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July, 2017:

Put A Pug In Your Life

And another studio making the rounds again. This time from France. We learned about TeamTO in 2014 thanks to their feature film Yellowbird. Now they’re back with a television and on-line project that’s getting a lot of press, called Take It Easy Mike. “Described by TeamTO as ‘Tom & Jerry meets silly pet videos’, it turns on Mike, a refined pug with boundless energy and sophisticated tastes who’s dead-set on seducing the neighbor’s lovely dog Cindy. But his best laid plans go awry – thanks to the inopportune appearances of a bunch of trouble-makers: Freddy and Mercury, raccoons; Fluffy the cutest kitten; and a turtle trio – all causing unforeseen twists and turns.” But that’s not the reason this no-dialogue project is turning heads. “…One of the show’s stars – and what really sets it apart and has certainly got TV networks and TeamTO excited – is its photo-realism, fruit of TeamTO’s decade-long push to improve the quality, costs and speed of its physical animation.” Could not find any footage on line though, so it seems as if we’ll have to wait ’till 2018 to see what it’s like.

Image c. 2017 TeamTO

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Growing Up Is Hard To Do

Mexico’s Anima Estudio have been mentioned around here before, most recently for their upcoming animated feature based on the 1960’s TV animation oddity Here Comes the Grump. In the meantime, they’ve completed work on another CGI feature called Monster Island, set to be released soon direct to DVD. “When Lucas finds out he is not really a human, but actually a monster, the news changes his whole world! Embarking on a quest to Monster Island to discover his real roots, Lucas undergoes a journey he will never forget. He finds himself face to face with more tentacles, fangs and far-out situations than he can shake one of his new wings at. Ultimately Lucas learns that being a freak, isn’t freaky — it means you’re a member of a brand new type of family that you can proudly call your own.” The film is directed by Leopoldo Aguilar, and it features the voices of Fiona Hardingham, Katie Leigh (Gummi Bears), Jenifer Kaplan, Erik Larsen, and Michael Robles. Amazon says to look for it this September.

image c. 2017 Anima Estudio

Look! Up in the Sky!

According to an article at Animation Magazine, the Chinese tech company Tencent has agreed to invest heavily in the development of a new CGI series, Super BOOMi, created by Up Studios (also from China). This furry little super hero has already enjoyed widespread exposure in China, and now his creators are looking to expand his reach to international markets. Up Studios are also working on at least two other animated adaptations: Piggy and Tomo Explores The World.

image c. 2016 Up Studios

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The Rules of Acquisition

[Hey Ed-Otter! Where’ve you been? Down with a temperature, that’s where. Sorry for the absence! More catching up from Comic Con…] Sean “Cheeks” Galloway is perhaps best known (among the Furry Fans at very least!) as the illustrator of the Pearls of Panderia graphic novel (which of course we’ve talked about). Now he’s back with a more personal project: His own comic imprint, Table Taffy. Recently he released the first Table Taffy Comic ‘Zine. We’ll let him explain: “Table Taffy Comic ‘Zine is a new line of books to showcase comics based on my creator-owned projects! Issue #1 features the Shadow Pirates one-shot #1, as well as comics for my Bastion’s 7, Gumshoes 4 Hire, Little Big Heads, and introducing my new property, Mohnstur Watch! Games and activities are also included, so the whole family can enjoy!” Plenty of characters both human and decidedly-not to be found here. Visit his web site to learn more.

image c. 2017 Table Taffy

It’s Time to Night the Nights

Back from Comic Con, with lots to talk about. So why not start off with something delightfully odd? This fall, the Muppets return in a new illustrated book, Muppets Meet The Classics: The Phantom Of The Opera. Seriously. “This classic tale of love, intrigue, and jealousy at the Paris Opera House, which has thrilled readers, musical lovers, and movie goers for more than a century, has now been reimagined with the cast of the Muppets. Readers will gasp, cry, laugh, and laugh again as Kermit (as Raoul), Miss Piggy (as Christine), Uncle Deadly (as the phantom), and the chickens (as the ballet corps) give a whole new meaning to the word classic.” You read it here. Gaston LeRoux’s famous work has been adapted for the Muppets by Erik Forrest Jackson, and it’s illustrated by Owen Richardson. Look for it in paperback this October.

image c. 2017 Penguin Workshop

Another Shaggy Dog Story

Now there’s a new full-color graphic novel for young readers with the interesting title of Dog Night at the Story Zoo. It’s written by Dan Bar-El and illustrated by Vicki Nerino. Here’s how the publisher says it: “It’s Open Mic Night at the Story Zoo and the dogs are up to tell their tales in this hilarious graphic novel for young readers. At the Story Zoo, you get to tell any story you want in front of the live audience, as long as it’s about you. And tonight is dog night. So sit back, relax, and let these dogs tell their tales. We’ve got some hilarious but quite touching stories from dogs of all kinds, including a bulldog who doesn’t wanted to be judged by his looks; a bloodhound who loses her power of scent and turns to a dog called Surelick Holmes for help; an energetic poodle who saves the day with her yapping; and a stray who takes fetching to a whole new level.” Got all that? It’s available now in hardcover. [And we’ll see YOU all after a quick trip to San Diego Comic Con!]

image c. 2017 Tundra Books

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Elf-topia?

Among the big announcements to come out of this year’s D23 Expo (Disney’s bi-annual convention for their biggest and geekiest fans — hey, your ed-otter is one!) is news of an as-yet-untitled new CGI film from Pixar… a “suburban fantasy”. According to a preview at Entertainment Weekly, “During the fan convention’s animation panel on Friday, John Lasseter introduced director Dan Scanlon to unveil details about a new original film on Pixar’s upcoming slate, filling in one of the cryptic untitled slots on the studio’s release schedule. Lasseter described the film as ‘an adventure set in a suburban fantasy world,’ and Scanlon, who helmed Monsters University, debuted concept art showing a large winged creature flying over a small town at sunset. Set in a human-less world of elves, trolls, sprites, and ‘pretty much anything that would be on the side of a van in the ‘70s,’ the movie follows two teenage brothers whose father died when they were young; now, they’re on a quest through this mundane, modern fantasy world to somehow find a way to spend one last magical day with their father.” Oh and by the way, there are unicorns everywhere. and a dragon or two thrown into the mix as well. No word on a release date yet (or a title!), but speculation is leaning toward the summer of 2020 or 2021.

image c. 2017 The Disney Company

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Disney Like You Haven’t Seen Before

Cyclops Print Works is the home of the Disney Fine Art Collectors Editions. On their web site you’ll find a collection of limited edition serigraph prints (in large sizes) from various Disney animated works — many of them anthropomorphic, including the already-famous print below by Zootopia co-director Byron Howard. All of them are for sale, but some of them (such as an amazing print by Tom Whalen of characters from The Great Mouse Detective) have already sold out and may not be printed again. Sign up on their mailing list to find out when they’ll be introducing new prints to the line.

image c. 2017 by Byron Howard

Sexy, Scaly, and Shiny, Inc.

Joe Strike has made a name for himself with his recently published non-fiction book Furry Nation (which has been getting a good deal of attention, of course). But on a side note, Mr. Strike also recently commissioned his first fur-suit — or rather scale-suit, perhaps, as it is an anthro komodo dragon named Komos. Joe then hooked up with fellow writer Oliver Coombes and created Komos & Goldie, an action-adventure crime drama comic series that is decidedly for Mature Audiences Only. “Saurian servant of Circe herself! Sheela-Na-Gig, Celtic sex-goddess, reincarnated! He’s scaly, she’s shiny — together they’re deadly!” And they work to fight organized crime in their own way: Outside of the law, and with more than a bit of magick thrown in. Most of the black & white comic is illustrated by well-known furry and underground comic artist Kjartan Arnorsson. It’s available on-line and also in good-old paper fashion, and both include lots of extra illustrations of the characters by various artists.

image c. 2017 by MaryMouse

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