. This is the embarrassing comic aftermath and you get the impression that it wasn't exactly what he was expecting. 

Navy whites seem to have gone out of fashion as homoerotic dress but I personally am as entranced by them as ever I was in my youth (as you might guess from my current Royale obsession). I'm glad to see that Team52Crazy is carrying on the tradition.

Like the preceding image, there's a sense of experimentation here, with shades of Oztangles in the cum-splattered mirror. Bathroom selfies crop up in this artist's work quite often which reflects the modern day proliferation of such images on the internet. There's something quite sexy in this form of narcissism with it's overtones of private moments, modest men revealing their secret vanity and - in shared bathrooms - the lurking possibility of a stranger bursting in at the wrong moment.

In this picture one wonders just who was responsible for decorating the mirror so impressively, was it the selfie-taker or someone else who has left his mark behind for an admirer just as this? 

I don't speak Thai but the phone message in  this cartoon appears to be pointing out the relative merits of consuming different lengths of bananas (or something). The puzzlement of the butch-looking recipient is sexy but I'm not sure I know why!

~

This artist has multiple social network pages including Team52 @ Twitter and Team52 @Instagram but the best selection seems to be at Team52Crazy's facebook page. Most of the public art is censored or innocuous with a few exceptions but you get nice drawings of military men undressing or in suggestive situations. The adult content is (presumably) at Team52 @Patreon 

Kalabro - Milking Dave

 Above, a dramatic image by Kalabro taken from the original 'Milking Factory' article which was the most visited of all the posts at mitchmen in 2022. The 2009 mitchmen A-Z article on his early work also broke into the top 20 this year at No17 (below) and this artist also provided the second most popular new post of 2022.

 The table below lists the 20 most visited mitchmen posts during 2021. 

Commentary notes follow. (Titles have links to the original posts ).

To look at other charts for earlier years click on the MPP label at the foot of this post.

Thanks to all of you for your continuing interest and support of mitchmen blog.

Keep it tight in 2023!