And they just keep coming… Now word is out from Hollywood that Warner Brothers will soon be starting work on a live-action-with-CGI Pepe Le Pew feature film. In other words, a world of humans where only the amorous skunk Pepe and his feline love-target, Penelope, would be animated. New York Magazine is reporting that none other than Shrek himself, Mike Myers, will be voicing Pepe le Pew for the movie (rather than Joe Alaskey or Maurice LaMarche, who’ve voiced him in other recent animation projects). The point of all of this, of course, is to re-brand Warner Brothers characters like Pepe before they run out their copyrights, and to get them back in the public’s eye so they will again start moving merchandise. No word yet on a planned release date for the film. The folks over at Cartoon Brew don’t seem very happy about this whole development.
New, Upcoming Graphic Novel
The furry artist known as Touch My Badger is working on a new anthropomorphic story. Here’s how she describes it on the web site: “Peachy-Keen is a new graphic novel, set in sunny California in 1955. Clover and Logainne are about to graduate high school and can’t be more excited to get on with their lives. When Clover misspeaks and gives the impression that she is asking Logainne to the year-end dance, word spreads like wildfire that Clover and Logainne are… more than just friends. Quite the scandal rocks the 1955 graduating class, and Clover and Logainne are in hot water. Will the girls be able to graduate with their friendship and permanent record in tact? Will Clover and Logainne’s friendship ever be the same again?” As you can see from the picture, Clover is a deer and Logainne is a sea otter — not a commonly-seen species in furry stories. No word yet on a planned publication date, but stay tooned here for more details — as we get them, we’ll pass them along!
Image c. 2010 Touch My Badger
Pack Away Your Wolves and Foxes…
Yes, it’s Halloween season… but with stores already starting to think about Christmas, we thought we might help you out with a little pre-holiday shopping. Something we stumbled across thanks to FurAffinity.net: Ikea has these interesting wolf-and-fox themed desk organizers (about 12-inches tall together) for sale, called Barnslig Ringdans (“Childish Ring Dance”). Note the interesting art style. The Ikea ad proudly notes that together they hold 52 CD’s!
Barnslig Ringdans c. Ikea
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…
Monkeys at the Mountains of Madness?
Chet Phillips is an artist and writer who has created something that combines aspects of steam-punk, pulp adventure novels, and H.P. Lovecraft… with monkeys. Here’s how he describes it: “The Society of Sinister Simians explores the mysterious world of an evil collection of vicious and power hungry primates that held sway over the land centuries ago. Thanks to the efforts of the ill-fated Sourcrust archeological dig of 1887, details of this foul organization have finally come to light. In this book you will learn of The Society’s immortal leader, his powerful and brutal cadre of ministers and advisors as well as a variety of assassins, spies, soldiers and frightful supernatural figures.” The Society of Sinister Simians is available as a 122-page full-color paperback book, and also as a trading card set with a poster puzzle on the reverse side. A signed, limited edition hand-bound hardback edition is currently out of print (as of this writing), but you can visit Mr. Phillips’ web site to find out when it might be reprinted. There’s also examples of Chet’s numerous other funny-animal art projects.
image c. 2010 Chet Phillips
Furries on the Radio?
In Southern California there is a mixed-format radio station, 93.1 FM, which is part of the Jack FM franchise. It’s an automatic station with no DJ’s that plays no requests. The station’s official slogan is “Playing What We Want”. Recently, this bumper appeared between songs on the station: “Just like being a Furry or canning your own tomatoes, playing what we want is a way of life”. Wow.
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.
