Homoerotic Archaeology: January 2019

Friday, January 25, 2019

Mandate (January 1981)

The January 1981 edition of Mandate features two legendary figures in gay history: Roy Dean and Al Parker. Although Dean began as an actor, working for the Shakespeare Company and several New York theaters, his move to Hollywood in 1955 and work as a film photographer in the industry solidified his passion for the photographic process. In 1986, he published his first book of male nudes, A Time in Eden, and launched a career which would make him famous. Fame also blessed Al Parker. Formerly a butler at the Playboy Mansion, Parker was discovered by Colt Studios and gained instantaneous popularity, eventually starring in twenty-one adult films, founding Surge Studios, and becoming a major supporter of safe sexual practices during the AIDS epidemic (for more on Parker's life, read Roger Edmonson's biography Clone).

Friday, January 18, 2019

Inches (January 1993), Part Two

The second half of the January 1993 issue of Inches (see the first half here) features adult entertainment actor Sean Colby. Colby maintained a minor presence in the industry during the early 1990s, appearing in a small number of magazine spreads and three films: Scorcher (1992), Mass Appeal (1993), and Mess Hall Maneuvers (1995). The same year he was presented in this magazine, Colby shot a solo scene for Fox Studio. Also included in this second half of the issue is Mark Mason from C.M. Studios.

Friday, January 11, 2019

Inches (January 1993), Part One

In comparison to other major erotic publications, including Blueboy, Honcho, and Mandate, Inches entered the game relatively late, with its premier issue published in March of 1985. Despite its belated entry into the realm of homoeroticism, the magazine, which specialized in well-endowed men, experienced considerable success and continued to release monthly installments until the end of 2006. Presented here is the first half of the January 1993 issue, which showcases models Rocko from Mac Productions, Royce from Sartori Studios, and a collection of random images which complemented advertisements and classifieds.

Friday, January 4, 2019

Fox Studio Calendar (1988)

Founded by John Coletti and Bill Harrison in 1972, Fox Studios became a vehicle for Coletti to display his photography. In 1976, a year following Coletti and Harrison’s breakup, the enterprise released its first calendar. Presented here are the images from the 1988 edition. A year after this, Harrison fell ill and the studio’s production decreased while Coletti focused his time and energy on caring for his former partner. Unfortunately, Harrison passed away two years later and, in 1996, Fox Studios slipped into obscurity.

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What is Homoerotic Archaeology?

In 2016, I discovered several discarded boxes at an estate sale. Under their flimsy flaps were hundreds of well-worn issues of homoerotic magazines from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. I purchased them out of mild intrigue and, as I perused their pages, I was startled to realize that something commonly disregarded as pornographic smut earnestly chronicled the evolution of gay culture: the social and sexual liberation of the 1970s, the crushing devastation from AIDS during the 1980s, and the gradual strengthening of the community in the 1990s. As a gay man, I was touched by the subtle narrative these publications told. As a historian, I was motivated to digitally preserve their content. And, as an educator, I was driven to create a platform to share that information freely with others interested in the progression of gay society. Homoerotic Archaeology is that venue. Here you will find the advertisements, articles, short stories, and (of course) pictures found in these magazines lovingly preserved and presented for future generations of gay men to enjoy and study.

Why Preserve Homoerotica?

As early as the 1970s, scholars such as June Rook have stressed the need to preserve homosexual history in an effort to combat repression and establish a cultural background for future generations. Much of the preservation process admirably focuses on the substantial works of homosexual artists and thinkers; however, it sadly ignores other elements quintessential to the community’s history, particularly homoerotica. Although frequently labeled obscene filth, homoerotica has, just like the significant creations of artists and thinkers, been a prevalent part of the group’s culture and has played an integral role in shaping identities and perceptions (consider how influential Tom of Finland’s hypermasculinity has been in molding the body ideals of modern gay men). Due to this factor, the conservation of homoerotica is just as essential as the preservation of major artistic and theoretical homosexual works.