Location: Supperclub, 657 Harrison Street in San Francisco in the heart of Soma District
Time:

7pm Bondage Dinner
9pm General Admission party 

We are looking for 5 female models size 2 or size 4 and 2 male models, fitting Thursday before event, $100 gift certificate from West Coast Leather, free entrance to ball and the current VG Magazine!

Please send email to sales@vongutenbergmedia.com

West Coast Leather offers high end Leather Designs in his store locations in San Francisco and Chicago. WCL also provides custom pieces and it is know for extravagant designs and his sex appeal. We are very happy Skip Pas the fashion director will be with us that night and will be celebrating his fashion show.

It will be amazing with west coast leather: www.westcoastleather.com

http://www.vongutenbergfetishball.com/

Naughty school girls go in, disciplined ladies are cranked out.
National grade averages continue to plummet as the country’s school system implodes by devolution.
The only chance to evolve your mind and fully actualize your self is to enlist in Fetish Nation University Saturday, Sept 4^th for a crash course in subordination, indoctrination,
mis-conduct, and self-mastery.
The massive stage room play stations will be joined by virtual classrooms holding continuous workshops led by LA’s Doms and Dommes who are leaders in their respective
areas of expertise. Whip your cerebral faculties into shape as you crack the whip to playtime and ponder whether there can be higher education in subspace.

Absolutely, and positively!

One doesn’t have to research very far back in time if they’d like to learn the genesis of costume fetishes. The Eulenspiegel Society (TES) has been paying homage to the adventures of the jester Till Eulenspiegal for decades with their particular brand of costumed antics. If you’d care to debate the subject a little more, suffice to say that masked balls have been a part of our party culture for centuries. In short, it’s quite grand – and extraordinarily fun – to dress, and act, as “someone else” for a night.

Sir Alex Dark’s costume event is undoubtedly the most popular of his long-appreciated fetish party revues and revelries. What made the first costume party such a success, apart from the chance to dress up and play the title role in their own super hero versus super villain passion play, was the chance to “interplay” some traditional, somewhat-campy predicament bondage interspersed with some obvious “Hero or Damsel in Distress” spontaneous scenarios.

The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) is in full-swing during the dog days of August, and one of the highlights during this year’s Exhibition (which is sort of akin to the annual State Fairs in the United States) is the annual Canadian Fan Expo. It is the Fan Expo where comic book, science fiction and horror film fanatics can rub shoulders next to the likes of such pop culture icons as Adam West and Burt Ward (TV’s 1960’s version of Batman and Robin), William Shatner (does anybody not know who he is by now?), Lance Henriksen (Bishop from the Alien film series), Felicia Day (Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the immortal Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog) and – perhaps most iconographic of all – Marvel Comics revered and truly worshipped living figurehead, Stan Lee. The legendary Mr. Lee is the genius behind some of the most popular, beloved and (for literally decades) successfully-marketed comic book character rosters in publishing history. It has been said that only Bram Stoker (Dracula)has sold more literary-based product, and even that is debatable. It isn’t a coincidence that, while there are sure to be a few Stormtroopers, a Darth Vader or two, more than a few Klingons and/or Romulans and at least half a dozen Orcs represented at various costume balls, it’s the comic book characters that always take center stage at any larger-scale event: fetish, or otherwise.

Sir Alex’s super hero costume event, and the huge Fan Expo in Toronto, certainly can’t be termed ‘unique’: by all accounts. Several of our larger fetish communities in our larger cities have played host to some variant event based upon the Super Hero versus Super Villain theme, and most major cities play host to comic book conventions on an annual basis. So, it may be fun – if not downright appropriate, as we start to head into a fresh and exciting new gear-up to the Autumn revelry that is the Hallowe’en season – to give a definitive list of the Top Ten Fetish Super Costumes, and a somewhat detailed explanation of just why we love to emulate them so:

 Snikt! Snikt! It’s Number 10!

The Uncanny X-Men

Origin: Marvel Comics, 1963 by the immortal Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Re-launched in 1975, and again (“re-imagined”, in one of the greatest comic book series ever) in 1978.

Main Costumed Characters Emulated: Cyclops, Storm, Jean Grey (Phoenix), Rogue and, of course, Wolverine

Legacy:It can, and has, been said that the X-Men saved Stan Lee – and Marvel Comics – on three separate occasions. The original comic book issue run, from 1963 to 1970, are some of the most fiercely sought-after and coveted items within the comic-book collecting world. The series also has the distinction of being “re-made” with extremely convoluted and confusing story lines, character intros and exits (based on popularity of the time) and countless costume changes more than any other during its lifespan. The introduction of the “Jean Grey Dark Phoenix” storyline in the late 1970’s (largely credited to Canadian artist/writer John Byrne) truly revitalized the entire comic book industry – and X-Men hasn’t seriously struggled as a franchise since.

Why We Love Them So: The costumes have made significant, and frequent, changes over the years – but the general look and feel of the persistent main characters (especially Jean Grey and Wolverine) have remained virtually seamless from one era to the next. With Cyclops, it’s the visor (very “Steampunk”, really) and the hooded body suit. Storm, the (usually) black and/or white leather neo-stripper suit, combined seductively with the super-hot thigh high boots and long, long locks of pure white hair. Rogue looks like – well, a rogue – and is the most open to interpretation, costume wise, of any X-Men character. But it’s Jean Grey and Wolverine clones you’ll generally see at fetish costume parties. It isn’t unusual to see a latex-version Dark Phoenix swapping catty and curious looks with a leather-clad or Zentai-suited ‘counterpart’ from across a crowded room. Oh, and by the way, ‘snikt’ is the quiet-but-deadly sound of Wolverine’s claws extending from within his arms – just in case you were wondering.

Great Caesar’s Ghost! It’s Number 9!

Superman/Supergirl

Origin:Detective Comics (DC) Superman created in 1932 by the creative genius of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Supergirl created in 1959 by Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino.

Alter-Ego:Superman: “Mild-mannered” Clark Kent, newspaper reported for The Daily Planet. Entered life on the planet Krypton as Kal-El (No, Nicholas Cage is not Superman’s father!). Supergirl: Originally known as super-orphan Linda Lee, she changed her name to Linda Lee Danvers upon entering college. Also born on the planet Krypton and named Kara Zor-El.

Super Powers:Anyone with the prefix of “super” as a part of their title better have pretty spectacular powers for a hero. Owing to the heavy gravity of their planet of birth, both Superman and Supergirl can easily fly, exhibit near-invulnerable feats of strength, and possess several different variations of “super sight” (including x-ray and laser beam eyes), super hearing, and super “breath”. In short, they’re just all-around super!

Weakness:Seeing as their home planet exploded, even the tiniest chunk of dust originating from their home world could potentially be lethal to them. You’ve heard of it: it’s referred to as “Kryptonite”.

Why We Love Them So:What’s not to love? Skin-tight electric blue body suits and/or tights? Bright red cape with a matching, super-revealing equally tight pair of external briefs (Superman) and an incredibly short, flared school-girl type skirt (Supergirl – although we’re pretty sure Superman has cross-dressed on occasion)? Those red boots that look so naturally sexy on Supergirl – but only Superman can truly make look ‘manly’? And what about that logo? Are you kidding me? If Your Humble Narrator had that kind of muscular body, well, dress me up and call me Kal-El, I’m going to a party! There’s a reason Superman has been so incredibly popular for over seven decades, and not just in the pages of a color comic book: he’s iconic, timeless, and whether you want to admit it or not, he’s just damn hot in that outfit. The only thing hotter? Supergirl, of course! When you add the allure of an all-latex Superman or Supergirl suit – and there are sure to be at least two or three at every Costume Fetish party – it just doesn’t get any finer!

Here, Kitty Kitty! It’s Number 8!

Tigra, the (Former) Avenger

Origin:Also known as “The Cat”, co-created by Marvel Comics writers Roy Thomas, Linda Fite and artist Marie Severin, in November 1972.

No, This Isn’t Catwoman – But Why We Love Her So:We know what you’re thinking: “Who?” Unless you’re a die-hard comic book collector, there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of her – but she is representative of many of those clawed kitties at fetish parties who don’t profess to be a version of Catwoman. The various comic-book universes have had a number of feline-related Super heroes and heroines, with none more popular than Batman’s one-time arch nemesis and sometime love interest, Selina Kyle (more on her later – if you want to read about Catwoman, proceed immediately to Number Two on our list). With the rise in popularity over the past few years in cat-marked Zentai suits, Tigra seems as sound a bet as any to represent an entire legion of seductive and oh-so-deadly-sexy clawed cuties that would just as soon lick your face as scratch your eyes out, given the chance. The thing is, though, she also has one of the best developed and most consistent lexicons in the so-called Marvel Universe: she’s often been portrayed teaming through the years, in comic book pages and popular animation television shows, with the likes of Captain America, Iron Man and the Fantastic Four. Whatever the storyline, her trappings have remained virtually consistent: skimpy, tight bikini and, usually, little else except her own tiger-stripes and tail. She is typically portrayed with flaming red hair and in the pages of the comic books, is generally posed in suggestive and sensually-seductive postures (even when doing battle) in a way that would make Eric Stanton blush. All in all, whether the bevy of kittenish beauties is acutely aware of it or not, if they’re not attending a fetish event that is unmistakably a version of Catwoman, then they’re best described as a version of Tigra. Admit it: everyone thinks those nasty kitty-catsuits, Zentai suits and body suits are just plain sexy – and over-the-top in the “HOT” department! Some bold and enterprising young ladies have even allowed themselves to be body-painted, head to toe, during certain fetish events. There can be no better homage to Tigra than to suggest that she is representative of an entire legion of these near-nude, mysterious and alluringly artistic creature creations.

God in Heaven! It’s Number 7!

The Punisher

Origin:Created as an anti-hero and a foil for squeaky-clean Spider-Man by Gerry Conway, John Romita and Ross Andru in February, 1974. In all the kingdom of comic books, The Punisher’s rise to popularity has been the most meteoric – and his fall from popularity in the mid 1990’s the most precipitous. Of all main stream comic book characters, his portrayal in film and television projects has had to have been the most “toned down” due to the extremely graphic nature in which the violence he is capable of is often portrayed within the pages of his books.

Why We Love Him So:Frank Castle (The Punisher’s actual name) was “Goth” before Gene Simmons laced up his first pair of Kiss Destroyer boots. His iconography is simple, and yet one of the most recognizable (and easiest to reproduce as a fetish costume). A tight black T-Shirt, emblazoned with a gigantic, menacing Death’s Head skull (sans mandible), black pants and any variation of metal-encrusted combat boots, cropped spiked hair and leather gloves will immediately give other party-goers the distinct knowledge that a “Punisher” is indeed within their midst. It’s a virtually unspoken and unpopular thing to mention, but: many within the fetish world have an attraction, and are drawn to, immense firepower. In other words, many of us seem to really love our guns. The bigger and badder, the better – and with The Punisher the “big gun” is a costume necessity. The Punisher without his assault rifle or machine pistol is kind of like Superman without a cape, or Wonder Woman without her golden lasso: in other words, “quite lame”. Speaking of Wonder Woman …

Ka-Swish! It’s Number 6!

Wonder Woman

Origin:The first featured female heroine and everyone’s favorite Amazon, she was created for All-Star Comics (one of the early DC brands) by William Moulton Marston in 1941. She is the fifth longest-running continuous major comic-book character (after Superman, Namor the Sub-mariner, Batman and arguably, Captain America), and is without peer, longevity wise at least, amongst women heroines. She is unique in that she was created distinctly as a feminist role model, designed to empower young women and encourage them to enlist or otherwise join the American war effort, within days of the attack on Pearl Harbor in December, 1941.

Why We Love Her So:It’s definitely the boots (see Superman/Supergirl, above). Knee high bright red boots, sometimes with a coquettish white stripe running right down the shank to the toe just exude representative power within the form of the female leg. Let’s be honest with each other, shall we? Everyone – and I mean everyone – has a foot fetish of some kind. If we didn’t, well, Mahnolo Blahnik and Christian Louboutin wouldn’t exist. We just cannot ever get enough of a voluptuous, powerful and yet alluring feminine creature whose legs are accentuated by a great pair of red boots. Okay, maybe the bullet-proof gold and red corset with matching star-spangled girdle has something to do with her overall admiring form. Now that I think about it: that golden lasso – rope! – in which she expertly ties up her captives and extracts the truth is pretty sweet, too. While there are almost sure to be more “Cat People” in attendance at fetish parties, an expertly-attired Wonder Woman or two never fails to draw admiring eyes through the crowds – and sometimes tongues to the boots too, depending on the party. The look can go from ultra-sexy to ultra-cheesy (depending on the quality of the costume; some store-bought versions are downright ridiculous), but even media personalities have been known to try and pull off the look.

Back in Black! It’s Number 5!

Black Widow and Black Canary

Origin:The original Black Widow was conceived in 1940, and didn’t last very long – although she had the very cool alter-ego moniker of “Claire Voyant”. The more modern version first appeared in 1964, and was a creation of none other than Marvel Comics head-wizard himself, Stan Lee (working in concert with artist Don Heck and writer Don Rico). Black Canary is a far older character: she first appeared as a DC “sidekick character” in 1947, and was the brainchild of writer Robert Kanigher and legendary artist Carmine Infantino.

Major Difference:Other than Black Canary being a DC property and Black Widow a Marvel creation, the former is an All-American heroine while the latter is an anti-hero Russian super-spy. Black Canary typically wears a black body suit with black fishnet stockings, while Black Widow prefers the sleekness of her full-coverage catsuit. Black Canary is always depicted as a blonde: Black Widow, while on rare occasion (especially in the 1940’s) has been shown with jet-black hair, is usually seen with striking red hair. Black Canary also is blessed with a sonic superpower, while Black Widow compliments her deadly assassin skills with some serious firepower (she’s a trained weapons expert).

Major Similarities: Black leather, Martial Arts, statuesque body.

Why We Love Them So:Black leather, Martial Arts, statuesque body – again, what’s not to love? Of the female heroines and anti-heroines, these two are the easiest to emulate at a costume event. Even those not fortunate to have a full, representative catsuit can obtain the desired Black Widow look with a good pair of tight black pants and a thin jacket to match. Not a blonde or a redhead? Not a problem! There are more than enough good blonde wigs out there that can put the definitive “top” on the desired look. In fact, in the early days, Black Canary actually wore a blonde wig as a part of her (rather thin) disguise, as her original hair color was indeed far darker. The really cool thing about either costume is that they’re also flexible insofar as “accessories” are concerned. Black Canary usually has some kind of choker or collar, is sometimes depicted wearing black gloves and is almost always expected to wear a pair of folded-over slouch style knee-high boots. Black Widow is a little less flexible: those large, bullet-bearing (and sometimes deflecting) bracelets can be difficult to find, let alone make, if you’re not resourceful. The gun holsters and thigh-straps, though, shouldn’t be too tough for an enterprising costumer to manage. Of any feminine heroes, Black Widow and Black Canary are also the easiest to achieve if you happen to be a man who likes dressing in women’s attire for these kinds of fetish parties (although having the obligatory figure can prove to be a challenge for many cross dressers. Thank goodness for corsets!).

Schwing! It’s Number 4!

Spider-Man

Origin:Third in mass popularity only to Superman and Batman – but achieved his legendary status in roughly half the time – Spider-Man is the sole creation of Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. The webslinger first graced the color pages of Marvel comic books back in August 1962. While DC Comics have consistently relied on the “license to print money” that is both the Superman and Batman franchises, Marvel has evolved through the decades. Marvel’s bread used to be buttered, in succession, by Captain America, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, the X-Men and, most recently, Spider-Man. Even the corporation’s splendid Roster Poster features the teen-aged hero right up in front – of hundreds of characters.

Why We Love Him So:Spider-Man is unique to super hero lexicon for a variety of reasons: not the least of which is that he’s a typical, emotionally vulnerable young man, and he’s fallible. Some of his “mistakes” have resulted in cherished and revered storylines involving the deaths of those closest to him that have, since their first publication, gone on to become a part of graphic novel history. While Spider-Man is unquestionably “super”, he isn’t all that different from any one of us from a human perspective: he is portrayed as nervous, shy, bumbling, temperamental and even prone to extreme episodes of anxiety. All of this makes him easy for readers to relate to. From a costume fetish perspective, it can be said that Spider-Man’s spider-suit – which has remained unchanged for nearly fifty years, except for the alien symbiant Venom storyline of the late 1980’s – arguably is the very inspiration for the silk and nylon Zentai suit craze of our modern day. In recent years, full Spider-Man inspired suits have been showing up in a rainbow of colors at parties across Canada and the United States – there is a fuchsia pink version seen out and about sometimes at Toronto events, for instance. Anyone who has attended a sporting event recently (you should remember the Red Zentai Brigade during the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games this past February?) will probably remember seeing a few Zentai suits, at the very least inspired by the Spider-Man costume, enjoying themselves, anonymously, amongst the crowd. It’s fairly easy to have a Spider-Man suite purchased, or custom made, for the super hero enthusiast: it’s quite another to be able to pull it off and not look awkward during a party. While there is almost always a Spider-Man or six at larger costume and fetish balls, there haven’t been reports of one actually being able to fire strong, tensile “webs” from his wrists or climb the walls … yet.

Hee Hee Hee! It’s Number 3!

The Joker and Harley Quinn

Origin:The undisputed “Clown Prince and Princess of High Crime”. They are what pass for a twisted, fetishistic version of Bonnie and Clyde. Bob Kane’s pasty-faced, green-haired and purple-suited homicidal maniac has been called “the greatest villain in popular media history”. The Joker predates most of the most cherished heroes within the comic book universe, having made his appearance in the spring of 1940. His female foil, the equally-murderous and diabolical Harley Quinn, is an anomaly: she began her “life” as an animated character on a Batman television series on September 11, 1992, and quickly became so popular as a “super villainess” that she was shortly thereafter given top-billing of her own within the pages of several DC comic books and graphic novels.

Why We Love Them So: Let’s face it: it’s fun to pretend to be bad. It’s even more fun when you can dress the part and pretend to be, simply, the baddest. The Joker is, without question, the most admired and emulated, sophisticated and refined bad-ass of all time. Let’s face it: this guy makes Darth Vader look like “just another great dad!” The Joker appeals to that base, predatory instinct that resides in all of us (especially males): he’s an unrepentant, sociopathic hunter whose sole existence is not only a result of, but an absolute continued reliance to, the dogged near-destruction of a single man.

“Near”, because while The Joker is undeniably insane, he is completely aware of the fact that in order to justify his own continued existence, and to give a reason for his very life, he must perpetually be a criminally-minded mirror to the one and only man he truly admires and respects: his arch nemesis, the Batman. In the comic book universe, there is no Batman without his Joker to continually challenge him. The deep hatred, and yet deep mutual respect both damaged men have for one another has never been written, or portrayed, to greater effect than what was done with staggering impact by Alan Moore, Brian Bolland and John Higgins in their landmark 1988 publication, The Killing Joke. That publication changed comic books forever – it introduced the concept of the ‘graphic novel’ – and has been acclaimed as the inspiration for several films, television series and subsequent book projects. Costume-wise, the look of both The Joker and Harley Quinn are not easy to achieve. Body-type is indeed a limitation, and it isn’t easy to find purple pinstripe suits, orange dress shirts, green bow-ties and spat-shoes these days. In fact, the easiest part of The Joker ensemble would probably be the makeup: green hair dye, white paste and bright red face paint are relatively simple to obtain these days. It’s easier for a girl to try and pull off the Harley Quinn look: although typical representations at fetish parties tend to be, by admission, custom-designed and produced pieces (sometimes complete with one red, and one black, matching and identical pairs of gloves and boots, one for each hand and leg). Many desire to be The Joker and Harley Quinn at fetish balls – very few can actually pull it off. Those that do typically come out on the winning side of any “Best Costume” contest judging, though. See, there’s a reason why The Joker is the only comic book character, to date, whose actor-portrayers have earned nominations for Oscars, Golden Globes and Emmy Awards. The Joker is the only main stream comic book character to have been awarded an Academy Award: the late Heath Ledger turning in a performance for the ages in 2008’s The Dark Knight.

Whir-CRACK! Its Number 2!

Catwoman

Origin: Selina Kyle first entered the pop culture lexicon in the same publication that introduced The Joker: DC Comics Batman #1in the spring of 1940 (considered one of the four “Holy Grails” of comic book collecting). The old girl, better known as the ultra-sexy, sensual and emotionally-scarred Catwoman, remains the single most popular female character in the comic book collector’s universe. She was inspired by, the story goes, Jean Harlow and a cousin (by marriage) of Batman creator Bob Kane. Her costuming has changed over the years: her popularity has only increased. She is not quite a villain – but could never be a hero. She is often depicted as an impossible interest of affection to her greatest rival – and greatest love – the Batman. The very word “catsuit” is a direct result of how this character was drawn and portrayed during the zenith of her comic book popularity; in other words, from the 1950’s up to the modern day.

Why We Love Her So:Few literary characters have had more consistent “variations on a theme” throughout the decades as Catwoman. None have achieved her popularity. She is universal: she appeals to most women in general, and especially to all women of power. She made the cat o’nine tails and the bullwhip not just sexy, but downright lustful and even desirable. She exudes what men fear, and desire, the most: a sensual potential lover who reeks of constant danger, and excitement. The genius of the presence of the Catwoman lies in simplicity: her outfits, for over sixty years, may have changed colors (she’s gone from green, to grey, to purple, to black) but the clawed gloves, the boots (short or high), the form-fitting body suit and, especially, the cat-eared mask have all been a necessary part of her fashion accoutrement’s. She has the distinction of having created, by far, the most media adaptations related to comic books, including having a jaw-dropping number of beautiful Hollywood actresses play her through the years in movies and television projects. Many different versions of Catwoman could be represented at a fetish party: some women (and a few select men, even) may choose to wear an Avengers-type black leather, latex or PVC catsuit with either lace-up or pull-on high-heeled, thigh high boots; long black gloves (with or without metal claw “accessories”); a whip of some fashion (usually a single-tail or cat o’nine tails) and the ever-present cat-mask, of course. Some have chosen to include the more modern goggle-wearing masked style the current iteration of the comic book character favors, while others prefer to don just the cat-cowl itself. Regardless of which version a dedicated fan may choose to wear to an event, it is doubtless she would ever be mistaken for any other character other than Batman’s delicate but oh-so-seductively-deadly feline foil.

Biff! Bam! Pow! Its Number 1!

Batman

Origin:You know him. You truly love him. Everyone wants to be like him. He’s Bob Kane’s square-jawed, obsessive and perpetually tortured crime fighter deluxe who first entered the public consciousness in 1939 – and never left. Before his death in 1998, Bob Kane said that his inspiration for the Batman character came from Douglas Fairbanks: or, more specifically, his portrayal of Zorro. Kane also mentioned that Leonardo Da Vinci’s design for an “ornithopter flying machine” was the main inspiration for batman’s wing-like cape.

Why We Love Him So: Most heroes within the pages of comic books are “super”. That means, naturally, that most of them have some kind of power that is generally beyond the normal, physiological limitations of human beings. Some heroes can fly, almost all possess some level of super strength and almost all have some kind of physical weakness which could, when utilized by a super villain or two, prove to lead directly to their personal Waterloos. Batman, however, has never been portrayed as anything other than one-hundred-percent human – with very human frailties and weaknesses. In essence, Batman represents the potential and possibility that any one of us could rise to that level of heroism – with the right training, intelligence and expertise. Of course, it’s convenient that Batman’s alter-ego, Multi-billionaire Bruce Wayne, happens to be described as one of the “wealthiest men in the world”. It helps to be able to have the disposable income to build and accomplish virtually anything that you may wish to.

Regardless of Batman’s fantastic wealth, he is forever flawed: he’s a haunted, moody, violent and vindictive man who doesn’t hide too many of his character flaws from the people who know him best (which are admittedly few). The normal human failings a rich, handsome playboy is expected to have – a weakness for booze and babes, for instance – Bruce Wayne “fakes” in order to portray himself as an alcoholic party machine. More admirably, Batman doesn’t kill – and he has a deep aversion to traditional firearms. All told, he is a character that we can easily relate to, and even more easily identify with and desire to emulate. Dressing the part is about as close to being able to “be” Batman as almost all of us will ever get, and we do it with great enthusiasm. At conventions, costume balls and fetish parties, Batman is usually the best-represented character, and some fans take great pains (not to mention spend an inordinate amount of money) to achieve the desired effect. A Batman costume isn’t something to be attempted lightly – a bad Batman costume could end up looking utterly ridiculous (and let’s be honest: The Adam West 1960’s version almost universally looks ridiculous), especially when compared side to side with someone who took years, and even thousands of dollars, to perfect their own caped crusader look. It isn’t just the armored suit, the gloves, the cape and the cowl, and the boots a dedicated Bat-Fan needs to obtain: part of Batman’s attraction is the wearing and utilization of his “Belt” that is integral to an accurate, and respected, portrayal of the character. Of any comic book character, Batman is the one that is most adaptable to an evolving time. The armored suit has, with little variance, remained recognizable for generations of fans. It is unquestioned the Batman will remain a favorite of costume enthusiasts for generations to come. His appeal is universal, his methods breathtakingly timeless. There is a little piece of Batman that resides in all of us, and it’s probably the biggest reason why his image is so incredibly popular (yes, even at costumed fetish events).

“… If the cut of the costume indicates intellect and talent, then the color indicates temper and heart.”

~ Thomas Carlyle, Victorian-Era Historian and Essayist

Honorable Mentions: The Watchmen (particularly Silk Spectre, Comedian and Rorshach); Green Arrow, Green Lantern (although to most of us, he looks like a totally ambiguously gay hero in that outfit); Green Hornet (what the hell is it with the color ‘green’?); Captain America; Iron Man (if you have the resources to pull it off); Daredevil and Elektra; Scarlet Witch; Vampirella.

(Notes on the usage of photos: All photographs have been reproduced through acquisition via General Domain on the World Wide Web. Photos of Supergirl and Catwoman in latex are used as a promotional courtesy, all rights retained by Bianca Beauchamp. Photo of Dark Phoenix courtesy of the costume design studio of Meredith Placko. Photo of Kim Kardashian as Wonder Woman, and all other images obtained through the graces of the General Domain on the World Wide Web. Images remain under the auspices of their original creators.)

On Friday August 27th the well-known photographer and founder of the Beauty of Abyss Photography Thomas Adorff will present his pictures in a very nice vernissage at the Karlsruher Blackstage location. The begining is 9pm and every visitor will get a welcome drink and for sure there will be fingerfood too.

Next to the pictures of Thomas also Susanne from Provoqué will present some of her Haute-Couture dresses. If you miss the Vernissage but want to see the images and pictures of Thomas you will be able to do that till September 17th.
Next to this, Thomas will have also 3 other exhibitions in 2010.

Erik von Gutenberg recommends the London Fetish Weekend starting October 1, 2010!

Now in its third year, the London Fetish Weekend is firmly in the diaries of kinksters worldwide.  Tickets have been selling fast and include guests from around the globe and as far away as Australia!

The fun packed weekend offers something for everyone and kicks off on 1^st October with a Club Subversion Special at the Colloseum in Vauxhall. The theme for this year’s event is Uniforms which is great for boys and girls! Subversion will have five themed areas including a huge dungeon area by Playpenz with ambient music so you can hear your whip crack, a French maid cafe with maid service, a pumping dance area with resident DJs Markie Moo, Si and Bas along with guest DJ Miles. Doors open at 10pm and tickets are just £18 in advance or £20 on the door.

Saturday daytime is shopping time with the London Alternative Market at the Royal National Hotel near Russell Square. A great chance to pick up outfits, toys and accessories from some of London’s most talented kinky traders. As well as being a great place to shop it’s also a great place to meet up with friends or make new ones in the bar area. The market is open from midday to 6pm and is just £6 entry (tickets are available in advance or on the door).

Torture Garden, the world’s largest fetish club, presents the London Fetish Weekend Ball at Mass in Brixton on Saturday night. This huge event features 6 themed rooms, radical performance art, body ritual, fashion shows, burlesque cabaret, live music, art installations, eclectic music and an enforced fantasy dress code. The range of music from DJs including David TG, The Secretary and Jimmy Mofo will make sure your feet don’t touch the floor from the moment you arrive! Tickets are £27 in advance or £30 on the door.

On Sunday you can choose from twelve workshops within three streams of play; Fetish & Fashion, SM play and Bondage brought to you by SiMply Workshops and the LAM. Workshops start at midday and go on until 6pm but you can arrive when you want and choose which workshops you attend as the day goes on. Food and drink are available throughout the day and with tickets at just £8 for the full day it is a great chance to brush up on your SM skills and pick up tips on play and fashion whilst socialising and making new friends.

Finally, Sunday evening is After Pandora in London Bridge. The theme is Bedtime Stories and will entail an enchanting night of kinky fairy tales, a sexy playful night to wrap up a fabulous weekend of fetish clubbing. Tickets for this adult pyjama party are £10 and numbers are limited so make sure you book in advance.

www.londonfetishweekend.com

More pictures, reports and models you will find in the issue 3 of Von Gutenberg Magazine – Fashion Fantasy and Lifestyle Magazine with columns from Midori and Violet Blue!

In the same issue you will see Mister SF Leather 2010 Lance Holman, Jewell Marceau, Sin Fisted and Mina de Sade. Stunning pictures and great interviews and additionally a big report on upcoming Folsom Street Fair past and present 2010.

Designers are Libertinesque, Madame S and legendary DeMask! We are all about Fashion, Fashion and Fashion again!

Get your copy now and enjoy the summer issue of Von Gutenberg – the number 1 in Fashion Fantasy and Lifestyle! And it is still AUGUST 2010 and we have still free shipping until the end of the month for Von Gutenberg magazines and for subscriptions of the Von Gutenberg Magazine! Take your copy before leaving for Burning Man this year and take advantage of free shipping within the US.

www.vongutenberg.com/shop

Here the Cover Interview with Rubberdoll:

The Latexpo is the new international Latex-Lifestyle-Event.

The guests of the Latexpo awaits a modern, diverse program. A program that should holdsomething for everyone to enjoy a weekend all about and around their favourite material“Latex”. Catwalk fashion shows, harbour-boat trips in latex, a dinner, a latex flea-market, the Latex-Fashion-Ball, Exhibitors and exposition, Rubberdoll contest, and much more.

Within the frame of this latex „Haute Couture“-event, designers and developers from all over the world, annually present themselves to the public. Once a year at the Latexpo, one gets to find out about the newest, hippest cuts and outfits, material and product development, as well as the most extraordinary creations. Numerous designers will be met, can take measurements, you can get to know each other or exchange new ideas. The professionals among the audience can use the Latexpo to offer the newest trends themselves in the following seasons. .

You would like to participate at the private latex flea market? We’ll put a free platform with a table and clothing rack at your disposal. Please register on our homepage under the menu-point „Flea Market Registration“.

You will see Bodycult, Savage Wear, Sensual Latex, Favour Kicks and many more … you will love it!

www.latexpo.de

6 YEARS . 6 NIGHTS . 60 SHOWS . SEPTEMBER 1^st-6th, 2010

More than a group of artists or a mere event, the Montreal Fetish Weekend represents an ideal where one can express a desire to celebrate their fantasy turning it into a reality.

The Montreal Fetish Weekend attracts attendees from all over the world. Montreal’s legendary hospitality invites you to explore your secret self.

All inclusive VIP passes are available at a reduced price of $200 and includes a VIP goodies bag as well as accept to VIP lounge and play areas and 2 exclusive VIP events.

http://fetishweekend.com/

Wednesday September 1^st

MEET & GREET – Dungeon & Garden Mai : VIP exclusive event

Thursday September 2^nd

CLUB SIN 6^th Anniversary – Cabaret Cleo, 1230 St-Laurent : tickets : $20

Friday September 3^rd

KABARET KINK Fashion Gala - l’Olympia, 1004 Ste-Catherine E. : tickets : $35

Saturday September 4^th

WORKSHOPS – Hôtel des Gouverneurs, 1415 St-Hubert St.: 2-day pass $60

LATEXTACY Fetish & Fantasy Ball – l’Olympia, 1004 Ste-Catherine E. : tickets : $35

Sunday September 5^th

WORKSHOPS – Hôtel des Gouverneurs, 1415 St-Hubert St.: 2-day pass $60

EXHIBITIONIST PHOTO TOUR – Leaves from the Gouverneurs – admission is free

NIGHT OF MASKS AND VAMPIRES – l’Olympia, 1004 Ste-Catherine E. : tickets : $35

Monday September 6^th

FAREWELL SUPPER – Restaurant Julien, 1191 Union Ave. : VIP exclusive event

Not only is the event worth to go, but also the city of Montreal is just beautiful in September to visit:

http://ville.montreal.qc.ca/portal/page?_pageid=5977,40491560&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

Here the flyers for the event: