Your Guide to the World of Furry Fandom
Recently we came across Sand Dragon Press, home to several furry comics that are available both on-line and on dead trees. Most of them were created by writer and illustrator Cindy Ramey. The titles include Starfire Agency, Night Shift, and Hellkats, covering the genres from fantasy to horror to high adventure. Sand Dragon also features the creative works of C.A. Wolff and others. Have a look at their web site to see what they currently have to offer.
image c. 2023 Sand Dragon Press
Another creative person we came across at Midwest FurFest: Foxfeather R. Zenkova is a multi-talented artist and crafter from the American Midwest. “I have an enduring love of all things feathered, furred, and scaled. I feel a particularly strong connection to birds of all kinds (especially vultures, corvids, and owls). As a licensed wildlife rehabilitator and conservation educator, animals are a huge part of my life; I hope to help share this connection, respect, and awe through my artwork. My art business, Foxloft Studios, fully supports my volunteer work helping creatures in need.” At their web site you can see their art prints, shirts, dolls, and even animal-themed jewelry they create to that effort.
image c. 2023 by Foxfeather R. Zenkova
And one more from Marvel, as they release the Marvel Unleashed trade paperback, compiling four issues of the original comic written by Kyle Starks and illustrated by Jesus Hervas. “When Kraven the Hunter abducts the teleporting hound Lockjaw at the same time as a local scientist mixed up with A.I.M. goes missing, it’s up to Throg the Frog of Thunder, Redwing the Falcon, Chewie the catlike Flerken, Lucky the Pizza Dog, Bats the Ghost Dog and their scrappy new ally, D-Dog to save the day! But there’s more to this case than meets the eye, and something infernal lurks in the shadows. Can feathers, fangs and claws stand against one of the deadliest foes in the Marvel Universe? Or will these Pet Avengers be made to suffer their worst nightmares?” (We’ll ponder that as we travel to Midwest FurFest. See you all next week!)
image c. 2023 Marvel Comics
And more from Marvel! You’ve been hearing more about Howard the Duck too. Well guess what? 2023 marks his 50th anniversary in comics! With that in mind, Chip Zdarsky and Joe Quinones (creators of the recent Howard revival comic) have gathered some talented friends together to write and illustrate a special Howard the Duck One Shot to celebrate the event. “Meet Howard. He’s a hard-boiled P.I. with problems by the duckload. But a cosmic, all-seeing friend (?) known as the Peeper (!) is giving him a chance to see what his life could be! The joys he could have! All the ways his life could suck way less than it does now!”
image c. 2023 Marvel Comics
My my, the things we miss on line… Fortunately most stuff eventually winds up on dead trees, and we get things like the new It’s Jeff! one-shot comic from Marvel. “Since his very first appearance, Jeff the Land Shark has flooded our hearts like an adorable tidal wave! Now the ingenious, the extraordinary, the unbearably innocent Jeff embarks on his own adventures across the Marvel Universe! You thought it was safe doing laundry or going for a leisurely swim in the pool…but no activity can protect against Jeff’s cuteness! Collecting the hit Infinity Comics series from the Marvel Unlimited app, this one-shot features a brand-new cover and tail…we mean tale!” Written by Kelly Thompson, illustrated by Gurihiru, and on the shelves right now.
image c. 2023 Marvel Comics
Hitting at an interesting idea from several angles at once, Canadian production house Wind Sun Sky have given us Future Chicken, a new environmentally-themed presentation for children that’s arriving as a podcast, a streaming series, an interactive web site, and so forth. Here’s an announcement from Animation Magazine: “Wind Sun Sky Entertainment partnered with the Ontario Water Centre’s social enterprise ClearWater Farm are gearing up for the November 5 launch of Future Chicken — a new animation property designed to help children counter ‘climate doomism’ with hope, inspiration and empowerment — with the announcement of a coop-load of trailblazing green guest stars. This new global platform will launch with a digital series, a podcast, YouTube shorts, a Roblox experience and more. Featuring a variety of entertaining learning experiences for kids aged six to nine years old, the property revolves around a time-travelling eco-superhero chicken from 2050 named Potato, a.k.a. Future Chicken, who travels alongside other amusing characters, including a gossipy mushroom with a love of travel and an egg who wears rocket-pants.” Typical stuff that, of course. The official web site has a whole lot more.
image c. 2023 Wind Sun Sky
And yet more MIPCOM stuff, this time out of China by way of Canada. Got that? Here, this is from Animation Magazine: “Canadian kids’ & family entertainment company WildBrain has partnered with Tencent Video and animation studio Miaow’s House as the exclusive worldwide distributor outside of mainland China of the new animated series, Pet Hotel. The series follows the comedic antics of Lili the dog, Bubu the guinea pig and cats Nai Nai and Vicky as they welcome new animal friends to their home at the Pet Hotel. Unlike other hotels, the Pet Hotel — which has been converted from an old grocery store — is filled with high-tech inventions created by the pets’ caregiver and hotel owner, Robin; from massage tables to automatic feeders! The animal buddies and their young owner face various quirky customers and their wacky pets every day, giving rise to numerous entertaining stories. It’s no question that every guest at the Pet Hotel will leave happy, having made a new set of friends.” Have a look at the article.
image c. 2023 Wildbrain
Here’s something else we recently found at Animation Magazine: “Two Ireland-based animation houses, Lighthouse Studios (The Bob’s Burgers Movie, The Cuphead Show!) and Dog Ears (Puffin Rock and the New Friends) are partnering to co-produce an all-new animated adventure series for kids ages 5-7, dubbed Stage Struck!” The description goes like this: “Creatures large and small — including Coco the crocodile and her friends — are welcomed to Showtime School, founded by the much-loved Miss Feathers. At Showtime School, everyday classes present extraordinary performance challenges! In classrooms full of pianos and crash-mats, even the ‘normal’ subjects have a theatrical spin — from the history of puppetry to the science of sound waves! Showtime’s students get a taste of music, movement and razzle-dazzle from all over the world — drumming circles, beat-boxing, fox-trotting, monologues, card tricks, Beatniks, and up-tempo Bhangra. Every day is a creative adventure!” Currently it’s seeking world markets at MIPCOM. (Are we the only ones getting a severe Richard Scarry vibe out of that illustration? We can’t be.)
image c. 2023 Lighthouse Studio
More interesting MIPCOM stuff, thanks to Animation Magazine: “Kids’ entertainment specialist CAKE has partnered with Polish-based producers Animoon [Even Mice Belong In Heaven] and Letko on new the preschool animated series Toru Superfox… Toru Superfox is an adventurous fox on a quest to face the most puzzling of creatures: His emotions. Along with his best friends Bunio, a wild boar who loves napping and eating; Zoja, a resolute chick with an attitude; and shy hedgehog Fenio, they imagine that the forest where they play is inhabited by the characters from their favorite comic books — including Supervixen, the legendary guardian of the forest based on Toru’s Grandma! Toru’s super power is empathy and whenever someone is in trouble, Toru puts on his superhero mask and comes to their rescue!” Read the article to find out more, and see the trailer for the original European series over on YouTube.
image c. 2023 Animoon
