After only five years, ESPN The Magazine's "Body Issue" is quickly replacing Sports Illustrated's "Swimsuit Edition" as the most anticipated magazine event of the year. Instead of having frail, thin women "model" overpriced bathing suits, ESPN shows professional athletes at the peak of their prime, stripped down to nothing at all.
"The Body Issue" provides athletes a chance to proudly display the instruments of their trade, which they have spent years crafting to perfection. Along with giving readers a chance to glimpse their favorite sports stars naked, the issue also allows us to see how various sports shape a person's musculature. The photos are far more than just arousing fluff, which is why more athletes agree to pose each year. "The Body Issue" celebrates these world-class body artists with tasteful, artistic, and visually stimulating photos.
Below is a sample and a few preview shots from "The Body Issue." The full issue with all its uncensored content hits stands Friday, July 12.
