Tom of Finland. The Comics. Vol. 1: RC (Tom of Finland: Comic Collection 1, Band 1)

"With a subtle and playful curved line of graphite, Touko Laaksonen changed how the world perceived the homosexual male."

- Instinct magazine, U.S.

The artist: Touko Laaksonen, who would become Tom of Finland (1920-1991), began drawing cartoons at age five. His experiences as a young soldier in WWII provided much of his artistic inspiration, and while he worked in the Finnish advertising industry, he secretly created erotic drawings of hyper-masculine men. His work first appeared in the American magazine Physique Pictorial in 1957 and the Tom of Finland legend was born. Tom's art continues to play an important role in promoting self-confidence, positive self-image and openness in the gay community.

The editor: Dian Hanson was a 25-year veteran of men's magazine publishing before becoming Taschen's Sexy Book editor in 2001. Her magazines included Puritan, Outlaw Biker, Juggs, Tight and Leg Show. Her recent books for Taschen include The Big Butt Book and The Art of George Quaintance.