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BeastAges opens a new era of regional furry events in south Taiwan
台湾南部首场毛兽贩售会 BeastAges 开创兽迷活动新纪元
Quack to the Future?
We caught this announcement from several places. Here it is from World of Reel: “Pixar is developing a new movie, this one set to be the first musical in the toon company’s history. The movie is titled Ducks and its main characters are exactly what the title suggests. Pixar’s upcoming slate already includes Elio, Toy Story 5, and Inside Out 2 — the latter being released this summer, the other two in 2026. Ducks seems to be eyeing a 2027 launch.” You’ll know when we do!
image c. 2024 Pixar Animation Studios
Magic — The Anthro-Folk
Recently there was a major announcement from the world Magic: The Gathering, the famous fantasy card game. “Welcome to Valley, the bucolic and vibrant home to the animalfolk of Bloomburrow, Magic‘s first all-animal plane. It’s a place where big adventures await even the smallest who are bold, inquisitive, and heroic, while those with more homespun and peaceable yearnings can enjoy the tranquil life… But peace is endangered in Valley as the delicate balance of nature is threatened, and the elemental calamity beasts and the Great-Night Owl imperil the lives of its inhabitants… The animalfolk will have to band together to defend their homes. Led by Mabel, a mousefolk mother and reluctant hero, a party will strike out to investigate what has befallen a neighboring town. Along the way, they’ll be joined by a remarkable companion from a faraway land.” Keep up with the Wizards of the Coast to find out more. As usual with Magic: The Gathering, the artwork for Bloomburrow is absolutely gorgeous.
image c. 2024 Wizards of the Coast
JMoF Dead Dog Party w/Mangluca #shorts
Social Media: Official FABP Twitter: https://twitter.com/foxandburger Michael: https://twitter.com/foxnakh https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK9xoFQrxFTNPMjmXfUg2cg Burger: https://twitter.com/L1ghtningRunner
Furlandia removes Mary E. Lowd as guest of honour for using AI images on book covers
作者玛丽洛德用人工智能图像作书封面 美国展 Furlandia 取消其嘉宾资格
TigerTails Radio Season 15 Episode 16
TigerTails Radio Season 15 Episode 16. Join the Discord Chat: https://discord.gg/SQ5QuRf For a full preview of events and for previous episodes, please visit http://www.tigertailsradio.co.uk. See website for full breakdown of song credits, which is usually updated shortly after the show. If you like what we do and wish to throw some pennies our way to support us, please consider sending a little tip our way. https://streamlabs.com/tigertailsradio/tip * Please note, tips are made to support TigerTails Radio and are assumed as made with good faith, so are therefore non-refundable. Thank you for your support and understanding.
Feline Bravery and Honor
Somehow we missed this new graphic novel, written and illustrated by Norwegian author Dina Norlund. “Syv is a snowcat and the youngest in a family of princes. When his father dies, Syv and his brothers are all in line for the throne. Eager to become kings themselves and wary of how well-liked Syv has become by the citizens, Syv’s brothers send him on a dangerous quest to find the long-lost magical crown that once belonged to their royal ancestor, the Eldking. Legend says that the snowcat who finds the crown will break the curse on their land and bring great honor to the family. But failure could mark Syv with three black stripes, and he’d be banished forever. Along his journey, Syv will face dangerous beasts, dark powers, and the ever-lurking sand foxes — sworn enemies to the snowcats. But when Syv discovers the truth about the legend of the Eldking and his magical crown, he’ll have to learn the new meaning of honor and find another way to break the curse.” The Snowcat Prince is available now from Oni Press.
image c. 2024 Oni Press
A Beginner’s Guide to Making Fursuit Teeth
- Introduction
- Section 1: Understanding Fursuit Teeth
- Section 2: Designing Your Fursuit Teeth
- Section 3: Step-by-Step Guide To Making Fursuit Teeth
- Section 4: Tips & Tricks For Masterful Fursuit Teeth Making
Introduction
Welcome to your crash course in crafting the perfect set of chompers for your fursuit! Whether you’re aiming to create a grin that’s irresistibly cute or a snarl that’s delightfully fearsome, understanding how to make fursuit teeth is your ticket to elevating your character’s charisma. This guide is all about demystifying the process, ensuring that even beginners can tackle this project with confidence.
Section 1: Understanding Fursuit TeethAt their core, fursuit teeth are the secret spice that adds flavor to your fursuit’s expression and personality. They’re not just about aesthetics; they’re about bringing your character’s inner world to the outside.
Definition and Role
Fursuit teeth are the bespoke dental details that give your fursuit’s smile its unique character. Whether you opt for subtle pearly whites or menacing fangs, these additions are key in portraying your character’s species, mood, and personality. It’s all about choosing the right bite to match your furry friend’s bark!
Types of Fursuit Teeth
Depending on your character’s vibe, you’ll find yourself choosing from a menu of styles:
Realistic:
For those who want to keep it true to life, these teeth mirror the look of actual animals or humans.
Toony:
Go big or go home! These exaggerated teeth are all about fun, adding a cartoonish charm to your suit.
Sharp:
Bring out the predator in your character with teeth that scream ‘fierce’.
Flat:
Ideal for the gentle giants of the animal kingdom, flat teeth are all about a softer, kinder look.
A Set of Canine Fursuit Teeth
Image via Pinterest
Materials Overview
Picking the right material for your teeth is like choosing the right tool for a job. Each option has its perks:
Polymer Clay:
A fan favorite for its flexibility and the fine detail you can achieve. Plus, it’s tough as nails after baking.
Resin:
When you’ve got a winning design, resin lets you replicate it perfectly. It’s durable and customizable with paint or dye.
Foam:
Light as a feather, foam is your go-to for those oversized, toony teeth that won’t weigh down your suit.
Thermoplastics:
For those who like to play it by ear, these materials are moldable with heat and cool into a solid form, offering a nice balance between ease of use and durability.
Choosing your material is about balancing aesthetics, comfort, and practicality. As we move forward, we’ll guide you through each step of the teeth-making process, from sketching out your design to attaching those pearly whites to your fursuit. Get ready to bite into the fun of fursuit crafting!
Now that we’ve got the basics down pat, it’s time to sketch, scheme, and sculpt your way to the perfect fursuit teeth. This part of the journey is where your creativity gets to shine, so let’s dive in!
Planning Your Design
First up, grab your pencil and let your imagination run wild. Sketching your design before you start crafting is like drawing a treasure map; it guides you to your goal. Think about the character your fursuit represents:
Are they a sly fox with a cheeky grin?
A noble wolf with a dignified demeanor?
Maybe a fantastical dragon with teeth that spark fear and awe?
Your sketches will help you decide on the size, shape, and style of teeth that best fit your character’s personality. Remember, this is your creation—there are no wrong answers here!
Material Selection
With your design in hand, it’s time to choose your crafting companion, a.k.a., your material. Here’s a quick recap to help you decide:
- Polymer Clay is your go-to for detailed, hardy teeth.
- Resin works wonders for creating multiple copies of a single design.
- Foam keeps things light and is perfect for those exaggerated, cartoon-style teeth.
- Thermoplastics offer a happy medium, being easy to shape and solid in form.
- Consider not just the look you’re going for but also think about the weight and feel of the material in the suit. Comfort is key, after all!
Image of Flatter Fursuit Teeth
Image via Reddit
Safety Considerations
A little PSA before you get down to business: safety first! Whether you’re baking, molding, or sculpting, make sure you’re doing it in a well-ventilated area. And always, always read and follow the safety instructions of the materials you’re using. Crafting is a lot less fun with a side of ouch or whoops.
Bringing Your Design to Life
With your design sketched and your material picked, it’s time to bring those teeth out of your imagination and into the world. Whether you’re molding, sculpting, or carving, keep your sketches close and your creativity closer. This is your moment to play god (or dentist) and craft the bite that brings your character to life.
Remember, perfection is not the goal here—expression is. So if your first attempt isn’t quite what you envisioned, no sweat! Every mistake is just a stepping stone to mastering the art of fursuit teeth making.
Stay tuned for the next chapter, where we’ll walk through the step-by-step process of crafting those gnashers, from initial sculpt to final attachment. Get ready to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty (figuratively speaking, of course)—it’s going to be a blast!
- Consider not just the look you’re going for but also think about the weight and feel of the material in the suit. Comfort is key, after all!
"They where extremely understanding and patient. They provided fast response times and amazing communication"
Edward
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Build my fursuit
OR
Draw My Fursona
Section 3: Step-by-Step Guide to Making Fursuit Teeth
Alright, creative crafters, it’s showtime! You’ve got your design, you’ve chosen your champion material, and now it’s time to get hands-on. Follow these steps to turn that sketch into a snazzy set of fursuit teeth that will make your character smile, snarl, or smirk with style.
Step 1: Creating the Mold (If Applicable)
If you’re going down the resin route, you’ll start with a mold. Think of it as the blueprint for your masterpiece.
Sculpt Your Masterpiece:
Using a material like clay, sculpt the tooth exactly how you want your final product to look.
Make Your Mold:
Once your sculpture is just right, use silicone mold-making material to create a mold. Pour the silicone over your sculpted tooth, following the product’s instructions to a T.
Cure Time:
Patience is a virtue. Let the mold cure as directed before moving on to casting your teeth.
Step 2: Sculpting or Molding
For those using polymer clay, foam, or thermoplastics, you’ll sculpt or cut your teeth directly from your material of choice.
Polymer Clay:
Get kneading and sculpt the teeth based on your design. Use tools to add details and texture as needed.
Foam:
Draw the tooth shape on your foam, then cut it out with precision. You can use sandpaper to smooth edges or shape the foam further.
Thermoplastics:
Heat the material according to instructions, mold it to your desired shape, and let it cool into its final form.
Photo of Fursuit Teeth Being Implemented Into A Foam Base
Image via Twitter
Step 3: Baking or SettingPolymer Clay:
Once you’re happy with your sculpted teeth, bake them in the oven according to the clay manufacturer’s instructions. This step is where clay turns into durable teeth.
Resin Casting:
Mix and pour your resin into the silicone molds you’ve created, then wait for it to set. Voilà, you’ve got teeth!
Step 4: Painting and Finishing Touches
Now for the makeup phase, where your teeth get their final look.
Painting:
If your material isn’t the color you desire or you’re looking to add details, now’s the time to paint. Use acrylics for polymer clay and resin teeth. Just a few strokes can add that much-needed realism or cartoon effect.
Sealing:
Apply a sealant to protect your paint job and give your teeth a glossy or matte finish, depending on your character’s needs.
Step 5: Attaching to Your Fursuit
You’re in the home stretch! Attach your teeth to the fursuit head using strong adhesive (for hard materials) or by sewing them in place (if you’re using foam). Ensure they’re secure and positioned just right to capture your character’s expression perfectly.
And there you have it! Step back and admire your handiwork. Whether your fursuit character is a cheeky trickster with a mischievous grin or a noble beast with a regal smile, those teeth you’ve just crafted are the cherry on top of a fantastic creation.
Next up, we’ll share some pro tips and tricks to make the process even smoother and your results even more impressive. Stay tuned, and remember, practice makes perfect—and a bit of playful experimentation makes the journey all the more fun!
Congratulations on making it this far! By now, you’ve got a snazzy set of teeth ready to bring your fursuit’s smile, snarl, or smirk to life. But before we part ways, let’s dive into some insider tips and tricks to elevate your fursuit teeth crafting game. These nuggets of wisdom will help you avoid common pitfalls and achieve a professional finish, even on your first try.
Embrace the Power of Reference Images
Never underestimate the power of a good reference image. Whether you’re aiming for realism or cartoonish charm, having a visual guide can be incredibly helpful. Study images of real animals or artwork to understand how teeth are shaped and how they sit in the mouth. This can inspire your design and help you nail those intricate details.
Practice Patience in Sculpting and Curing
Patience truly is a virtue in crafting. Take your time when sculpting or molding your teeth. Rushing can lead to mistakes that are hard to correct later. Similarly, give your materials—whether it’s clay, resin, or thermoplastics—the proper time to cure or set. Trying to speed up the process can compromise the quality and durability of your teeth.
Experiment with Textures and Finishes
Adding texture can make a world of difference in the final look of your teeth. For instance, subtle indentations on polymer clay can mimic the natural grooves of teeth. When painting, consider using a mix of gloss and matte finishes to create a more lifelike appearance, especially if you’re going for realism.
Example Realistic Fursuit Teeth
Image via DeviantArt
Secure Attachment Is Key
When attaching the teeth to your fursuit head, ensure they’re not just aesthetically pleasing but also securely fastened. Loose teeth can be a distraction and may even pose a choking hazard. Test different adhesives to find one that works best with your materials, or if sewing, make sure your stitches are tight and hidden.
Maintenance Matters
Lastly, remember that your fursuit teeth, like the rest of your suit, require care and maintenance. Clean them gently after use, especially if they’re painted, to keep them looking sharp for your next event. Store them in a way that avoids pressure or strain, which could lead to cracks or breaks.
Learn from Every Project
Each set of teeth you create is an opportunity to learn and improve. Don’t be discouraged by imperfections; instead, view them as stepping stones towards mastering the craft. Share your work with the community, seek feedback, and learn from the experiences of fellow fursuit makers.
Armed with these tips and a bit of practice, you’ll be well on your way to crafting fursuit teeth that add the perfect touch to your furry creations. Remember, the journey of crafting is as rewarding as the final product. So keep experimenting, keep learning, and above all, keep having fun with it!
That’s a wrap on our beginner’s guide to making fursuit teeth. We hope you’ve found this journey informative and inspiring. Whether you’re new to the furry fandom or looking to hone your crafting skills, remember that every detail you add to your suit makes your character more vibrant and alive. Here’s to many more successful crafting adventures ahead!
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They Bump Back For You
We love the first line of this description: “In a world where nightmares are more than just bad dreams, stuffies are the last line of defense against the things that go bump in the night. When Becky Burns experiences a great loss, a stuffie named Fenny is assigned to protect her. But Fenny soon realizes that she may be in over her head, and it may be more than just monsters that Becky is facing.” Keepsakers: Defenders of the Dark is a new black & white graphic novel written and illustrated by Tayson Martindale (the artist behind Thunderfrog). It’s available now in paperback from Invader Comics.
image c. 2024 Invader Comics
Pioneer of modern furry culture, Mark “Sy Sable” Merlino, dies at 71
现代兽圈文化先驱马克-梅里诺去世，享年 71 岁
Black History Month Q&A: Cedric G! Bacon
For those who don’t know you, can you introduce yourself and your work?
Hello! My name is Cedric G! Bacon, or occasionally Batced but primarily by the former. I am a writer and editor, former publisher of Thurston Howl Publications, and you might’ve seen my work in things like Furry Trash, Foxers and Fur-iefs, Lost in Time, Leave the Lights On, ROAR 11, and Thrill of the Hunt. I’m something of a bat-of-all trades, writing where an idea takes me, but I’m probably best known for horror and erotica, sometimes merging both.
Do you see a difference between diversity of authors and diversity of characters? Or are they intrinsically linked? Are there any common failings you see amongst furry fiction?
I think usually when you’re writing about diversity it helps to have knowledge of the subject so that your character would ring true instead of seeming like a trope or a just a stock character plucked from your brain’s casting call. I remember reading the book Trigger Warning by William W. and J.A. Johnstone (never mind the fact that William Johnstone, famous for his western novels, had been dead for almost twenty years when that book came out and so his relative uses the older man’s name on “new” work) which was replete with condemnations of the higher education and even diversity classes, which are shown to be ridiculous and coddling and rewarding for the most minimal of efforts, including a scene where the “protagonist” is made to feel shame for being a war veteran. I think the author—whom I suspect is someone in their 60s—just regurgitated whatever it is they’re spoonfed through far-right media and believed that that’s what diversity and especially the need for diverse conversation, is really like, and after reading I was just left uncomfortable that there are people who would rather retain the status quo as it is instead of trying to make changes to broaden diverse opportunities where there might not be any.
As welcoming as furry fiction is, I do think there is this absence that keeps diversity from being much wider than it is. There are some truly well meaning individuals but it’s almost like not enough gets spotlighted or put out and it is a shame really. Part of that also falls on those who could have a voice and a platform but do not use it, or perhaps have used it and are burnt out by it. That I can understand due to how hard it can be trying to make the conversation happen and you’re met by many walls and find you can’t quite cross the bridge you’d like to make inroads. Little by little it will get better I feel as more will come to the fandom and wish to write stories that do showcase more voices that you would not typically find, but it does take time. Which I also do think is on our side.
Do you believe progress has been made in the last few years?
Slowly and surely it has, but not nearly enough. When we ran Difursity Volume 2 through THP, our turnout was not as plentiful as we would’ve liked. However, I think we do have many essayists and non-fiction writers coming into the fold who have many things to say and ideas, so where Difursity Volume 2 did not have as much widespread reach as its predecessor, it did get a lot of ideas going for some that “Hey, I can express myself and my thoughts on this topic without fear of being shut down for being ‘uppity’.” I would love to see some more of that happen, and I would gladly do my part as well to get the engines roaring on more diverse volumes and work in the furry fiction community.
Does the degree of anonymity of a fursona being your public face help or hinder your goals as an author in the furry community?
I think engagement and talking with others and making connections helps in the furry community, as a lot of interactions do tend to be behind screens and keyboards so that face begins merging with the real person behind the fursona, so that even if your fursona is a winged canine-dragon creature and that’s not who you are offline away from the furry community, it doesn’t really make anyone who is already a fan or coming to know you think different about you. Your goals, I think, are what you want of them, and for me in the furry community, my goals were at the start to get back into writing after a long spell away, make connections with my peers, share some ideas with said peers, and learn new things along the way…maybe about the craft I’ve devoted a chunk of my life to or even about myself and my own worldviews. But as for if that degree of anonymity has helped or hindered those goals? I think they have helped, but it had to take a lot on my part to let any masks or walls come down and trust the other parties I conversed with, same as I imagine it would be for them when talking to me. It would only hinder if I was not able to do that and trust my peers and open up when needing help or advice, or actually developing friendships with a few I’ve been grateful enough to meet in person.
What do you think is the most important thing for a writer to do when considering diversity?
Patience. Absolutely the most important thing to keep in mind. If a writer is thinking about diversity, think first about what means and don’t make any assumptions and just do the first thing that you think you may know about diversity. Look around, talk to folk who have more experience or have some insight about their own struggles for diverse conversations.
There is this whole thing about “woke” but it’s a corruption of what it actually meant to be woke, in that it means keeping one’s eyes open at all times to the situation be it to the injustices racial, social, or political (and that’s a clue that anyone who is using the term to slag something that they don’t like with the most bad faith argument, you know that is someone to definitely side-eye). But when I say that it does matter to stay woke, it means exactly what it was supposed to mean, especially when thinking about diversity and ask yourself as that writer about why is there so much anger among marginalized communities and voices, and especially to stay woke and read the room to know that even though the answer may be complicated to discover, you as the writer will have an understanding about diversity and that need for more diverse voices instead of ones that regurgitate points that do not challenge anything or make efforts to make changes.
What book featuring diverse characters and/or written by a diverse author would you most recommend to people?
Not a book though it was based upon a book, so I’m going to cheat a little here, but I do think many should check out the 2020 HBO series Lovecraft Country, inspired by the book of the same name by Matt Ruff. By title alone would probably be put off by it due to the legacy which surrounds author H.P. Lovecraft and his very loud statements on race both in his letters and in his fiction, but that is actually something that is worked to the show’s advantage, as the main protagonist is a young black man who too has to grapple with being a fan of Lovecraft while knowing full well Lovecraft might not have enjoyed having him as a fan.
Executive produced by a woman of color in Misha Green, and with one of the producers being Jordan Peele, it already ticks of the box of diversity in a big way, but goes a step further with its cast, with Jurnee Smollett (whom I rather enjoyed as the real star of Birds of Prey when shy played Dinah Lance/Black Canary) alongside Jonathan Majors, Michael K. Williams, Jamie Chung, it furthers having diverse voices and roles with its focus on a young black man (played by Majors) and his family’s life in 1950s America, which is stark and uncompromising in its vocal disdain for people of color (loudly at that time, muted but still unfortunately in existence now) and right off the jump in the first episode, you have a scene involving a chase out of town by a lynch mob and threats of being lynched by racist policemen when the protagonists don’t leave a sundown town by the required time.
Rather than be a straight adaptation of the novel, the series makes many, many changes by giving more roles for women and dropping some plotlines that were wayward in the novel and making things streamlined and tight. But one of the things that I did find to be a triumph was using the 1921 Tulsa race massacre as a major plot point, but the intriguing parts are the character development in this one episode that focuses on family, homosexuality, abuse, and how sometimes the roots of generational evil isn’t found in some dusty old tome like the Necronomicon, that it can be found within us as the individual unless we break the cycle. The show is violent, brilliantly choreographed, uncompromising in its language and historical framing (another episode takes place during the funeral for Emmett Till, and while we in the modern age can’t quite comprehend the real horror and drama of what happened to him, much like the Tulsa massacre using it in fiction I hope inspires the curious to look further and read and remember and equally never forget, hoping it doesn’t happen to someone else), sexuality and identity, all packed within ten episodes that, four years later, I still think was the greatest TV show on the subject of diversity I’ve ever watched.
And finally, where can we find your works?
I’m in the process of getting them uploaded to furaffinity and SoFurry, so just stay tuned for that eventual update. In the meantime, if you have these in your bookshelves, find me in:
Ironclaw: Book of Legends (“The Black City”)
Furry Trash (“One Night Last Summer”)
Slashers (“Komakino”)
Thrill of the Hunt (“Silhouettes”)
Foxers and Fur-iefs (“Getchoo”)
Lost in Time (“Spear and Fang”)
Leave the Lights On (“Wormwood”, “Old Garfield’s Debt”, “The Shambler in the Dark”)
The Electric Sewer (“The Jack”)
Species: Wildcats (“Wanderlust”)
Howloween (“Venus in White”)
Howloween 2 (“Upon Thy Grave”)
Swept Under the Fur Rug (“Ikezu”)
Furmiliar Spaces (“El Scorcho”, prequel to “Getchoo” in Foxers and Fur-iefs)
The Furry Cookbook (“The Flower of Carnage”)
ROAR 11 (“Poyekhali!”)
Furries Hate Nazis (“The Battler”)
12 Days of Yiffmas (“Yule Carol”)
Paw-ly Love (“Catch a Wave”)
Young Teen Wishes to Demonstrate Quadrobics at School
I have been thinking about learning quadrobics for a while [Papabear notes: "quadrobics" is the physical activity of running and other performaces while on all fours; it is typically a therian behavior, although some regular furries indulge as well]. I've always been more connected to my animals and fursona than I have been to my human self. I want to learn and be able to do it in school hallways, but I'm not sure how others will respond. Can you help me find a way to express my animalistic side to my peers?
Hazel (age 14)
* * *
Dear Hazel,
Unless you want to set yourself up for being mocked and hated, I would urge you to not try to "express" your "animalistic side" to the general public, whether at school or elsewhere, especially in a state like Texas, which is very conservative (this is a state where a student recently got expelled for growing their hair too long even though they kept it tied up and off her face during school, so imagine how they'd react to therian behavior). Such behavior in a school would likely not be tolerated by school officials. So, just don't. DON'T. DO. IT.
And, anyway, why would you want to? My first guess would be that, like so many people, you wish to be recognized as different and special, to get attention and, maybe, even adoration for your skills. We all like to feel special and to get attention, but believe me, please, you would only be setting yourself up for attacks and hate from people who don't understand furries or therians.
There is a time and a place for everything. School is not a place to act like a furry (or therian or otherkin, for that matter). American schools are where citizens get trained to conform, to be good cogs in the capitalist machinery. The social environment of the hallways, playgrounds, and classrooms of a school (in America, at least, but I'm sure in other countries as well) are a horror show of one-upmanship, cliques, posturing, bullying, teasing, and even physical violence against anyone who is different or seen as weak or weird.
What IS the place for wearing fursuit gear or practicing quadrobics? Anywhere you can get together with people who have similar interests is great, but if you can't do that, I would suggest you practice your quadrobics in private places, such as in the woods (if available), at your home, or in other secluded places (as long as you feel safe there).
So, stop this notion at once that you somehow need to show your animal side to your peers unless you enjoy getting beaten up, made fun of, or being seen as a social outcast (the kind of person you see eating alone during lunch hour and getting tripped in the hallways).
Is that a harsh response by Papabear? I suppose, sadly, it is, but, Hazel, this is the world we live in. This is why people like you and me enter the furry fandom so that we can be among our true peers who will accept and love who we are.
Hugs,
Papabear
Bearly Furcasting S4E43 - Wag Your Tail
MOOBARKFLUFF! Click here to send us a comment or message about the show!
Moobarkfluff! Bearly, Taebyn and Rayne have a great time this week. Rayne is visiting the secret pupcave assisting Taebyn prep for Vancoufur. We get some maths, tell jokes, and have a fun time being our normal selves. So tune in and pup out! Moobarkfluff all you furs!
This podcast contains adult language and adult topics. It is rated M for Mature. Listener discretion is advised.
Thanks to all our listeners and to our staff: Bearly Normal, Rayne Raccoon, Taebyn, and Ziggy the Meme Weasel.
You can send us a message on Telegram at BFFT Chat, or via email at: bearlyfurcasting@gmail.com
B*tches in the Backwoods
A different take on werewolf horror can be found in Lycan: Girl’s Night, a one-shot comic book from Band of Bards. “A rogue pack of werewolves has been on the run for centuries. After starting new lives in a sleepy Colorado community, living undetected among humans, their enemies have finally tracked them down. Their idyllic suburban lives were a dream, but sometimes you can never escape your past, no matter how hard you try. These women wanted peace, but their tormentors won’t let them be. See what happens when they unleash their long suppressed might.” It’s available now, with a story by C.J. Hudson and art by Mary Landro. This town better legalize Awoo.
image c. 2024 Band of Bards
The Furry Community has lost whats considered one of its founders
Hi, I'm Grovel Husky. Today I'm at the Furry Ofrenda which is a place to find furries that have passed but not forgotten by the community. https://confurence.com/1989/01/confurence-zero-con-book-1989/ https://dogpatch.press/2024/02/22/remembering-mark-merlino/ https://twitter.com/Changa_Husky/status/1760522286514507934 The Furry Ofrenda VRChat World https://vrchat.com/home/launch?worldId=wrld_8b9be9e0-f4f3-4f3e-b671-0a0714fa262a The Furry Community has lost whats considered one of its founders #Furry #furries #furryconvention
The Tough Streets of Tokyo
A different take, but no less important, can be found in A Story of Seven Lives by Shirakawa Gin. “Nanao used to be a house cat, but after tragedy struck, he was abandoned on the rough streets of Tokyo. Now, alongside his best friend and fellow stray Machi, Nanao has to fight every day just to get by. Aside from foraging for food and finding somewhere to sleep, Nanao and Machi must remain vigilant about all sorts of dangers, including humans who want stray cats gone. When a woman named Yoshino starts feeding the neighborhood cats, Nanao reluctantly bonds with her. But the woman has emotional scars and a past entwined with Nanao’s. Can Nanao help her heal, and perhaps heal himself in the process? The entire three-volume series will be released in English in one oversized omnibus edition.” Which is available now from Seven Seas.
image c. 2024 Seven Seas Entertainment
Remembering Mark Merlino (1952-2024), a founder and soul of furry fandom
Mark (left) and Rod holding their Lifetime Achievement Award — from the 2022 Good Furry Awards
They had a shared vision
Mark Merlino was a founder of both the furry fandom and the North American anime fandom. In 1971, meeting fellow hobbyists at science fiction conventions led to the 1977 formation of the Cartoon/Fantasy Organization (C/FO), using the clubhouse of the Los Angeles Science Fiction Society (LASFS). They would screen rare videos of imported Japanese animation for lucky members to see before anyone else, and movies like Animalympics that were first called funny-animal and later furry. In 1989 Mark and his partner Rod O’Riley co-founded the first furry convention, Confurence.
Their vision stood apart from major influences like Star Trek or Star Wars. They would gather fans without elitism or ambitions of an exclusive club, with no central property, brand or owner. It was a vision of collaboration, expressed with sketchbook sharing, convention room parties, and direct fan-to-fan creativity. That’s how love for animal characters turned into being original role-play fursonas. It was shaded by counterculture of 1960’s underground comix, and lit by the sparks of pre-internet fandom circulated by VHS tapes and mail ‘zines.
The flame was tended from Mark’s Southern California house, The Prancing Skiltaire, established in 1980. It was named after a mink-like alien species he created and also a reference to the Prancing Pony Inn in Lord of the Rings. Mark shared the house with Rod and a rotating cast of fellow creative oddballs and luminaries. In the mid-1980’s he created his fursona Sylys Sable and Rod created Vinson Mink with a similar back-story. They supported regular monthly furmeets, con staff meets, furry BBS and MUCK activity and an ISP, animation screenings and mingling with California industry talent, and development of independent zine/APA publishing, animation, games, and costuming. They were at the forefront of an explosion of nearly 200 conventions and worldwide subculture that serves millions today.
Tributes around the world
After 5 decades at the heart of it all, Mark’s elder health problems led to hospitalization at the new year in 2024. He was lovingly supported by friends and partners and a crowdfund until he passed away on February 20. Anime, furry, and brony networks lit up with condolences from around the world while the name Mark Merlino trended on social media next to mainstream celebrities.
He is survived by partners including Rod, and Changa who joined them for 28 years. They were united by love and creativity, but as queer people, their relationship was fundamental to the acceptance and expression that aligns many furries with queer culture. Fandom may be a hobby, but it’s also a way to show identity, and theirs was the soul of what furries are.
- Dozens of convention memorial messages are collected on the Telegram news channel of Grovel Husky.
- History book Furry Nation by Joe Strike (Cleis Press) profiles Mark in Chapter Four (“A Fandom is Born”).
- Mark also features in fellow fandom founder Fred Patten‘s An Illustrated Chronology of Furry Fandom, 1966–1996.
- Documentary movie The Fandom (2020) features Mark and the Skiltaire house and residents.
Mark contributed stories to Dogpatch Press. With eyes on the future, his 2022 look at Furality featured its hugely successful 15,000 attendance. He also wrote 2020’s A brief history of the Cartoon/Fantasy Organization, America’s first anime fan club. Then there were meetings in person.
Patch O’Furr’s memory: generosity and delight
At first contact in 2013, I was a cold caller to Mark. I reached him to write about his furry gallery art show that he called a dream he had for over 30 years. He was super excited to be asked. He was always that generous for convention meetings at his room, where he would tell funny grandpa stories in a Zootopia hat with fuzzy ears. His eyes would light up while he played a fan cut of Animalympics and explained how it was unjustly unseen until being rescued for people like us. It was charming when Rod chimed in with him.
In 2019 my girlfriend planned a trip with time to visit the Skiltaire house. It was packed with memorabilia like Aladdin’s cave, a museum, or a holy shrine for a pilgrimage. We got a tour, watched documentary about them, and had dinner. My girlfriend, not a furry, was very quiet while taking it all in, which turned into delighted writing about the visit later. That means a lot because she has passed away. It’s one of life’s best memories because of their generosity.
The most personal way I got to know Mark was private email where he explained philosphy that I boiled down above, and “lifestyler vs. traditionalist” conflict (a way that rivalry or even homophobia came to furry spaces). From long experience, Mark asked me not to publish unless he could collect it into “things clearly marked as ‘opinion’, ‘recollection’ and verified fact. I am particularly nervous about ‘naming names’. This has bitten me badly in the past.” That included a story about once receiving a dead squirrel in a UPS package!
He added: “I am very proud of what Rod, myself, and our friends have done to help create Furry Fandom.”
How it started: How it’s grown:
RIP Mark Merlino (Sy Sable) pic.twitter.com/kWXpvfSXDP
— David Bookworm Popovich (@Bookworm_Review) February 21, 2024
Our Furry Heritage — by Jack Newhorse
jack@jacknewhorse.com, Telegram: @JackNewhorse
“My heart has joined the Thousand, for my friend stopped running today.” — Hazel, upon the death of Bigwig; Watership Down, by Richard Adams.
Mark Merlino, half of the couple generally acknowledged as “Fathers of the Furry Fandom”, died today. I’ll leave personal tributes to those who knew him, as I didn’t. But still I said the phrase above to myself, as I do whenever I hear of a furry’s death.
You who are reading this might already know about Mark (and his partner Rod). As creators of seminal furry organizations who have remained active in the fandom, they form an important part of our heritage. Visitors to monthly gatherings at their home in Southern California have had the opportunity to touch its dust: The newsletters, drawings, and other furry ephemera stretching back more than forty years.
Furry heritage of this sort has been getting more attention in the last few years. Fred Patten led the charge in 2016 with his book, Furry Fandom Conventions, 1989-2015, followed by Joe Strike’s Furry Nation and Ash Coyote and Eric Risher’s award-winning documentary, The Fandom. More recently, Gamepopper started the Furry Fandom History Project and has been giving talks at conventions about it; he’s among the contributors to the 250GB Furry History Collection on archive.org. And in academia, the topic is covered by dozens (if not hundreds) of papers. (All of these projects owe a debt of gratitude to Wikifur, a primary source of furry information since 2005.)
I joined the fandom in 1998 and so had a ringside seat to some of this heritage. I promise you: life seemed as banal then as now. You never know what ideas will catch on, and Things require Space. Do I keep this con book? This flyer from a picnic? A supersponsor plushie? As the past recedes, we eliminate minor (and inconvenient) details, we create myths. But if you keep the artifacts, you have a base truth more true than memory.
This becomes more important as our fandom passes through the membrane into mass culture. Hundreds (perhaps thousands) of people now make their living exclusively by catering to us; furry businesses are popping up like spring flowers. Partygoers have discovered our club nights, and celebrities show up at our cons. We offer something compelling: It’s only a matter of time until every family has (or personally knows) furries. And you’ll be able to say to those newcomers, “I was there.”
(My organization, Otterdam Foundation, recognizes this and works to ease integration by “helping non-furry institutions explore anthropomorphic arts”. On this note, we’re planning the public-facing Otterdam Furry Arts Festival in cooperation with local arts organizations for this October.)
Mark will never again tell his stories on a couch in a con lobby, at the Prancing Skiltaire, or to his partner. But he did tell them. He and Rod invited people into their home; they presented at cons. (I was fortunate to be at their talk at what I think was Mark’s last, Midwest Furfest 2023.) They saved their artifacts, allowing those who followed to contextualize it all. To do that they had to first decide that what they were doing was important, even if seemingly banal at the time.
He mattered. This matters. And you, too, matter.
Like the article? These take hard work. For more free furry news, follow on Twitter or support not-for-profit Dogpatch Press on Patreon. Want to get involved? Try these subreddits: r/furrydiscuss for news or r/waginheaven for the best of the community. Or send guest writing here. (Content Policy.)
Shiba Shiba Coco-Bop
The things you can make into a manga… Shibanban Super Cute Doggies is written and illustrated by Yasuteru Ogoshi. “A full-color book for the popular Shiba Inu characters appearing in LINE stickers and stationery! Meet Aka, Kuro, Cha, Shiro, the Roly-Poly Pups, and the rest of this colorful cast of adorable Shiba Inu dogs! Whether they’re venturing out into stormy weather in a raincoat, lazing at the beach, napping in a cozy dog bed, or eagerly eyeing dinner someone left out on the table, their fun (and sometimes mischievous) antics are sure to put a smile on your face.” Available now from Seven Seas.
image c. 2024 Seven Seas Entertainment
“He’s a Steve” – The Onion gets hip to the furry jive
I’m crying at this breaking news from The Onion.
There’s something funny about how they wrote it.
Check this out:
Compare to the 2016 Dogpatch Press story A Newcomer’s Guide To Furry Terms and Customs.
They got “Steves” from there. Bet your fursuit. That’s the only place it appears like that.
What’s a Steve?
In-group slang is fun, especially when outsiders don’t get it.
A common furry word for outsiders is Normies, or less commonly heard these days, there’s the old-school nerd-word Mundanes.
A Newcomer’s Guide To Furry Terms and Customs invented “Steves” as another one. (It also lists Musclefurs, which is real — but very specific — so call it more evidence of referencing.)
This “guide” was written to set up a reader to believe a list of very real terms… salted with made-up bullshit that gets more and more silly until either they got the joke, or insiders can laugh at them for getting fooled. It was written out of annoyance at repetitive “what is a furry” bland Furries 101 media that uses terms nobody really uses any more. (This is a fan site, we can do satire or April Fools stories.)
After 7.5 years, it’s still one of the most currently searched stories on the site. It does admit being a prank at the end… but you have to read the whole thing. It still gets believing comments!
Arrkay The Bird of Culturally F’d says:
I think this is a moment of “grunge speak”. In the 90’s, a record company publicist pranked a NYT writer about Seattle’s grunge scene, making up a bunch of jargon which was uncritically published as true slang words.
Some of these made up slang words became actual slang, like Cob Nobbler.
Were The Onion’s writers in on the joke, or were they being Steves with a quick net search and a looming deadline? I can’t decide which one amuses me more.
Steve Gallaci and Steve Brule were unavailable to comment for this story.
Like the article? These take hard work. For more free furry news, follow on Twitter or support not-for-profit Dogpatch Press on Patreon. Want to get involved? Try these subreddits: r/furrydiscuss for news or r/waginheaven for the best of the community. Or send guest writing here. (Content Policy.)
What makes Taiwan special? w/ JC #shorts
Social Media: Official FABP Twitter: https://twitter.com/foxandburger Michael: https://twitter.com/foxnakh https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK9xoFQrxFTNPMjmXfUg2cg Burger: https://twitter.com/L1ghtningRunner