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...he could just be bi. ...wait? Aren't all snails hermaphrodites?
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Dear Papabear,

What are the benefits of psychedelics, if any? I ask this because it may or may be possible certain ones may be legal someday. It's not like they are all bad; it's just ... is it right from a moral stand point to make certain ones legal in Canada?

Sergie

* * *

Dear Sergie,

Good question :-3 Some people, such as, famously, the late Dr. Timothy Leary, have promoted the benefits of drugs like LSD. There are those who say it has a spiritual effect, allowing people to experience things they could not in the mundane world. Scientists who have studied drugs such as psilocybin (psilocybin, baeocystin, norbaeocystin, and psilocin are all hallucinogens found in eleven different mushroom genera), speculate that this is because psychotropics bring down the barriers around our sense of self, our ego, and make us feel more open-minded and connected to the world around us.

While there have not been any major studies on the effects of hallucinogens just yet, there have been a number of smaller ones involving a couple dozen subjects. Focusing on psilocybin, they concluded hallucinogens have benefits for both healthy and mentally ill patients. For those with various emotional and mental illnesses, the drug has been found effective for such disorders as depression, anxiety, and addiction (one study reported successfully curing 80% of test subjects of nicotine addiction). When administered to healthy patients, the drugs have notable effects on personalities. They tend to make people calmer, more creative, more focused, compassionate, tolerant--in short, NICER people! Interestingly, these effects can be noted with a single dose of a hallucinogen and can last over a year.

There is an important caveat to this, however, which is that psychotropics do have risks. For some people, they can cause "bad trips," as people who dropped acid in the Sixties and Seventies used to say, which can make you go literally nuts. For this reason, should drugs like psilocybin be approved someday for medical use, they should only be administered by skilled physicians and not taken recreationally. Taking the wrong dose of these medicines is highly dangerous.

So, when you ask about whether hallucinogens are good from a "moral" standpoint, I would say they are as moral as any other medication might be. There are many potential benefits for them that I don't think we should ignore and that require further research by the medical community.


Hugs,
Papabear

Submitted by Fred Patten, Furry’s favorite historian and reviewer.

Dogs of War II: Aftermath, edited by Fred Patten, is launching at Midwest FurFest 2017 in Rosemont (Chicago), Illinois over the November 30-December 3 four-day weekend. The book can be pre-ordered from FurPlanet Productions. It will be for sale on the FurPlanet online catalogue afterwards.

Dogs of War II: Aftermath is an all-original anthology of 20 short stories and novelettes of anthropomorphic animals (not just dogs) in military scenarios, from battle action to boot camps, from the past to the future, on land, at sea, and in space. This is designed to appeal to both s-f & fantasy fans, and fans of military s-f.

From bioengineered military dogs with Artificial Intelligence to a fawn trying to prove he is a stag, a horse sailor on a warship, a canid-ape space war, a self-aware robot bird, a fox soldier passed over for a deserved promotion, reindeer Vikings, animal Sea Bees constructing an island airstrip, and more; these are stories for your imagination and enjoyment.

Contents:
Dog, Extended, by Cairyn
Remembrance, by Alice “Huskyteer” Dryden
Scars, by Televassi
The Surface Tension, by Dwale
My Brother’s Shadow, by M. R. Anglin
Close to Us, by MikasiWolf
Lime Tiger, by Slip-Wolf
Umbra’s Legion: The Destruction of Ismara, by Geoff Galt
Umbra’s Legion: Charon’s Obol, by Adam Baker
The Call, by Lord Ikari
Every Horse Will Do His Duty, by Thurston Howl
Matched Up, by K. Hubschmid
The Son of Goulon Stumptail, by NightEyes DaySpring
Noble, by Thomas “Faux” Steele
Trial by Error, by Jaden Drackus
The Night the Stars Fell, by KC Alpinus
Tears of the Sea, by MikasiWolf
The Pack, by Argyron
Red Engines, by Kris Schnee
Going Home, by Miles Reaver

Price: $19.95. 478 pages. Wraparound cover by Teagan Gavet.   ISBN 978-1-61450-397-2.

– Fred Patten

• Pre-Order on Furplanet

Like the article? It takes a lot of effort to share these. Please consider supporting Dogpatch Press on Patreon.  You can access exclusive stuff for just $1, or get Con*Tact Caffeine Soap as a reward.  They’re a popular furry business seen in dealer dens. Be an extra-perky patron – or just order direct from Con*Tact.&

Recently at conventions we discovered a new service called ArtWorkTee. As you can probably guess they specialize in designer t-shirts, not only with some well-known properties (like My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic) but also t-shirts featuring some well-known Furry Fandom characters like Telephone and Majira Strawberry. You can find them at various Furry and other Fandom conventions, or check out their web site for some of their latest available designs.

image c. 2017 ArtWorkTee.com

Papabear,

After switching fursonas a few years ago, I really want to know how to get motivated to create more and more inventive art for my character, Crafty the California Coyote. How I came to know him is a long story and I wouldn't want to bore you with the details, but I have grand designs for him. And yet, I find myself often wondering if it would be even worth it to go ahead. I love him, I dream of writing children's books or marketing him somehow. I want to make this a reality but sometimes, I just don't know how.

California Coyote

* * *

Dear Coyote,

You love Crafty, right? So the only thing holding you back is your fear of not getting the approval of others for what you are drawing and writing with him as the focus. You worry that if you come up with a children's book, it won't sell, or that people will not like the art you draw.

The key, then, is to lay this fear aside and not worry about the approval of others. Once you stop wondering what others will think of your work, then you will no longer be second-guessing yourself, and this will set your creativity free.

Many great artists, past and present, did not get the approval (at first, or sometimes ever) of what they were doing. That goes for scientists, musicians, and other forward-thinking individuals. This is often because they were ahead of their time. No one was doing what they were doing or in the way they were doing it. But now, in retrospect, these people are considered masters and innovators.

If creative people who broke the mold had censored themselves, we would not have Van Gogh's Starry Night; we might not have reached the Moon had Robert Goddard listened to the newspapers call him a mad scientist; George Lucas might not have gone through with making the first Star Wars had he allowed nay-sayers to influence him.

Progress and creativity were never born from the loins of those who only did the things that were guaranteed to be approved by the mainstream.

Go. Create. Have fun!

And once you have something in hand you think is marketable, that's when you start worrying about how to sell it, okay?

Hugs,

Papabear​

This seems to have been shot awhile ago at Furry Weekend Atlanta. Both professional music and production and it shows with this well cut music video. Do we have a Furry at Pomp&Clout [1]? [1] http://pompandclout.com/directors/jay-buim/
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Welcome to guest poster Summercat – a great friend to Dogpatch Press, with a cool interest in Furry Comics and Zines History.

When I joined the fandom in 1999, there were very few ways to shop for furry fandom merch. Most of your purchases were made via mail-order, or at a convention dealer room. There were few options for buying things from individuals – I recall having to mail a money order for my first online purchases.

Anthrocon 2006 Dealer’s Den. Photo by GreenReaper.

But that was 18 years ago. Today, with low-barrier tools like Square and Paypal, it is easier than ever to purchase work directly from someone living somewhere else in the world. Starting in the mid-2000s, the Furry Fandom has had it’s marketplace explode in volume and quantity. While there is a wealth of options around us, it can be confusion on where to go or start when trying to see what sort of Furry merchandise is available.

Here, I have compiled a list of online places where people can find books, comics, clothing, fursuits, and commissions from a variety of people. Due to otherwise overwhelming the list, I am excluding publishers that primarily sell their own imprints. For those, see: Furry Publishers – A Resource for Artists and Authors. This list is not exhaustive – if you feel something has been left out, please speak up and let us know!

I’ve broken down the locations in this list into three categories: Storefronts, Auction Sites, and Listing locations.

Storefronts

 

While not intentionally not an exhaustive list of everywhere you can buy books and comics, these stores feature work from a variety of companies and artists, with merchandise you purchase directly.

Rabbit Valley – Books, Comics, Prints, Misc

Rabbit Valley started off as a mail-order distribution company, selling works via catalog on behalf of small publishers and individuals. They have since expanded their operations to include their own in-house publishing, but remain one of the biggest distributors of wares in the fandom. In addition to selling newer works, Rabbit Valley also has a large back catalog of older works from the 90s and early 2000s as well.

InkedFur – Comics, Prints, Dakis, More

Founded in 2014 as a seller of art prints, InkedFur offers artists the ability to sell prints and other items with no up-front cost. InkedFur offers printed towels, acrylic stands, prints, artbooks, wall scrolls, pillow cases, and dakimuras.

Second-Ed – Comics, Zines, Misc products

Started in 2003, Second-Ed is purely a distributor of Furry, GoldDigger, and related items. While Seond-Ed does get in new items, it also sells a wide variety of older Furry Fandom items from the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s as well.

Windshear’s Wares – Comics, ‘zines, Doujin, Misc

Windshear’s Wares is a Furry comic and Japanese Doujin importer and distributor. In addition to stocking newer items, Windshear’s Wares also has a large backlog of comics and zines due to long years of operation.

Fusselschwarm – German language importer

Fusselschwarm is a German importer of Furry Comics, Books, and zines. They import from Inkedfur, Thurston Howl, Rabbit Valley, Furplanet, and others. Thanks to Fred Patten for the tip!

Pawstar – Apparel

Crossover between anime, cosplay and furry dealer den fare, with raver appeal too.  Animal themed hoodies and kigu’s, ears/paws/tails, collars, goggles and hats, jewelry, and fur by the yard.

Auction Sites

 

While nothing in the fandom could compare to the power of e-bay, auction sites have been a feature in the fandom for a long while. All sorts of items and goods can be listed and sold.

The Dealer’s Den

A low key auction site, The Dealer’s Den has listings for commissions, prints, books, partial suits, and allows adult work. While there is a $1 account verification fee for buyers and sellers and a $0.50 “Featured on the Home Page” optional fee, there are no other costs for using the site. Payments are made direct to the seller, but The Dealer’s Den offers an invoicing system to help keep track of things.

Furbuy

Launched in 2000, Furbuy is one of the more well-known – though with its share of critics – furry auction sites. While basic accounts are free, there is an optional $5/month verified account that allows for more than 4 auction listings at a time. There are no fees for listing items.

Etsy

A craft and vintage focused, boutique alternative to ebay for the smaller seller.  Tailoring your searches can find well established furry-specific storefronts.

Listing Locations

 

Listing locations are not storefronts or auctions. These are places where people can list they are open for commissions or sales, and in a few cases that they are seeking to get a commission done. All of these need an account to interact with, but are free to use.

Weasyl Marketplace

One of the features of online art site Weasyl, the Marketplace is a searchable and filterable list of Weasyl users who have marked themselves as open for commission.

Telegram Channels: The Dealer’s Den, Furry Market Place

Lumped together for brevity, these are Telegram channels specifically for posting ads seeking to buy or sell commissions. Both are very specific and strict about off-topic chatter and discussion. TheDealersDen has over 2000 members, while FurryMarketPlace has over 1250.

Furaffinity Art Sales and Auctions Sub-forum

The Furaffinity Forums have long had a marketplace for people offering and buying commissions and items to meet up, and this is the most current iteration.

Facebook Pages: Group 1, Group 2

Two Facebook groups for people to list they are open for commissions. They require a Facebook account and to join the group in order to see the postings.

Did I miss anywhere? Have a question about why a site may have been excluded? Please comment down below – as I said before, I could have very well left a site or location out of ignorance, so please let me know! – Summercat

Like the article? It takes a lot of effort to share these. Please consider supporting Dogpatch Press on Patreon. You can access exclusive stuff for just $1, or get Con*Tact Caffeine Soap as a reward. They’re a popular furry business seen in dealer dens. Be an extra-perky patron – or just order direct from Con*Tact.

Roo and Tugs sit down with Tenax Raccoon to discuss the world of taurs. What is the draw of four legs? Where does it come from? What kind of taurs exist? Is there prejudice against taurs? What are the best parts of being a taur? We explore all this and more in this deep dive into the multi-legged world of taurs! We also debut a new segment - Boozy's Bits, alongside Space News and our olde timey ad. Click in and listen!





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Special Thanks

Tenax, our guest.
Vix Vulpes
Venio Darcony
Skips
Kampa
Tobias the Wolftaur
Otaku
Anonymous
Shred Venita

Write in and let us know how the topic helped you. We want to know if episodes like this are of interest to our audience!

Music

Opening Theme: Husky In Denial – Cloud Fields (Century Mix). USA: Unpublished, 2015. ©2015 Fur What It’s Worth and Husky in Denial. Based on Fredrik Miller– Cloud Fields (Radio Mix). USA: Bandcamp, 2011. ©2011 Fur What It’s Worth. (Buy a copy here – support your fellow furs!)
Potty Break Music: Fredrik Miller - Morning Light: Bandcamp, 2013. Used with permission. (Buy a copy here – support your fellow furs!)
Space News Music: Fredrik Miller – Orbit. USA: Bandcamp, 2013. Used with permission. (Buy a copy here – support your fellow furs!)
Closing Theme: Husky In Denial – Cloud Fields (Headnodic Mix). USA: Unpublished, 2015. ©2015 Fur What It’s Worth and Husky in Denial. Based on Fredrik Miller – Cloud Fields (Chill Out Mix). USA: Bandcamp, 2011. ©2011 Fur What It’s Worth. (Buy a copy here – support your fellow furs!)

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Next episode: Our next episode is about second-generation furries! Send your email by December 1, 2017! S7 Episode 4 – One skin, two skin, three skin, four LEGS?! - Roo and Tugs sit down with Tenax Raccoon to discuss the world of taurs. What is the draw of four legs? Where does it come from? What kind of taurs exist? Is there prejudice against taurs? What a

Hello, Papabear!

I wanted your thoughts about a dream or nightmare, I had a few months ago, Since our last letter (see this column from 2016) I've done some research into chronophobia and would seem that's what I'm suffering from, there where some suggested things a person with chronophobia should do, so I took out ticking clocks or anything that would remind me of time out of my bedroom and made some lifestyle changes that would take up most of my free time, which honestly helps me sleep more easily at night

Anyway to the dream. I was working, nothing unusual, familiar faces and surroundings, than suddenly something hit me, I went from standing to being laid out on the ground faster than I could think, as I lay there, I tried getting up only to realize I couldn't move, all the familiar people around me began to panic as they looked at me, didn't take long for me to realize I was dying, my eyes were open, but everything was fading to black, the familiar voices started to fade to silence, however I didn't feel any fear or regrets, my literal thought was " My time is done, let's see what's on the other side " but that's when my mate pop into my mind, than I struggled as hard as I could trying to force myself to stand, telling myself " I can't leave him, I can't die! " that's when I woke up already sitting up in my bed, in a panic I hopped out of bed looking for my mate, only to realize he wasn't there and for the first time in years I cried

I had this dream while at work, it was very vivid and to this day it gives me chills, I haven't told my mate about it, but everyday I tell him I love him, since than I haven't felt fear, not even during a " bumpy " helicopter ride, but at night chronophobia sets in even more now, I wanted to know if you had any thoughts on this? Does it have a meaning or connection to my fear of time? Or maybe I'm just thinking about it too much? Love to hear from you and as always thank you for reading.

Hale
 
* * *
Dear Hale,

I believe this is all related to your earlier letter and your fears of the future and of aging. A fear of dying is definitely tied into these. With your apparent PTSD, I hope you will not be offended if I suggest it might be a good idea for you to explore another career besides firefighting. Have you thought about this? I am not questioning your bravery or commitment to service, but for your own sake (mental and emotional health) there is no shame in looking for something that doesn't stress you out so much.

Hugs,
Papabear

No, not that one. Cats With Hats is a new full-color independent comic book series written and illustrated by Aynsley King from British Columbia. After a successful Kickstarter campaign, the first issue is out and available now in paper or digital form. “Five cats: Viva, Jinx, Olive, Purrche and Soots. They don’t remember who they are, or why they have hats that grant them the power to change into the animals with powers they wouldn’t have otherwise. Together, these strangers must work together using their new hat powers to piece together their shared mystery all while uncovering the conspiracies in Catsopolis…” That’s what the official web site says. Go check it out!

image c. 2017 by Aynsley King

"Born to this cradle below the stars, not unlike those who carried the torch before..." These are the opening words of J. Malan's new novel ReWritten, and they could not be more misleading. Despite the beauty of the opening lines and the equally stellar cover art, this is paws-down a book you do not want to read at night.Starting out as an almost dystopic National Treasure, ReWritten follows Professor M. van Elsburg and several dangerous mercenaries into the wastelands--the kind of place no one of common sense wanders--in search of a historical artifact and its mysteries. There have been others seeking the same artifact...but no one's heard back from that expedition.Part-dystopia, part-horror, part-posthumanist philosophy, part-furry, and altogether great fiction, ReWritten is a must-read. Coming into this book, I had high expectations from reading J. Malan's other work. While again, my initial thoughts as I began the novel were, "Wow, is this really going to be a furry National Treasure?" my concerns of it being cliche were quite quickly ripped from my mind. This book is scary. Not just on a visceral horror kind of way, but also in an ethical way. I walked away from this with actual philosophical insight, and that's rare for me, especially in a furry book.I usually like to give my English students short challenges like offering exactly three words in response to a piece of literature. My three words in response to ReWritten would be: "Chilling ... provocative ... haunting."Now is usually when I come to the weaknesses of the book and suggestions. Aside from the weak formatting of the interior, shoddy proofreading, and the inappropriate (for the genre) cover design, I would say the greatest weakness lies in the often shallow descriptions. But still, even with these minimalist sensory evocations, the psychological aspects of the horror are convincing and alluring.All in all, I'd recommend this book to any furry who wants a quick read, especially if they want to be haunted a bit. I would not recommend this book to ... anyone who is reading before bed.Ever onward,Howl

A late to air and shorter episode this week. Been taking lots of time to work on the new studio! Meanwhile, we got a much needed discussion out of the way in this episode. See you at MFF!

Download MP3

Watch Video Link Roundup:

• Path Hyena’s “Furry Conventions and Changing Acceptability in Public Spaces”
• Paradox’s gray paint test
• Calibrated Gray Paint
• Paradox’s new license plate

News:

• Neo-Nazi furries are Trump’s latest and most puzzling alt-right supporters
• How White Nationalism Courts Internet Nerd Culture
• Slippery Stairs – A Must Have Gameshow
• Church that Worships AI God

FC-286 Yellow Brick Cable - A late to air and shorter episode this week. Been taking lots of time to work on the new studio! Meanwhile, we got a much needed discussion out of the way in this episode. See you at MFF!

A late to air and shorter episode this week. Been taking lots of time to work on the new studio! Meanwhile, we got a much needed discussion out of the way in this episode. See you at MFF!

Download MP3

Watch Video Link Roundup:

• Path Hyena’s “Furry Conventions and Changing Acceptability in Public Spaces”
• Paradox’s gray paint test
• Calibrated Gray Paint
• Paradox’s new license plate

News:

• Neo-Nazi furries are Trump’s latest and most puzzling alt-right supporters
• How White Nationalism Courts Internet Nerd Culture
• Slippery Stairs – A Must Have Gameshow
• Church that Worships AI God

FC-286 Yellow Brick Cable - A late to air and shorter episode this week. Been taking lots of time to work on the new studio! Meanwhile, we got a much needed discussion out of the way in this episode. See you at MFF!

A late to air and shorter episode this week. Been taking lots of time to work on the new studio! Meanwhile, we got a much needed discussion out of the way in this episode. See you at MFF!

Download MP3

Link Roundup:

• Path Hyena’s “Furry Conventions and Changing Acceptability in Public Spaces”
• Paradox’s gray paint test
• Calibrated Gray Paint
• Paradox’s new license plate

News:

• Neo-Nazi furries are Trump’s latest and most puzzling alt-right supporters
• How White Nationalism Courts Internet Nerd Culture
• Slippery Stairs – A Must Have Gameshow
• Church that Worships AI God

[Live] Yellow Brick Cable

And once again, another animated property that the entire world seems to get except us here in the USA. Cracked (also known some places as Cracke’) is a series of comedic shorts created by Squeeze in Canada. The premise is simple: Ed is a friendly if nervous ostrich. (Don’t ask us why he’s red, or why he appears to have no wings. We don’t know.) Ed is a single dad who is trying to raise his brood of 8 eggs to hatching. Very, very wild hi jinks ensue. Animation World Network mentioned the series last year, when it was distributed in Australia, New Zealand, Africa, the Middle East, and Continental Europe. Recently they added Japan to the list — but still no mention of the USA. Well, if you visit the Squeeze web site, you can learn more about the series and how to download it as an app.

image c. 2017 Squeeze

Me right now. (The whole not moving part)
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Talk about International! Cloth Cat Animation in Wales and 9 Story Distribution in Canada have teamed up with Magic Mall Entertainment in China to bring Magic Mall’s new animated TV series Luo Bao Bei to the wider world. This is from Cloth Cat’s web site: “The series centres on spirited, fun-loving 7 year old Luo Bao Bei as she explores everyday life with her friends, family and animal companions, having adventures and learning that even though we seem different on the outside, the emotions we all feel make us fundamentally the same. Starting life as a popular cartoon spokesperson and community icon in Beijing, this show is created by Grace Tian.” The head writer for the new series is David Ingham, who is well-known for his work on Shaun the Sheep and The Octonauts.

image c. 2017 Cloth Cat Animation

So Casper mattresses makes you fuzzier? One could hope.
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In lieu of an episode here is Kaar's segment for this week. A very pressing topic - Hope you all enjoy Kaar Segment - Solo 02 - Missing Sharks

Speaking of MIPCOM, as usual the hey-buy-our-TV-series trade show has given us lots of anthropomorphic animation to hope might make its way to our shores. Among them is Brewster the Rooster, created by Salty Dog Pictures and distributed internationally by Monster Entertainment. According to C21 media, “The show… follows the adventures of six-year-old Maggie and her best friend Brewster as they find out the answers to questions only children could think to ask.” Animation magazine has an article from a year ago about this and other interesting projects that Monster has picked up for distribution.

image c. 2017 Monster Entertainment