In-Fur-Nation

We’ve been missing out on the TV series Jane over on Apple TV+, but now thanks to Animation World Network we’ve found out Season 3 is coming soon — April 18th. “The mission-driven series for kids and families is inspired by the work of ethologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and a United Nations Messenger of Peace. Ava Louise Murchison (Reacher) stars as Jane Garcia, a nine-year-old budding environmentalist on a quest to save endangered animals. Using her powerful imagination, Jane takes her best friends David, played by Mason Blomberg (Shameless), and Greybeard the chimpanzee on epic adventures to help protect wild animals all around the world.” Take a look at the trailer over on YouTube also.

image c. 2025 Apple TV+

For fans of Nimona, here comes The Fox Maidens, a new fantasy graphic novel (based on Korean myths and legends) by Robin Ha. “Kai Song dreams of being a warrior. She wants to follow in the footsteps of her beloved father, the commander of the Royal Legion. But while her father believes in Kai and trains her in martial arts, their society isn’t ready for a girl warrior. Still, Kai is determined. But she is plagued by rumors that she is the granddaughter of Gumiho, the infamous nine-tailed fox demon who was killed by her father years before…” Take a look for yourself over at Harper Collins.

image c. 2025 Balzer & Bray

Quite a while ago we learned about the Wereworld series of young adult dark fantasy novels by Curtis Jobling. Well, now Netflix has just dropped a trailer for Wolf King, the brand new animated series based on those very same books. “In a land once subjugated by werelords, sixteen-year-old Drew Ferran realizes he is the last member in a long ancestral line of werewolves. Drew must confront and overthrow the tyrannical rule of the Lionlords and take back the throne as the statutory wolf king.” The series is set to premier on March 20th.

image c. 2025 Netflix

As if taking care of an “ordinary” cat weren’t enough trouble… what if they were more than that? Find out in Monster Cats  Volume 1, a graphic novel written and illustrated by Pandania. “Is it a banshee, a yeti, a gorgon, or… a cat? Monster Cats are a purrfect new breed of familiar furry friends crossed with freaky fun! If you think life with regular cats can get complicated, wait ’till you see what it’s like for people who live with these charming supernatural pets.” Oo, pretty scary kids! It’s available now in paperback from Square Enix Books.

image c. 2025 Square Enix Books

This year the Annie Awards (the annual “Oscars for animation”, presented by ASIFA-Hollywood) were utterly dominated by two works: Arcane from Netflix in TV/streaming, and Dreamworks’ The Wild Robot in Feature Films. Both of them won the award for 2024 in each and every category they were nominated for. Obviously the more “furry” of the two, Wild Robot won for Best Character Animation, Best Character Design, Best Production Design, Best Voice Acting (Lupita Nyong’o as Roz the robot), Best FX Animation, Best Music, Best Editing, Best Direction (for Chris Sanders), and Best Feature Film. Meanwhile, Gintz Zilbalodis’ blender-animated film Flow took home Annie Awards for Best Writing (Feature) and Best Independent Feature. (More than one person commented that it’s interesting the film that won Best Writing has not one word of spoken dialogue in the entire movie…) Now the big question is whether the Oscars will follow the Annies and award The Wild Robot, or follow the Golden Globes and award Flow. In other news of interest to furry fans, Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur won Best TV for Children, and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes won Best Character Animation in a Live Action Feature. Among the Special Awards categories, ASIFA gave the Windsor McCay Award (a lifetime achievement honor) to Aaron Blaise, one-half of the directing team of Disney’s Brother Bear (among many other films that he’s worked on). You can see the complete list of Annie Awards for 2024 over at Animation Magazine. (And don’t forget: Nominations are open now through the end of this month  for the 2024 Ursa Major Awards too!)

image c. 2025 Dreamworks Animation

The simple summary for Ai Shimizu’s new manga Breakfast With My Two-Tailed Cat goes like this: “A talking supernatural cat rescues a man from loneliness as they enjoy a peaceful country life and delicious food.” Okay. A little more detail, please? “Souichiro’s wife’s wanted to retire to the countryside, but soon after they achieve this dream, she dies. So he won’t be left alone, their pet cat Nii turns into a talking nekomata, a two-tailed yokai cat. Together they share a heartwarming slow life, cooking and eating delicious food surrounded by nature. Enjoy freshly baked bread, handmade jam, fluffy omelets, and seasonal vegetables with the members of this unusual household.” Better! And it’s available from Seven Seas.

image c. 2025 Seven Seas Entertainment

It’s nowhere near Halloween, but let us introduce you to the star of the Olivia Wolf series of graphic novels, written and illustrated by Jose Fragoso. The first book is called Olivia Wolf and the Moldy Sandwich. “It seems like just another ordinary day in Monstrocity, where monsters and humans live peacefully side by side. But when a teacher goes missing at school, it’s up to Olivia, a brave werewolf girl, together with her friends Bela the vampire, Fred the fly, Sam the invisible man, and Elliot the human, to save the day! Where could Professor Swamp be? And could Fred the fly’s missing moldy cheese sandwich have anything to do with his disappearance?” Look for it over at NubeOcho.

image c. 2025 NubeOcho

Here’s an origin story for a group known as The Fluffle: Three bad bunny crime lords. “This story starts, as stories often do, with a tragedy. Three bunnies are left without their mother when she goes off to Brazil to learn jiujitsu. The bunnies, Flop, Biggie, and Boingie, learn some hard truths about life pretty quick: Squirrels will take over your cozy nest as soon as you leave and refuse to give it back, dogs are to be avoided at all costs, and raccoons will believe anything you tell them. With quick thinking, ingenuity, and maybe a little bit of raccoon manipulation, these three buns will take on all comers to be the rulers of the park. Will they win? Well, this is an origin story . . .” Buns Gone Bad is the first book in the Fluffle Bunnies series of graphic novels for young readers, written by Anna Humphrey and illustrated by Irma Kniivila. Look for it in hardcover from Penguin Random House. (Oh, and the sequel is called Big City Buns.)

Image c. 2025 Penguin Random House

Michael Sweater is a name that’s turned up more than once around here, both as a writer and and artist. Now he’s giving us a special one-shot fantasy adventure comic for young readers called Puppy Knight: Den of Deception, written by him and illustrated by Josue Cruz. “There’s no knight braver than Sparky Muttson! (Except maybe his enthusiastic and very cute apprentice, Pugsly.) They’re ready for their first adventure together, and luckily, a kind old farmer is conveniently ready to show them the way to a cathedral full of treasure. While this quest might not turn out exactly how they expected, Sparky and Pugsly have the chops to make it through—no bones about it!” Look for it now from Silver Sprocket. (We’ll see you folks after Further Confusion!)

image c. 2025 Silver Sprocket

Here’s the publisher’s notes on the new comic series Squish and Squash: “Squish and Squash are two young cadets trying to make it into the Intergalactic Search and Rescue Squad. In order to become rescuers, they must pass the difficult ‘Save the Gimblemans’ simulation test. It’s not going to be easy, especially with tough Captain Twomey breathing down their necks. Breaking the rules and saving the crew from a burning galactic cruise ship lands our two cadets in trouble. The duo are given one last chance to pass the test or be thrown out of the academy for good. Our adventurous heroes must find new and imaginative ways to earn their patch and become bona-fide rescuers!” For some reason though, they neglected to mention that Squish and Squash are an elephant and a pussycat! Issues of Squish and Squash (by Niall O’Rourke and Mike Hartigan) are available now from Keenspot Entertainment.

image c. 2025 Keenspot Entertainment

ASIFA-Hollywood (one of the biggest chapters of the International Animated Film Society) recently announced this years nominees for the best in animated movies, TV series, short films and more, all from the year 2024. Surprising no one probably, Dreamworks’ The Wild Robot lead the pack with 10 nominations — including of course Best Animated Feature, where it joins Inside/Out 2, Kung Fu Panda 4, That Christmas, Ultraman: Rising, and Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. (Conspicuous in its absence, perhaps: Disney’s Moana 2.) Inside/Out 2 and Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl follow behind with seven nominations each. Wild Robot is also up for Best Effects Animation, Best Character Animation, Best Character Design, Best Direction (Chris Sanders), Best Music, Best Production Design, two for Best Voice Acting (Lupita Nyong’o as Roz the robot and Kit Connor as Brightbill the goose), and Best Editing. The feline film Flow (from Latvia) is up for Best Independent Feature Film, as well as for Best Writing and Best Direction. (Interesting side note: Flow just recently won the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature!) All this, and we haven’t even talked about video games or TV shows! Animation World Network has a write-up of the nominees, or visit the official Annie Awards site to find out more. The Annie Awards will be handed out at a gala event at UCLA’s Royce Hall on Saturday, February 8th. (And don’t forget: Very soon it’s time to start sending in your nominations for the 2024 Ursa Major Awards!)

image c. 2025 Dreamworks Animation

Catching up again, here’s a science fiction comic series from Boom! Studios that we missed last year: Man’s Best, written by Pornsak Pichetshote (The Good Asian) and illustrated by Jesse Lonergan. “Homeward Bound on an alien world, Man’s Best follows three emotional support pets living on the Starship Horizon – a spacecraft searching for a new home to house a humanity compromised by bad decisions and corporate greed. But after the ship crashes and the crew is captured, these loyal pets are their owner’s only hope. Outfitted in outrageous tech, these three best friends must traverse a hostile world to rescue their owners–leaving them the only hope for a humanity that might not be worth saving. In a harrowing adventure, the pets are faced with challenges that threaten to destroy their most valuable treasure: Their friendship.” Issues are still available from Boom! and at comic shops [Happy New Year, everyone! Let’s work together to make it good, safe, and prosperous.]

image c. 2025 Boom! Studios

Where did this come from? Well, Canada, actually. We just got lucky and came across it! Northern Tails is a new puppet series from the Yukon that’s coming soon to YouTube. The makers describe it as “… a wildlife ‘mocumentary’ web series that is serious (and seriously silly) about nature. With a cast of spirited puppets, engaging storylines and snackable science, each 12-minute episode explores how animals in the boreal forest interact with each other, their environment, humans and the wider world. It’s original ‘edutainment’ that makes us see how we can all be better neighbours.” Did you know that the boreal forest is larger in square miles than the Amazon? We didn’t either…! Find out more at their web site, or head on over to their YouTube Channel.

image c. 2024 Little Brown Bird Entertainment

Another one of those interesting mangas with a very interesting, very long name: A Cat From Our World and the Forgotten Witch, written and illustrated by Hiro Kashiwaba. “In her youth, Jeanne was a powerful witch who vanquished the evil Demon King and saved the world—but over time, the people she rescued have forgotten her. Now she is a lonely old woman living in a secluded forest…until she accidentally summons a cat from Earth to her home! The former city kitty is now gigantic and must acclimate to this new world. Can a cat from another world soothe the loneliness of the forgotten witch?” Several issues are available now (in English) from Seven Seas Entertainment.

image c. 2024 Seven Seas Entertainment

So sorry, but we just had to steal that phrase from the publisher — couldn’t top it! “Meet the Bins family, a trio of raccoons in the risky business of dumpster diving for all their needs. With Dusty’s brains, ReRe’s muscle, and Scraps’s gadgets (please don’t tell him he’s almost definitely an opossum), the Binses are determined to leave no garbage bin unturned in their pursuit of the tastiest, most delicious trash they can find. When the family discovers a new upscale grocery store that’s throwing away their perfectly good food at the end of each day, the Binses hatch a heist so daring it’ll have them rolling in garbage all winter long. But a critter-despising CEO, Jeff Beans, and the high-tech defense system he’s installed means liberating that trash is going to take all the skills the Racc Pack have … and maybe some help from a cat burglar with a mysterious past.” Published by Simon & Schuster, The Racc Pack graphic novel is by Stephanie Cooke (My Little Pony: Camp Bighoof), with art by Whitney Gardner.

image c. 2024 Simon & Schuster

Apartment D Films is an independent stop-motion animation studio who made a name for themselves creating unique (and wonderfully weird) commercials for Mattel toys. Now, after a successful Kickstarter campaign, they’re ready to launch their first original full-length series, Ruff Ruff Danger Dogs. “In the series, Earth has been locked in an unending struggle against Galactic Evil for a century. When the planet’s mightiest heroes sacrifice themselves to buy the world one more fighting day, humanity must seek out the five ‘goodest’ beings on the planet – The Ruff Ruff Danger Dogs! Can these once-abandoned pets learn how to pilot mecha and unlock their true potential when they’re still getting housebroken?” Animation World Network has an extensive interview with the creators, and preview videos. The series premiers this month on YouTube.

image c. 2024 Apartment D Films

Another comic book that slipped beneath our radar, but at last we can tell you all about Howie the Hellhound from Scout Comics. “Satan’s favorite pet, a Hellhound named Howie, escapes the pits of Hell and settles down with a human owner, Louise, in New York City. But when Hell’s forces rise to take back what’s theirs, the pair must find a way to come out the other side and earn the fresh start at life that they both crave. Howie the Hellhound is a supernatural dramedy filled to the brim with heart, danger, and laughs, along with a sprinkling of fire and brimstone!” And likely the kitchen sink! Written by Jared Prestwidge, Howie is illustrated by Simon Robins and Carlos Trigo.

image c. 2024 Scout Comics

Another pair of authors we met at Loscon — authors who work together, in fact. Aynsley J. Fraser and Lita Hunt are the creators of the Moonlight in Glenwood series of urban fantasy novels. Here’s the tag for the first book, Moonburn: “Evie and Laika are werewolves working part-time as Moonlighters for the supernatural task force MOONS. When trouble is afoot, their pack called ‘Night Claw’ isn’t getting the call. No one, supernatural or not, believes a pair of barely trained, late twenties werewolves are ready for more than domestic disturbances. However, when a magical murder mystery rocks the werewolf packs of Los Angeles, it’s all moonlighters on deck. With supernatural suspects ranging from vampires to witches, no clues to go on, and murders starting to pile up, the Night Claw werewolves finally have an opportunity to prove themselves and potentially become full-fledged Moonlighters. Can Evie and Laika solve this mystery before more murders spread through Glenwood?” Visit their web site to find out more about this and other books in the series.

image c. 2024 Fraser & Hunt

Viola Quincy is a new (to us) author we met at this year’s LosCon in Los Angeles. She’s created a loosely-connected trilogy of gently humorous science fiction novels called A Galactic Love Story. The second in the series is probably the one that furries are going to notice: Mommy’s Big Alien. “A widow with her precocious four year old are abducted by alien slavers, when they are rescued by a handsome catlike alien and his crew. Now, they need to work together against these evil criminals, while trying to figure out their feelings.” It’s available as a Kindle book, and also in paperback from the author’s web site.

image c. 2024 Margaret Viney

This came out a while ago now, but we’re happy to find out about it now: Scales & Tales, a very special benefit anthology, edited by John Palisano. “Finding Forever Homes brings together many of the top authors in science fiction, fantasy and horror in an anthology benefiting and celebrating the creatures we share our planet with. From cats and dogs, to lizards and snakes, Scales & Tales explores the many dreams and stories these beings inspire. All proceeds from Scales & Tales go to benefit the adoption programs at The Southwestern Herpetologists Society, Kitt Crusaders, and Star Paws Rescue to help these souls find their forever homes.” Authors here include Ray Bradbury, Marv Wolfman, David Gerrold, Clive Barker, Lisa Morton, Tim Powers, Nancy Holder, Larry Niven, and many others. It’s still available in paperback.

image c. 2024 William Wu Books