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Something unusual we discovered through Previews recently: The Adventures of Byron, written and illustrated by Chris Hamer. “A special one-shot introducing everyone’s new favorite monsters! What happens when ordinary monsters find themselves in life’s, awkward situations? They call their friends for help. The Adventures of Byron is an all-ages story about just that: friends helping friends, even if the odds are stacked against them! Join Byron, Oswald and Paxton – three monsters with different personalities who all rely on each other no matter what hair-brained idea each may have – in their adventures of surviving boredom, creativity and well, many other things!” Get it now from Scout Comics.

image c. 2020 Scout Comics

Yesterday’s story: With conventions closed for COVID-19, what happens to furries as a community?

Hello Everyone. Keeping as transparent as possible we have decided to postpone the convention until a later date. While the state reopens, we are postponing SCMC as we have the safety and protection of all in attendees, staff and families at our convention in mind. pic.twitter.com/cx0DusQvoH

— Sin City Murr Con (@SinCityMurrCon) May 18, 2020

Ow My Balls!

The COVID-19 pandemic has postponed Sin City Murr Con. It’s planned to be the furry fandom’s first explicitly adult kink-themed convention.

SCMC also stands out as a con from Corgi Events, who organize GSFC, Aquatifur, DenFur, and PDFC. It’s furry fandom’s first multi-event managing company, with the idea of a paycheck letting the CEO do this full-time. Despite fear that paying someone is the tip of a Bad Dragon-sized capitalist intrusion, advancing a grab-bag of cons could be the foot in the door for the kink one.

This is a hit to fandom expression AND business. Several furries had a group chat about the postponing.

Lux, a furry artist in California, didn’t see such a big issue. She felt like SCMC might not have gone over well due to being “neither part of the kink scene or the local Las Vegas scene. Las Vegas seems like an all right place for a furry convention without the gimmick you know? And a furry track could be slotted into another kink event that happens in Las Vegas, rather than the other way around. Las Vegas hosts adult films expo and sex toy conventions if I’m not mistaken.”

I felt like explicit kink friendliness is a big deal, many furry people ARE kink scene people, and Las Vegas local furries haven’t made the effort for their own con. (They had Elliott’s Live Events, but that was more of a private party.) I saw a bigger issue.

Disneyfication

Hugo The Pink Cat, a Quebec furry artist, agreed. “I’ve made my thoughts clear on the Disneyfication of the fandom in the last decade, and how it feels like there aren’t a lot of places for the kinky side of the fandom to express themselves openly. I’m worried about the increasing pressure to make every furry event family friendly. Cancelation of events that could have catered to the adult side is unfortunate.”

I’d say there are places, but they aren’t all accessible. That can lead to bad exclusion or abusive tendencies. Boundaries are good for safety though. (That’s why there should be more like San Francisco’s Animal Farm party, one of the world’s only openly advertised furry sex parties at a formally licensed club.)

And when furries try to qualify the portion of furries who ARE sexual as "an anomaly" or "a tiny weird subsection" it goes against the sex positivity most furries are in favor of.

— *That pink cat* (@HugoThePinkCat) January 21, 2020

Lux felt that “a lot of backlash about the sexualization of the fandom is either heralded by old school furs who are openly homophobic, or minors who feel left out.”

Hugo replied: “A lot of NEW cons and younger furries are so desperate for approval from outside that they will pretend that their attendees aren’t grown ass adults and will insist on making everything child friendly.” — (And why is our space important?) — “A lot of early event organisers were LGBTQ… A LOT of the “let’s desexify the fandom” is based in LGBTQ phobia. Every single time a finger is pointed at “unacceptable” things, it’s inevitably LGBTQ related in some way.”

Summercat agreed: “It’s just pure ‘coincidence’ that the rise of more LGBT stuff happened with the start of those crusades, yes yes don’t look behind the curtain.” — (But it’s about identity:) — “Furries are no more sexual than any other group, we’re just more open and honest about it. Put a lot of people in one place and sexy times will happen.”

Lux raised more issues: “The knee-jerk response that a lot of normies express is how the furry fandom is some kind of 100% crazy sex thing. Every single convention I’ve ever been to, there’s swinger couples that float around the hotel bars, trying to pick up fursuiters.” — (Furries can be their own worst enemies:) — “There’s also a dedicated hit squad on both Twitter and Tumblr who are dedicated to hunting down murrsuiters like it’s some kind of insane witch hunt.”

Freedom at stake.

Lux: “What I really love about the fandom is that it is about testing your inhibitions. Depending on how deep you go into the furry forest, you’ll find yourself into inflatable pool toys, being engulfed in sentient slime, or walking around a hotel lobby wearing onesie pajamas and holding on to a stuffed animal that you paid $800 for.

It seems like every culture on the planet has major hangups about sex in general. We neglect to educate kids, shame women, deny the existence of LGBTQ folks, etc. I think when the public looks on the furry fandom and sees a group of people dressed as animals, openly embracing each other, and just letting loose, they reflexively think it’s a sex thing because… repressed sexuality is a cork on a champagne bottle filled with all kinds of baggage. Once you come to terms with your own and the fact that a LOT of people in your life won’t get it, then the urge to suppress your own community evaporates.”

Shifting things online empowers corporations to suppress adult content. It was a warning when they purged Tumblr. Now the stakes are rising.

Many furries do NSFW stuff for a living. What if you lose freedom to have it?

In 2018, the #SESTA/#FOSTA law was passed against protest that it would kill expression on the net. Furry dating site Pounced closed and Tumblr tumbled. A thread about it: https://t.co/xLsNN8eAZl

1/

— Dogpatch Press (@DogpatchPress) December 11, 2018

Time out

The pandemic postpones this fight at cons, but the pressure isn’t off.

Personally I like Mr. Rogers style wholesome cartoon fandom as much as the weirder side. There’s room for different events — it’s not a competition. The freedom to have different events comes from organizing them independently.

As explained in yesterday’s story, this isn’t just about a brief postponement, but a long term rollback and loss of freedom. How easy would it be to recapture?

The kink side is more than just some people’s preference. It might where you find the fandom’s vital signs. Let’s see how it keeps itself alive. Not just online, because communication is supposed to lead to more.

Vice news, March 2020

Probably because you're not following us?

Got a whole thread on media coverage here: https://t.co/hocyZji3Ie

— buttplug.io – Open Source Sex Tech (@buttplugio) May 14, 2020

Like the article? These take hard work. For more free furry news, please follow on Twitter or support not-for-profit Dogpatch Press on Patreon. Want to get involved? Share news on these subreddits: r/furrydiscuss for anything — or r/waginheaven for the best of the community. Or send guest writing here.

Or at least on a very small scale! Another full-color graphic novel for young readers: Bug Boys, created by Laura Knetzger. “Join two bug friends as they learn about the science of the world around them and the meaning of friendship in this early graphic novel series perfect for fans of Narwhal and Jelly! Rhino-B is a brash, but sweet guy. Stag-B is a calm and scholarly adventurer. Together these two young beetles make up the Bug Boys, best friends who spend their time exploring the world of Bug Village and beyond, as well as their own – sometimes confusing and complicated – thoughts and feelings.” It’s available now in hardcover from Penguin Random House.

image c. 2020 Penguin Random House

Depression of the furry economy.

Real life cons and meets are glue for internet fandom. Closing them will make a ripple effect.

Furry fandom has had decades of rising activity, and it’s between members without depending on corporations. Up to now, their cons bring tens of thousands of people with tens of millions of dollars spent per year around the world. That’s hard to just pause and restart.

It’s tourism/live show business that makes a foundation for other businesses. Take fursuit-making. It has millions a year in activity. Shutdowns and unemployment could make commissioners less eager for fursuits they can’t use in person or afford.

Some makers have long queues for promised work. That can mean holding a lot of deposits (even near an average household’s debt — thousands per suit x dozens of suits.) Imagine the queue stopping. That’s the ripple effect.

Could that kind of problem bankrupt cons? Or are they safe if they can cancel hotel contracts by force majeure? How hard will the hangover be if it takes a year or more to restart? (Reopening too soon can hurt too, without concerted solutions everywhere.)

FYI Furry conventions can't cancel without penalties if lockdowns are lifted. Hotels can easily bill your favorite convention into bankruptcy.

Anti-lockdown protests not only put our events at risk financially, but spreading it could kill your friends.https://t.co/YXfQBSPLJR

— Essential Fox (@chipfoxx) May 19, 2020

Here’s a sobering thought: COVID-19 studies I’ve read suggest it might keep coming in waves for years until there’s a vaccine. But immunity might not persist. Consider if it settles in to stay and lowers world life expectancy until who knows when. (However, get info from science sources, not fan news.)

That could make it uncertain if cons will come back the same way at all. Maybe it’s too soon for judgement, but consider the possibility.

• New York Times – How Pandemics End

Shutdowns might be relatively less bad for con business though, unlike investment that needs returns. If they can cancel without debt, maybe they can stay buffered from the social turbulence of ZIRP (the reason why huge investment capital sloshes around in search of profit, building business that makes no sense.)

But lost reg fees and travel costs hurt, and those who rely on fandom social life or art business have more to worry about.

Fandom without cons? What a BUMMER.

Going all-online is a big change for a fandom known for crowds of colorful costumers at cons. Maybe the big party years will be remembered as a second wave after the 1970s-1990s pre-online fandom. Now it could turn a corner to a third wave.

Meanwhile, too much time on social media can make you stressed, angry, desperate for more, and primed for data mining and advertising. There’s an acronym for “the sinister purpose of tech companies that brought us the platforms we’re hooked on and their effect on us“. It is…

BUMMER (Behaviors of Users Modified and Made into Empires for Rent.)

Losing independent bases can raise this corporate power. What can you do about it? Maybe limit time online, work on tangible creativity, and build crossover outside the fandom.

I'm fairly new to twitter but I suppose after having grown a large following it becomes a lot harder to get away from that type of stuff. Stick to your core roots, whether it be as an art platform or what have you. Keep replies and stuff relevant, everything else is unnecessary

— Verve (@HarmonyXero) May 19, 2020

Finding support.

This is a good time to support artists if you can. Soatok, a furry coder, told me: “I’m going to be commissioning a fursuit soon, but I already wanted one before this stuff.”

There’s lots of fun ways to do suiting online. I’m being an eye candy guest on livestreams for Bawdy Storytelling. The show was live on stage before, so livestreams keep supporting performers who got hit hard by shutdowns.

Oh boy. I'll be a fursuit panelist on the @bawdy livestream, basically just looking fuzzy on the side while dirty stories are told. The last one had 400 watchers. Saturday May 16th at 7 PM PDT/10 PM EST, tickets at https://t.co/rTPnYCLIGp, FB event at https://t.co/oqvzp1ZIJV. https://t.co/oFaLSFtPfR

— Dogpatch Press (@DogpatchPress) May 16, 2020

Hurt by unemployment? Furries can help other furries. Soatok says: “I’m currently writing a thing that can be summed up as ‘how to get into remote tech work for close to $0 and no prior experience for furries’. This is a public teaser.”

Staying flexible and independent is a way to prepare for a bounce back.

You could even combine fun and a side gig. If anyone wanted to try this, I’ll bet the biggest demand would be from other fans themselves, so it isn’t much more than a little extra option for those already doing such activity.

Some enterprising fursuiters should offer their own services for this.

This Farm Sanctuary Lets You Invite a Furry Animal to Your Next Video Meetinghttps://t.co/RI8LJjhpmq

— Dogpatch Press (@DogpatchPress) April 26, 2020

It’s happened with small gigs as mascot entertainment or being welcomed on stage at bigger shows. I’ve gotten $50 and meals for being a dancer or just mingling at clubs where I might have done it for fun anyways. Imagine gathering a like minded group to promote that together. It would be an online version of groups that do it for live events. If anyone tries it, send a tip here for an article to help.

• More: Furry artists among top highest-paid Patreon creators, but face threats to their livelihood.

Like the article? These take hard work. For more free furry news, please follow on Twitter or support not-for-profit Dogpatch Press on Patreon. Want to get involved? Share news on these subreddits: r/furrydiscuss for anything — or r/waginheaven for the best of the community. Or send guest writing here.

Papercutz has brought us not one but two new full-color graphic novels — both dealing with young teen girls and their new house-cats. First up is Cat & Cat Volume 1: Girl Meets Cat, written by Christophe Cazenove and Herve Richez and illustrated Yrgane Ramon. “Life was quiet for Cath and her dad, living alone. But when they adopt a cat named Sushi, things get a bit too exciting! Between turning everything into either a personal scratching post or litter box, and the constant cat and mouse game of ‘love me/leave me alone’, Cath and Dad have a lot to learn! It’s a hilarious and heartwarming adventure of daily life of this little girl…with a dad and a cat along for the ride!” In the same vein, look for Chloe and Cartoon Volume 1, written by Greg Tessier with art by Amandine. It’s a prequel spin-off of the popular Chloe graphic novel series — this time featuring her new pet, a cat named Cartoon. Both of these are due in stores this month, though of course schedules may change.

image c. 2020 Papercutz

Katie O’Neill, creator of the award-winning and much-beloved Tea Dragon Society series, returns with a brand-new full-color comic story called Dewdrop, out now from Oni Press. “Dewdrop is an easygoing, gentle axolotl who enjoys naps, worm pie, and cheerleading. When the yearly sports fair nears, he and his friends—Mia the weightlifting turtle, Newman the musical newt, and three minnows who love to cook—get ready to showcase their skills to the whole pond! However, as the day of the fair gets closer, Dewdrop’s friends can’t help putting pressure on themselves to be the best. It’s up to Dewdrop to remind them how to be mindful, go at their own pace, and find joy in their own achievements.” Look for the hardcover at Oni’s web site.

image c. 2020 Oni Press

So here’s a new full-color graphic novel for young readers — featuring reptilian heroes who don’t have shells. “Mango and Brash are the InvestiGators, sewer-loving agents of S.U.I.T. (Special Undercover Investigation Teams) and scourge of supervillains everywhere! With their Very Exciting Spy Technology and their tried-and-true, toilet-based travel techniques, the InvestiGators are undercover and on the case! And on their first mission together, they have not one but two mysteries to solve! Can Mango and Brash uncover the clues, crack their cases, and corral the crooks — or will the criminals wriggle out of their grasp?” Created by John Patrick Green, it’s available now in hardcover from First Second.

image c. 2020 First Second

Hello again Furry Writers’ Guild members! We have allowed discussions to take place surrounding our previously suggested by-laws and code of conduct on the forums as planned and taken time after to formulate our newly suggested changes based on member feedback. With this in mind, it’s time to bring this to a vote! A link to the voting form will be included at the end of this blog post. Let’s get to it shall we?

We wish to bring to a vote an update to our by-laws. You can view our current by-laws >here. We discussed why they needed updating in our previous post. The amended by-laws being brought up for vote can be found >here. All changes are highlighted in red.

We also wish to strengthen our Code of Conduct. Our current Code of Conduct can be found >here. Based on suggestions from our members we have made the following changes:

• Made an Unacceptable Conduct section with specific wording to protect subjects discussed in works of fiction
• Removed specific language that looked to be policing kinks
• Better detailed the process for filing complaints

We would like to offer a general content warning as some of these things listed in the Unacceptable Conduct section might be triggers for some within our community. >The full listing, alongside the changes we wish to make to the Code of Conduct can be found here. Changes to the Code of Conduct are highlighted in red.

We would now like to bring these amendments up for a vote! Voting will remain open for two weeks, from May 16th through May 30th. The link below will take you to the official voting form.

>FWG By-Laws And Code of Conduct Voting Form

Thank you again so much to all the FWG members that provided feedback and to everyone voting on these proposals. We’ll have an announcement on the results out to you all once the voting period is over.

Several years ago we told you all about Sweet Tooth, a human-hybrid comic book series. Well now Animation World Network has let us know that it’s being made into an animated series for Netflix (of course!). “Netflix has just greenlit Sweet Tooth, a new series based on the DC characters created by Jeff Lemire. Eight one-hour episodes have been ordered of the family-friendly, post-apocalyptic storybook adventures of Gus – part deer, part boy – who leaves his home in the forest to find the outside world ravaged by a cataclysmic event. He joins a ragtag family of humans and animal-children hybrids like himself in search of answers about this new world and the mystery behind his hybrid origins.” The AWN article includes an extensive list of the veteran talent behind the show.

image c. 2020 Team Downey

Chances are we don’t need to explain to you why Lady and the Tramp is considered to be such a classic, not just of Disney Animation but of furry fandom as well. It’s the story of two dogs — one pet, one stray — that is considered by many to be one of the greatest date movies ever made, animated or otherwise. What more do you need? Well now Dark Horse Press have brought us a new printed version with Disney Lady and the Tramp: The Story of the Movie in Comics (whew!). “Rediscover the romantic tale of two dogs from the classic 1955 animated film in this retelling. Lady is a cocker spaniel who is accustomed to a happy home with her owners. Tramp is a mutt, owned by no one, who knows the streets and lives day by day for survival. Through dire circumstances, the two find their way to each other and bridge the divide between their two worlds.” Written by Francois Corteggiani and illustrated by Mario Cortes, it’s available now in hardcover from the publisher.

image c. 2020 Dark Horse Press

We missed this somehow before — but now Dark Horse has collected it together and brought it back! What you ask? Strayed, a fantasy comic miniseries written by Carlos Giffoni and illustrated by Juan Doe. “In the far future, a military-industrial complex reigns over all humanity and actively destroys distant alien worlds. The galaxy’s only hope can be found through an unlikely pair: An astral-projecting cat named Lou and his loving owner Kiara. Trading nine lives for the well-being of billions, their revolt is a battle for love, friendship, compassion, and the soul of humanity. [This paperback] collects the five-issue miniseries.” Here’s a preview of the original series from last year. Take note: According to Dark Horse, the current pandemic situation may push back the publication date for the paperback edition. Stay tuned.

image c. 2020 Dark Horse Press

Boom! Studios (through their Kaboom! imprint) recently released a new full-color graphic novel called Wonder Pony, written and illustrated by Marie Spénale. “For Louison, going back to school for sixth grade looks set to be eventful to say the least . . . not only is it time to face the terrifying world of boarding school and making friends, but it turns out she has superpowers! Thanks to her friend Jean-Pierre – who happens to be a pink pony – Louison gains the ability to transform herself into a superheroine: Wonder Pony. Her mission? To watch over the school, and protect her classmates and friends from any dangers that might arise . . .” Boom! have an extensive preview at their web site. (Interesting how the ad says “Discover the Magical Power of Friendship…” Hee hee hee.)

image c. Boom! Studios

Give Yourself a Hand: A Furry Masturbation Anthology is a collection of eight stories focusing on, you guessed it, masturbation as a theme. It’s edited by Skunkbomb and is published by Panged Fiction. I admit, I was quite curious when going into this one. There’s always the potential with something like masturbation for stories to feel a bit the same. There’s only so many things you can do with solo play right? As you’ll see in my review however, there are plenty of curious scenarios to be explored. Let’s take a look at the stories!“The Christian Boy’s Guide To Sex With Demons” - PJ Wolf The first story of any anthology is so important. It’s what draws the reader in, shows off the theme, and sets the tone for the rest of what you are about to be. PJ Wolf’s story does just that. I absolutely adored this story, the idea of a succubus or incubus trying to explain masturbation to an 18-year-old who really has no knowledge of sex proper is wonderful. Masturbation is an act of self-love and not just in a joking sense. Embracing your own pleasure and knowing yourself is an important facet in enjoying masturbation, and this story shows that fantastically.“With One Hands Tied Behind His Back” - Royce DayWhat better way to get back to sleep than with a bit of release right? Well in this story when that doesn’t quite work for a vixen, her husband gets involved. Despite there being a couple in the story it is most certainly still focused on masturbation! I love how this story shows some BDSM elements and does so in the correct light, safewords (or songs, you’ll see if you read it) prominently mentioned. It shows how you can have sex with a partner all while you only are touching yourself, perfect for the anthology’s theme.“Jerking To The Finish” - Jaden DrackusOkay I have to be blunt, I don’t think this story really counts as masturbation. Despite it not quite tracking with the theme, the story itself is a classic forbidden love styled story where two gay racecar drivers have a good and sexy time together after a race. It shows off some serious love, has a solid comedic moment, and tells a good story along the way. Plus there’s enough fun little racing puns to make anyone crack a grin. An enjoyable read for sure!“Too Much Play” - TJ Minde First, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that this seems to be a sequel to “All Work No Play” from Knotted II which I reviewed quite favorably. I know the average reader wouldn’t catch this, but I have to say I absolutely adored the story continuing like this, especially the small callbacks to the previous tale. It made it extra fun! The story discusses a fantastic fun device that makes so many interesting sexual situations possible: a small portal. Essentially, you could put whatever you want into it and have it appear on the other side for someone to play with. In this case, you might have an idea what part of the anatomy is sticking out.After a perfectly explained discussion of setting scenes within BDSM (as they are using a scene to help demo the product) things go awry as the portal is stolen! Our salesman must quite literally track his partner’s cock down all while hearing descriptions of what is happening to it in his ear. It explores several different kinds of play so you get a small taste of various kinks making this story not only informative, but fun!However, once again, this story didn’t feel like it hit the theme of the anthology. Masturbation normally means pleasuring yourself. This entire story basically focused on someone else doing things to another person. This isn’t knocking the story in any way: it was absolutely brilliant and I loved its conclusion getting to be a bit more about exploring kink and BDSM safely. “Power & Pleasure” - KC AlpinusThis story throws a lot at you at once: gods, demigods, mystical powers and hierarchies, and even still a bit more than that. The world built is quite curious, though truthfully the difficulty in deciphering all that is presented at each moment detracts from the sexual side of the tale a bit. That and there’s honestly more sex scenes not focusing on masturbation vs. other kinds of sexual acts (but once more, this is an issue with the anthology theme, not the quality of the author’s story). However, the ideas presented elevate this story a bit more over one purely about sex. The idea of a spiritual journey where our main character has to learn to submit, relinquish their control, give in to pleasure. This story might not be the one in this anthology that, pardon my being crass, you get your rocks off to. That doesn’t make it any less an enriching experience to read. Sex doesn’t always have to be about some primal urge to orgasm. Sometimes it can be the centerpiece to a well told story.“Oak Branch” - W.R. FrixmargenThe actual visceral experience of masturbation is expertly described here. How people call upon memories, sounds, smells, and experiences to their minds to get excited for the act. There was such a focus on sensations that really draw the reader into the moment so you can always experience from the squirrel’s point of view. One of the biggest things surrounding masturbation is that potential risk of getting caught. To some, that can cause quite a bit of excitement. If that’s the case for you? This story is probably one you should read.“Simplicity” - TelevassiSpace, a place where you can truly be isolated, be the farthest distance away from others or civilization in general. It’s a perfect backdrop for this kind of story. A story where some fun toys make taking things into your own paws quite fun sets a curious backdrop for a sci-fi adventure. Who knew that when you’re forced to fly alone, a “smart” sex toy could be worth so much right? “An Unconventional Marriage Bed” - RukisFirst, a little warning: this story does have mentions of sexual assault. I do wish these things got content warnings a bit more often in books, but alas this isn’t the case here.Still, the story presented is quite brilliant. This takes an unconventional pairing, a straight woman and a gay man, forced by propriety and society to be wed. This doesn’t seem like a great pairing for sexual times together, but that’s just what makes this perfect. The two do truly love one another and found ways to both enjoy sex, just not in the traditional sense. I honestly love how this presents a nontraditional relationship and what can arise from it. This is such a creative way to present masturbation and for those a bit voyeuristic really highlights how much fun it can be to enjoy a good show. My main criticism for the anthology comes from its theme. The anthology is quite literally called Give Yourself a Hand: A Furry Masturbation Anthology. Several of these stories had a strong focus on things that were not masturbatory activity. Even if you try to ignore that the theme is supposed to be about masturbation and focus purely on “giving yourself a hand” a good chunk of the stories didn’t focus on handjobs or partners purely using their paws to pleasure each other. Unfortunately, the anthology does fail to bring its theme cohesively to light. Does this make the anthology bad? Absolutely not! The stories in this anthology covered a wide variety of themes that were titillating, arousing, or just downright thought provoking. If you’re looking for an anthology only focused on masturbation, this one won’t be quite the right fit. If you like the idea of an anthology with masturbation as more an overarching flavor that goes with the rest of a sexy meal, this one will do wonders. I certainly enjoyed reading it, and I’m certain others will as well!

Likely you’ve heard of the Ursa Major Award-winning anime called Aggretsuko, yes? Did you know that Oni Press recently started a full-color comic book version? Neither did we! “Sanrio and Oni Press join forces to bring Aggretsuko to comics for the first time! Aggretsuko, the hit Netflix show in production for season three, stars Retsuko the Red Panda, a young office worker stuck in a thankless job, whose only stress release is singing heavy metal at the local karaoke joint. With the help of her friends, can she ever find the job satisfaction she craves – – not to mention adventure, the approval of her mother, and even… love?!” It’s written by Daniel Barnes, and illustrated by DJ Kirkland and Sarah Stern. Take a look at Oni’s page — and some creepy alternate covers!

image c. 2020 Sanrio

In the world of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Jennika is a former soldier of the Foot Clan — who was transformed into a new ninja turtle herself! Well now IDW have decided that this new “fifth turtle” should have her own full-color series. “Trying to acclimate to life as a mutant, the newest turtle Jennika embarks on a solo adventure that will force her to come to terms with both her troubled past and conflicted present. Not to mention a brand new villain! Brahm Revel (Guerrillas) returns to reveal more of Jennika’s backstory from his acclaimed TMNT Universe tale ‘What is Ninja?’!” Jennika is out now and on the shelves.

image c. 2020 IDW Publishing

Once again, a cool new cartoon on Netflix — that’s only shown in countries other than the USA. From Animation Magazine: “New Brazillian animated series Tainá and the Amazon’s Guardians, produced by Hype Animation, Sincrocine, and the Viacom group, is making its streaming debut on Netflix across all of Latin America. Aimed at preschool audiences, the show follows the adventures of a young Indigenous girl named Tainá and her animal friends: The monkey Catu, the king vulture Pepe, and the little hedgehog Suri. With little heroes who are always ready to take care of the forest and their friends, Tainá and the Amazon’s Guardians brings messages of respect, friendship and care for nature to the streaming platform.” The article includes a video of the opening.

image c. 2020 Hype Animation

Foxers or Beariefs is an erotic anthology themed around underwear. Every story puts a generally hidden undergarment at the forefront in various forms with all the inherent fixings. Smells, textures, and most importantly personality are featured heavily in this collection. Each story uses underwear as a venue to build a story around its characters; some become quiet and embarrassed while others are emboldened, even thrilled with the possibilities that lay bare before them. The collection is organized by type of underwear and near flawlessly executed.TJ Minde starts off the lineup with "Missed Feelings." An otter and rabbit couple begin at the mall, eyeing passers-by and discussing their behaviors in the bedroom. A few hints are made, and later that night the female otter roleplays as a male horse using a strap-on to give her rabbit lover a ride. It’s a tale of loyalty and the drive to do what it takes to satisfy a partner. The writing isn’t particularly complex, but it is well done and easy to follow. This tale’s strengths are its vivid characters and satisfying descriptions."Bare-Assed Broadway" is Ashe Valisca’s sequential story of a chipmunk named Ryan that dreams of making it big. As the tale usually goes, his dreams take a while to become reality. He gets on the grind, realizing that it’s harder than he thought to make it. Along the way he gets involved with a tiger aptly named Richard who has as much of an affinity for jockstraps as Ryan does. Their relationship as well as Ryan’s success grow through the years. This story features strong musk and desire alongside a relationship that is enjoyable to read about. The interactions full of innuendos between the characters are relatable and interesting to read through.A sparsely populated 24-hour gym is an excellent venue for Sisco Polaris’s "Jocks in the Gym." Richard is a husky who is forced to work late on Wednesdays causing him to go to the gym late, which happens to be the time that a muscular Doberman named Carlton is there as well. Richard is gay and becomes infatuated with Carlton’s Adonis-like form. And his used jockstraps. Which lay abandoned when Carlton goes to shower. A tale of thrilling guilty pleasures follows these fortunate circumstances. The exhibition of admiration, greed, embarrassment, and liquid catharsis are all used to build a satisfying read. The entire thing is a riveting rollercoaster of action."Getchoo" by Cedric G! Bacon is about a fox named Jay who happens upon his skunk friend’s g-string and can’t get enough of it. What starts as a mishap turns into a slight obsession for the fox. One that the skunk takes advantage of. Luckily, she has a bit of a soft spot for the fox as well. But that doesn’t mean that she lets him off easy. Not at all. This story shows domination/submission in a way that is enjoyable for both parties as well as the reader. Just like the characters, I really, really loved it."Perfection of the Visionary Courier" by Al Song gets right to the heart of what I feel is the central theme of this anthology. Milton is a coyote who lacks confidence but is smart and much more capable than he realizes. And damn he looks good in a speedo. He meets Cliff, an adopted river otter who built himself from the ground up to be a swimwear and underwear designer. Cliff helps Milton build his confidence and get more comfortable with himself and the world around him. The relationship between the two and how Cliff was able to grow as a result is a great read. Sometimes, all it takes is a little confidence and exposure to get yourself to a better place.Jaden Drackus writes about a male underwear model in "A Hint o’ Lace." Jake is specifically a model for underwear designed with athletes in mind. He’s also gay and is asked to model panties designed for guys. He takes it as a perfect opportunity to explore his more feminine side and receive rather than take. A rat named Steve gives him his chance. Even though Jake has grown comfortable with putting his masculine side on very public display, all he wants is for someone to listen and tend to his more feminine needs. I found the juxtaposition interesting. A professional model who looks “uncomfortable with his appearance.” The story serves as a good example of the several forms that discovering oneself may take. The dialogue was refreshing without being overbearing. There was a familiarity to Jack and Steve that makes them relatable to many kinds of readers. The erotic payoff is also well worth it."Silken Threads" is a futuristic story by Gre7g Luterman. An exotic tale of Tish and Kanti who enjoy a night of silky lingerie and teasing. The pair know each other very well and use it to their advantage, always riding the edge between desire and satisfaction. This story doesn’t describe too much about the biology of the characters or the setting. Instead it gave bits and pieces that, while they made the setting exotic, didn’t contribute much to the story and felt irrelevant. I found it difficult to visualize the scene due to the lack of information and as a result, the action fell short for me. One thing that was conveyed well throughout was the building desire between the two and how they reacted to each other. While I would have preferred more context about the characters and their environment, the story is interesting and has good flow."Switching Sides" by Televassi tells a story about a zebra who hasn’t been satisfied in the bedroom for a while. It is filled with analogies related to sports and football. And wearing his snow leopard girlfriend’s panties. The story does great with challenging societally generated gender roles. It also stresses the importance of communication as it takes the zebra’s hyena friend to manufacture the catalyst to get the couple to talk to each other. The action in this story was easy to follow and even slightly humorous. I also found it funny how the main character is a zebra that plays football; people also call football referees zebras. Just a small detail that, if intentional, makes the story even more endearing.A fox in a queer punk band. He hasn’t quite found his identity in the music world, but that’s what "Bottoms Up" by Miles Reaver is all about. Kevin ends up joining a band with two well-established queer punk musicians that already have their things: Jessie paints his paws, arms, and tail different colors while Dav removes his shirt and tosses it into the crowd. Eventually, Kevin frees himself physically as well as mentally by getting his underwear cut out and thrown into the crowd. He gets less concerned with just the music and starts having much more fun, allowing himself to truly enjoy his life. Enough to take his lack of underwear a little bit further. The relationships between the band members are escalated in a realistic way and how they grow closer together makes for a good read.If you’re looking for a graphically erotic choose-your-own-adventure, "Fire of my Loins" by Thurston Howl definitely fits the bill. You take the role of the Chosen, a leader that will enact one of two rituals. Several outcomes are possible and the choices you make affect which ending you get. It is a challenging type of story to write. This one has a narrative that makes sense, and there are hints along the way that make it feel like the outcomes don’t come from out of nowhere. The small interjections at the end of each story path are humorously blunt. I think that the story structure is a bit simple, but for a choose-your-own-adventure of this length, it would be a mess to make it more complex. If you want to feel like the main character in a creepy erotic tale, give this one a try.A raccoon named Cole gets a bit more than he bargained for in "The Weekend" by Whiteclaw. It was supposed to be a chill time at his friend Tyler’s house but when a drink gets spilled all over Cole, he gets prescribed a shower and a thong courtesy of Ryan, Tyler’s brother. Cole discovers that he likes thongs and that Ryan might be more helpful than originally thought. This story mostly boils down to friends having a good time and the discovery of new preferences. A simple story, but still entertaining.Fundoshi is a simple Japanese undergarment much like a loincloth. "A Cultural Exchange" by Miriam “Camio” Curzon features it prominently as an American college student named Jason debates performing in front of his peers while wearing it. His Japanese friend Tatsuya does his best to convince Jason. Not just about wearing fundoshi but also about being comfortable with his body and throwing away constrictive societal norms. Jason’s growth in confidence is evident throughout, and by the end he is able to perform without any worries. The way Tatsuya was written as a character was very satisfying and realistic, allowing the reader to relate to Jason better. I also enjoyed how music and drumming played into the story, as if the rhythm of the drums moved the story along. This tale was one of my favorites in the whole collection."A Brief Distraction" is a deliciously devious story about technologically advanced briefs by Royce Day. Melanie gives her fox husband Rolas a pair of SmartTex: underwear is controlled by a smartphone app. Melanie uses it to tease Rolas during his business meeting and then in the bedroom where he is forced to submit to her for his release. The pair have a lot of love and trust for each other which is easily apparent to the reader. Their relationship is the driving factor for the action and the buildup is written well. A worthy finisher to a great collection.Overall, Foxers or Beariefs explores several different themes alongside all of the different kinds of underwear. The stories are edited well, and the reader is told about any potentially offensive content prior to the pertinent stories. The organization of the stories by type of underwear is humorous and practical, much like the way some of the undergarments are utilized in the stories themselves. This isn’t just an anthology themed around underwear; it’s about how beneficial it can be to bare oneself before the world. The characters’ journeys illustrate this and collectively serve as examples of how communication and exploration are important to self-realization. So don’t get put off by the question of Foxers or Beariefs. Do yourself a favor and give it a read. For me, it’s 9 proudly waving undergarments out of 10.

In a lonely corner of the lunar landscape, a classic, seat-of-the-pants detective sticks out his shingle and does what he does best, solving the hard crimes no one else wants to bother with. Jove Deadly is a bloodhound, literally born and bred for this work, and he’s an instantly lovable character with a nose for trouble, a constant craving for peanut butter, and a substantial addiction to rawhide chews. Together with his otter sidekick, Jove uses his skills and contacts to unravel a pair of mysteries with all the action you could want and a few familial ties that he would happily do without. In Jove Deadly’s Lunar Detective Agency, two authors each contribute a tale of intrigue, mystery and betrayal. In part one, Jove is enlisted to find a missing person, who also happens to be his estranged brother. The high-class poodle who hired him is keeping her own secrets, and the case takes more twists and turns than a snake’s tail. Part two introduces us to Jove’s sister, and follows the loose ends left dangling in part one as Jove and his crew race to find a missing professor with information about a legendary human artifact. Both stories were strong and engaging, and they tied in well together, giving the book a strong sense of continuity even though the individual authors’ styles are quite different. Where part one has the classic noir detective feel, with slightly heavier prose and a darker tone, part two embodies the light-hearted, whimsical tone of Mary E. Lowd’s style and echoes the rest of her stories set in this universe. I thoroughly enjoyed both halves of Jove Deadly’s Lunar Detective Agency, and it is a high recommend for me to any fan of detective stories, of furry scifi, or anyone already enamored with the Otters in Space stories. My only word of warning is this: make certain you have peanut butter in the house before reading part two. You will definitely want it.

Welcome to Roz Gibson, furry artist and animator in Southern California. Roz was guest of honor at Confurence and created the Jack Salem comic character that first appeared in Rowrbrazzle in 1987. Roz is a community access guest and contents are hers. See Roz’s tag for more reviews.

Animosity #4, The Walled City (graphic novel compilation of issues 14-18)
Written by Marguerite Bennet, art by Rafael De Latorre, Ornella Savarese and Elton Thomas.
Published by Aftershock Comics

The  scenario of animals suddenly developing sentience has been used recently in at least two comics (Squarriors and Animosity) and two novels (The Awareness and the Mort(e) series). Animosity  has been ongoing for several years, chronicling the journey of young human teenager Jesse, her devoted bloodhound ‘father’ Sandor, and their group of companions, including a Pallas cat, goats, a bison, a ring-tailed lemur and Kyle, an adult human who may or may not have Jesse’s best interests at heart. 

The group is traveling from New York City to San Francisco, where Jesse can hopefully find her half-brother. Sandor is eager to make the trip as quickly as possible, since he’s old and is afraid he’ll die before getting Jesse to safety. The landscape is typically post-apocalyptic, and they encounter various obstacles and allies along the way. While this is volume 4, you don’t necessarily need to be familiar with the other chapters to pick it up, since it does contain a complete story arc and there’s a helpful synopsis of ‘what has gone before’ at the beginning of the book.

During their journey Jesse and Sandor encounter groups where animals are dominating humans, animal-only enclaves, and, in this volume, a place where humans still own animals. At the end of the previous volume, Kyle has kidnapped Jesse, ostensibly to ‘save’ her from Sandor, whom he does not trust. Kyle has heard of a human-only enclave called the Walled City in the south, where he thinks Jesse will be safe. Now, in volume 4, when they arrive at the Walled City, and find the inhabitants are eager to take in any female of childbearing age—and not so interested in taking single adult men. Too bad for Kyle.

The rest of the story has Jesse trying to survive in a girl’s boarding school from hell, run by the fanatical ‘Headmistress,’ while Sandor and the rest of the group try to track her down.  In the Walled City they still keep pigs captive for meat, as well as enslaving (literally, with chains) other animals for labor. They are very big with “Humans are the superior species” philosophy, which doesn’t sit well with Jesse.

One thing to note about Animosity’s background, is that everything became sentient, including fish, insects and krill. Which makes life tough for obligate carnivores.  The problem of food shortages is covered more extensively in a side-series: Animosity: Evolution.  In the main comic it’s glossed over a bit, with the carnivore characters shown eating animals that have already been killed. But by and large the problem of carnivore diet is not dealt with.

The artwork is traditional American comic book style, inked with mostly flat colors. The artists are better at drawing the human characters than animal, but the animals are at least recognizable. The anatomy is a bit wonky, but I’ve seen plenty worse. And with the clean inks and flat colors, you can actually tell what’s going on in each panel.

Of the 4 works with animals suddenly getting intelligent, the Mort(e) series of novels is by far the best (if a rather grim read). But Animosity is a good second. Recommended for people looking for a serious story with talking animals that are not anthropomorphic.

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Like the article? These take hard work. For more free furry news, please follow on Twitter or support not-for-profit Dogpatch Press on Patreon. Want to get involved? Share news on these subreddits: r/furrydiscuss for anything — or r/waginheaven for the best of the community. Or send guest writing here.

Welcome to Roz Gibson, furry artist and animator in Southern California. Roz was guest of honor at Confurence and created the Jack Salem comic character that first appeared in Rowrbrazzle in 1987. Roz is a community access guest and contents are hers. See Roz’s tag for more reviews.

The Snow Cat Prince
Written and illustrated by Dina Norlund
Published by Hushbird publications

The Snow Cat Prince is a gorgeous hardcover graphic novel by Scandinavian artist Dina Norlund. I received my copy through a Kickstarter campaign, but it is available from her website: Hushbird.com (and the furry book sellers would be smart if they picked this up for sale at conventions). Unlike most of the graphic novels I’ve reviewed, this is not a zillion-volume series that will never get done — story is self-contained in this one book. What a pleasant surprise that was!

The plot is a standard “Prince searching for an artifact so he can reclaim his kingdom.” And it is definitely an all-ages title, with minimal violence (but some threat and peril).  After a short introduction setting the background, the titular Snow Cat Prince is introduced. Syv, the youngest of seven brothers, will probably not inherit the throne, and he’s okay with that.  But his six ne’er do-well brothers are concerned because he’s popular with the human inhabitants of the city, so they decide to send him on a wild goose chase to find the lost crown.

In the introduction we’re told how the evil shapeshifting foxes stole the crown from the first, mighty snow cat king, and if the crown can be found and returned the snow cat’s city will once again flourish. Syv is kind but very naive, and doesn’t question why his more powerful brothers would send him off on this important quest. Almost as soon as he leaves the city he comes across Kit—a red-haired elfin sprite who invites herself to tag along. The rest of the story follows their adventures and perils, as Syv learns a lot about the world and the real history of what happened to the crown.

The story is straightforward and simple, so it might not appeal to readers looking for more substance.  However, the artwork is absolutely drop-dead gorgeous. Rich, vibrant colors with clean, easy-to-follow layouts. The character designs are a melding of Disney and manga — cute without being over-the-top about it. The book is definitely worth getting just for the art.  An excellent production in terms of printing and presentation.

I will eagerly look forward to anything else Dina Norlund puts out.

Like the article? These take hard work. For more free furry news, please follow on Twitter or support not-for-profit Dogpatch Press on Patreon. Want to get involved? Share news on these subreddits: r/furrydiscuss for anything — or r/waginheaven for the best of the community. Or send guest writing here.