March 21, 2015
Sexy Superheroes :: Presenting Some Favorite Erotic Artists
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 5 MIN.
Joe Phillips
San Diego resident Joe Phillips was a successful comic book artist for many years before he began doing "gay" works. Phillips had done work for all the major comic book companies, including DC, Marvel and a host of others that would only be familiar to the true comic book nerd. His artwork caught the eye of people in the LGBT community, which lead to a stint in XY Magazine and the rest... was as they say, "gay history." His popularity grew as Phillips began producing more gay-themed material including calendars, books and even cartoons.
The bulk of his work is suggestive rather than blatant. His superheroes are the stuff of every gay nerd's dreams. Historically, superheroes filled out their skintight costumes - almost everywhere - but were "Ken" dolls below their utility belts. Joe Phillips, however, likes to let the world know that his heroes are packing some serious heat. What's hotter than a muscular superhero in a skintight costume? The answer: That same superhero in the process of taking his costume off!
His work includes a great deal of non-superhero-themed work as well. The "Boys Will be Boys" books series, along with calendars, have been particularly successful, and his "House of Morecock" books and videos were big hits, too.
Though Phillips' work has gone from mainstream to LGBT and back again, he has definitely outgrown the limiting description of "gay artist." As his work, for and within the gay community grew, it caught the attention of companies such as Bud Light, when they began ad campaigns targeting the LGBT community. He continues to work on his gay-themed superhero and non-superhero art, however, as well as animation for music videos
and animated features.
We at The Rage Monthly would be remiss, too, if we didn't point out that Phillips did the artwork for our namesake superhero, "Rage," in Showtime's hit "Queer As Folk."
Patrick Fillion
Unlike the largely PG-13 works of Joe Phillips, Vancouver B.C. artist, Patrick Fillion's comics are definitely rated R or at the very least, NC-17. His hot stories and art gained traction in the LGBT community and that success lead to starting his own company, Class Comics. Some of his comics, such as "Naked Justice," "Camili-Cat" and "Guardians of the Cube" are fairly standard superhero stories, just with an incredible amount of sex worked in. Other comics explore the supernatural such as Deimos, a comic book about a demon-seeking redemption, along with his living cockring/weapon/sidekick. The stories are hot and his art is even hotter.
Gengoroh Tagame
Do you enjoy Anime/Manga art Specifically, the Bara sub-genre? Maybe a little into BDSM? Then you need to give Gengoroh Tagame a look. Watersports, humilation and gang-bangs are just some of the frequent topics he covers. He's one of the most influential artists in the genre, and his stories are worth a look, especially if you prefer your guys beefy or "bearish."
A Japanese artist, Tagame has received international acclaim, and many of his works have been translated into several languages.
Glen Hanson
Another neighbor to the north, Toronto-born Glen Hanson, is best known to the LGBT community for his work on the gay comic strip "Chelsea Boys."
It would be a stretch to call him a "gay artist," because he's done a great deal of mainstream work. His work has appeared in a number of national and international magazines such as Maxim, GQ and even the venerable Wall Street Journal. Hanson has also worked on animated series such as "Daria" and a number of other shows not as funny-and, for the record, "Daria" was canceled too soon.
Hanson has a local connection too, in that he did the artwork for Poway's own, Blink 182, and their 2000 album, "The Mark, Tom and Travis
Show (The Enema Strikes Back!)."
Jiraiya
When you google Jiraiya, it's important to enter his name and include the word "artist" in the search field - or else you'll be given results regarding a character on the manga show "Naruto."
Jiraiya, the artist, is another Bara artist, similar to Gengoroh Tagame, but without the BDSM edge. True to the genre, most of his art features beefy guys - not necessarily bears - but certainly not your typical "twink" artwork. His art has donned many genre magazines, and for years he served as the cover artist for the Japanese magazine G-Men, for and about beefy gay men.
gaymanga.tumblr.com/tagged/jiraiya
C. Bedford
Born in Queens, New York, C. Bedford is an expatriate living in the UK.
Bedford's art is mostly in the form of portraits and largely involve androgynous male figures. Unlike Heerdink, however, his works tend to be more stylized, but similarly unique. Many of his pieces feel like a cross between anime/manga art and 19th century master watercolors.
Maurice Heerdink
Dutch artist Maurice Heerdink isn't a cartoonist, he's a painter. His works are extremely realistic depictions, executed in acrylics, that can be mistaken for photographs on first glance. His male nudes aren't your standard gay fare; many follow a biblical or mythological bent.
Yes... you read the word "biblical!" Though that typically is not considered sexy, Heerdink's works are anything but. Biblical brothers Cain and
Able, The Punishment of Prometheus and The Minotaur are just a few
examples of his painted topics.
members.ziggo.nl/mauriceheerdink/home.html
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
