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Science Fiction

The Boy Who Fell to Earth

In 2012 John Claude Bemis (author of the Americana-Fantasy series The Clockwork Dark) brought us a new post-apocalypse novel for young readers called The Prince Who Fell From The Sky. “In Casseomae’s world, the wolves rule the Forest, and the Forest is everywhere. The animals tell stories of the Skinless Ones, whose cities and roads once covered the earth, but the Skinless disappeared long ago. Casseomae is content to live alone, apart from the other bears in her tribe, until one of the ancients’ sky vehicles crashes to the ground, and from it emerges a Skinless One, a child. Rather than turn him over to the wolves, Casseomae chooses to protect this human cub, to find someplace safe for him to live. But where among the animals will a human child be safe? And is Casseomae threatening the safety of the Forest and all its tribes by protecting him?” Published by Random House, check this out over at the author’s web site.

[And with that, of course, we wish you a Merry Christmas, a Blessed Solstice, and a Happy Holiday Season!]

image c. 2014 Random House

image c. 2014 Random House

Hey, Fuzzy!

Bringing it all around home again, Marvel Comics have announced a new tie-in comic book series based on the animated TV series based on the hit movie based on the comic book: Guardians of the Galaxy. Star Lord and his companions (and we know which two companions you’re watching the closest!) are back in a new 4-issue full-color miniseries. Interestingly, they actually tell us ahead of time that the artwork is primarily screen-captures from the upcoming animated series on Disney XD. Now if only they’d tell us more precisely when the new TV series will premier! Anyway, the comic book miniseries begins in February, adapted by Joe Caramagna. Read an interview with him over at the Marvel site.  “Oh… yeah…”

image c. 2014 Marvel Comics

image c. 2014 Marvel Comics

Exotic, Strange, and Beautiful

Brynn Methany is an artist who works in “concept art and illustration” (her words). “I specialize in creature design, fantasy illustration and visual development for publishing, film and games.” At her web site you’ll see many examples of her illustrations of creatures both familiar and fantastic — out of this world, literally. You will also see what became of many of those illustrations later on: Witness the trailer for Dust, an independent science fiction movie for which Brynn did both production art and creature design.

image c. 2014 by Brynn Methany

image c. 2014 by Brynn Metheny

Dogs… in… SPACE!

In 2010 Russia’s Centre of National Film gave the world Space Dogs, a CGI animated feature that celebrated the memory of Strelka and Belka (the first animals ever to survive a trip rocketing into orbit) by re-imagining them in a science fiction adventure. Now one of the same directors (Inna Evlannikova) has returned to bring us their further adventures in Space Dogs 2, also known as Space Dog: Adventure to the Moon. Epic Pictures has picked up international distribution rights for the film. According to their web site, the plot goes like this: “When the world’s most precious monuments disappear before everyone’s eyes, an unlikely team of two legendary Russian canine astronauts named Belka and Strelka, a heroic American monkey named Bonnie, and Belka’s brave teenage son Pushok jet off to the dark side of the moon to investigate the mystery.” The site also has a link to the trailer. Here’s another Russian film that is slowly making its way around North America in specialty screenings, so look for it. (It’s also available on DVD at least some places, apparently.)

image c. 2014 Epic Pictures

image c. 2014 Epic Pictures

Mix and Match and Mayhem

We’re not really certain about how “anthropomorphic” it’s going to be, but Creature Cops: Special Varmint Unit is definitely about fantastic animals! “In a world where a rhino can be gene-spliced with a dog, freakish animals are everywhere, and the Creature Cops have to deal with them! From vicious gator-snakes to cute panda-dogs, these animal cops think they’ve seen it all… until they discover a nest of illegal hybrids that resemble mythological griffins, and suddenly find themselves on the trail of a death cult with even darker plans…” Created by writer Rob Anderson (Rex, Zombie Killer) and artists Fernando Melek (Crossed), Novo Malgapo, and Leandro Panganiban, this new full-color three issue miniseries arrives from IDW (and their new partner, Comics Experience) this January. Flickering Myth has a more detailed preview, and there’s even more at the comic’s official web site.

Image c. 2014 IDW

Image c. 2014 IDW Publishing

… Turned Him Into A Nnewt!

Have yourself some full-color science fiction adventure with Doug TenNapel, creator of Earthworm Jim, Tommysaurus Rex, and so much more. Now with his new graphic novel Nnewts (based on the web comic) he brings us the story of Herk, “… a lovable Nnewt who longs for stronger legs, something his mother and father wish they could give him. When his quaint village is attacked by the reptile Lizzarks, he’s forced to flee his home and leave behind the only life he’s ever known. Now, all alone and on the run, Herk navigates a dangerous world filled with strange creatures and mysterious wonders, where friends are few and an evil lord is in hot pursuit.” Nnewts, Volume 1: Escape from Lizzarks will be available from Graphix this January, both in hardcover and trade paperback. Check out the official Nnewts Facebook page too.

image c. 2014 by Doug TenNapel

image c. 2014 by Doug TenNapel

The Chatter of Doom

Wow, look: Even more anthro animals at war! Is this some kind of a trend? In Squarriors (new from Devil’s Due Entertainment) we join a band of squirrels living after the apocalypse. “Squarriors is the epic saga of warring animals in a post-human world. Specifically a small tribe known as the Tin Kin, and their struggles building a life in the new world while confronting the hostile neighboring Maw tribe. Two tribes of animals find themselves on the brink of war. Will they survive and find peace, or follow humanity into extinction?” That’s the question posed by artist Ashley Witter and writer Ash Maczko in this new full-color comic book series. Like many recent projects it all began on Kickstarter, and now it’s on its way to comic book stores in early December. Check out the official Squarriors web site, and a press release from the creators over at Mad Mimi. WARNING: Graphic, bloody images abound. You have been warned.

image c. 2014 Devils Due Entertainment

image c. 2014 Devils Due Entertainment

Your Tabletop Moves On-Line

Ultimum is another new electronic game system of more than passing furry fandom interest which is seeking development funds through a Kickstarter campaign. Created by Christian Muckler and his associates, Ultimum seeks to recreate the playing environment of a traditional tabletop fantasy role playing game — not only in a paper tabletop setting, but also as a virtual on-line “sandbox”. We should also note, of course, that the game includes several non-human playable races it its science fiction setting —  Including humanoid bears, wolves, lizards, and gorillas. The Ultimum Kickstarter page includes several development videos as well as an animatic “game trailer”.

image c. 2014 Christian Muckler

image c. 2014 Christian Muckler

Pigs Take Wing

Next year, the pigs come to power! Or at least, they take a crack at it… again. “In a dark, oppressive future, pig-men work tirelessly as the slaves of human masters, feeding a society they cannot fathom. When Oink realizes that the dogma being forced on them is all lies, he undertakes a path of revenge and revelation.” Written and illustrated by John Mueller, OINK: Heaven’s Butcher is celebrating its 20th anniversary with new sequences and a new paint job in this new trade paperback from Dark Horse Press. Over at Comic Book Resources they have more: “Influenced by George Orwell, Pink Floyd, and Simon Bisley, among others, OINK debuted in 1995 from Kitchen Sink Press, telling the dystopian story of pig-men who work as slaves to feed their human masters. But when Oink witnesses the execution of one of his comrades, he violently rebels and sets out on a quest for the truth about the creation of his race and revenge against its oppressors.” Check out the preview images too — and look for the graphic novel in February.

image c. 2014 Dark Horse Press

image c. 2014 Dark Horse Press