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Wednesday Adventures 9th August

Marfed - Furry Comics - Wed 9 Aug 2017 - 09:34

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A brief weekly rundown of recommendations of new releases I’m intrigued by, excited for and will be grabbing off the shelves to curl up with every new comics day before delving into them later in the week! Have you hugged your comics store owner today?

 

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“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” – Marcus Aurelius.

Mister Miracle 1- DC Comics

From the unravelling of the best made plans or mice and sythanoids, deep dissections of the inherent darkness of Batman’s sprawling playground to the horrors or armed conflict, Tom King has quickly proven himself to be one of the comic industries top talents. This time he delves back into DC’s roster for a politically charged take on the master of escapism, Mister Miracle.

Part of Jack Kirby’s sprawling Fourth World saga, the future Mister Miracle, Scott Free is imprisoned on the tartarus planet of Apokolips before escaping to the sanctuary of New Genesis. This twelve issue series promises to explore Mister Miracle, still haunted by his time on Apokolips and take the cosmic grandeur of Kirby to tell a trademark personal King story. Early previews show Mitch Gerads, artist on King’s Sheriff of Babylon, using an impressive and immersive range of comic visuals from Ben-Day dots, watercolours and other visual distortions to give Miracles adventures a rougher, grounded feel.

King is a master of heady yet accessible storytelling and his new series is already garnering a lot of pre-release buzz and should be a great entry point for readers like myself who have yet to full dive into the world of one of comics true greats.

 

TheWickedAndTheDivine_30-1

“They don’t even know what it is to be a fan. Y’know? To truly love some silly little piece of music, or some band, so much that it hurts” -Sapphire (Almost Famous)

The Wicked and the Divine 30- Image Comics

Magic, music and mayhem continue to lead the cast of Gillen and McKelvie’s Wicked and Divine on a merry and mystical dance. Continuing the pairs Imperial Phase arc the focus this issue is on Dionysus. Drawing on Gillen’s obvious passion for music with knowing nods with musical archetypes and subcultures, the series has offered a real world hook before Gillen lays his deeply intricate mythos of gods, humans and the music that irrecoverably ties their fates together. 

Wicked and Divine is akin to falling in love with the music again, each and every issue and like the rest of his comics perfectly capture the energy, pain and passion of loving a band or song.

 

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The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl 23- Marvel Comics

Although solicitations, especially Marvel ones, are usually the place for hyperbole, bombast and grandiose statements, describing North and Henderson’s Unbeatable Squirrel Girl as “the complete package, really” rings true! Come on folks, stop being so self deprecating, it really does have it all! Friendship! Fun! Computer Science! Dinosaurs?

Yeah, if you expected fourteen years of hilarious Dinosaur comics to have gotten giant reptiles out of his system, then think again as this issue continues Doreen and Nancy’s trip to the Savage Lands (that of X-men and big freakin’ dinos fame!) after taking a break from school and thankfully the off putting events of Marvel’s Secret Empire. Brilliantly presented as a pun filled Dino theme park, the pair are tasked with saving it and all it’s Triassic glory. While Henderson’s art ranges detailed to deceptively simple when letting a joke or scene breathe, last months issue really let her indulge with spreads and spreads of squirrel and giant lizard fun!

 

 

 

Categories: News

Funny Animal Housewares

In-Fur-Nation - Wed 9 Aug 2017 - 01:21

More we found at Comic Con: Genkimix is an Internet store associated with the Gaia on-line roleplaying community. They specialize in household items and knick-knacks featuring a variety of cute chibi funny animal designs. Everything from toothbrush holders to purses to t-shirts to notepads and more. What more can we say? Check out their many forms of cuteness.

image c. 2017 GenkiMix

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Categories: News

My Daughter, The Fox

Furry.Today - Tue 8 Aug 2017 - 23:02

Mom always liked it when I gave her a dead mouse.
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Categories: Videos

Engagement II: Electric Floofaloo

[adjective][species] - Tue 8 Aug 2017 - 13:00

Over the last few weeks, I’ve had a lot of good conversations about [a][s], what it means, and how best to engage with it.

A lot of those conversations boil down to one core topic, and that topic falls out into one lesson. That is, [a][s] provides what many feel is an important resource. There is a wealth of data, a wealth of ideas, and probably at least three more articles on gender Makyo can write (ohoho…just you wait until tomorrow!). The lesson that comes out of this is that the project should never – indeed, few projects should ever – continue out of a sense of obligation.

Our esteemed Phil Geusz wrote me privately to share his thoughts on this, and brought up some very good points about what goes into running a project. It takes time, steady effort, and dedication. None of what I said two weeks ago is negated: I need to find a healthy level with which to engage (something that falls squarely on my shoulders), and I will gladly accept all the help I can get. Additionally, it could be that the site does need change: the articles and data, through the poll, form a core part of the project, but our voice and scope ought to be continually evaluated.

So let’s keep going. We have more than 41,000 responses to the Furry Poll to plow through and, as my work on tomorrow’s post shows, far more data than shows up when we just search for longitudinal responses, as we have in the past. When you add in the fact that the IARP also has a wealth of data, we have our work cut out for us. Plus, furry remains delightfully weird, so we’ll have no shortage of thinkpieces and longreads to toss out there.

Thank you all for your tireless patience, and if you have an idea for an article you’d like to pitch, do remember that our submissions are always open.

Make fandom cooler with local Furry Bazaars.

Dogpatch Press - Tue 8 Aug 2017 - 09:30

Do you like Scooby snacks?  The first time I ate a weed cookie was at a Really Really Free Market. That’s a swap meet seasoned with radical/hippie idealism. People who love principles of mutual aid get together and trade crap they don’t need with others who want it.  It keeps stuff out of the dump and helps people without money. It’s a place to score old books, music or some wiggy threads. They may have potluck food or dumpster dived treasure. Or both at once. (I once lived for two years with Freeganism – oh the stories I have.) And you might score weed (for adults where it’s legal, of course.)

The meet was in a 5th floor artist loft full of good music and fun people. There was a spread of free cookies with a sign to beware of overmedicating. I took one and nibbled a corner. Nothing happened so I went whole hog.  Then it happened… oh boy it happened.

My personal pile of treasure was all donated, so I took the exit to the twilight zone.  On the way down the stairs, I turned a corner and suddenly they weren’t going down… they were going up.  What the heck!?  I continued to fumble my way out while a faint satanic chanting emanated from behind the doors.  Somehow I found the street and got home. I sat down and time-traveled.  When I looked up, I realized that I forgot to shut the front door.  And there was a hooker in my living room (it was that kind of neighborhood).  She asked for a ride, so I told her to try one of those cookies for a real trip.

I wish there was a way to travel to a world full of furries. That would make some amazing blogging for you.  But you can make it happen where you live. The coolest thing about this fandom is how it’s so DIY. It’s like a sandbox for whatever you want to make of it.  If you live anywhere that has furries within petting distance, try getting together with them to throw cool events.

Imagine a standalone furry show and swap meet, minus the elaborate trappings of a con. Set up tables like a dealer’s den for members to sell stuff.  Have an art show, but not just for filthy lucre – if it’s not in a costly hotel and people don’t have to pay for a big blowout, do it for love. Make it participatory with an art jam and swapping.  This could be done in a show space, library, community center, apartment commons, warehouse, studio, comic shop, or any open place, with a co-op concept.

Why swapping?  Furries love to collect books, comics, and games that get read and re-read until it’s time to give them a new home. Same for art, art supplies, and fur scraps. And (my favorite), costume gear. I have a walk-in closet full of stuff that someone would love to wear.  But sadly, that one con shirt isn’t for me.  I have too many sparkly belts and pet collars. Someone else needs those pants covered with owls.  Maybe that’s you, and maybe you have some cool fursuit bandanas to throw on my stack!

These happen for general communities, but theming can be extra fun. For those who already have premade stuff for art shows or dealing at bigger cons, a locally-organized event could be an accessible opportunity with the chemistry that makes fandom great.  It could take advantage of empty scheduling between cons.  There are fairs/swaps for other indie groups (like goth clothing swaps, how cool is that?)  Furry art jams are already a thing – think of leveling up with a showcase for your local group.  Cons are full of distractions that make dealing hard (party fun is a focus for many furs) – a show like this could BE the party!

Please comment if you have any such events in your local fandom!

Side topic:  Remember when I mentioned doing freeganism a long time ago?  That’s where my packrat fursona came from.  Almost 15 years ago I did bad writing about it for the heck of it, and was immensely surprised to have some republished by cyberpunk-founder Bruce Sterling in Wired.

Subthread:  Furry cons try to be all things to all attendees. While they grow, maybe it risks spreading the effort too thinly. They have so many kinds of things to offer (shows, dances, panels, art, dealing, and more) that maybe more focus can help.

I think fandoms like anime & furry need to start treating artists like exhibitors/vendors, not as attendees. This is people's livelihood now

????????Camp Eevachu????✨ (@Eevachu) August 5, 2017

It leads to Eevachu’s point that “a furmeet/artist alley fandom model works well for <1000 attendee events,” but those who vend professionally may need a more focused model.  I can back up that point with complaints about limited dealer spaces that crowd out long-time pros. (They’re in my article about limits of a growing fandom.)  Perhaps local bazaars could make other options.

Like the article? It takes a lot of effort (and a little weed) to share these. Please consider supporting Dogpatch Press on Patreon, where you can access exclusive stuff for just $1.

Categories: News

One Person’s Meat is Another Person’s… Neighbor?

In-Fur-Nation - Tue 8 Aug 2017 - 01:56

Voracious is a recent full-color comic book series written by Markisan Naso and illustrated by Jason Muhr and Andrei Tabacaru. The first story arc (Diners, Dinosaurs, & Dives) was the simple (?) story of a young chef who inherits a time travel suit — and uses it to collect dinosaurs he can slaughter and butcher to make new meat for his ailing restaurant. (Not your vegan ed-otter’s cup of tea, but what the hey…) In the second story arc however (Voracious: Feeding Time), things take on a decidedly more anthropomorphic turn: “Hunting dinosaurs and secretly serving them at his restaurant, Fork & Fossil, has helped Chef Nate Willner become a big success. But just when he’s starting to make something of his life, he discovers that his hunting trips with Captain Jim are actually taking place in an alternate reality – an Earth where dinosaurs evolve into Saurians, a technologically advanced race that rules the far future! Some of these Saurians have mysteriously started vanishing from Cretaceous City and the local authorities are hell-bent on finding who’s responsible. Nate’s world is about to collide with something much, much bigger than any dinosaur he’s ever roasted.” Nothing worse than discovering you’re accidentally a serial killer… Feeding Time is available now in a collected edition from Action Lab.

image c. 2017 Action Lab

Categories: News

Episode 6 - Shark in the basement!

Unfurled - Mon 7 Aug 2017 - 23:37
Vox, Tal and Adoom gather up to try to make the internet laugh. We moved into the basement this episode so there may be some unfurledness about the recording. Episode 6 - Shark in the basement!
Categories: Podcasts

Episode 5 - Shark it again

Unfurled - Mon 7 Aug 2017 - 23:36
The cast get together tonight for more good laughs Episode 5 - Shark it again
Categories: Podcasts

Episode 4 - Shark it

Unfurled - Mon 7 Aug 2017 - 23:32
The unfurled crew returns for another good night of laughs Episode 4 - Shark it
Categories: Podcasts

Glenn the Gromflomite

Furry.Today - Mon 7 Aug 2017 - 20:31

Here is a bit of Rick and Morty fan animation for the insect furs out there. (Yes, like much of R&M this is a bit nihilistic.)
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Categories: Videos

TigerTails Radio Season 10 Episode 36

TigerTails Radio - Mon 7 Aug 2017 - 16:20
Categories: Podcasts

A Dog’s View of Love, Life, and Death, by J. R. Archer – book review by Fred Patten

Dogpatch Press - Mon 7 Aug 2017 - 10:00

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

A Dog’s View of Love, Life, and Death, by J. R. Archer
Hove, England, White Crow Books, June 2017, trade paperback $14.99 (ix + 299 pages), Kindle $4.99.

This is an intriguing fantasy, but from an anthropomorphic point of view, it’s ultimately unsatisfying.

The locale is New York City. The chapters are short. In chapter one, Svetlana witnesses Robbie commit suicide, leaving Rosie, a small dog. In chapter two, rich, elderly Margaret Roper and her small dog Rags are introduced. In chapter three, young Black police officer Teddy Dwight investigates Robbie’s suicide and takes charge of Rosie. In chapter four, Margaret has a fatal heart attack. Her son Will, who has anger issues, is mostly resentful at the inconvenience her funeral will cause him. He breaks his promise to look out after Rags, who is sent to a dog shelter.

Most of the first nine chapters are entirely about the human cast. The dogs are little more than props. Other important characters are young Milo McGarry, the conscientious Black receptionist at the East 110th Street dog shelter (which is expected to go out of business soon), where Rosie and Rags are taken; two other dogs there: Lennon, a hulking but kindly Great Dane, and Darcy, a rescued Greyhound ex-racing dog; Sebastian, Svetlana’s pet Borzoi-German Shepherd mix; and Elton, Milo’s long-haired Chihuahua.

The dogs finally talk in chapter Ten. Chapters Thirteen, Fifteen, and some others are also devoted to the dogs, but for an anthropomorphic novel, it’s too little, too late.

The dogs don’t talk verbally but mind-to-mind.

“‘Allow me to introduce myself, Lennon, my name is Rags.’

The Great Dane sat up, looking surprised. ‘How’d ya know my name?’

‘It came to me as soon as we connected.’

‘Seriously? … I’ve never been able to do that. Have you just arrived, little fella?’

‘I got in early this morning.’

‘Rags, if you want a heads up, I’ve been here for a while now, and for me it’s home. I don’t know how long you’re gonna be here but, while you are, let’s be friends.’” (p. 47)

Some of the dogs, especially Rags, are deep into reincarnation.

“‘Well, let’s just say I’m a little further along the path than you, and I’ve learned to do these things.’

Lennon stretched his long legs and walked round Rags, looking mystified. ‘What do you mean, ‘a little further along the path?’” He scrutinized the little dog. ‘I’m the old timer here. You still look like a pup.’

‘That’s true, my friend. As humans measure time I’ve been here for a little over a year, but that’s not what I mean. What I mean is, I’ve experienced more here than you have – maybe not in this lifetime but in others. Although when I say ‘I’, I don’t mean Rags – Rags is just the name a human gave me while I’m in this body. It would be more accurate to say my body is called Rags, but I’m not my body. Speaking of bodies, do we get exercised here? Mine could do with a run.’” (p. 48)

They are also deep into giving moral support to each other and, telepathically/subconsciously, to their humans.

“Rosie pushed the bowl round the kennel until there wasn’t a scrap of food in sight. Meanwhile, Darcey pricked up her ears.

‘What brings you to the shelter, Rosie?’

‘My owner jumped off a roof last night and killed himself.’

‘How horrible.’

‘How about you?’

‘My owners were killed in a car crash.’

Rosie burped. ‘That’s too bad.’

Darcey got up and stretched her long limbs. ‘It is. I really loved those people.’

‘We love all humans, greyhound, but they do dumb things. I’m amazed they live so long.’” (p. 60)

It seems to come to interspecies communication when Milo brings Rosie home one evening and she beams her thoughts to Milo’s father, Seamus. But he’s paralyzed from an accident and can’t talk, and he doesn’t believe in the voice in his head, anyhow.

The humans in A Dog’s View of Love, Life, and Death (cover by Astrid) work out their own problems without being aware of their dogs’ subconscious guidance, which is so tenuous that the humans often frustratingly ignore it anyhow. The novel is basically a soap opera about the humans involved, with the dogs as an unnoticed Greek chorus. The dogs may talk, but this isn’t really a furry novel.

Fred Patten

Like the article? It takes a lot of effort to share these. Please consider supporting Dogpatch Press on Patreon, where you can access exclusive stuff for just $1.

Categories: News

Fruit of the Looney Tunes

In-Fur-Nation - Mon 7 Aug 2017 - 01:57

Um, we’ll let the folks at Kechal Comics explain it: “Placed in men’s tightie whitie underwear on a whim by the scientist who captures him, Baxter the monkey does the only logical thing possible – he instantly develops consciousness and the ability to speak. Because… SCIENCE!!! Excited by his discovery, the scientist decides to see if other animals react as well as Baxter. Gaining intelligence, rational thought and an innate understanding of justice and fairnesss. Let’s just say further experiments do not go as well. Join Baxter as he navigates a world he’s just starting to understand, a world full of fearful humans, zany animals, and one seriously deranged bunny rabbit.” See? We told you they’d say it better! Underwars #1 was written by Kevin Joseph and illustrated in black & white by C.M. Brennan, based on a series of paintings he did.

image c. 2017 Kechal Comics

Categories: News

S6 Episode 19 – Furry Trash - Thanks to a conversation with FableCharm, a brony, we've realized our previous furry lifestyler episode is in need of a revisit! This is the revisit. Tugs is joined by Nuka while Roo takes a break, reading your emails and dis

Fur What It's Worth - Sun 6 Aug 2017 - 15:12
Thanks to a conversation with FableCharm, a brony, we've realized our previous furry lifestyler episode is in need of a revisit! This is the revisit. Tugs is joined by Nuka while Roo takes a break, reading your emails and discussing the lifestyler question from an academic point of view. What is a lifestyler? Does this change over time? How does experience shape the ideal of one's furry self? Are hobbyists as valid in the fandom? Where does "get off my con" come from? Find out, along with new Space News, Olde Timey Ads, and Fifty Sheds of Grey.





NOW LISTEN!

Show Notes

Special Thanks

Nuka, our guest. Check out some science!!
Caudle
Moss
Simone
Joey Saso
Mfalme
Red
Docos
Hachi

Music

Opening Theme: DJ Earworm – The State of Now. USA: YouTube, 2017. ©2015 DJ Earworm. Check out the original piece at his website.
Some music was provided by Kevin MacLeod at Incompetech.com. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. We used the following pieces:

Spy Glass


Space News Music: Fredrik Miller – Orbit. USA: Bandcamp, 2013. Used with permission. (Buy a copy here – support your fellow furs!)
Mystery Skulls – Ghost. USA: Warner Bros Records, 2011. Used with permission.
Closing Theme: Husky In Denial – Cloud Fields (Headnodic Mix). USA: Unpublished, 2015. ©2015 Fur What It’s Worth and Husky in Denial. Based on Fredrik Miller – Cloud Fields (Chill Out Mix). USA: Bandcamp, 2011. ©2011 Fur What It’s Worth. (Buy a copy here – support your fellow furs!)

Patreon Love

The following people have decided this month’s Fur What It’s Worth is worth actual cash! THANK YOU!

Uber Supporters

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Premium Supporters – None :c

Bride of Pinbot Supporters

Docos (Picture coming soon…when he has one! Any artists out there wanna hook him up? 🙂 )
Bowler Hat Supporters

Rifka 

Deluxe Supporter

Lokimut
Guardian Lion

Plus Tier Supporters

Skylos

McRib Tier Supporters

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Ilya / EpicRive

Want to be on this list? Donate on our Patreon page! THANK YOU to our supporters once again!

Next episode: Our next episode is the Season 6 Recap! What episode moments were your favorite? Send them to us by August 12, 2017! S6 Episode 19 – Furry Trash - Thanks to a conversation with FableCharm, a brony, we've realized our previous furry lifestyler episode is in need of a revisit! This is the revisit. Tugs is joined by Nuka while Roo takes a break, reading your emails and dis
Categories: Podcasts

Loving Like Cats and Dogs

In-Fur-Nation - Sun 6 Aug 2017 - 01:58

Here’s the Plan is a new 2D animated short film from Chile, written and directed by Fernanda Frick. “A married cat-dog couple of cupcake bakers dream of opening their own bakery. One day their oven breaks and they have to postpone their dream in order to earn money and replace it. Somewhere down the line, they drift apart from their dream and from themselves.” It had its world premier at the Nashville International Film Festival last April, and it’s been making the rounds at animation festivals since then. The official web site has a lot more info.

image c. 2017 herestheplanfilm.com

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Categories: News

FC-273 Monster Butt Punching Rally - We take a sip of corn, churn through a ton of news and eat some disgusting jelly beans.

FurCast - Sat 5 Aug 2017 - 22:59

We take a sip of corn, churn through a ton of news and eat some disgusting jelly beans.

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Watch Video Link Roundup: News: FC-273 Monster Butt Punching Rally - We take a sip of corn, churn through a ton of news and eat some disgusting jelly beans.
Categories: Podcasts

FC-273 Monster Butt Punching Rally - We take a sip of corn, churn through a ton of news and eat some disgusting jelly beans.

FurCast - Sat 5 Aug 2017 - 22:59

We take a sip of corn, churn through a ton of news and eat some disgusting jelly beans.

Download MP3

Watch Video Link Roundup: News: FC-273 Monster Butt Punching Rally - We take a sip of corn, churn through a ton of news and eat some disgusting jelly beans.
Categories: Podcasts

[Live] Monster Butt Punching Rally

FurCast - Sat 5 Aug 2017 - 22:59

We take a sip of corn, churn through a ton of news and eat some disgusting jelly beans.

Download MP3

Link Roundup: News: [Live] Monster Butt Punching Rally
Categories: Podcasts

Bajo El Mar, Bajo El Mar…

In-Fur-Nation - Sat 5 Aug 2017 - 01:41

From out of nowhere… actually, from out of Spain. The Think Lab is an animation production house in Madrid, and they recently completed their first CGI feature film, Deep, directed by Julio Soto Gurpide. “In 2100, when humanity has abandoned the earth, a colony of extravagant creatures still thrives in the deepest abyss of the ocean. Deep, an adventurous ‘dumbo’ octopus and the last one of his kind lives there with his two unconditional friends: Evo, a nerdy and clumsy angler fish, and Alice, a neurotic deep-sea shrimp. When an accident destroys their home, the guardian of the abyss, The Kraken, will send Deep and his friends on a perilous journey to find a new home. In their mission, they will be joined by Maura – a voracious moray eel – and together they will travel to amazing places like the submerged city of New York, the Titanic, or the Arctic, facing formidable enemies and hilarious situations.” No talk of a release here, but the IMDB page lists all English-speaking actors, and the trailer is in English too.

image c. 2017 The Think Lab

Categories: News