Pug Davis is a very strange, successful, and popular web comic written and illustrated by Rebecca Sugar. She’s already on her third “issue” (read: story arc), and now the first two have been released as a single-volume black & white trade paperback by Albatross Exploding Funny Books (what a name!). The story concerns a famously dangerous space adventurer known as Pug Davis: Gruff, grouchy, conservative, politically incorrect… Maybe it’s got something to do with the fact he’s got the face of a cute little pug dog, complete with bright and shiny little puppy-eyes. He and his companion, an optimistic and unashamedly gay human known as “Blouse”, travel the galaxy together — one looking to make friends and find a home, one looking to bash some heads. The Web Comic Overlook site has a much more detailed review and explanation of it all… but afterward, it still won’t all make sense!
Web Sites
Gummi Bear Reunion — On Line!
Short notice but: Animation writer, producer, and show-creator Jymn Magon is hosting another “webinar” this Saturday, December 11th, at 5:00 pm (Pacific Standard Time). This time he’s presenting a special 25th anniversary show for Disney’s The Gummi Bears — still a popular favorite animated TV series, to say the least. The two-hour “webinar” will include live interviews with June Foray (the voice of Grammi Gummi), Katie Leigh (the voice of Sunni Gummi), Art Vitello (director), Ed Wexler (layout), Gary Eggleston (backgrounds), Michael and Patty Silversher (theme song composers), Mark Zaslove and Len Uhley (writers), and of course the series creator, Jymn himself. Signing up will cost you $20.00, and you can do so by visiting Jymn Magon’s web site.
image c. 2010 Walt Disney TV Animation
Tasakeru
It’s an anthro-themed web novel series called Tasakeru, created and written by Brian Stanley. Here’s what Brian himself had to say: “The Tasakeru website has recently broken 11,000 hits and won distinction in the annual Web Series Writing Month competition. The aim of the story is to do something very different with the ‘talking animals’ genre: Using warring mammal species as allegories for human conflict. It’s chiefly inspired by [Brian Jacques’] Redwall, but unlike the latter series there are no clear-cut good and evil species. The story focuses on a group called the Outcasts, who have been banished from society but will eventually affect the survival of their world…” The Tasakeru website also features helpful background information on the story and characters, as well as a gallery of illustrations and fan art.
The Beaver in the Man Hat
The Beaver in the Man Hat is the notably weird name of a notably weird web comic, created by a fellow known as Moose Mattson. He describes it as “a noir-ish action comedic fantastical adventure”. Our top-hatted beaver hero and his sidekick Moe (a mole with an odd sense of humor) do battle with the evil platypus known as… Dr. Pus! You gotta see this to believe it. And even then…
Where Cute Things Go
Bekyoot.com, in their own words, “features one-of-a-kind original designs and character merchandise inspired by life, laughter, and the pursuit of cuteness. There is a story behind every character — a life of whimsy and simplicity sure to set a smile on your face”.Though characters like Fat Cat, The Evil Landlord (a chibi raccoon fem), Pudge the Pug, and Kyoot Bear look like they stepped right out of Japanese culture, Bekyoot is actually based in Houston, Texas. Besides their web site they have an on-line comic strip (Where Cute Things Go) and of course a store full of merchandise featuring their characters.
Go, Dog, Go!
Animation historian Jerry Beck gives us the following on Cartoon Brew: “Animation storyman Phil Eastman (1909-1986) worked for Disney, Warner Bros., UPA, even Terrytoons during his career in the 1940s, 50s and 60s. But his biggest claim to fame has to be the series of Beginner Books he wrote and drew beginning in the late 1950s. Sam and The Firefly, Are You My Mother? A Fish Out of Water, and of course Go, Dog, Go! were certainly on my reading list at age 5. They influenced a lot of folks who later went into animation and comic art. I loved those books and still have my original battered copies. Now Sue and Tony Eastman (Phil’s son, and one of the best animators in the business himself) have put together a new website dedicated to his father’s books. Tony writes: Its purpose is to entertain/inform, and at the same time sell books. There really wasn’t a place where you could see all of his books together, plus we thought a short biography (appropriate for children) and a way to get in touch with his family would be useful. ” You can visit the P.D. Eastman website to find out more.
The 2010 Animation Pitch Party
The August 2010 issue of Animation magazine presented the results of the 2010 Pitch Party — where interested folk submit “pitches” for proposed animated series, consisting of a single illustrated panel. The “pitches” are judged by a group of industry experts, among them Kevin Gamble of Disney TV Animation, Brian Jones of Cartoon Network, and Kim Manning of Adult Swim. Among the submissions of note for furry fans were items like Dino-Might by Dom Voser (domvoser.blogspot.com), Pug & Cat by Brittany Langlois (brinnyart.com), Wolf Whiskers by Keith Krail, Backyard Dragon by Scotland D. Barnes, Monkey & Robot by Ken Gray and Mars Elliot (monkeyandrobotgo.com), The Monster Monkeys (www.atomicmonkeyltd.com), Samurai Chinchilla by Kristine Marsh (www.kristinemarsh.com), Rebel With Paws by Christopher Slaughter, Fireflyz Avengers by Don and Julie Farmer, Joe Chameleon by Dave Barton Thomas (www.seizethedave.ca), Franken-Cat by Simon Shocket (franken-cat.blogspot.com), and Eddie the Disgruntled Reindeer (eddiethedisgruntledreindeer.com). Gotta love that last one for the title alone. Visit the Animation Magazine web site to find out more about entering your own ideas in next year’s Pitch Party.
Lackadaisy — The Book
Tracy Butler’s popular web comic Lackadaisy (a frequent Ursa Major Award nominee and winner of the Web Cartoonists’ Choice Award — twice) has finally been released on dead trees by 4th Dimension Entertainment. The Lackadaisy Volume 1 graphic novel (in softcover) tells the story of the Prohibition-era speakeasy known as Lackadaisy, and characters like “a rum-running violinist named Rocky and a police academy dropout nicknamed Freckle”. Oh by the way, those characters (and all the rest) happen to be anthropomorphic cats. That little fact, not to mention Ms. Butler’s attention to detail and sepia-toned artwork, have sealed the popularity of this comic in and out of Furry Fandom.
Finding Artists to Commission
17 Cats is a new web site with one mission: To connect artists with buyers. Here’s how they describe it: “In a nutshell, this site is simply a place for artists to organize and manage commissions. We also provide a place for people to come and see who is available for commissions. What kind of artwork? Anything. Paintings, Sculptures, Woodwork, Sketches, Cartoons, Comics, Manga, Knitting… If you are an artist and create custom works, you are welcome here. Join cost: Free. Yup.” We always like to hear that. More than 100 artists are listed as “open for commissions” on the site, and of course eager art-buyers can use it to discover new artists and new works.
