The Little Book of Tom of Finland: Military Men

Tom’s vision of masculine perfection was formed during his service as an officer during World War II. Though he served in the Finnish air force, it was the German troops, stationed in Finland to help the country repel invading Russian forces, which served as inspiration. Tom, at 19, was smitten, an obsession that deepened following his first sexual experiences with German officers in the blackout streets of Helsinki. He began putting his military fantasies on paper in 1945 to memorialize his thrilling nighttime encounters when the war ended. As Tom attracted an army of loyal fans, he created, with pencil, pen + gouache, an army of free, proud, masculine fantasy men committed to pleasure + male camaraderie. The Little Book of Tom: Military Men explores Tom’s fascination with militaria through a mixture of multi-panel comics + single-panel drawings + paintings, all in a compact + affordable 192 pages. Historic film stills + posters, personal photos of Tom, sketches, + Tom’s own reference images explore the cultural context + private inspirations behind the ultimate Tom of Finland hero. Hardcover. 192 pages.