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Digging up Positivity – Furry charity and good news – April 2021
Welcome to another episode of Digging Up Positivity. April was a busy month, from Easter Bunnys filling up their cars with gas(?) to the fandom doing amazing things for charity, especially Mark Barks. There is plenty of fun news to wolf down, plus our special guest is Rick Griffin, the mastermind behind the very popular […]
Voting open for the 2021 Good Furry Award
Voting is open for the 2021 Good Furry Award! Now in its third year, the award is our appreciation of the fans who show our fandom’s community spirit. Last year’s winner was Ash Coyote, and the 2019 prize went to the late Tony “Dogbomb” Barrett. This year, over thirty furries have been nominated by their peers. Voting will […]
Bearly Furcasting S2E1 - Matt Baume, Grimm Fairy Tale, Media, Five Minute Furs, Taebyn Definitions
MOOBARKFLUFF! Click here to send us a comment or message about the show!
Welcome to the first episode of season #2! Bearly and Taebyn have a great time with this episode. We visit with YouTuber/Author/Podcaster/Furry Matt Baume about his writings and YouTube. Brutus joins us for Five Minute Furs. Taebyn has so many questions. We define a Taebyn Word. Bearly reads a Grimm's Fairy tale that confuses Taebyn. Come join us for some fun and mayhem. Oh, and here is the 'thing' Teabyn wanted in the show notes: \begin{pmatrix}1&2&1\\ 0&-1&1\\ 2&3&3\end{pmatrix}. I think it may be a math thing
Vulpine Taproom – Taproom in Lake Forest Park (lfpvulpine.com)
Thanks to all our listeners and to our staff: Bearly Normal, Rayne Raccoon, Taebyn, Cheetaro, TickTock, and Ziggy the Meme Weasel.
You can send us a message on Telegram at BFFT Chat, or via email at: bearlyfurcasting@gmail.com
Confuzzled part ways with Professor Elemental following public pressure on social media
On 1 May, British furcon Confuzzled has announced that their invited guest musician Professor Elemental will no longer be involved with the convention. This followed much concern on social media over Professor Elemental’s reportedly transphobic position – a 2016 retweet of an article about transgender school locker rooms. Some furs labelled him a ‘TERF’, which […]
Sweets On The Way
Oops! Remember last year, when we mentioned that Netflix was creating a new animated series based on Jeff Lemire’s critically-praised comic Sweet Tooth? Well either the news was incorrect, or else Netflix changed their mind about the format, because they just released a teaser trailer — for the new live action series. “Based on the beloved DC Comic, and Executive Produced by Susan Downey and Robert Downey Jr., Sweet Tooth is a post-apocalyptic fairy tale about a hybrid deer-boy and a wandering loner who embark on an extraordinary adventure.” All episodes will begin streaming on July 4th.
image c. 2021 Netflix
With a Song in His Heart
We’re learning more about Vivo, Sony Pictures Animation’s first musical. For one thing, they’ve released a teaser trailer — and a plot. “An animated musical adventure that follows Vivo, a one-of-kind kinkajou (voiced by Lin-Manuel Miranda), who must find his way from Havana to Miami in order to deliver a song on behalf of his beloved owner and mentor Andres (Juan de Marcos Gonzáles).” Mr. Miranda wrote the original story, and lots of songs for the film as well. It’s directed by Kirk DeMicco (Space Chimps, The Croods) and Brandon Jeffords (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2). One of the producers is none other than Rich Moore (Zootopia). Well-known voices include Gloria Estefan, Michael Rooker, and Zoe Saldana. Vivo is coming soon to Netflix.
image c. 2021 Sony Pictures Animation
Swordheart, by T. Kingfisher
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like for a sword to be a person…wait, that’s probably not a thing one would think. Even so, that thought experiment is brought to fruition in SWORDHEART by T. Kingfisher. Set in the year of 1346, the protagonist Halla is introduced locked in her room held captive by her own family. Her great-uncle Silas had awarded her his fortune after his death which angered his family. Of course, the reasonable course of action is to lock the heiress in her room until the inheritance could be secured to stay in the family. As she was about to kill herself (another obviously reasonable thing to do), a flash of blue led to a strange man appearing in her chambers: Sarkis, who promptly told her to put on some clothes.
This fascinating opening leads to a tumble of events, heart-rending in nature but always with an air of subtle hilarity. Halla is a widow without much to bind her to the mortal plane. Those that she cared for seem to be distant or gone and, though it is easy for her to form good relationships, there always seem to be thick walls separating the acquaintances from the close friends. Perhaps her constant questions centering on the mundane ward off possible candidates. Despite her incessant queries, Sarkis is eventually enamored with her for one reason or another and a game of will-they-won’t-they ensues. There seems to be something about Halla that endears her to people once they get to know her.
T. Kingfisher’s fantastic world is sure to keep you turning the pages, eager to see what awaits the vivid characters. The included inner monologues enhance the personalities of the characters and give important windows into what is left unsaid. They provide another route for the underlying comedy to emerge. The only barrier to immersion so necessary in fantasy is that the characters sound normal to modern day readers. There isn’t much time spent on dialects or grammatical structure to differentiate characters. Which is only a small bother as the rest of the world-building is sound and done well. I highly recommend this to those who enjoy infectious characters with a healthy side of comedy.
Swordheart, by T. Kingfisher
TigerTails Radio Season 13 Episode 09
TigerTails Radio Season 13 Episode 09 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.
Fuzznet Music sounds off on new growth and features for musicians
For musical furries, Fuzznet is the cat’s meow. It serves musicians like a publisher serves writers, giving them a collective home and ways to be discovered. It was last covered here in October 2020. Finn, the founder, says Fuzznet has been expanding in all directions, so here’s an update with some big and round numbers.
“We reached 600 monthly Listeners, 15k monthly Streams, and 500+ Followers on Spotify alone. We now have over 50 artists under our roof, including people like YaiSor (makes music for Adler The Eagle), TygreCub and Manicknux, and by now have 300+ songs released!
Last month was the first month we were able to reach a huge milestone of paying out profits to artists. We had cooperations with the FurryMusicians page on FA offering spots on our collective to Music Contest winners, signed a huge upcoming partnership with Entail, and supplying them with music for their marketing and branding in the future. We also had a bunch of people reaching out to work with us or request music for their projects.”
Music furs…….. listen up.
We've just partnered with @FuzznetWorld, the largest music collective in the fandom!
What does this Entail?
Stay tuned to find out……
pic.twitter.com/04IElrU6iQ
— Entail (@entailapps) March 16, 2021
Entail is a new furry art service in development and it sounds like they’ll be able to launch with a chunk of content preloaded. Finn adds:
“We also rebranded from Netlabel to “Music Collective” which is the more accurate term for what we are and do. We’re planning to launch a press release “service” (working out the details) designed both for in-house releases and other furry musicians to interview and make articles about their tunes.
We went from just being a new spot to deliver your music to and get it out, to a real factory of music, as well as true spot for growth as an artist. We’re now able to provide mastering, a Splice license (licensed samples and vocals to use for your music), and a huge collaborative and supportive space for all members.”
Support for member creativity is what furries do best. They may not be as known for music as they are for art and costume, but think again — furry music videos are often cited as the first gateways that new fandom members ever see.
Heya!
We're looking for volunteers in writing (Online Blogs/Articles) for writing about furry musicians releasing new music
We'd like to explore a concept similar to other music blogs with interviews and press releases but specified within the fandom.
DM if interested!
— FUZZNET – Furries & Music! (@FuzznetWorld) March 31, 2021
Hey there!
We'd be opening demo submissions back up for evaluation.
If you're a furry musician looking for your music to be distributed or become part of our collective for future releases, now's your chance!
DM us here or message @TraaaashPanda with a link/demo of recent works. pic.twitter.com/QEBUZNPOTl
— FUZZNET – Furries & Music! (@FuzznetWorld) April 2, 2021
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.)
Episode 489 - Fursona Non Grata - We yet live. Savrin, Shiva, and Fuzz are joined by Ky this week as a guest, where we cover DenFur's con plans, reveal that conventions do talk to each other, a murderer who liked Pony, Ky's experiences in the fandom in re
We yet live. Savrin, Shiva, and Fuzz are joined by Ky this week as a guest, where we cover DenFur's con plans, reveal that conventions do talk to each other, a murderer who liked Pony, Ky's experiences in the fandom in regards to race, and a gender reveal crater is born.
Lots of words this week!
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Southpawscast
LINKS
Wootmaster's Thread - https://twitter.com/woot_master/status/1384658400907124737
DenFur's rules- https://twitter.com/DenFurCO/status/1384291048994660356
Telegram Fan Chat - https://t.me/joinchat/P2iJg8tyj-KNGaci
Winging to Your TV
Ava DuVernay, director of Selma and A Wrinkle In Time, has a new series in the works — with dragons. Wings of Fire was a novel series, then a graphic novel — and now, a new animated series on its way to Netflix. “Oscar nominee and Emmy Award winner Ava DuVernay has landed her animated family series, Wings of Fire, at Netflix. Based on Tui T. Sutherland’s #1 New York Times and USA Today best-selling book series, the epic fantasy saga will be produced by Warner Bros. Animation… Published by Scholastic, with 14 million copies in print, the Wings of Fire book series tells the story of a bitter war that has raged for generations between the dragon tribes who inhabit the epic world of Pyrrhia. According to prophecy, five young dragons will rise to end the bloodshed and bring peace back to the land. Raised and trained in secret from the time they were hatched, the Dragonets of destiny – Clay, Tsunami, Glory, Starflight, and Sunny – embark on an evolving quest that will bring them face to face with their true selves and the overwhelming scope of this savage war they are destined to bring to an end.” Stay tooned for more news about a planned release date!
image c. 2021 Scholastic, Inc.
Interview With Fujimaru - Gundams, The Navy, & Black Legacy
Resources, Social Media & Donation Links
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BIPOC FURRY EVENTS
Mentioned Video
On March 13th (14th?) I sat down with Fujimaru a part of husky royalty largely revered for being unapologetically black on and off his streams. This "princess of huskies" digs deep into his soul to discuss topics that dig at all of us. The furries that made him feel unwelcome, the atrocities of war, and of course his deep love for gundams and anime.
There's a lot of ground to cover when it comes to what black people have contributed to the history of the US, and how they're treated today. From the effects of the insurrection to the subtle dog whistles that led to it, Fujimaru adds the insight to describe what made that day so devastating to him.
Thank you for listening! Don't forget to share with a friend!
Dragget Show 236: @ Virtual FurTheMore! - from their virtual convention over the weekend. …
from their virtual convention over the weekend. Thank you for inviting us! if you like, plz support us! http://patreon.com/draggetshow you can also donate to the show at: http://paypal.me/draggetshow dragget show audio podcast versions at: https://soundcloud.com/the-dragget-show http://draggetshow.com shirts - https://dragget.merchminion.com/ also on spotify, iTunes, etc. discord: https://discord.gg/xC8e35B telegram: https://t.me/draggetshow Dragget Show 236: @ Virtual FurTheMore! - from their virtual convention over the weekend. …
Freeing Yourself from a Tag-a-Long
I wrote this in the hopes of getting your advice regarding a person I know.
This person is called Kevin, and he is autistic. I've known him since late middle school, but I wouldn't call him a friend. You see, Kevin didn't really have friends, and because my mom knew his mom, he essentially latched onto me and would follow me around in and outside of school.
Other people didn't particularly like him, and because he always followed me around, my highschool friend group was small. Kevin had a tendency to talk a lot about things he really liked, and would often interrupt me in conversation (and the things he liked were video games and cartoon TV shows, which he very regularly derailed conversations to).
Fast forward to the end of high school, and I now saw Kevin less. I came into my own more as a person and my friend group grew larger, which was great. Kevin was still around of course, having not made friends in high school. His mother seemed to sense a distance growing between us, and would often invite Kevin to events or excursions I was planning without my permission. For example, Kevin was dropped off by his mom at a hike myself and some friends were about to start. As it wasn't TV or video games, Kevin complained during the whole hike (admittedly, he wasn't hugely active either, having zero interest in sport or exercise). This reached boiling point when one of my pals said to his face "shut up r****d". I was so embarrassed.
This brings us to now. I am currently attending college in Ireland. I love it over here (despite the constant rain) and my roommates (who are all Irish) are probably the friendliest people I've ever met.
Recently though, I started getting messages from Kevin's mom. They started harmless enough, asking me what it's like in Ireland, what my accommodation is like, etc. However, Kevin's mom started asking questions I didn't like. "Do they offer games coding courses in the college?" "I heard there's a spare room in your apartment, is that right?" "They have a games club on campus don't they?"
Kevin's mom wants to send her son all the way to Europe just to bunk in with me and my roommates. I did not leave the Midwest just to end having to deal with Kevin again.
I haven't responded to these messages, but even my own mom agrees that this idea is beyond ridiculous.
How do I respond? What do I do? I'm not Kevin's babysitter and he's not my friend. I want nothing to do with him anymore, and he needs to find his own friends, and not follow me around the world.
All the best,
Sunfish
* * *
Dear Sunfish,
You are clearly a kind person, being so tolerant of Kevin all this time and being so sympathetic to his situation. As you know, autism is not a mental handicap but, really, an emotional one in which the autistic person has a hard time dealing with social situations. They also don't like unfamiliar places and they don't like change. You represented familiarity because your mothers were friends, and so that felt comfortable to him. I am, frankly, amazed you allowed this to go on for years even though the two of you have nothing in common. His mother foists Kevin on you because she wants her son to have a friend, even an unwilling one.
You are under no obligation to be Kevin's friend. Kevin's mother is extremely rude and presumptuous to try and keep pushing Kevin on you. The proposal that he should follow you all the way to Ireland is worse than absurd. It's completely outrageous. You should, frankly, get a medal for putting up with this for so long, but at this point, they are using you so hard that it is almost criminal. You have a right to your own life and your own friends (and kudos to you for finally getting that in Ireland).
I had something similar to this happen to me in high school when this dorky kid with whom I had nothing in common followed me around, making me quite uncomfortable. What I did was, basically, ignore him and refuse to acknowledge him until he eventually got a clue. I didn't do this very gracefully (being young and inexperienced), but it worked.
I don't know if you have ever said "No" to Kevin or his mother, but it is time you start. You don't have to say anything so inept as, "I don't like Kevin. Bugger off." But what you can do is simply say things like, "There is no room for him here." Do not offer any contact information or, Lord knows, addresses. Tell your mother not to give out such information. If that doesn't work, it is time to start ignoring him and his mom. Don't answer phone calls or texts. Give them deafening silence. If you don't put your foot down now, you will be living with Kevin for the rest of your life. He is not your responsibility. And you are 100% right that he needs to start making his own friends back in America.
Don't let them push your sympathy button. Don't allow them to make you feel guilty. Kevin's happiness is not up to you. You deserve your own life, friends, career.
If your mother tries to guilt you, tell her what I said. Tell her to not give Kevin and his mom any of your contact information. If that causes a rift in the friendship between moms, then so be it. That is not your problem either. Kevin's mom is a user, and users are to be avoided at all costs because they can seriously destroy your life and happiness and make you feel guilty while they do it. It is the worst kind of passive-aggressive behavior.
I think you already know this. I hope it helps you that you have a bear here who agrees with you and is telling you that you are not a jerk for finally being free of Kevin.
Hugs,
Papabear
Bearly Furcasting #52 - Season Finale - A look at the past year
MOOBARKFLUFF! Click here to send us a comment or message about the show!
Thank you all our listeners for a wonderful year! Without you there would be no podcast. We take a look back at the year and highlight some things we enjoyed doing. We chat with a staff member and two fans about the show. We had a great time doing this podcast for all the creatures in the podiverse! Moobarkfluff.
Thanks to all our listeners and to our staff: Bearly Normal, Rayne Raccoon, Taebyn, Cheetaro, TickTock, and Ziggy the Meme Weasel.
You can send us a message on Telegram at BFFT Chat, or via email at: bearlyfurcasting@gmail.com
The Pony Century
IDW Publishing is about to hit quite a milestone in the world of My Little Pony… “This July, IDW invites readers of all ages to enjoy a centennial celebration with My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic #100, the sensational super-sized anniversary issue full of frolicking fillies and mysterious menace! The monumental 100th issue of Friendship is Magic features the work of longtime, fan-favorite contributors, writer Jeremy Whitley and artists Andy Price and Brenda Hickey, and includes a special back-up story by Katie Cook. Set officially within the Season 10 continuity following the series finale of the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic animated series, the story will be a thrill for longtime fans while remaining accessible to new and returning readers. In this landmark issue, Rainbow Dash and her companions Spitfire, Celaeno, Lyra, and Bon Bon find themselves in the Bird Kingdom, where old friendships are tested and a new, enigmatic enemy lurks in the shadows. Together, the ponies will unravel the mystery of the Knights of Harmony!” You herd it here folks.
image c. 2021 IDW Publishing
The Furry Fandom: Nirvana of Love and Acceptance or Cesspool of Perverts, Trolls, and Losers? (Editorial)
Now, he has some points here, and he is the first to stress that not all furries are this way. But, like everyone who criticizes the fandom, he makes two mistakes: 1) saying the fandom "can be better" without offering any suggestions or solutions as to HOW it could improve other than vaguely saying that furries shouldn't tolerate haters and pedos (well, no shit); and 2) somehow believing that a fandom consisting of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people should somehow be different than humanity in general. Everything he points out that is wrong about the fandom (tolerating bad people, escaping too much into fantasy) is also true of humanity in general. The fandom isn't bad because it is a furry fandom; there are bad people in the fandom and there are people who tolerate that because that's what human beings do. Furries are no different than anyone else.
Beta's vlog is just one of quite a lot of such videos blorping around on YouTube and social media. There are long diatribes from people droning on about "why I left the fandom" and whining how toxic it is all over the place. Most of them are either criticizing the furporn element or the, sigh, drama.
So, if the fandom is so toxic and shameful, you might wonder why there are droves of furries padding about in it with an "oWo" here and an "uWu" there. Well, the other side of the coin are the furries extolling the virtues of the fandom, arguing what a happy-pappy place it is full of people who will love you unconditionally and accept you for who you are and that it is all about fun and creativity.
While this is, in part, quite true, it is also--like the myth of the American Dream--in many ways a heaping barrel of horse manure. If the fandom were Nirvana, I wouldn't see many letters in my "Ask Papabear" inbox and everyone in the world would be scratching at the fandom's doggy door to get in. There is considerable drama, and yours truly has been on the defensive end of troll attacks and jerkwads on several occasions. But! There are many many wonderful furries, too! Just look at the over three dozen nominees for this year's Good Furry Award and you will learn about just a few of them.
So why is this an issue at all, and why do furries get their tails in a knot about it? Well, for one thing, the fandom has become a place to which many people escape because they are looking for the acceptance they did not receive in mundane society. While certainly not true for all furries, many furries come here because they are LGBTQ or because they have emotional or mental issues such as autism spectrum disorder (I've lost count of the number of furries who have written to me saying they have Asperger syndrome or OCD or some other anxiety disorder or depression). They are seeking a place of acceptance and have been told that the fandom is it. But what often (sometimes inevitably) happens is that when they come across some bad characters among their new social group, they find themselves rejected, say, by their local furmeet, and they feel utterly betrayed. So, they lash out at the fandom as a whole because of this, blaming everyone for their experience.
Another phenomena is Usurper Syndrome (my name for it). This happens when someone who may have felt like an outcast in mundane society suddenly finds too much acceptance in the fandom and rises (or misappropriates) a leadership role in a local furry group. Now finding themselves on the top rung of the ladder, they proceed to use their footpaws to kick people out to make a point: "I'm going to do to you what others did to me as a salve for my bruised ego." Doing this maneuver usually involves devious shenanigans to remove a group's previous leader and assume the throne for themselves. When this happens, the dethroned furry either announces that furries are all trash or says that they are "leaving the fandom."
Next, there are Furry Posers. These are people who join the fandom for all the wrong reasons (e.g. they think it is a cool way to be rebellious or to shock people) and end up causing trouble in the community because they aren't genuine. These are the people who steal art or fursuits (because they have no skills), are hungry for attention and want to be popufurs, OR, even worse, they see the fandom as a gateway to release their sexual deviancies and prey on people. These are not true furries, and I agree with Beta that they should not be tolerated within the fandom.
Finally, there is the Prude Patrol. Some of you who know furry history will recall the Burned Furs, who, from about 1998 to 2001, went on a rampage to tell all furries they couldn't have adult art (rather like the American Puritans). Of course, this worked about as well as Prohibition in the 1920s. But there are many furries out there still who get their undies in a bunch because there is furporn. My reply: if you don't like it, don't look at it. Prudes are upset because they feel furporn will be a reflection on them, so they demand it be extirpated completely from the fandom. Such people also are overly sensitive to criticism and satire from nonfurries (a famous example is the Furry Force cartoons from CollegeHumor that are just hysterical). If you can't laugh at yourself, you either need to work on your self-esteem or not take yourself so seriously.
Because of people like the above (and there are other cases, but these are some of the major ones), furries tend to be their own worst enemy. This results either in furries posting videos like Beta Eta Delota's to complain about themselves, OR! they do exactly the opposite and idealize the fandom as something it really isn't: a perfect, loving place where all are welcomed and one can indulge in a fantasy life free from real-world troubles like bigotry and social hierarchies.
Years ago, I got it into my head that the solution to all of this was to create a regulating organization that I called The American Furries Association. I even got so far as to get some volunteer staff members, hold some meetings, and commission a logo. The idea was that it would serve as a way to screen out bad furries (you would have to apply and you could be kicked out for bad behavior), prevent fursona stealing (by creating a fursona and fursuit database), and be an information resource and support group for both new and experienced furries. I had to shut the doors on it before it got off the ground because, even with some volunteers, I quickly found out it would be a full-time job to lead the AFA, and I simply didn't have the time to give it that it deserved. But a second reason was that furries simply don't want to be regulated. One of the features that makes the furry fandom unique is that it is not associated with a franchise or regulated by a nonprofit or corporate entity (unlike, say, the Trekkies or Star Wars fans). Furries tend to bristle at the suggestion they have to adhere to rules of conduct or apply for a membership (other furries have sometimes tried to create such groups and issue membership cards to little effect).
Hence, here we are: a HUGE fandom of millions of people without a cohesive, organizing body to oversee them. The furry fandom more closely resembles a Mad Max world than it does Earth under the United Federation of Planets. It's a Wild West of chaos and adventure where you find both Outlaws and Lawmen, Showgirls and Trollops, Gunmen and Healers, Christians and Native Spiritualists. You can't put a leash around it's neck and rein it in. And don't expect to produce a vlog commanding everyone to behave and expect furries to suddenly say, "Ohmahgerd! You're right! How could we have been so foolish! We will all behave now."
Beta ends his vlog by saying that the fandom could be better. Sure, everything could be better. It could also be a lot worse, just as this world could be a lot better or worse. But without any supervision--which will never ever happen--it's going to be what it is: a crapload of people goofing around in fursuits or making art, or playing games. A lot of these people are wonderful, creative, and compassionate furries, but some of them are, well, assholes. Hey! Whaddaya know! Just like the real world!
Beta IS correct that we should not excuse bad furries just because they "have a cute fursuit." And someone who is guilty of a crime such as pedophilia (someone with a criminal record for this) or other crimes such as animal abuse, domestic violence, rape, or theft, should be banned from furry events. (And, if you didn't know already, there is actually something called the Furry Convention Leadership Roundtable consisting of furcon organizers who discuss issues such as this.) He's also correct that it is unhealthy to immerse yourself in the fandom completely as a way of escaping the responsibilities of reality.
But the furry fandom in and of itself is not toxic. The furry fandom is not a kumbaya community, either. The furry fandom is what you make of it. If you bring drama to it or create drama, if you insist on associating with the bad eggs, you're going to have a bad time. Learn to separate the wheat from the chaff. Don't admire a furry because you think their suit is awesome or they are a talented artist. Get to know them as people, and be discerning in your choice of friends. Don't expect the fandom to change to suit your needs. That's like kicking a brontosaurus in the toe and telling it to change course. it's too big. It's grown exponentially from a small group of friends meeting at a sci-fi convention to a worldwide phenomenon. And it is not only growing, but it is changing as well. And it will continue to change because it is a living, breathing social movement.
I'm a furry because I love anthro art in film, TV, comic books, graphic novels, and online. I was a furry since I was about 6 years old, pretending to be Chip from Disney's Chip and Dale, not having a clue why I did it. I just enjoyed it. When I discovered that there were others like me by stumbling upon the Furry Nation website back around 1990, I was thrilled. I love the fursuits. I love the art. I love going to furcons and donning my own fursuit and being Grubbs Grizzly. I adore it. And while I am very aware of the bad posers out there and do not tolerate them, I am not going to allow them to ruin my good time.
I am not part of a "toxic" community, and labeling an entire community in this way is irresponsible at best, an invitation to hate at worst. If I thought the fandom was toxic, I wouldn't be writing this column and I wouldn't be running the Good Furry Award.
I'm not a furry because I found the fandom; I participate in the fandom because I'm a furry. The community that is the fandom and the fact that I am a furry are two separate things. Like oil-and-vinegar salad dressing, they can taste good together, but unless you shake them up together occasionally, they will separate out and reveal themselves as quite different from one another.
So, don't worry about "fixing" the fandom. It's fine. If you want to improve something, just work on yourself. We all need improving, myself included.
Stay furry!
Are You Ready?
The movie Rumble has been pushed back to next year (February, according to IMDB), but already you can start ordering the tie-in material. Rumble: The Art and Making of the Movie is coming soon from Titan Publishing, edited by Noela Hueso. “In a world where monster wrestling is a global sport and monsters are superstar athletes, teenage Winnie seeks to follow in her father’s footsteps by becoming a coach and turning a loveable underdog monster into a champion. From Paramount Animation, Rumble is a larger-than-life animated coming of age comedy. With ringside seats to the production, Rumble: The Art and Making of the Movie contains sketches, concept art, storyboards, and final stills. Featuring exclusive commentary from the creative team, plus a foreword written by [actor] Terry Crews, this extraordinary collection of art will give you captivating insights into the creative process.” Look for it at Barnes & Noble.
image c. 2021 Titan Publishing
The Haunted Den, eds. Tarl Voice Hoch and Thurston Howl
We all remember fondly all those times when we were young and sat near the bonfire, joking and playing with each other before someone, or someones, also took a seat. Everything would go quiet as these persons, each taking turns to speak, started to narrate a story. Ghosts, vampires, aliens, and more peppered our experiences throughout the night as we passed around a sachet and sprinkled the Midnight Dust into the fire as...no, wait, that was a TV show. Anyway, The Haunted Den by Thurston Howl Publications follows a similar premise: seven authors, each bringing us a ghost story, all tied by a single overall theme. Hauntings.
CW: This anthology contains references and descriptions of, but is not limited to, suicide, death, gore, violence, dubious consent, domestic abuse, among others.
The anthology has a strong start with "The Well" by Anastasia Spinet. In this story, we follow Jonah, the patriarch of a family of ring-tailed cats, and his fascination with the eponymous deep well located in the garden of his new home, one that seems to have changed hands quite often. While I liked the slight The Shining vibes and the way the main character develops throughout the story, I think that what most makes it stand out is how it mixes its "furry" elements with its plot (surprisingly, something not as common in furry literature as you might think). However, I feel like this story could have maybe used a few more pages, as once the ball starts rolling it starts feeling quite rushed with everything that happens.
Next is "The Road to Kyoto" by Alison Cybe. In this story, we follow Roka, a fox-spirit-turned-Shinto-monk in a pilgrimage who, in a manner similar to Aura, soon finds himself at the mercy of an old innkeeper and her underage daughter. The story has tension written all over it, with the main character never getting a moment of rest as danger and dread follow him everywhere he goes; however, for a short story, I feel that there were several superfluous elements introduced. A few of them do kind of make sense, aiding to the tension of very specific scenes before being discarded altogether, but others just have no payoff or any bearing with the story at all.
Changing things up a little, we have "Postmortem Plundering" by Ferric. Unlike the rest of the anthology, the titular haunting refers to a person and not a place as we follow John, a blue jay who receives an unexpected visit from a former, not-so-dead lover. My biggest gripe with this stor is how, for the most part, it feels more like a paranormal romance and not bonafide horror, only changing that tone very near the end of it (though in a very effective way, I might add); but I guess that could be a big plus for someone else who's into the actions and type of relationship being portrayed. Also, in an unrelated tangent, this story has the honor of being the only one with an individual Content Warning right at the start of it.
Next, we have "Saturn in the Sky" by Will Sidel. Kind of following the same trend as the previous story, here we have a more personal type of horror as we follow Lou, a lioness who not only has to deal with the haunting memories of her dead father, but also with his rapidly expanding corpse. While I like the setup and the relationship of Lou with her father, especially regarding the mysterious rules he had her follow, I feel like there was not much of a payoff in the end. Though I'll admit that maybe it was just me as I get the feeling that there was some underlying symbolism I didn't understand, and that left me in the dark with no explicit explanation in the text itself.
Returning to our regular schedule, we have "Snowblind" by Robert Shelters. In this story, we follow a rescue team sent to investigate a remote research station after losing all contact with it. The vivid and detailed descriptions really make this story stand out, and that coupled with nice pacing really help set the mood of the story, yet, in spite of them, the story has an overall feeling of lack of tension. The research station, in all its dilapidated and dangerous glory, feels like an aftermath for the most part (which, to be honest, it is) rather than an actual setting, and Neil, our raccoon protagonist, never really feels like he's in any actual danger.
Next is "Old Callow House" by Nathaniel "LeCount" Edwards. In this story, we follow a trio of friends as they investigate the long-abandoned house of the Callow family, left like that after the mysterious disappearance of its previous occupants. Much like in the previous story, here we can see a lot of detail given to the description of the eponymous house, its current state, and history, which almost makes it feel like the house itself was another character. Overall a nice read, but the story at times gives vibes of something that you could find in r/noSleep, both in a good and a bad sense.
Last, but definitely not least, we have my favorite: "The Buccaneer's Bay" by Nathan Hopp. In this story, we follow the host of "Trent Explorers", an otter named Trent, as he ventures into the eponymous waterpark which was abandoned after the deaths of several parkgoers. The meta-narrative format coupled with a good use of dread and tension are what made the story for me, not to mention that it has the most likable protagonist in this anthology, which made me more invested in the story and his story as a whole. My only complaint would be the epilogue, which felt kind of unnecessary.
While the anthology as a whole had a few misses, overall I can say that I had a good time reading The Haunted Den. The different takes on what is a haunting and the ways the authors handled them was interesting, and I have to applaud the illustrations by Nik Raccoon both in art style and how well they fit their individual story. However, I feel that the anthology could have used a little more developmental editing, as many of the stories could have used some very small tweaks to better play to their strengths and fix their most glaring issues.
In an unrelated subject, if the editors of this anthology - or any editor for that matter - see this review, I'd like to bring up again the individual Content Warning of Postmortem Plundering. This was a great idea (even if it was weird that only one story had it) and something that I'd personally love to see in more anthologies; especially for cases like horror, where the content and subjects are meant to disturb the reader, and you risk having specific topics that might be too much for very specific readers.
The Haunted Den, eds. Tarl Voice Hoch and Thurston Howl
TigerTails Radio Season 13 Episode 08
TigerTails Radio Season 13 Episode 08 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.