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More notable young-adult fantasy from Penguin Random House: Dragonborn, by Struan Murray. “There is a secret world of dragons that lurks at the edges of our own. But dragons also live among us. These Slumberers have been human for so long they have forgotten their true selves — until something awakens the dragon within… Twelve-year-old Alex Evans is about to wake up. Ever since her father’s death, Alex’s overprotective mother has smothered her with unbreakable rules and unspoken fears. Feeling trapped, Alex’s frustration has become too big to hide away. Burning inside, she erupts into a fierce, fiery roar… A new school and a new life await Alex on the legendary island of Skralla, one of the last surviving dragon havens. There, she will train alongside other young dragons who are wild, untamed, and — unlike Alex — skilled at transforming and embracing their dragons within. As dark factions begin to rise, Alex finds herself in a race to unlock her long-dormant power before Drak Midna, the greatest dragon of all, rises again to wage war against the human world.” Minor thing perhaps, but check out that dragon scale decoration on the pages. This is something else!

image c. 2026 Penguin Random House

兽展中游客突发不适 长春兽迷民间救援队第一时间支援

Dear Papabear,

I’ve been working on this gay furry romance comic, which I’ve decided to fully throw myself into finishing. The script is written, and I’ve completed 22 pages so far. I’m fairly confident in my writing, but my story turned out to be heavier than when I first started. It touches on themes like addiction, creative burnout, grief, and mortality. Throughout this project, I occasionally remember the characters are anthropomorphic animals and I wonder, “Is this too silly?”

It’s not like the whole comic is heavy. There are moments of comic relief here and there. I just worry that the whole furry aesthetic would undermine those themes. Am I overthinking this?

Second, my story has a few sex scenes in it, but they’re not the main focus of the story and are used to show the bond of the two main characters. However, I’m conflicted on how much I should actually show I’m not opposed to romance comics having explicit sex scenes, I just worry people will only read the comic for those scenes. Should I make it softcore, or just go all out and show everything?

In short, do furry characters undermine a story with more serious themes? Also, how much sexual explicitness is appropriate for this kind of story?

Cheers,
Steve

* * *

Dear Steve,

What a great question! There is absolutely nothing wrong with a comic (or graphic novel) that is furry and has mature themes. In a very real way, this is why the furry fandom was founded in the first place. A lot of adults (college age, mostly, at the time) wanted to take the Funny Animal tradition and make it more for adults, which gave rise to such things as Albedo Anthropomorphics, Associated Student Bodies, The Usagi Chronicles, Cerebus the Aardvark, Black Sad, and Omaha, the Cat Dancer, not to mention the non-furry Art Spiegelman's Pulitzer-winning Maus. So, you are on very solid ground here. If you are unfamiliar with any of these, I would suggest you look them up and read, read, read.

Some of these--especially Omaha and ASB--have some pretty kinky scenes, and you can bet that a lot of people bought them just for these. But! A lot of people bought them because they are good stories with well-rounded and interesting characters. ASB deals with some serious themes, too, such as one of the main characters being HIV+. When you are aiming for an adult audience, it is legit to address topics that include violence, drugs, racism, political corruption, sex, and more. It is fine to have sex scenes in your story, especially if it is sex with a purpose. Do you know what the difference is between a mature sex scene and porn? Porn only has one purpose: to get you off. Story and characterization are superfluous to porn. But a sex scene can be used in serious literature to advance the story and motivate characters. So, when you draw these scenes, consider whether what you are drawing contributes to your tale or if you are just doing it to get someone to buy the comic so they can pleasure themselves. When you answer that question honestly, you will know how to draw it.

The same is true with other elements in your story, not just sex. Do the comical scenes serve a function? Or are you just doing something idiotic like putting Jar Jar Binks in the story for slapstick? Is the violence gratuitous for shock value? Or are you making a point for the reader? I am a big fan of subtlety myself. A master writer, artist, or filmmaker can do wonders with suggestion. That's why Alfred Hitchcock was so brilliant. He could do more with a creaky door slowly opening in a hallway than M. Night Shyamalan does with all the buckets of blood and freaky CGI a big studio can afford.

This leads me to another element of your question: Why do people write stories with furries in them instead of human beings? One big reason is that they serve as tropes to quickly express what a character is all about. If you want a clever character, it's a fox; loyal and true, dog; selfish and sexy, cat; scary fierce, dragon; a brave leader, lion; meek but honest, mouse; and so on. It's quick characterization in a suit of fur. Furry characters can also be used as symbolic in expressing a theme. For example, there was an issue of Black Sad about racism in which animals such as polar bears and Arctic foxes and ermines represented (obviously) white people, and animals with black fur were of course representing Blacks. The hero has both white and black fur as he is from a mixed lineage. Here, you can get the clear message and yet avoid stereotypes that are often assigned to people of certain races (a technique Disney grossly failed at when creating the Siamese cat character in The Aristocats--OMG). And, of course, anthros are often seen in fantasy and sci-fi tales simply to create interesting and exotic characters for the reader. However, skilled authors use them with a purpose.

So, when you create your furry characters, do so with purpose. Don't just make your hero, say, a husky because you like huskies. Perhaps make them a hippo with something to prove because they never got over being mocked for being heavy when they were in public school, or make them a homely lizard with a heart of gold. Use the physical form to complement the spirit of your hero or heroine and all the supporting characters in the cast.

Good Luck with Your Story!

Papabear

Recently at a book store (remember those?) we came across the Impossible Creatures series of young adult fantasy novels, written by Katherine Rundell. The first book is called (appropriately) Impossible Creatures. “The day that Christopher saved a drowning baby griffin from a hidden lake would change his life forever. It’s the day he learned about the Archipelago — a cluster of un-mapped islands where magical creatures of every kind have thrived for thousands of years, until now. And it’s the day he met Mal — a girl on the run, in desperate need of his help. Mal and Christopher embark on a wild adventure, racing from island to island, searching for someone who can explain why the magic is fading and why magical creatures are suddenly dying. They consult sphinxes, battle kraken, and negotiate with dragons. But the closer they get to the dark truth of what’s happening, the clearer it becomes: No one else can fix this. If the Archipelago is to be saved, Mal and Christopher will have to do it themselves.” And don’t forget to check out the second book in the series, The Poisoned King.

image c. 2026 Penguin Random House

Fuzz and Savrin hang out after the grand journey to Further Confusion 2026. We talk about all the cool stuff they did and saw, the convention, and all the touristy stuff they did along the way. It's a very positive episode! 

Baked this one with love for you guys.
~Savrin

Bed music via Epidemic Sounds
https://www.epidemicsound.com/

Episode 569 - Show Hole

Dear Papabear,

I live away from my parents and told them [on the phone that I went to] the comic convention when it was [really] a furry convention (Further Confusion).... After the call, my younger brother who still lives with my parents said they were disgusted by it. What should I do? Should I just wait it out ... [so they can] digest the fact that I'm a furry now since I never told them before?

They have told me they support me if I'm gay or bi, but not trans.... I'm bi; just have not told them that. I guess my question is what should I do to mend the relationship?
Also, for some more info, I'm going to Japan in May. I'm in the Navy, so I would just have one last meet with them before I go.

Devon (age 19)

* * *

Dear Devon,

This is a familiar story to Papabear. I get letters like yours all the time. My first advice to you is to not pressure yourself to "go to confessional" and tell your parents about being furry and bi before you head off to Japan in May. There is no timeline for this. In fact, it might be a good break for you to be in Japan (how long will you be there?) and just take a mental holiday from worrying about your family's reactions and judgment.

While you're in Japan, by the way, if you get some shore leave and are able to travel a bit, there are several events in Japan you have the opportunity to check out:

• Japan Meeting of Furries | JMoF in Toyohashi in January (if you're still in Japan next year)
• AnimeJapan 2026 in Tokyo; I believe it is in March
• JAPAN COSPLAY FESTIVAL - WORLD COSPLAY SUMMIT2026 Official Site in Nagoya, July 31 to August 2
• Comic Market in Tokyo is a huge anime marketplace in August

As you are likely aware, Japanese animation has been a huge influence on the furry fandom and still is today. Furries of all sorts who are also anime fans often attend these functions. I encourage you to try to attend one or two of these while you are there with the Navy, if at all possible. You should, too, explore the culture of Japan in general. Sadly, I have not had the chance to visit Japan yet, but everyone I know who goes there for a vacation or long stay says it is totally pawsome, and I believe that. It is a beautiful country with a rich culture. (Oh, btw, Tokyo Disneyland is FAR better than the one in Anaheim.) You can learn a lot from seeing different lands, which can open your eyes to new possibilities for yourself. Of course, you might not have a lot of time to do this as you will be executing your military duties but do your best.

The point here is that you need to focus on yourself right now. I know, you want to be honest and open with your parents, which is a good thing, but it's pretty clear they are not completely ready for what you have to say. It is encouraging that they are supportive of you as a gay man, but they are still struggling with other concepts, such as trans and bi people and furries. You ask me, "What should I do to mend the relationship?" Relationships take two sides. This is not all up to you. Your parents need to meet you halfway. Do you feel they would be willing to talk in an open and compassionate way? Or do you think your brother's report is accurate? (Sounds like you are getting this second-hand instead of straight from your parents' mouths.)

Being open and honest with family is always the preferred way to go, but you should not feel like it is your fault if they have some prejudices that you can't overcome. That's on them. You sound like you have become independent enough to live your own life, so the good news is that--unlike some younger furries who write to me who are still financially dependent on their families to live--you don't have to do whatever they tell you in order to have a life. You can be your own man now. Your military service will help you with that, I believe.

Remember, you were not put on this Earth to please your parents, or anyone else for that matter. You are here to explore the world and to be your true self. Take as long as you need to do this. Do not let anyone set an artificial timetable on when you have to get things done. Don't let anyone dictate to you who you are or what you have to do. Don't seek other people's validation and approval. All of that is bullshit.

Be yourself. Be kind to others. That is all you need to do. And when the time is right (you will know when), you can talk to your parents about all your feelings and what you feel is the authentic you. 

Does that make sense to you? Let me know if you have further questions.

Bear Hugs,

Papabear

Sitting down and deciding what to do with your precious free time can be hard. There’s a wealth of options, with experiences ranging from the most competitive face-offs with other gamers hell-bent on ruining your day, to the easiest gaming tasks accomplished whilst bundled up and sipping on a delicious coffee. All of these games have their place, just like the one I had the pleasure of moseying cozily through recently for this review. Tailside: Cozy Cafe Sim is exactly that; a simple yet satisfying coffee shop simulator where you’re the owner, decorator, janitor, and barista, all at once. What makes the experience special though is not just the addictive gameplay loop, but the lovely cast of characters that make their way through your doors and into your hearth.

We were saddened to learn of the recent passing of animator and director Roger Allers at the age of 76. Throughout much of the world, and especially among furry fans, Allers will always be remembered as one half of the team that directed Disney’s The Lion King in 1994 (along with Rob Minkoff). The landmark movie remains the highest-grossing 2D animated film of all time. Later, Allers would apply  his talents to the adaptation of The Lion King as a very successful Broadway musical (under director Julie Taymor). But many people don’t realize just how many interesting (and furry!) animation projects Roger Allers worked on over the course of his career. He began as an animator and character designer on the Animalympics TV specials (which would later be cobbled together into a feature film). He spent some time in Canada working as an animator on Nelvana’s feature film Rock & Rule. Moving on to Disney Animation, he worked as a storyboard artist on Oliver & Company, The Little Mermaid, and The Rescuers Down Under, before being promoted to Head of Story on Beauty and the Beast. After the (actually unexpected!) world-wide success of The Lion King, Allers was hard at work on a film called Kingdom of the Sun — but he left the project before it got turned into The Emperor’s New Groove under director Mark Dindal. After he left Disney, Allers became co-director (with Jill Culton) on Sony Pictures’ first animated feature, Open Season. Furry fandom owes a lot to the work of this talented artist. He will definitely be missed. Blessed Be.

image c. 2026 Disney Enterprises, Inc.

TigerTails Radio Season 16 Episode 52 Join the Discord Chat: https://discord.gg/SQ5QuRf Join the Telegram Chat: https://t.me/+yold2C77m0I1MmM0 Visit the website at http://www.tigertailsradio.co.uk. See website for full breakdown of any song credits, which is usually updated shortly after the show. Credits: Opening music: Magic by Hedge Haiden (Double Hedge Studios) Character art: Fitzroy Fox - https://www.furaffinity.net/user/lunara-toons / https://bsky.app/profile/fitzroyfox.bsky.social Background art: Charleston Rat - https://www.furaffinity.net/user/charlestonrat / https://bsky.app/profile/charlestonrat.bsky.social 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.

Ursa art by Foxenawolf.

Don’t wait, the Ursa Major Awards nomination deadline is FEBRUARY 5.

The Ursa Major Awards feature the furry fandom’s favorite media published in the past year. Any member of the public can vote for movies, writing, art, and more — but before you can vote, nominees must be chosen. You only have until February 5 to help your favorite media make the list.

Go to the nomination page and do it now!

The Recommended Anthropomorphics List has many things to consider. The Nonfiction section has choices made possible by hard work from Dogpatch Press.

For nonfiction, please consider The Furry Detectives: Unmasking a Monster. This TV docuseries is a result of 7 years of investigation with tens of thousands of words reported here. The show won critical acclaim and positive reporting from Time, Yahoo Entertainment, and more for putting an honest spotlight on problem-solving by and for the community. Two of those positive stories are on the recommended list, as well as three other stories by Dogpatch Press. There’s also a deeply meaningful story from NPR reporters with Dogpatch Press — KQED/Close All Tabs podcast: How the Furry Fandom Says Goodbye.

(Update) go check new comments on this great review of The Furry Detectives: Unmasking a Monster to see why it’s being shared.

After you nominate, follow the Ursas on Bluesky. Behind the awards, a small team of devoted volunteers work hard to make them possible at personal cost, and would appreciate donations. You can support the awards here:

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.)

The cast gather round the yule log* to talk about some of their favorite things about the holidays. After a very serious game, put together by our resident fox, they then talk about some of their top furry movies. Ones that may have even contributed to how they became a furry.

Episodes are now streamed live on Twitch.tv. After which, the video and audio only formats will be posted after the stream. You can find us on Twitch at FurWhatItsWorth!

NOW LISTEN!

SHOW NOTES Thank you!

Those that were able to join the livestream!

To all of our listeners! And your continued support!

PATREON LOVE

THANK YOU to our patreons! You help us keep the show going!

A Cookie Factory – OwO

*empty*

A Pallet of Cookies

Nuka

A Case of Cookies

Basel the Dragon, Black Baldrik, Ichigo Ookami (Pic Pending), Lufis the Raccoon, TheLoneFoxllie3 (Pic Pending)

A Jar of Cookies

 

MephistophEli, Miles Seawind (Pic Pending), Plug, Sirene Tokala (Pic Pending)

A Box of Cookies

• JakeFoXx
• Juke Hyena
• Lygris

A Delicious Cookie

• Ausi K
• AspenTheCurious
• Barnaby Panda
• Christian
• Citrus Fox
• Gary Holland
• Icy Solid
• Puzzleboy
• Ralley
• Sage Lightfang
• TyR52
• Victor Mutt

MUSIC

• Intro: RetroSpecter – Cloud Fields (RetroSpecter Mix). USA: Unpublished, 2018. ©2011-2018 Fur What It’s Worth. Based on Fredrik Miller – Cloud Fields (Century Mix). USA: Bandcamp, 2011. ©2011 Fur What It’s Worth
• Patreon: Inflammatus – The Tudor Consort, Creative Commons 2019
• Closing: Cloud Fields (RetroSpecterChill Remix), USA: Unpublished, 2018. ©2011-2018 Fur What It’s Worth. Based on Fredrik Miller – Cloud Fields (Chill Out Mix). USA: Bandcamp, 2011. ©2011 Fur What It’s Worth

S12E6 – Furry Movies

Shoot-em-up top-down airplane games are some of the most classic gaming experiences in history. A simple formula that can be built upon in so many ways to produce a variety of challenges. Usually, this format is used to shoot bullets at armies of enemies whilst dodging a hellstorm of bullets. Air Hares puts a swerve in the expected style by having you be a bunny in the skies equipped with seeds and water shots, charged with defending and replanting their vital crops for the cities below. It’s a solo or co-op retro arcade treat that doesn’t have too much in the way of content, but doesn’t try to be too grand in scope to where it forgets its charming identity.

TigerTails Radio Season 16 Episode 51 Join the Discord Chat: https://discord.gg/SQ5QuRf Join the Telegram Chat: https://t.me/+yold2C77m0I1MmM0 Visit the website at http://www.tigertailsradio.co.uk. See website for full breakdown of any song credits, which is usually updated shortly after the show. Credits: Opening music: Magic by Hedge Haiden (Double Hedge Studios) Character art: Fitzroy Fox - https://www.furaffinity.net/user/lunara-toons / https://bsky.app/profile/fitzroyfox.bsky.social Background art: Charleston Rat - https://www.furaffinity.net/user/charlestonrat / https://bsky.app/profile/charlestonrat.bsky.social 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.

Here’s a new non-human fantasy novel written and illustrated by Academy Award-winning animator (Incredibles 2) and director (Piper) Alan Barillaro: “When Bunns is born with small but perfectly functional rabbit ears, the warren is abuzz with auguries. Surely such short ears spell bad luck for the community. Sheltered in her family’s burrow, Bunns listens to the rhythm of her mother’s heartbeat — Thump, thump, thump — a song of home and belonging. Her father explains that unlike a rabbit’s words or thumping feet, a heartsong cannot lie. But the unknown world of the meadow, the sounds and smells above, call to Bunns. When at last she’s ready to brave the staring and whispering of neighbors who fear her because she’s different, and the disapproving elders who threaten to banish her family, she finds a world beyond the warren where myths and riddles, magic voyages, and important new friends await. Can the ‘bad omen bunny’ follow her own heartsong to a destiny — a wish — meant just for her?” Bunns Rabbit is available now from Penguin Random House.

image c. 2025 Penguin Random House

It’s well known that our fursonas are the representation of ourselves in the fandom. But how far does it go? Are they just a cute character or are they something more? Can a fursona truly represent who we are?

Episodes are now streamed live on Twitch.tv. After which, the video and audio only formats will be posted after the stream. You can find us on Twitch at FurWhatItsWorth!

NOW LISTEN!

SHOW NOTES Thank you!

ChronoWolf and Kayoran for being guests for the episode!

Those that were able to join the livestream!

To all of our listeners! And your continued support!

PATREON LOVE

THANK YOU to our patreons! You help us keep the show going!

A Cookie Factory – OwO

*empty*

A Pallet of Cookies

Nuka

A Case of Cookies

Basel the Dragon, Black Baldrik, Ichigo Ookami (Pic Pending), Lufis the Raccoon, TheLoneFoxllie3 (Pic Pending)

A Jar of Cookies

 

MephistophEli, Miles Seawind (Pic Pending), Plug, Sirene Tokala (Pic Pending)

A Box of Cookies

• JakeFoXx
• Juke Hyena
• Lygris

A Delicious Cookie

• Ausi K
• AspenTheCurious
• Barnaby Panda
• Christian
• Citrus Fox
• Gary Holland
• Icy Solid
• Puzzleboy
• Ralley
• Sage Lightfang
• TyR52
• Victor Mutt

MUSIC

• Intro: RetroSpecter – Cloud Fields (RetroSpecter Mix). USA: Unpublished, 2018. ©2011-2018 Fur What It’s Worth. Based on Fredrik Miller – Cloud Fields (Century Mix). USA: Bandcamp, 2011. ©2011 Fur What It’s Worth
• Patreon: Inflammatus – The Tudor Consort, Creative Commons 2019
• Closing: Cloud Fields (RetroSpecterChill Remix), USA: Unpublished, 2018. ©2011-2018 Fur What It’s Worth. Based on Fredrik Miller – Cloud Fields (Chill Out Mix). USA: Bandcamp, 2011. ©2011 Fur What It’s Worth

S12E5 – The Fursona Mirror

TigerTails Radio Season 16 Episode 50 Join the Discord Chat: https://discord.gg/SQ5QuRf Join the Telegram Chat: https://t.me/+yold2C77m0I1MmM0 Visit the website at http://www.tigertailsradio.co.uk. See website for full breakdown of any song credits, which is usually updated shortly after the show. Credits: Opening music: Magic by Hedge Haiden (Double Hedge Studios) Character art: Fitzroy Fox - https://www.furaffinity.net/user/lunara-toons / https://bsky.app/profile/fitzroyfox.bsky.social Background art: Charleston Rat - https://www.furaffinity.net/user/charlestonrat / https://bsky.app/profile/charlestonrat.bsky.social 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.

Dear Papabear,

After reading your letter from 2019 about learning from past mistakes, you wrote a very nice and reassuring method on how to learn from them and move on with life. (https://www.askpapabear.com/letters/how-to-grow-from-past-mistakes)

In a similar sense to that letter, when I was a teen (16-17 years old) I was having trouble with handling my emotions. I didn’t fully comprehend the concept of “think before you post”. I had very rare moments where I’d let my anger get the best of me; which resulted in me writing some really messed up comments on anger-inducing things/topics that triggered me. However, when I realized the weight of what I commented, I immediately apologized to the poster(s), and deleted them, admitting it was messed up and way out of line. I was forgiven for it, got on good terms with them, and I have never acted out like that ever since.

I learned from my psychology course at college that the brain is still in a developmental phase at those ages. I was smart enough to take accountability for my words and actions as a teen, despite that.

The step in your letter that I often have trouble with is forgiving myself. My Asperger’s/ASD causes me to replay some moments in my head from years ago, most often when I don’t want them to. Sometimes my remembrance of them can make me get horrible anxiety attacks, making my regrets weight me down. It takes a toll on both my mental and physical health. I know I made up for my mistakes nearly a decade ago, and was forgiven for it, but that lingering regret prevents me from practicing self-forgiveness.

How do you forgive yourself when your own mind and body won’t let you?

Anonymous

* * *

Dear Furiend,

I apologize for the slow reply. I've been sick with the flu this week.

All righty, to business then!

You clearly know all the basics, including the fact that you have already made amends, were forgiven (great!), recognized your error, have striven to not repeat that mistake, etc. Also, you know that your condition aggravates what, for others, would be problematic and troubling but not quite as difficult to overcome as it is for a person on the spectrum.

I recommend we begin by understanding exactly why pretty much everyone, at one point in their lives or another, suffers from feelings of guilt they can't seem to shake even though the cause of said guilt has been addressed and even fixed. It is, you see, an evolutionary adaptation. We are all designed to remember mistakes and their consequences so that we can learn and move forward. Let me give you a primitive example: Say you were an early ancestor foraging in the woods and you found what looked like a delicious berry, so you eat it, but not long afterwards, you become sick and vomit. From that point on, you would remember that berry, what it smelled and tasted like, and what eating it did to you. Even though you learned your lesson not to ever eat it, that powerful memory of becoming ill will be with you for possibly your entire life.

The guilt you feel is like the bellyache the apish ancestor experienced. Even though they will never eat that berry again, the memory is painful and makes them cringe whenever it is brought back to mind.

Your guilt is a berry bellyache. You're just recalling the memory. You know that you have resolved the situation and that everything is now okay. 

So, here's what you do: The next time you get that feeling of guilt, pause for a little bit. Sit down somewhere and think about what you're feeling. Say to yourself, "Oh, yes, that cringey guilt is back, but it's not there because I'm still a bad person. It's just reminding me that when I get online and write something to be mindful of what I say to others!" Then, thank the cringey guilt berry ache for the reminder and put it aside to continue your day. That is, focus your attention on what you are doing in the present, note that the cringeberry tastes particularly sour to people on the spectrum but that just makes your reminder more pronounced and noticeable, and congratulate yourself for your success in doing better today. Focus on the present.

When we recognize things for what they are rather than what we imagine them to be, they become much less threatening and troublesome.

Bear Hugs,
Papabear

Annihilus has invaded the galaxy from the Negative Zone and is threatening to destroy all life as we know it (so, a typical Tuesday in the Marvel Universe). It’s up to a team of heroes to band together to stop Annihilus in Marvel Cosmic Invasion: the latest 2D side-scrolling beat-’em up from the creators of TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge. However, instead of being another smash hit for the studio, Cosmic Invasion falls short and, instead, delivers a very mediocre and by the numbers game that fails to live up to their predecessor.

Guest Kamen the Lycanroc covers a NYFurs event that follows the one in his previous story, Phoenix Bark. It illustrates the potential of a future furry con in New York City.

Attendees of Fuwa Furry Fest gather around the courtyard after the fursuit parade. Photo Credit: Eberrawolf

NYFurs hosted the first ever Fuwa Furry Fest in Industry City in November

NYC’s furry community got together on November 15th in Japan Village in Brooklyn to celebrate the first ever Fuwa Furry Fest.

Located in Industry City, Fuwa Furry Fest was hosted by NYFurs with a mission to celebrate the growing furry community in the Big Apple. According to the website, Fuwa Furry Fest was “a day to celebrate fans, creators and furry enthusiasts for a playful, community-first experience. The culture of the furry fandom will blend with Japanese pop culture for the night!”

Fuwa Furry Fest was hosted by NYFurs’ founder Gamboiuwu, who has been running the group since 2021. The event follows other smaller events around the city meant to bring NYC’s furry community together such as Round 1 furs and Phoenix Bark. The event was conceived by Gam’s desire to bring the NYC furry community to light, as well as wanting to commemorate Japanese culture.

“We saw that Japan Village was offering to do events, and I had always adored Japan Village. I decided to see if they would respond, and to my surprise, they wanted to move forward with our plans,” remarked the founder, who admired how Japan Village brought Japanese culture to New York City. “With some back-and-forth emails and extensive planning, we decided Fuwa Furry Fest could be our first shot at making a sophisticated event in New York City.”

NYFurs staff sets up registration and gets ready to sign attendees in Japan Village. Photo Credit: Kamen The Lycanroc

Despite the rainy weather, Fuwa Furry Festival started at 3 PM EST with 203 people registered, with an estimated 250 people in attendance throughout Japan Village. The festival took place across two floors, with the first floor hosting several Japanese restaurants and the Japanese supermarket Sunrise Mart. The Second floor had a seating area with a Torii (Japanese shrine gate) and Guzei (Japanese red bridge), and other shops specializing in Japanese goods such as Book-Off, Daiso, and Bandai Namco Store. Attendees also gathered outside in the courtyard to take photos and enjoy the view of the evening sky of New York City.

Alongside socializing among peers, Fuwa Furry Fest also hosted official board game meetups. While not easily spotted by attendees, that did not stop some from partaking in such. For example Alcor, an occasional attendee for Round 1 meets, played the trading card game Cardfight!! Vanguard with his friend Dreel during the event. Alcor also noted that while the event was fun, it needed more signage to mark where certain meets were. “I didn’t realize there was a board game meetup, I just play Vanguard with my friend Dreel because we do that when we hang out,” remarked Alcor, “It mostly felt like another R1 meetup, so it was chill, but also I feel next time this happens they should have a proper ticketed event and set things up properly so that we can have our own dedicated space.”

Around a few hours into the event, fursuiters lined up in the courtyard for a fursuit parade and a group photo. There, Gam gave a speech about what the event meant to him, and expressed his gratitude for everyone showing up to Fuwa Furry Fest. Afterwards, Phoenix Bark was hosted again at Phoenix Bar in Greenwich Village to end the night.

Gamboiuwu gives a speech discussing Fuwa Furry Fest and his excitement for the turnout of the event. Photo Credit: Coral

Feedback was given about the venue, as attendees noted the small size and the fact that it was a public space. Gam not only took note of the feedback, but wanted to expand the idea into a full fledged convention.

“When I went to Phoenix Bark, I had the biggest smile on my face. Just seeing all those furries come together in this one moment,” reflected the NYFurs owner, “felt like I achieved my dream of seeing all these furries together. Life is boring. I see fluffs, it’s a lot more awesome.”

Gam’s accomplishment was a sentiment shared by the staff members as well, including the head event director of NYFurs Gilden Harlowe. Also known as Vinegar, he worked as check-in for the majority of the event.

“The day consisted of plenty of socializing, shopping, and exploration around the vibrant Japan Village, while the staff team ensured we were adhering to the schedule to make things run as smoothly as possible,” remarked the director, “The parade, especially, required coordination unlike any we’ve had in prior NYFurs events, and the end result was an absolutely beautiful display of culture and community.”

After Fuwa Furry Fest, NYFurs continue to host events across NYC, as Phoenix Bark is set to return to Greenwich Village on January 31, with more plans being made by the staff.

– Kamen

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This state-of-the-art adult fursuit technology will get you kicked out of Disneyland – but into the horniest places on earth!

Want to get your paws on the ultimate fursuit accessory that redefines heavy petting? If you want to bare it all, Cider Collie has you covered. Her faux-fur-crafted SPH (Strategically Placed Hole) makes cartoon animal crotches more anatomically-correct than the average person on the street could ever imagine. It can come off to stay SFW, or zip on at will, letting anthropomorphic dogs, kitties and bunnies be as bold as fantasy characters can possibly be. It’s stretchy and penetrable for full contact by collaborators in furry performance art, so their partners can please them in ways that real life isn’t known to provide. Sounds too hot to bother about rug burns.

Reporting the adult side of furry follows a mission to cover the hole truth; the good, the bad, and the sexy, with no sacred cows left unturned. Think of how this was made with hands, fabric, and a naughty dream. Compared to some uses of human bodies in adult media, sewing is wholesome, isn’t it?  The uncensored art is NSFW — kids and prudes go away — but tasteful, mature readers can see it and smile. So feast your eyes on this invention of utmost necessity, and learn how Cider Collie’s crazy job brought it to life in her Q&A with Dogpatch Press.

Adults click here for the full frontal photos.

Your Bluesky bio says “artist drawing weird intimate furry sex”. Is that just your NSFW account and how do you want to be found?

I go by a couple of online usernames haha! My family knows about my SFW art and online presences, so I try to keep my NSFW work pretty separate to avoid them coming across it. You can find it at @cidercollie.bsky.social.

[Cider Collie doesn’t just do adult art, but it’s sensible to separate occupations, so we’ll leave some of her other talents private. There’s a lot more than you see here.]

How did you get into being a furry artist, and what are some of your inspirations? 

I got into being a furry artist pretty early. I had always liked drawing and animals. At about age 11, I got my first phone and therefore social media. One day, a photo of a fursuit popped up on my Instagram feed. I showed my mom, thinking it was cool, and she FREAKED out… her only context of furries having been that CSI episode. From there, my curiosity got the best of me and I fell straight down the internet rabbit hole. Telephone was by far my biggest furry inspiration and fascination. The Lion King and a lot of the early hand-animated Disney movies, as well as my upbringing in a coastal beach town in south Florida, both really inspire my art to this day.

What do you most like to make, and want to share any of your favorite works?

I most enjoy making things that are kind of outside the usual and that challenge me to learn new skills! For example, right now I’m working on developing a really fun new sex toy: a fuckable anthro furry butt. I wanted to explore the overlap between plush toy kinks and fursuit kinks. I’ve learned a ton about toy-smithing, 3D printing, mold-making, working with silicone and foam, and designing a product with basically no blueprint. I’m really excited to show off the proof-of-concept with fabric genitals and progress photos.

Do you have any observations about who follows or commissions you, and what they want?

Honestly, I find it a little hard to tell who exactly my audience is or what they like from me. I try to vary the kinks and themes in my adult art so there’s a lil something for everyone. Though I do draw a lot of outdoorsy adult art, so hopefully I attract people who enjoy the same!

Do you have any thoughts about the furry community, or experiences that made you feel strongly about what it does or doesn’t do? 

Oh yes, absolutely. I feel the furry community can be a double-edged sword. A few years ago, a person launched a slanderous hate campaign against me because of a piece of adult art I made. The art was in a Chibi style, depicting an anthro furry girl, with human breasts and genitals… but these teenagers decided that her pose and wrist angle somehow meant the character was feral/quadruped, and therefore they decided to accuse me of zoophilia. I had recently attained a decent following on social media, so of course “popular furry is a zoophile” became the hot gossip and big headline at the time. Seeing part of the community I had loved with all my heart turn on me in the blink of an eye due to a random person’s completely proofless accusation based on a very tame and acceptable furry porn drawing… it deeply and permanently changed me, and opened my eyes to a very big problem the community has.

On the good side though, I have everything because of this community. When I was a kid, the furry community donated money to help my mother and I escape domestic abuse. By taking commissions, I was able to save up and move to Orlando at age 18, which kickstarted my career and life. So many kind comments and wholesome exchanges from furries online and at conventions encourage me to keep going, and I can’t be more grateful for that.

So all that to say, I have wildly varied feeling

Fursuiting has grown impressively since the early days. It’s driven by passion and fandom, but it’s also part of an industry, so it’s both collaborative and entrepreneurial. Adult work has been part of the craft development since the beginning. Your fursuit accessory, the plush vulva, looks uniquely designed and not just impressively crafted, but exciting for a commissioner to wear and use. It’s so personalized and oddly wholesome, with a plush toy aesthetic and undertones of gender subversion … We might expect mainstream heteronormativity to present sex toys as generic plastic dong things, and this flips that around and goes beyond many peoples imagination. I wanted to point this out as a unique hand made object and ask you how you feel about making it?

The first fursuiter at the first furry convention.

Thank you! I really love how you described that- you have an amazing way with words. I think that flipping of expectations is exactly why this specific type of fursuit accessory tickles me.

Sex and kink are so often culturally assigned as HARDCORE and NAUGHTY and so on – so something about portraying eroticism through soft cuddly fabrics lovingly handsewn together… it kind of wraps a blanket of coziness, intimacy, and tenderness around the whole idea. Plus, I just love making things that are underrepresented or not commonly seen.

You comment on the photos was “damn my job is crazy” which says so much. Can you talk about having this for a job, and do you have any thoughts about adult art as an industry?

It really is! It’s such a weird experience and it takes up so much of my life, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I actually tried to work a part-time job a few years back and that lasted about a week, haha. Doing furry art for a living is so incredibly freeing, but like anything under the self-employment category, figuring out how to manage it all is pretty stressful. How to keep up with growth, how to handle loss, artistic burnout, learning to switch gears, finding work-life balance, self-regulating, not falling down the corporate black hole, staying human while maintaining professionalism, social media skills, taxes… it’s a lot. But the freedom to make the art I want to make is worth all the stress.

Adult art is something that’s always been around, from the earliest charcoal cave drawings of cavemen porking to the modern digitally painted werewolf wieners, it’s so deeply and beautifully human. It’s something I believe is incredibly valuable, not only as a form of self expression, but also because it has incredible value as data for historians and scientists. Erotic art provides deeply insightful information about the human psyche and the mysteries of sexuality.

And of course that goes for all art, but I think that considering how widely shunned erotic art tends to be across many cultures, AND the recent restrictions and attempts at erasure happening in the US, it is especially important to emphasize the importance of recording, preserving, and protecting erotic art.

Have you noticed recent problems with payment processors targeting adult services, and do you have any observations about it or info about what to do?

Absolutely, it’s been jarring to suddenly see payment processors silently change their terms of service overnight. Of course it’s largely a censorship issue, but I think it’s also a capitalism issue – every large company ultimately being controlled by a small handful of powerful people means those companies will bend to the ideas of those few powerful people, no matter how it affects the rest of the population.

To my understanding, the best thing we can do is inconvenience those companies, the payment processors. Call, email, text, mail physical letters, protest in-person or online, boycott, tell your friends – whatever you can do to contribute to being loud about the problem and inconveniencing those companies, do it. Customer support numbers for large companies are very often outsourced to a third party, which often charge the companies per call. If you take up their time, you cost them money. By telling your friends, you drive away their potential or existing customers. By making them lose money, time, customers, and reputation: You contribute to the notion that their policy change was a BAD BUSINESS MOVE.

Thanks so much for sharing about your work, and let’s let people know they can get a book of your NSFW art.

REMAINING STOCK OF MY LUST VOL. 1 ARTBOOK AVAILABLE NOW!!! covepalms.com/cidercollie (password is woofwoof)

$45 each #furryporn

[image or embed]

— Cider (@cidercollie.bsky.social) November 21, 2025 at 10:26 PM

 

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.)