Tom of Finland fell for Marlon Brando asThe Wild Oneand createda fantasy world of hyper-masculine motorcycle outlaws– loving other hyper-masculine outlaws. Get your hands on his avatar Kake, andover 200 more leather-clad hard riders– and we mean hard – in 192 compact pages.
Leather-clad outlaws with big strong motorcycles
In 1953 Marlon Brando donned a black leather Perfecto motorcycle jacket, military cap, denim jeans, and engineer boots to portray Johnny, sneering leader of the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, inThe Wild One. In 1954Tom of Finlandabandoned brown leather in his artwork to create his own wild ones:muscular, hyper-masculine, black leather-clad rebelswith powerful engines between their legs. The look was adopted by the Satyrs Motorcycle Club, the first gay outlaw club, that same year, making Tom’s fantasy world reality. Of course, being Tom, he soon customized hisnew gay icons, adding leather jodhpurs, knee high boots and leather caps, and every motorcycle bore the brand name “Tom” on the gas tank.Tom’s bikers first appeared as two “Motorcycle Boys” inPhysique Pictorial, Winter 1958. Another made the cover of the April 1960 issue. Bikers dominated hisPPcontent from then on, as a nod to its American readership as much as his growing obsession. When he sought an ongoing character, a personal avatar, in 1968,he created Kake as the ultimate biker leatherman, and elaborated on his riding adventures – of every kind - through 26-panel stories. Tom adopted Kake’s gear as his own, presenting in black leather jacket, white t-shirt, jeans, and high boots to the end of his life.The Little Book of Tom: Bikersincludes Tom’s earliest images forPhysique Pictorial, Kake in motorcycle gear, biker panel stories, and sizzling single drawings, all packed into192 pages of sexy, masculine men enjoying other masculine menin black leather, blue jeans, and high black boots. On bikes.

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