The artist known as Zillford has two new (very-) adult-themed furry comics avilable at his web site. Altruistic Complex is a violent tale of a dark future where a dangerous new technology is threatening to take over the minds and souls of the entire world — and one plucky raccoon lady is determined to stop it, even if she has to join it to do so! Meanwhile, Krista Claret is an adults-only comic about a mouse who is… a different sort of plucky lady. “There’s a race to be won and Krista aims to make it hers! She’s not above cheating, but what happens when it lands her smack on top of another rule-bender?
Krista Claret is one frisky mouse on a life-long quest for the answer to life. Either that, or a good time and some horny guys!” The first issues of each comic are available on the web site, along with a special full-color Krista Claret poster.
Comic Books
Zillford’s Comics and More
Early Usagi
If you just can’t get enough of Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo, you might want to check out this new, very large compilation. For the first 10 years of its existence, Usagi was published by Fantagraphics Press. Now, to celebrate the comic’s 25th anniversary, Fantagraphics has released Usagi Yojimbo: The Special Edition, a 1200-page two-hardcover-book collection of the first seven Usagi Yojimbo books. There are lots of extras too, including a full-color cover gallery, behind-the-scenes art, an interview with Stan Sakai, and more. There’s also a special limited version available, each individually autographed by Stan himself.
Ladies and Werewolves
Dark fantasy novelist Patricia Briggs has new books and new comic books coming out from Dabel Brothers Publishing. The premiere issue of Cry Wolfe (written by Patricia with David Lawrence, and illustrated by Jordon Gunderson) introduces us to a woman named Anna. She never believed in werewolves — until the night she became one herself. A rare “omega wolf”, Anna has spent years at the bottom of the pack as a humbled servant, until she catches the eye of a powerful alpha wolf who may see her true value. But what happens when alpha and omega get together? Meanwhile, Mercy Thompson: Homecoming (in hardcover) takes place in the days before Ms. Briggs’ best-selling novel series. We meet young Mercedes “Mercy” Thompson, a shape-shifter fresh out of college and looking for a job. She soon finds herself trapped in the middle of a war between werewolves and vampires, but the worst thing is having to face the dreaded job interview!
Catching Up with the Gargoyles
Slave Labor Graphics has three graphic novel/comic book collections available from their popular Gargoyles comic book series (based, of course, on the Disney TV series Gargoyles). Clan Building Volume 1 collects issues #1 through #6 of the full-color Gargoyles comic. The plot directly follows the events of the original Gargoyles TV series, while ignoring the events of the later Gargoyles: Goliath Chronicles TV series [long story — ye Ed-otter]. It also features an introduction by Elfquest creator Wendi Pini. Clan Building Volume 2 collects issues #7 and #8 of the comic book series along with the not-yet-published issues #9 through #12. One of those issues, #10, was illustrated by Greg Guler, the original character designer of the TV series. Meanwhile there’s the spin-off comic book series Gargoyles: Bad Guys, now collected in a trade paperback edition that brings together the first four-issue mini-series as well as two un-published issues that complete the story. “Five of the toughest villains in the Gargoyles Universe: Hunter – member of a Scottish family of gargoyle-slayers; Dingo – Australian mercenary and charter member of the deadly Pack; Matrix – a nanotech hive-mind artificial intelligence that came very close to destroying the Earth; Yama – a Japanese gargoyle who betrayed his own clan, and Fang – the mutate who would be king. Take this quintet of felons and force them to work on the side of the angels. It may be hard to believe, but these Bad Guys are the best hope we’ve got!” Bad Guys features black & white art by fan-favorites Korine Charlebois and Stephanie Lostimolo. Both Clan Building and Bad Guys were written by Gargoyles series-creator Greg Weisman. You can see previews and order Gargoyles merchandise (like t-shirts and TV series DVD’s) at the Gargoyles Comics web site.
Peter Laird Speaks!
The June 2009 issue of Previews magalog featured an interview with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator Peter Laird. Among other things, they asked him “What are you reading?”. Here’s what Peter had to say: “I don’t read many comics these days, but the two that stick out are Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai and Runners by Sean Wang. UsagiYojimbo has been around as long as the Turtles, and Stan Sakai has performed the admirable feat of doing it all himself for the last twenty-five years, and just getting better at it as he continues. I’d say Usagi Yojimbo is pretty much the gold standard for serious anthropomorphic comics. [Might have something to do with why it won the Ursa Major Award for Best Anthropomorphic Comic Book for five years running — Ye Ed-Otter] Runners is a much younger book — I think Sean Wang has only been doing it for the last decade or so — and it doesn’t come out on a regular basis. But when it does, I eagerly read it, as it combines great, detailed art with a very clever science fiction storyline. [Visit Sean’s web site to find out more.] At the risk of sounding self-serving, there’s another book (published by Mirage Studios) that, in my opinion, is worth checking out — Tales of the TMNT. It’s not a series with an ongoing continuity like my TMNT comic, but rather a more free-ranging exercise in which pretty much each issue is a single story. This series features a wide array of different artists and writers, some Mirage veterans, and others new to the business. It’s an exciting mix.” So says one of the originals, folks.
Digger the Gopher
In honor of the Daytona 500, Fox Sports and IDW Publishing recently teamed up to give everyone’s favorite animated NASCAR mascot his own full-color comic book mini-series. Digger and Friends #1 (by Jack Brigio and Diego Jourdan) finds the race-loving gopher, his family, and friends in high adventure at high speed… trying to out-race speeding tickets! You can find the comic book and a whole lot more Digger merchandise at the official NASCAR Store.
It’s a Blast from the Past! Run Away!!
About Comics brings us the first graphic-novel complilation of the original black & white Weasel Patrol comics by Ken Macklin and Lela Dowling. Premiering as a back-up comic in the science fiction comic Fusion (itself very popular with furry fans) back in the 1980’s, The Weasel Patrol follows the insane adventures of “Willie, Leroy, and the other genetically altered weasels who work as an amazingly incompetent yet surprisingly effective force against the criminal elements among us”. Eventually the weasels graduated to their own (short-lived) comic title, before they finally rode off forever into the universe. Now all of their original adventures (long and short tales, as it were) are collected here in one soft-cover book. Never forget: Protect! Serve! Run away!
Mice Templar: Destiny
Image Comics bring us a brand new story arc for Michael Avon Oeming’s popular mouse-knight series. Mice Templar: Destiny follows the adventures of the newly-knighted mouse Karic. With the Templar fallen and the natural world in the grip of tyrants and ever-increasing chaos, Karic is desperate to complete his training and save his family from slavery. This new full-color monthly series is brought to us by Michael Avon Oeming, Bryan Glass, and Victor Santos.
Bun Buns!
Radio Comix/Sin Factory have a new adults-only black & white release that we learned about on line: Bun Buns #1.
“They’re rascally, they’re raunchy — they’re rabbits! This all-new special from the Genus alumni features nothing but bunnies doing what they do best, and all focusing on the derriere! Sexy stories and art spotlighting bushels of backdoor action featuring straight couples, gay couples, and everything in-between.”
Bouncing buns of all persuasions by AnimeCat, Karno, Bellamy, Blackberry, Gibson, D.A.Q., Giles, Harlan-Stein, Howell, Palmer, Paperbag, Rosales, Smith, Williams, and XianJaguar, with a cover by Yamaneko-Ya. Ask your local comic dealer about it.
