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Spanish Cats come to America

Jul 7th, 2011
by rodney.
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Jose Fonollosa is a well-known comic book illustrator in Spain. For the past few year’s he’s also been working on an on-line black & white comic strip known simply as Meow, which follows that adventures of two domestic cats and their harried human companions. Cat fans, you can follow the strip at Mr. Fonollosa’s blogspot site. Meanwhile, Meow is being introduced to English-speaking audiences in a new hardcover collection from Kettledrum publishing, which is coming this August. You can order it at Westfield Comics, among other places.

 

image c. 2011 Jose Fonollosa

 

 

Magical Animals to the Rescue

Jul 5th, 2011
by rodney.
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Things do move quickly these days. The Familiars, a hardcover fantasy novel by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson, was published by HarperCollins last September. Now, it’s already in development as an animated feature film for Sony Pictures. Here’s the story synopsis from Amazon.com and Booklist: “Aldwyn, a scruffy, quick-witted alley cat on the lam, poses as a magical animal when he ducks into a shop to avoid capture and ends up purchased as a boy wizard’s familiar. Despite needing to keep his mundane nature hidden, Aldwyn settles easily into his new role, bonding with his human loyal, Jack, and befriending two other children’s familiars: Gilbert, a tree frog, and Skylar, a blue jay. When an evil witch kidnaps the children and kills their mentor, only their familiars can save them.” The second book in the series, The Familiars: Secrets of the Crown, is heading for bookshelves this coming September. Meanwhile, here’s news about the movie from Bookyurt.com and Variety: “Doug Sweetland, a Pixar veteran of 16 years, has signed on to helm The Familiars for Sony Pictures Animation. Based on the novel by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson, The Familiars is the story of the animals chosen to be familiars for young wizards in training. Sam Raimi and Josh Donen will exec produce.While at Pixar, Sweetland worked on animated features including Toy Story, Monsters, Inc. and Finding Nemo.” You can also find out more by visiting The Familiars web site.

 

image c. HarperCollins

Beware the Feeding Ground

Jun 17th, 2011
by rodney.
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Now here’s something different: A werewolf comic book with decidedly political overtones, taking on the current hot-button topic of illegal immigration from Mexico to the United States in a very unusual manner. Here’s Fangoria.com’s description of the first Feeding Ground hardcover graphic novel: “Pretending to be asleep, Flaca Busqueda watches her father leave just before going back to work. Dad, tired and poor, promises her that this will be his ‘one last cross’. Flaca sneakily gets up from her bed and spontaneously decides to follow him. She never expects to be cruelly kidnapped at the Mexican/American border, known to locals as ‘The Devil’s Highway’. In a race against time, Flaca’s parents, her brother and uncle are on a desperate search to find their missing girl before anything horrible happens to her. When the family finally locates their lost daughter, Flaca has become different and strangely odd. They find her scarred with bloody scratches and claw marks on her back, as if she were attacked by a wolf. Flaca’s body is changing at such a tender adolescent age. Her coming-of-age tale represents the werewolf’s ever-present transformation. In the backdrop of this horror story, there are political and social commentaries about the timely issue of illegal immigration. Creators Swifty Lang, Michael Lapinski, and Chris Mangun provide different perspectives on the subject, but never actually give a definite opinion on the topic, as if they are giving the readers a chance to discuss and choose for themselves. ” Feeding Ground is coming our way in full color, this August from Archaia Entertainment. Fittingly, it’s available in English and Spanish.

The Turtles are Back!

Jun 5th, 2011
by rodney.
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IDW Publishing have recently announced that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles make their return to regular comic books this coming August, with one of the original Turtles creators on board. According to their announcement, Kevin Eastman is creating the new ongoing full-color series, along with writer Tom Waltz and artist Dan Duncan. All four of the original turtles are back — Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael, and Michaelangelo — along with their human friends April and Casey, and their mentor — the rat known as Splinter. They pit their ninja skills against a new villain, a mutant alley cat known as Old Hob. The first issue of the new series — which is set to premier this August — will feature one of four available covers, each with a different turtle, created by Sam Keith (The Maxx). There will also be a limited edition variant cover by Kevin Eastman available, as well as a super-rare “Kevin Eastman hand-sketched variant cover”. Then in September, IDW adds to the line by bringing us Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Collection, Volume 1. This new hardcover book collects the original Mirage Studios black & white TMNT comics issues  #1 – #7, as well as the Raphael one-shot, created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.

The 2010 Ursa Major Award Winners

May 17th, 2011
by rodney.
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The winners of the 2011 Ursa Major Awards — for the best in anthropomorphic media, as decided by the fans — were announced on Friday, May 13th at Morphicon in Columbus, Ohio.  From the Ursa Major Awards web site: “More formally known as the Annual Anthropomorphic Literature and Arts Award, the Ursa Major Award is presented annually for excellence in the furry arts. It is intended as Anthropomorphic (a.k.a. Furry) Fandom’s equivalent of the Hugo Award ® presented by the World Science Fiction Society, mystery fandom’s Anthony Award, horror fandom’s Bram Stoker Award, and so forth. Anyone may nominate and vote for candidates for the Awards. These Awards are decided by the fans, not by a committee”. More than 1,300 fans from around the world took part in voting for their favorite furry and anthropomorphic media in ten categories. In reverse order, the winners for 2010 were:

 

Best Anthropomorphic Game: Disney Epic Mickey, Developed by Junction Point Studios.

 

Best Anthropomorphic Published Illustration: The cover for Shadow of the Father (by Kyell Gold), illustrated by Sara Palmer.

 

Best Anthropomorphic Magazine: Heat #7

 

Best Anthropomorphic Comic Strip: Housepets! by Rick Griffin

 

Best Anthropomorphic Graphic Story: Twokinds by Tom Fischbach

 

Best Anthropomorphic Other Literary Work: FurPiled #4 by Leo Magna

 

Best Anthropomorphic Short Fiction: Bridges by Kyell Gold (released as a novella by FurPlanet Books).

 

Best Anthropomorphic Novel: Shadow of the Father by Kyell Gold, published by Sofawolf Press

 

Best Anthropomorphic Dramatic Short Work or Series: Wallace & Gromit’s World of Invention, created by Aardman Animations.

 

Best Anthropomorphic Feature Film: How to Train Your Dragon, directed by Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders, released by Dreamworks Animation.

 

Visit the Ursa Major Awards web site to find out more about the nominees in each category, and also how to participate in the awards yourself.

 

Fuzzy Nation

May 12th, 2011
by rodney.
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By far one of the Grand-Daddies of anthropomorphic science fiction (as opposed to furry fantasy or children’s stories) is the Fuzzy series by the late H. Beam Piper. Beginning with Little Fuzzy in 1962, Piper introduced us to the short, fur-covered in inhabitants of the planet Zarathustra, and what happens when humans colonizing the planet stumble across them. (Yes, we’re certain that George Lucas read the book as a young man, too.) Piper wrote a second Fuzzy book (Fuzzy Sapiens), but then he committed suicide in 1964, seemingly bringing the series to an end. However, the books continued to grow in popularity, becoming nearly required reading for up-and-coming science fiction fans in the 1970’s and 80’s. Eventually, Ace Books hired William Tuning to write a third book in the series, and Fuzzy Bones was the result. Some time later, Ardath Mayar wrote a book called Golden Dreams: A Fuzzy Odyssey, which told of the planet Zarathustra from the point of view of the fuzzies themselves — and postulated that they were actually a space-fairing race.  Then, strangely enough, H. Beam Piper’s missing third Fuzzy book turned up, Fuzzies and Other People, and the history of Zarathustra was changed all over again. So, why are we telling you all this now? Well, it seems that author John Scalzi has decided to “reboot” the Fuzzy series all over again with his new book, Fuzzy Nation. It’s available now from Tor Books. According to the press release, it tells the story of one Jack Holloway, who discovers a wealth of gems on the planet Zarathustra. They belong to company that hired Jack, so long as there are no sentient species on the planet.  Then, these fuzzy little aliens show up in Jack’s camp…

Miranda and the Tiger’s Eye

May 4th, 2011
by rodney.
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Recently stumbled across: Miranda and the Tiger’s Eye, by Sara Beacham. “Miranda’s adventure begins with a gift and a wish. The gift, from a collector’s shop in India, is a special stone that fell from a statue stolen long ago. The stone, called a tiger’s eye, is said to have magical powers. Follow Miranda as she literally falls into a journey beyond the mist. Along the way, she is joined by a talking Secretary Bird and Barn Owl. Together they search for the rightful owner of the tiger’s eye.” That rightful owner is a tiger named Raja, and Miranda’s journey to find him takes her, two talking birds, and numerous other animal characters on an adventure that critics have compared to both Lewis Carroll and C.S. Lewis. Miranda and the Tiger’s Eye is available from FOM Publishing. You can read more about it on Amazon.

 

image c. 2011 FOM Publishing

Time to Cast Your Vote!

Mar 15th, 2011
by rodney.
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The Anthropomorphic Literature and Arts Association (ALAA) has announced the nominees for the 2011 Ursa Major Awards, celebrating the best anthropomorphic offerings of 2010. “More formally known as the Annual Anthropomorphic Literature and Arts Awards, the Ursa Major Awards are presented annually for excellence in the furry arts. They are intended as Anthropomorphic (a.k.a. Furry) Fandom’s equivalent of the Hugo Awards (presented by the World Science Fiction Society), mystery fandom’s Anthony Awards, horror fandom’s Bram Stoker Awards, and so forth” [from the Ursa Majors web site]. And so, the nominees in ten categories are:

 

Best Anthropomorphic Motion Picture (Live-action or animated feature-length movies):
Alpha and Omega, from Lionsgate
How To Train Your Dragon, from Dreamworks Animation
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole, from Village Roadshow Pictures and Warner Brothers
Toy Story 3, from Walt Disney Pictures and Dreamworks Animation
The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader, from Walden Media and 20th Century Fox

Best Anthropomorphic Dramatic Short Work or Series (TV series, one-shots, advertisements, or short videos):
Adventure Time, from Pendleton Ward and Cartoon Network
Foxy Bingo, ad campaign produced for Foxy Bingo
Mongrels, from BBC Three
Orangina Naturally, ad campaign produced by Gorgeous Enterprises for Orangina
The Regular Show, from Cartoon Network
Wallace & Gromit’s World of Invention, from Aardman Animations and BBC One

Best Anthropomorphic Novel (Written works of 40,000 words or more):
Basecraft Cirrostratus by Justin Lamar
Descent by Phil Geusz
Otters In Space by Mary Lowd
Save The Day by D. J. Fahl
The Seventh Chakra by Kevin Frane
Shadow of the Father by Kyell Gold

Best Anthropomorphic Short Fiction (Stories less than 40,000 words, poetry, and other short written works):
Bridges by Kyell Gold
False Dawn by Kyell Gold
Felis Ex Machina by E. O. Costello
Gerty and the Doesn’t-Smell-Like-a-Melon by Mary E. Lowd
The Peculiar Quandary of Simon Canopus Artyle by Kevin Frane

Best Anthropomorphic Other Literary Work (Story collections, comic collections, graphic novels, non-fiction works, and convention program books):
Furpiled #4 by Leo Magna
Different Worlds, Different Skins, edited by Will A. Sanborn
Iron Claw Bestiary by Chris Goodwin
i.s.o. #1 by Vince Suzukawa
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary by David Sedaris

Best Anthropomorphic Graphic Story (Comic books and serialised online stories):
Concession by Immelmann
Furthia High by QuetzaDrake
Cruelty by Rukis
Lackadaisy by Tracy J. Butler
Twokinds by Tom Fischbach

Best Anthropomorphic Comic Strip (Newspaper-style strips, including those with ongoing arcs):
Broken Plot Device by Lis Boriss
Faux Pas by Robert and Margaret Carspecken
Little Tales by Genesis Eve Whitmore
Housepets! by Rick Griffin
Sandra and Woo by Powree and Oliver Knörzer

Best Anthropomorphic Magazine (Professional magazines, amateur zines, fanzines, internet-only magazines):
Anthropomorphic Dreams Podcast, by Will A. Sanborn
Heat, published by Sofawolf
New Fables, edited by Tim Susman
South Fur Lands, edited by Bernard Doove
Tales of the Tai-Pan Universe, edited by Gene Breshears

Best Anthropomorphic Published Illustration (Illustrations and cover art for books, magazines, convention program books; coffee table portfolios):
Big Red: Lady Sings the Blues by Richard Bartrop (Midwest Fur Fest program book illo)
Cenotaph by Susan Rankin-Pollard (Spontoon Island fanzine illo)
The Seventh Chakra (cover) by Kamui
Shadow of the Father (cover) by Sara Palmer
New Fables Summer 2010 (cover) by Mary Mouse

Best Anthropomorphic Game (Computer or console games, role-playing games, board games):
Disney Epic Mickey, from Junction Point Studios and Disney Interactive Studios
Furry Basketball Association (on-line roleplaying game)
Rocket Knight, from Climax Studios and Konami
Sam & Max: Season 3, Episode 1: The Penal Zone, from Telltale Games
Sonic Colors, from Dimps and Sega

 

Voting for the 2011 Ursa Major Awards will be open until April 17th. To find out how to cast your vote, visit the web site at www.ursamajorawards.org. Also, check out the Ursa Major Awards Live Journal to see links to some great examples from each of the nominees.

The Gruffalo

Jan 20th, 2011
by rodney.
3 comments

Another in the “how’d we miss this?” category… The Gruffalo is an award-winning children’s book from the U.K., written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. It was first published in 1999 by Macmillan Children’s Books. It tells the tale (via a mother squirrel giving her children a bedtime story) of a mouse walking through the woods.  When he is threatened in turn by a predatory fox, snake, and owl, he scares each of them off by telling them he is on his way to meet his friend the “Gruffalo” — a monstrous creature who is much more dangerous than any of them. He’s making it all up, of course, and he thinks he’s so clever… until he runs into the real Gruffalo. After the book became enormously popular in the U.K. and elsewhere, Magic Light Pictures and Studio Soi made The Gruffalo into a 30-minute CGI film, which was broadcast on U.K. television for Christmas 2009. It featured (among others) the voices of Helena Bonham Carter (as the mother squirrel), John Hurt, and Robbie Coltrane (as the Gruffalo). The BBC has a trailer for the show on-line, and there’s also a making-of video from Magic Light.

image c. 2011 Axel Scheffler

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