Achillias: Lights, Camera, Kong!

'Listen, there is a girl out there who might be running for her life from some gigantic turned-on ape.'

King Kong, 1976

It was back in July that I first contacted artist digital artist Achillias, about creating a King Kong story for FH.  I loved and enjoyed the work Achillias since seeing his images on-line in 2021.  I've also been fortunate to have featured his stories and images several times on the site. (HERE:)  

I love how Achillias visually tells a story, and the vulnerability the depict, and the gorgeous men he creates.  I wasn't sure if what I was asking was too much, but I certainly had some specific moments from the movies I hoped he might recreate.  Of course for FH, I didn't want an Ann Darrow, but a Darrow Andrews, a hot hunk to be both sacrificed and gifted to the King.

I asked  Achillias about creating some of the most iconic images from the films. I wanted the scene  where Kong first see's Darrow at his most vulnerable, when he's tied to the stakes.  I also wanted visuals of Kong lifting up Darrow up for the first time, and carrying him in his hands.  It is  during this scene when Kong's attraction to the hot young Darrow originates. 

Thankfully, Achillias was on board, but he had questions, many questions to ensure what he created was what I had imagined and created.  Should we be in the jungle, as the movies depicted, or maybe another, totally different environment.  Since we were focusing on Darrow, and not Ann, we both agreed a different location, this time a baron desert, would work well.

Then, the conversations turned to Darrow.  What would he look like, what would he wear.  Although I wanted some differences, I also wanted to carry some of Ann's characteristics, including the blond hair.  As far as his clothing, as little as possible of course.  We considered a loin cloth, but eventually thought a pair of white briefs would be hotter.

Achillias then sent me some ideas for Darrow's face and body and our Darrow was chosen.  That only left one more question, his penis size.  Given Darrow is the dude in distress in this story, I didn't want him overly muscled, or have a large penis.  A toned physique,  with an average sized penis would work best.   Kong's initial lust wasn't about Darrow's dick, but the beauty that the beast first observed upon seeing Darrow bound to the stakes. 

It doesn't take long however, for Kong's curiosity to be peaked.  He quickly rips off Darrow's white briefs to see what lies beneath.  Like the movies however, Kong's first meeting with Darrow is just the  beginning of the story, and the start of Darrow's ordeal.  To see how thing end, and if Darrow survives, check out the last part of the story on THE NEXT PAGE HERE:

Achillias on Patreon

Achillias Website

Achillias: Reversal of Fortune

'This is one monkey you DON'T want on your back.'

Early in October, Achillias sent on a set of images he created of Kong's first meeting with Darrow Andrews.  I loved what he'd created thus far, but there were still a few questions that had to be answered.  First up, defining the the relationship and interactions between Darrow and Kong, and how far we wanted to push the envelope...

In all three of the movies that I've watched, Kong is definitely infatuated with blond beauty left for him to discover.  Although the movies certainly toyed with erotic undertones, they were pretty subtle. The relationship and romance was implied, most notably through Kong's eyes and how he looked at Darrow.  Although there was touch, there was nothing really overtly sexual shown.

Since this is FH however, I wanted to go a little further, while still maintaining some of the boundaries set by the films.   I loved how Achillias displayed Kong's curiosity, exploring Darrow's body through touch, smell and taste.  Darrow is Apehandled for sure, but that's as far as we wanted that to go.

Achillias put the decision as to whether Darrow would have an erection in my hands.  Given the circumstances, and that a wet, eight foot tongue was licking his genitals, a spontaneous erection was certainly possible.  In addition, in each of the movies, after the initial horror of being captured by giant ape, Ann eventually seems to relax, understanding that Kong didn't want to harm her, at least not on purpose. 

Once the beginning of the story was set, and the relationship dynamics in place, it was time to discuss the end.  In the movies, Kong is captured, chained and caged and brought back tot he United States to be put on display.  They called him the eighth wonder of the world, and his captors had no interest in his care or well being, but instead it was all about sacrificing the beautiful beast for fame and profit.  

The only human concerned about Kong's well being was Darrow.  Although he was put in the most harm, and had the most traumatic interactions with Kong, he spent enough time with the beast to understand the Gorilla had a heart and emotions.  

In this version of Kong' story, I wanted a change things up a bit, to reverse the course of Kong being caught and caged and his eventual death.  This time, Kong would remain in charge. Darrow's friends, and the rest of the money hungry mob wouldn't get their way.  

I think the remaining images from Achillias are the perfect ending, and maybe the beginning, of Darrow's encounter with Kong.  As you can see, this was not Kong's first time to a hot hunk rodeo, and he knew exactly what he wanted, and what he was doing.  Darrow wasn't his first infatuation, and he wouldn't be his last.  Kong seems to have a collection of cuties that he's accumulated over his years on the island. 

What happens to Darrow and his fellow captives?  What does Kong want with the, and do they ever escape? Well, maybe one day, Achillias will create a sequel, but for now, the rest of story and what happens to Darrow is totally up to you.  

Achillias on Patreon

Achillias Website

Achillias: Mr. November

'I have a story first, and then I create a character for it.'

Achillias

Lovers of the male form undoubtedly followed the progression over the years of calendars focused on the male form.  Gay magazines like Playgirl and Colt often published calendar issues of their magazines, but mainstream male calendars tended to be little tamer.  If you were looking in stores, all you could usually only find were PG-13 Chippendales calendars and G rated calendars featuring built, but bland looking shirtless hunks.

Things began to change in the 1990's when many photographers began creating more R calendars to helping to promote and raise money for local charities, fire fighters, sport teams and other community organizations.  Most of these local however, created for a certain organization in a specific area.  Most were never seen by the masses until the Internet really took off in the 1990's and 2000's.

The calendar medium then really began to change.  Print calendars, although popular, were harder to create for specific locations.  It was more difficult to make a profit unless you were selling to a larger, sometimes even world wild audience.  It was then many sports teams and charities began using the web to promote to much larger audience.  Things really took off with the start of the Dieux du Stade back in 2001.

Anyone who followed Dieux du Stade, The Warwick Rowers, or other of the more successful calendars, know the behind the scenes images and videos soon became the main draw.  I have to admit, although I bought some of the actual  print calendars in the beginning, I quickly moved to purchasing mostly the videos and behind the scenes images and clips.

There's a major difference between the calendar images, and the behind the scenes visuals, and it's one that has a unique appeal for gay men.  The calendars may show hot, half-naked men, but the visuals are often of 'straight' looking hunky men looking strong, buff and in control.  The behind the scenes videos however, tell a more compelling and erotic story.

'I find vulnerability so much more erotic than big dicks or perfect muscular bodies. Perfect bodies and huge penises bore me at some point.'

Achillias

Vulnerably is a theme I explore often, and it's key to why so many of us enjoy images of the male form.  The behind the scenes videos don't show a hot man in control, but a hot, naked man, being led and directed through the process.  They're often presented not just naked, but getting undressed. Some are slightly embarrassed, others seem to enjoy it all.  Some are shown in various states of arousal,  some embarrassed, often covering themselves between takes.

It is the between take visual that are often the most interesting.  Watching the often straight athlete handled being naked and photographed by an often gay photographer.  How do they deal with being spritzed and having body make-up applied, often by women.  There are often scenes of make-up men and women applying body make-up to the man's crotch and butt and their checking out their facial expression is half the fun. 

It is these themes, and this piece of the making of, that digital artist Achillias focused on with his 2023 calendar.  Yes, there are 12 months of incredibly hot images, each with a separate model in different locations and with their own unique theme.  But for several of the months, Achillias also created complete stories through a making of series of artwork.  This series, features Lukas, the calendar's November model. 

Lukas appears a little hesitant when he arrives for his shoot, but this soon changes.  Despite just meeting the male photographer and female assistant and calendar producer, they put him quickly at ease. By the time he has to pull his  tight jeans down over thick thighs, he seems to relax and get into it. Lukas gets so into it, as soon as the assistant begins spritzing him up, Lukas a spontaneous erection instantly appears.

No one seems to mind, and even if they did, there's nothing Lukas can really do about it. The erection wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, and Lukas remained aroused and at attention throughout the remainder of the shoot.  You can check out more of Lukas, and the 12 months of the year, including a hi-res printable version, on Achillias' Patreon site HERE:

Achillias Website:

Achillias on Patreon

Below: the final images used for Lukas as Mr. November

Achillias: A Whole New World

Finn

'I find vulnerability so much more erotic than big dicks or perfect muscular bodies.'

Achillias 

Nelson

Sometimes, you don't know you love something, until you experienced a really good one.  Many have experienced thinking they didn't like a certain food, a TV show, or a certain sexual act, until they tried it for themselves.  The same can be said for art.  I was never really drawn to computer generated art, especially when it came to images of the male form.  So many that I'd seen appeared sexually exaggerated with testosterone fueled physiques with penis' created more like weapons than body parts. 

What changed my mind, and in a big way, was discovering the work of Achillias.  I started out April's stores with a piece featuring The Netherlands artist's images of Hideaki and Zhou. (HERE:) I came across an image, The Empress and her Prisoners, and was captivated by complexity and beauty within. Initially, I thought it was a photograph,every inch of  Hideaki and Zhou's bodies were so realistically created.  I know I'm not the only one who willingly fell for the illusion.  I received several messages and comments on social media commenting and asking who the 'male models' were. 

When I discovered Achillias was the creator of the image, I eagerly devoured the many images on his website and DeviantArt portfolio.  I loved everything about Achillias's work, from his imagination and creative skills to the characters he created and the stories his images so vividly told.  I think I was especially drawn to the themes of his stories, themes I regularly love to explore on FH.  

Brandon's massage

Vulnerability is key ingredient in my fascination my enjoyment with images of the male form.  It is one of the reasons I love to investigate and share the stories behind the images I feature.  There is an inherent vulnerability with being naked and exposed, especially when those around you are clothed.  There is also a vulnerability exposed by the artist or photographer, one I also enjoy exploring.  Artists often share as much about themselves as they do their subjects, by sharing not just what they see, but how they see it.

Within Achillias work, vulnerability is layered in both the visuals, and the scenarios and stories he creates.  In addition to his utilizing themes of CFNM and CMNM,  It's fascinating to me how Achillias puts such physically strong and sexy men in such vulnerable, and sometimes embarrassing situations.  Regardless of their perceived sexual power, they're rarely in complete control. There's always a morning inspection, an evil empress, or a battle to be won before they can fully  relax and be totally at ease.  The men Achillias brings to life may be good looking and in incredible shape, but most don't have the one thing that many sadly seem to still believe is mandatory for maximum masculinity... a huge penis. 

Medea and Jason

I really hate when artists and photographers manipulate images to distort, enlarge or weaponize a man's manhood. It rarely look realistic, and draws focus, taking away from the image overall.  My favorite images, and my favorite artists, are the ones that see the male form in it's entirety, and not just a series of body parts.  You can always tell when an artist or photographer is phallicly focused.  When I see an image, I like to know there's a human attached to the penis, and through his visuals and scenarios, Achillias creates a complex set of human characters whose stories are both seductive and compelling.  They also leave you wanting to see and know more. 

Heracles and Jason

Do you remember the what the drawing or art piece was that first had you realizing your talent? 

'To be honest, I don't think I'm particularly talented (I don't fish for compliments, believe me). I'm not very good at most techniques of the program I'm working with, like lighting, rendering, dForce, etc. I guess I just have good taste in men and I'm a perfectionist. I can tinker with a character for more than a week, and often then I'm still not completely satisfied with the result. But the comments and reactions, like yours, make me realize that people do like what I create. And that started when I created a gallery on DeviantArt, 3 years ago. '

Spartan Fantasy

Most artists had a 'theme' that as a kid, they drew over and over, 

'I've always drawn as a hobby. But I didn't have one particular subject that I repeated. I had many subjects: portraits (both men and women), landscapes, architecture etc. '

Do you remember what led to your first erotic drawing of the male form? 

'At some point in my youth, I realized that the male body turned me on immensely. So I started to draw male nudes, unfortunately without a model or example. Nonetheless, it was incredibly exciting... It felt like I entered a whole new world.' 

Facing the Trojan Walls

Were your first drawings of men initially something private, or did you share right away? 

'No, my first drawings of male nudes were absolutely private! I even hid or destroyed the drawings, fearing that my preference for men would be revealed. '

Have you ever used a real person, a model or a celebrity for inspiration? 

Absolutely. I see many beautiful guys in sports and movies and often I would like to portray them as a 3D character. Unfortunately I'm not very good at creating exact lookalikes but a few of my characters do have a real person as example. 

Recruits 

How often you start a piece, then decided not to continue?

Unfortunately quite often. In most cases this is due to lack of time. Sometimes it's because I don't find the project interesting anymore. I'm talking about projects now (with multiple pieces). A single piece I always try to finish, unless I fail to achieve the intended result. 

I especially love the 'story' element of your work, Does the image, or the story usually come first? 

Both. Sometimes I create a character and after that (automatically) a story comes up. But mostly I have a story first (like Nelson for example) and then I create a character for it. Often, when I do a commission, the client comes with a story and I create the characters and the scenes for that story. '

Posing for tourists 

Speaking of story, is there more to come in Hideaki and Zhou;s' story? 

'I definitely would love to continue with Hideaki and Zhou. But lack of time is a bummer for many of my ambitions. But you never know. Some day I continue with Hideaki and Zhou. If you happen to have ideas about them, please let me know. '

Is there a specific art piece that has brought you the most attention or response? 

'On DeviantArt, when I count the favs: "Waiting", "Spartan fantasy 2"  and "Facing the Trojan walls"  are the most popular. I notice anyway that themes such as ancient Greeks and romans are very popular.'

I'm really drawn to the themes of vulnerability and embarrassment in your work.  The heroism, or lack thereof, comes from mind and spirit not necessarily just because muscles and penis size. Why is this important to you?

'I'm so glad that you asked this question. In my view, beauty and heroism are determined by other things than perfect muscularity or a handsome face or a big dick. Coincidentally, I've been toying for a while with the thought of making a story in which the bad guy is much more beautiful than the hero. It seems like a challenge to do that in a credible way. 

I find vulnerability so much more erotic than big dicks or perfect muscular bodies. Perfect bodies and huge penises bore me at some point. Maybe it sounds like a cliché, but in my view, it's the imperfections that make a character more interesting. Furthermore, I find guys with a small dick much more sexy than guys with a huge dick. You can see that in my galleries: most of my characters have a small or average dick size. Only when I do a commission and the client explicitly requests a character with a big dick, then I create a big dick'. 

Morning Inspection

You can check out much more of Achillias's on his website HERE: & on DeviantArt HERE:  Achillias also does commissions, so you can also get in contact if you have any fantasy's of your own that you may want brought to life.  Maybe that hot high school bully, you want put in his place... 

Waiting