Bettie Page Forever?
» Erotica
The Bettie Page revival began as near as I can tell when artist Dave Stevens used her likeness as the basis for a woman in The Rocketeer comic book. People discovered the beauty in the drawing was based on a real woman and it seemed to ramify from there.
Even though I sold Bettie Page paper dolls - complete with little leather whip - I was sure the fad would quickly fade.
No pop culture prophet am I.
From an essay contemplating Bettie Page’s eternal appeal:
It wasn’t just her industry or her openness that distinguished her. Out of those 20,000 photos, how many show even a hint of boredom or fatigue, or anything other than complete commitment to the moment? While Page is often credited for normalizing kink, for showing how even sun-kissed girl-next-door types could have a secret taste for lesbian spanking action, what’s most notable about her oeuvre is how little sexual heat she radiates. Naked, fresh-scrubbed, practically incandescing with exuberance, she looks like she’s posing for a vitamin ad. Rarely can one detect any libidinal ache, or even a mild hunger for something carnal. Clearly, the camera excited her—but not in that way. Its promise of fame was what got her off, and ultimately the potential for celebrity overwhelmed anything more specifically sexual her photos were supposed to communicate.
The all-American appeal of Bettie Page