The Mighty Foo 2 - The Ancients

 Read this mitchmen series about The Mighty Foo from Part 1

 This image channels Foo's spendidly lithe muscularity into the persona of a Warrior of the ancient world. He's staked out in a variant of the X-spread usually employed in hot climes by those who wish to leave the despatch of their enemies to the forces of nature. Something about the style of these images suggests an icier location me though, brrrr!

In this image he's drained of the essence of his manhood by another, ritualistically-dressed warrior, fresh from a fiercely fought battle. The implication is that this is a trophy captive who was not involved in the fight, but now must pay the price of defeat. The over-sized boots are a splendid detail but the it's the tensed, naked body, slightly lifted and twisted away from his tormentor that makes this picture so striking. It's actually a variant of the top image seen from a different angle, but it looks completely different with the interfering 'stag' providing impetus. 

A moment of capture is marvellously depicted here with a powerful, confident victor savouring the terrified spoils of battle with great satisfaction. Foo has an interest in facial expressions that adds much depth to his work, allowing us to glimpse the emotions of his characters as well as their actions. The captor here has the look of the native inhabitants of the Americas, which chimes with the spreadeagle punishment seen above - in the stereotypes of pulp fiction at least.  

 Here, Foo allocates the role of victor's prize to the character of 'Blondie' who we saw suffering the ultimate price of capture in 'The End Of The Patrol' (in Part 1 of this mitchmen series). I imagine that his distinctively European, pale appearance might seem weirdly exotic to these Warriors, who are cast in a very different mould. 

Blondie is induced to perform something of a party trick here, but it's Foo's portrayal of the intensity of their shared feelings at the moment of ecstasy that makes this image for me. Cool, manly determination and dominance induces a grudging, physical acknowledgement of his prowess from the defeated, and now submissive, captive.