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noizemagazine - Index

noizemagazine - noiZe Magazine Issue 59 February 2009 - Index

magazines in the ‘50s, by the ‘70s
he was exhibiting his work as Tom
of Finland and quit his day job to
focus solely on his now famous illustrations.
Bold with almost absurd dimensions,
his men nevertheless don’t
venture far into comic strip territory.
This was a new breed of anti-hero.
Combining sexual fantasy with a
kind of hyperrealism that stretched
the limits of the possible almost to
the breaking point, he resonated
deeply with an emerging generation
of gay men searching for a new
homosexual ideal. His work suited
the dark, bacchanalian mood of the
era perfectly.
Superhero Redux
So why now, when things like the
Circuit and marriage have made us
a little less brooding and dangerous,
has the superhero returned? It’s
hard to leave a major event without
a few hero-themed fliers these days.
We here at noiZe have consistently
championed the idea of gay men
as defenders of freedom and happiness,
often including musclemen
illustrations in our issues. “These
are the characters and fantasies gay
men grew up with, so they come
to me because I help them express
that,” notes Iceman Blue. “Not only
that, gay men, much like anyone else,
love admiring perfect specimens, and I
can provide them with my own style of
unflawed male beauty.”
Iceman thinks of himself as an artist
first. He is drawn to the possibilities of
illustration. He cites a personal rule his
teacher suggested in college: "What
can I show that a video can't?" He lists
as role models both mainstream artists
like Jim Balent and Alex Ross, as well as
erotic masters Patrick Fillion and Michael
Manning.
The limitless boundaries of fantasy
brought to life in different ways keeps
him very busy. Is he turned on by his
own work? “That's how I know it's
good!” he says. “It can be distracting at
first. But believe me, after looking at the
same picture for hours, the spark dims.”
Good thing, or his fans might never see
any finished work.
Clearly, erotic illustration has taken twists
and turns throughout its history. But the
quest for perfection and the desire to
explore new worlds of fun and pleasure
remain consistent.
The cover of this issue was hand-drawn
by Iceman Blue exclusively for noIZe.
Iceman was previously featured on the
cover of Issue #53, and is responsible
for the noiZe boy drawings featured in
every issue.
18
Happy Am I! Healthy Am I! holy Am I!