1)  Which came first -- your bondage drawings or your bondage photography? And what led you to progress from one genre to the other?

Bondage Art came first when I was in my teens. The photography came much later when I got the misguided idea that it would be easy money (hah!), and that I would meet hot, kinky girls. Turned out to be a lot of work, plus the vast majority of my models had boyfriends, husbands, girlfriends or just thought I was a sadistic asshole, so THAT didn't pan out either. Also, my photography featured bondage so severe that I felt I needed to show female viewers that I wasn't a total self-important asshole who took the subject matter too seriously, and that I have a genuine affection for kinky, bondage-lovin' babes, which I hope comes across in my cartoons.

2)  When did you draw your first bondage sketch and what was it?

I'm 61 years old! I can't fuckin' remember that far back! But I think I started drawing tied up girls shortly after I bought a comic book with a bound babe on the cover when I was around 13 years old. I don't remember my first bondage drawing, but I THINK it was a blonde who looked like a girl in school that I had the hots for, dressed in a tight sweater and skirt.

3)  Did you always have the sense of humor that comes across so nicely in your humorous drawings?
 
I'm glad to think that my humor "comes across so nicely". My drawings amuse ME, but I'm never sure if they'll amuse or offend viewers. My irreverent attitude towards bondage developed as a result of years of working with fun and kinky models, and recognizing the silliness of it all.

4)  Do you have the same sense of humor in real life as comes across in your bondage drawings?

Ask my buddy, Stacie Snow. Having worked with her for years, and having sat in on her many shoots with TolstoyTony, she and I developed a very playful working relationship which allowed me to inflict my wisecracks on her. And she still likes me, so I guess my sense of humor DOES come across OK in real life.

5)  Tell me about your creative process for both your art and photography work in this multi-part question.  What are the "tools of your trade" for each?  How do you decide what you will draw or shoot? With regard to the artwork, what determines if you will do a text-free drawing or add text/dialogue to it? In the humorous drawings, which comes first, the art or the idea for the humorous text or dialogue?

Regarding the artwork, I take photos from my shoots, combine 'em with photos from magazines in dramatic compositions and let the body language of the figures give me ideas for the scenarios. I then come up with facial expressions and other details in the art to "sell" the concepts, and lastly work on short, concise captions that tell the stories. A lot of my early art didn't feature humorous captions because I was more interested in practicing my bondage drawing, but over the years my sense of humor asserted itself with the result that all of my recent illustrations feature humor. As for the photography, I've been doing it for so long that I just go on instinct, shooting more or less what I like (except for commissioned customs), with variety in looks,wardrobe and bondage positions to keep things interesting.

6)  Have you ever received complaints that your drawings are offensive? And if so, what drawing(s) drew the most complaints and how (if at all) did you respond to the complaints?

Occasionally somebody won't "get" the humor, misinterpreting the point that I'm making, but it happens rarely. Everybody has their own "trigger", so there's always going to be someone offended by my work. Goes with the territory. No specific drawings or concepts have been targets of mass indignation. As for my responses, I don't. There's no percentage in arguing against someone's point of view.

7)  Have you ever created a drawing that you yourself decided was too offensive or "over the top" to post/make public?  And if so, what did you depict? And did you post it anyway or scrap it?

I've never self-censored. If the idea amuses me then I inflict it upon the public.

8) Do you believe that artists and photographers should have the right of free expression regardless of whether their art or photography is considered offensive or in bad taste as long as it is legal (i.e., not child pornography)? 

Yep. Free expression leads to mind-expansion. I'm for it, even if it's offensive.

9)  With regard to your bondage photography work, how much rope is "too much" rope?

I've never looked at my work and thought that I'd crossed the line, but I've come close. If the amount of ropework gives the impression that it's been done for looks rather than function, then it's not my style.

10)  Are most models able to take the stringent ropework you use during your shoots? Have any "tapped out" from the stringent nature of the ropework?

The vast majority of my models have been able to tolerate my ropework long enough for me to get plenty of photos OR lots of video, but not both. I generally tie the girls in ways that their bodies are reasonably comfortable with, but the tightness of the ropes almost always results in the models "tapping out" at some point, since I have a bad habit of always asking for "just a few more pictures, honey!", no matter how much I've already shot. When I've got a pretty girl in a really great bondage I always hate to stop shooting!

11)  Why do you think people (male and female) like seeing girls tied up and gagged in drawings or photographs?

I've actually given this some thought over the years. With regard to male viewers I believe that the appeal of attractive tied-up women is divided thusly: (a) rape fantasies, (b) power fantasies, (c) kinky foreplay fantasies, (d) sadism fantasies. As for women, judging by the comments I've received from female fans over the years, they mostly like to imagine themselves as the "victims" in my photos and illustrations.

12)  What bondage artists' work do you admire and what artists have influenced your drawing work?

I like a lot of Bishop's early stuff before his women began to look masculine, and some of John Willie's illustrations impressed me with the TIGHTNESS of the ropes on his women. Occasionally I come across other artists on FetLife who create good bondage art, but the names don't stick with me.

13)  What bondage producers/riggers do you admire and who has influenced your photography and ropework?

The great John Savage, as anyone familiar with both our work knows, was THE bondage photographer who directly inspired my style. As for current producers/riggers who's work I admire (without wanting to emulate due to our differing styles), there's Eric Cain and BrendasBound, who's super-severe hogties always get my attention, and my friend TolstoyTony, who occasionally gets it right when I'm there to nag him ().

14)  What one photoset are you most proud of and why?

Although I've done quite a few that I'm NOT happy with (because I'm such an anal perfectionist!), I can't say that I have a favorite. I've had so many good models do good bondage in different positions and styles with so many interesting "looks" that my "favorites" change from day to day depending on my mood.

15)  What bondage drawing are you most proud of and why?

A lot of my artwork makes me wince when I look at it, due to the rushed and uninspired nature of it. But when it comes to illustrations that I'm satisfied with, there are too many drawings with various aspects that I like to have a favorite. Attempting to choose a single drawing to best represent the "Annis style" would drive me bugs.

16)  How would you respond if someone complained that your work (both photography and art) negatively objectifies women?

I would respond by saying that (a) I make the women in my photography look sexy and helpless, not abused or unattractive, and I leave it up to the viewer's interpretation as to whether or not the captivity is consensual, (b) most often the women in my art are enjoying their situations, unknown to their clueless captors, and (c) as to objectifying women...well, duh.

17)  Tell me your preferences/favorites for each of the following:

Gag: First preference: extremely tight harness-ballgag (if the model has the lips, cheeks and jawline to look good in it). Second preference: super-tight "wraparound" tape gag.

Bondage position: Elbows-together, with legs bound at ankles and above and below the knees (what I call a "3-point" leg tie).

Clothed vs. naked in art or photos: In art, generally clothed to make the drawings look more graphic regarding B&W composition. In photography, I find clothing usually works to give a model a "character" as well as hiding body flaws. Wardrobe also serves to appeal to fetish preferences such as hosiery, high heels, etc. Occasionally, if a model's body is right for it I'll shoot her nude for variety and to add to her look of vulnerability.

Character to depict in a drawing: Don't have a favorite character, although most of my cartoon women tend to look like Kim Kardashian (maybe she'll be flattered and pose for me someday?).

Barefooted, socked, stockings, or pantyhose: In order of preference: pantyhose, stockings, barefoot, and socks if I have to hide a tat or make a model look "innocent".

Book: Mystery/detective novels ("Doc Savage", The "Spencer" novels, "Shell Scott", and too many others to mention).

Comedian: Tina Fey

Movie: Pacific Rim

Comic strip: None

Comic book: Grew up collecting the Stan Lee/Jack Kirby/Vince Colletta "Thor" comics, and the "Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea" series. Lately, I've been collecting the "Star Trek" series based on the JJ Abrams movies. Never a big comic book geek.

18)  Your art site has been online for a very long time.  To what do you attribute your success and longevity?

"Success" is a very relative term. Any asshole can maintain a website provided he/she has a webmaster to take care of the technical side. Mine has been online for all these years simply because I haven't run out of ideas (although I have had to take a break due to carpal tunnel, which has seriously impacted my income from the site).

19)  Aside from your two websites, have you ever done any commercial work as an artist/cartoonist or photographer?  And if so, please describe the nature of your commercial work.

Never had any professional experience as an artist or photographer other than for my websites, although I did learn a bit about "positive" and "negative" spacing and composition from my years working in the signage business.

20)  Are you still drawing bondage art and shooting bondage photography images?

Yep. Plan to continue with the art when my carpal tunnel gets better, and don't plan to give up tyin' up and photographing the young hotties as long as I don't get too old and creepy for them to want to model for me.

21)  What else do you want your fans to know about you and your work in addition to what we covered in this interview?

I'm always up for helping a hot babe discover her latent kinky side. Send me your wives, girlfriends and daughters, and I'll teach 'em the ropes.