Customer Reviews

Tom of Finland: The Comic Collection (Boxed Set) (Set v)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

What the heck is wrong with the people at TASCHEN and the Tom of Finland Foundation anyway!?!? It's praiseworthy indeed to perserve and protect erotic artwork, but why allow it to be REDUCED to the size of a postage stamp?

The coolest feature about the ART OF PLEASURE (the ORIGINAL ONE, that is) was the fact that FINALLY someone had published a book of Tom's illustrations that reproduced them LARGE enough to appreciate the DETAIL and thus the GENIUS of this man's art. So, last year they shrink down the size of the re-released ART OF PLEASURE, and THIS YEAR they publish this ridiculously TINY comic(al) collection!

This is a crying SHAME! ALL these cool illustrations, many not seen in 20-30 years, have been reduced to POSTCARD PROPORTIONS...what a sad insult this is to the memory of the greatest erotic artist of all time!

Recently, some of this artwork became available in single volumes, in the traditional 8.5 x 11 magazine format...so why in the heck did anyone feel the need to collect and then SHRINK Tom of Finland's wonderful artwork down to this limp little compilation?

This is the 21st Century - there is NO LONGER any need to make these books so TINY that they can be easily hidden in the corner of someone's CLOSET!

If you can't do it right, STOP DOING IT!!

I can't agree with most of the niggling in other reviews about this set. The images are beautifully reproduced in crystalline detail, many of them in rich duo-tones, and the binding is a beautiful black leatherette with rich-looking gold-foil lettering and line images. The small size is no drawback, either-it gives a jewel-like aura to the whole set, and while some previous collections (such as one I first purchased in the 1980s) used an 8-1/2 by 11 format, they also reproduced four panels to a page, so that the actual pictures were no larger (and considerably less well reproduced).

HOWEVER, in comparing this set with previous ones, I noticed that where the original drawings had no distinct boundaries, the pages here are circumscribed by a hairline box, which results in the images being "cropped"-that is, a small amount of the drawing on each side is cut off. In most cases the overall effect is not too damaging, but there are images of group scenes in which what had been full figures are reduced to merely a hand or a nose. Considering that this is presumably meant to be a "definitive" publication of all of Tom's cartoons, I'm amazed that the Tom of Finland Foundation would permit this sort of trimming.

That being said, I must add that overall I think they did a beautiful job, and the price is very modest for a collection of this quality.

The other review says it all. Just want to add that I notice Amazon doesn't bother to put the books' dimensions into the Product Details. Hmmmm, I wonder why . . .

This is REALLY sub-par work. There are so many errors in the text that a corrected version is rumored to be coming, and there are more "mizsphelings" than one of Durk's emails! One recent customer review, also peppered with misspellings (so wonder who wrote THAT one, Mr. D.D.) sings the praises of this volume and suggests that because ANOTHER reviewer who panned the collection also sells it on ebay, it should not be criticized...BULL.

If the Tom of Finland Foundation is gonna make a buck on this dreadful collection, why shouldn't others! The illustrations are TINY and the text is BORING! It's VERY "old school" and irrelevant. The price is CHEAP because the collection is cheaply done and it is insulting to the artistry and memory of Tom of Finland. These illustrations are SMALLER than post cards, so unless you like to do your one-handed reading with a magnifying glass, pass this one up. It's just a mess.

This is a best buy and Amazon's price is most favorable when compared with other retailers. It should be noted that some of the authors of complaints about this book sold copies of it on e-bay for over $60 before Amazon got stock in. If they did not like the book, why did they sell it at competing sites? The larger versions mentioned went for $20 each story, so to purchase a collection of this size it would be well over $500 and out of the price range of most.

Now as to the content. The repros are the best I have seen in awhile and I own the 8.5" x 11" copies reffred to by most other reviewers. In addition not all the books were ever released at the so called larger size. "Beach Boys" , for example, was only slightly larger that the size of this edition. So do not be fooled by some of the other reviews. Again I know because I either own or have read originals on most of the contents. Also note that the size reflects what these books really are, namely Gay "Tiahuana Bibles" (sic). This was the term used to refer to straight material of the same nature in the early part of the last century. As such the size is that of the average "bible". In fact in many cases it is somewhat larger.

The Media is an excellent choice, soft pliable, thread reinforced, spine which will not wear easily desipte the heavy reading these books will get. The paper is gloss stock heavy bond which also shoul wear well. The covers or synthetic, so they will not stain easily or tear.

All in all better stock than the originals and highly doubtful that you will see a better edition any time soon.

A side note, if this material is of interest to you buy it now. Print runs on this stuff tend to be rather low and 2nd editions tend to be rare. If you want it buy it or risk paying 10x more in a year on ebay.

I have to agree with the VERY FIRST review posted here...this "little" book is a BIG DISAPPOINTMENT! Almost ALL of the KAKE books are STILL available in larger editions, so why this tiny and cheap looking edition instead of treating the art of Tom of Finland with the RESPECT IT DESERVES!

Just happened to see this item on Amazon. Had never heard about Tom or his work. Took a chance and ordered the book.Just one word should describe it - MINDBLOWING !

Although the art and line drawings are repetitive, the way the whole story is conceptualised and brought to life in the drawings is indeed amazing.

Am a fan now and forever, have also ordered a couple of his other books.

The only reason I give a four star rating is that the Book could have been published in one volume and the size and layout could also have been slightly larger, which would have enhanced the visual appeal.

All in all a book worth keeping and prying into as and when the need "ARISES"!

I ordered the product which was precisely described. The payment was easy and it was shipped inmediatly. Suddenly I received the product much faster than expected. It was a nice surprise. Even though the product is used, it was in neat condition, very well pakedk, no damage at all even thought it had to go all the way from the south of usa to the north here in canada. They where great.

The format isn't exactly great, but the fact that all the comics are together makes this collection worth while. It would have been nice to have everything in the original size, but I'm not so sure there's an audience for this any more.

There are works here of Tom's that I have not seen before, vwry will done.