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TigerTails Radio Season 11 Episode 20
Furries You Meet at Camp Tiny Paws (August 2018)
Photo: twitter.com/thebecwar
When you’re tiny, less is more. When you’re a real-life 4-legged guinea pig named Tiny, having a convention named for you is a big honor. And for a moderately sized community, a smaller con can bring outsized fun.
That’s the vibe I got from my trip to this 2nd-year convention in Danbury, Connecticut. It drew around 300 attendees. Where I am in the San Francisco Bay Area, “the world’s greatest concentration of furries per square mile” (wikifur) has casual monthly meets that bring hundreds. It can be too much to keep up with. Do you ever get that feeling? Try events where furries are less dense. It’s like a throwback to a fresher, younger fandom.
Organizers K’gra and Nobody bring lots of positive energy for that. It cuts through negativity of current events like a rainbow laserbeam. They laughed about me being a mild, laid-back California dog person, and said “I can’t believe you came all the way here for this!” I said, “I can’t believe you invited me!”
Being a Guest of Honor came with a duty to support the con. The panel I did on self-employment (and DIY power of fandom) was well attended. Other well-known furry names gave support too. Meeting Uncle Kage and Boozy Badger made me appreciate them for bringing their mix of long experience and newer yet super vocal membership. And not just themselves, but their family and friends.
One of the most common comments about this year's camp was the amount of programming we had available.
Well that is thanks to all of you who took the time to develop and hold panels! We cannot thank you enough!
Some cons are party cons, but @TinyPaws_Con is def a con of crafts, creation & spaces that are designed to let kids have fun & be kids!
Me personally i love when theres an art jam & kids are loudly schooling us all on how to draw. Some of that confidence is infectious
Welcoming kids and families makes sense in a fandom that started over 30 years ago. It doesn’t always please people who want a party vibe, but there’s already dozens of cons with special focus, from waterparks to casino activities, so why not let kids and parents have just one?
Sometimes there’s also attitudes that furries can’t handle themselves well enough (often from people with no connection to events, no kids or reason to criticize). But of course they can. Every parent does grown-up things to have kids, and then they raise them. That’s THEIR job.
Every kid I saw seemed to love their parents for letting them come and hang out with friends their size, including when I helped judge them in the talent show. Otherwise I stayed on the sidelines and hung out with the older crowd in this article (who had their own things to do, including room parties), but it was super nice to see them wear the cartoon art I did for the con:
Heck ye @TinyPaws_Con pic.twitter.com/xiJ3Wi4Pzr
— Seaka / Tea (@seafloof) August 26, 2018When I was a kid and first discovering the furry fandom, I would have loved to have conventions like @TinyPaws_Con and have older furries like @BoozyBadger to talk to. – @DaltonRaccoon
Anyone who’s been paying attention to Furry fandom’s demographics knows the average age has been trending younger over the past decade. Kudos to folks providing safe and age-appropriate programming so kids won’t be left out. Our fandom will keep growing and thriving as a result. – @XydexxUnicorn
More than the programming set this con apart. It might not be obvious until K’gra made a topic that got some good answers.
Serious question...
Are there any other female furry conchairs out there (or even any in any other fandoms you know of)? I am referring to women who serve in the primary executive position of a con.
Similarly, what is the highest-ranking female at our furry cons?#VisibleWomen
At Tiny Paws, everything was all right. If you hear noise online about “the fandom is divided” or that any certain group is unwelcome, look at this growing event. If new, experienced, young, grown-up, male, female, and different people can all make a healthy mix, the future is in good paws.
More pics – check out the adorable kids in the talent show!
The @TinyPaws_Con camp photos are now posted up at the camp's flickr account! Check out the photos from some of our many panels and events, and some of the many amazing fursuits that we had this year.https://t.co/aRr4GvBcGo
— theBecwar (@thebecwar) August 23, 2018Summercat and The Furry Library – a collection from the 1970’s to now, with stuff like the con book from ConFurence 1.
LET'S GET TINY! At @TinyPaws_Con with @Bengaley and his Furry Library. pic.twitter.com/pu0j0S0ilK
— Dogpatch Press (@DogpatchPress) August 17, 2018Sure it was the very last event but I finally did get to suit at @TinyPaws_Con . At just under 300 people it's the smallest con I've attended, but I've had a lot of fun.
I was invited as a guest of @DogpatchPress but Im seriously considering the 5 hour drive for next year, too. pic.twitter.com/bnVNTe5sjK
Beeton Nukicoon – won “Koda’s Choice” (and secretly, my top vote) in the talent show for a song from Newsies. It was so good people cried.
Happy #FursuitFriday courtesy of @TinyPaws_Con
Me, doing what I do best! Singing my heart out for all of ya'll!! pic.twitter.com/QuyM2HiqqS
Saiko Kitty’s first furry con and cool new shades.
She’s from East Hampton CT, and told me she does go to others like Dragon Con. She said these events can be exciting and overwhelming and hot but she was having fun for sure. (From xSaikoMaikox on Furry Amino:)
While it was a super small con, (hence the name) it was actually kind of nice at the same time. You got to know everyone there and that’s much different from what I’m used to since I usually attend conventions with 15,000+ people. At larger cons you never see the same person twice, but here everyone had a familiar face and that was definitely a welcomed change for me! I ended up leaving happily with some loot in hand, (a travel sized fursuit tail for Saiko and some cool new shades) and can’t wait to go to another furry convention soon! x3
Brer Badger of M&T Comics – watching the fandom evolve.
His specialty is furry comics. Based in New Jersey, he mostly does furry cons east of the Mississippi. He saw the registration double in the 2nd year and hoped the dealer den would pick up. He was at the first FurFright (organized by some staff of Tiny Paws) and has been friends with K’gra for a long time. He did a “history of the fandom” panel for Tiny Paws.
Brer Badger sees the fandom constantly evolving. New generations come in, from age 16-30, but there’s also long time members in their 60’s like him staying with it. He said Furry would grow and change unlike others, because ones like SF fandom have a base in very structured TV shows and movies. If you went to a Star Trek show and wore the wrong shirt and insignia, you’d catch a lot of criticism. But here you can be a yellow and pink dragon with purple polka dots and you’re not wrong, everyone loves it.
Saba (King Sabear) – I bought that shirt.
@kingsabear told me that everyone is so friendly. Saba came to the con with 2 friends from Long Island. They got into furry when they happened to meet at Mochafest (an indie comics show in NY City). They had furry art and recognized each other was into that.
Ed from Dragon’ Lair: grew up in retail, and Anthrocon is his biggest setup.
(Online shop: Anddragonsohmy.com – Facebook: @plushizoo.) Ed told me he’s been in business for almost 35 years. He does about a dozen cons a year (geek, fantasy, and furry) and is otherwise retired from teaching computer sciences for 40 years. He came to support Tiny Paws while it’s still getting started.
The business is run by Ed, his wife, and a few helpers. He’s interested in doing a panel: “are you nuts to go into retail?” He grew up in it. He says con dealing is different from a 7 day a week business – if you don’t want to go, you don’t have to. He refined it a dozen times over the years since starting at a flea market. It’s had products in and out of fashion from bumper stickers to kitchen gadgets, fantasy figurines, ceramics, shirts and plushes. There’s some net sales but most happen in person. Some shows don’t make a profit with a lot of costs including travel, tables and paying help. The biggest setup they do is Anthrocon.
Matt & Darce from RCSI Publishing – met on alt.fan.furry and got married.
(Web: rcsipublishing.com – Twitter: Darcsowers). 5 years ago they moved to the area from Boston. They were out of the con scene for years, after trying to print comics with others but there was a business setback. They loved AC for the parade. Putting cons in summer is weird because it must be hot in the suits! Furry is a friendly welcoming group to them. Finding it came after being into stuff like Redwall and Ducktales, but they didn’t even realize it was furry until learning there was a scene from alt.fan.furry. One commissioned the other for a furry logo, they started dating and got married.
Rainbowz Pinata – being furry is really being human.
(Twitter: @RainbowzPinata) Her local scene is near Washington DC, where she teaches. She loves the fandom and having a creative place for kids to express themselves, especially people with no outlets because everyone needs one. She said we’re all people having fun, and anonymity can help people be more human with less judgement. When you get to choose a species we can laugh about it and it doesn’t matter. The real world is often divided by race but being furry is really being human.
Rainbowz met a Jewish woman who brought her kids because she heard about the con but didn’t know what furry fandom is. They came to find out and had a blast. They couldn’t participate in work and tech because the Sabbath is a day of rest, so it was perfect to do crafts and get face painting. Having a family oriented craft room was good for kids and the panels were good for parents.
The kids loved hugging her and she got dogpiled by 3-4 of them. Her suit is personally made. She paid about $500 for fur and did hand sewing while her husband did machine sewing. The hooves were made with a folder from the dollar store.
Grandpaw – a multi talented fur with beekeeping, American Sign Language, and fursuiting.
(Twitter: @deaftech99) He loves helping the community, and works for the largest Beekeeping supply company in the US. (Technically it’s livestock agriculture.) They donated a bee box for the charity auction, that’s a starter hive costing $125-150 and was one of the most bidded on items. It will help the con to have year 3. He donated honey for dealers and passed out candy from his work. He also will have a member of the beekeeping society come do a panel (every area has one, they teach hobbyists how to keep bees). I joked about bringing their best behaved bees and he said they bring an older comb to explain how they are built.
Grandpaw has hearing loss so knows ASL for that. He’s the polar bear that signs, and does lip reading with cues. He did an ASL panel that got the largest crowd of all panels he’s done and filled the room. He will definitely do it next year. @graysonAwelch made silent suiter tags (it crosses over to fursuit pantomime acting). There are a number of deaf furs, and he and Indigo from Furthemore love educating about it. It helps people feel more normal about getting out in the community. So does furry.
He got seriously into fursuiting by trying on a suit borrowed from a friend. They were friends for 7 years before meeting face to face the first time. He says it’s wonderful to give others the experience of being in a suit. It helps when there is anxiety in the way of talking to people. After that it feels good to be outgoing and talk without panic attacks.
Effluvia and Scents Fur All – those look good enough to eat
Look what’s in store for next year (a fighter for a better fandom).
I'm so incredibly excited to share with you all that I'll the the guest of honor at @TinyPaws_Con 2019!
Find me there with @CadmiumTea, @BuddyGoodboyEsq, @KgraTinyPaws, @NobodyTinyPaws and so many others for a fun and relaxing furry weekend! pic.twitter.com/0hH9nsZtJL
(@DeoTasDevil) August 19, 2018
It's official!
Camp Tiny Paws will next be held on
August 9-11, 2019
and
August 14-16, 2020
at the Crowne Plaza Danbury!
Pre-reg will be opening 1/1/2019! Keep an eye out the week before for a chance to win a special prize!
Dealer applications will be opening 2/1/2019!!
1/
Does THIS Cat Walk Through Walls?
Our crew visited the Long Beach Comic Con, and as usual the Artist Alley did not disappoint. Among our discoveries were Rachel Walker and David Cone, two artists who paint (and make other goodies) under the name Edge of the World Art. “We are purveyors of things strange, magical, and fashionable.” And, it seems, big fans of cats — especially black cats. Visit their web site and see what we mean. As you can see, if you’re in Southern California you might find them displaying at several locations around the area regularly.
image c. 2018 Edge of the World Art
SPECIES: Foxes, ed. Thurston Howl
Species: Foxes was published in 2018 by Thurston Howl Publications and edited by Thurston Howl himself. The anthology holds thirteen short stories centered on one of the the cleverest species, the fox! The book opens with the first and oldest tales about the fox. It is from those that we can see where the myth of the cunning and clever fox originates—a kitsune tale, a story of Reynard, and an Aesopian fable—before coming to the modern furry stories, starting with Mary E. Lowd. “Fox in the Hen House” by Mary E. Lowd is where the fox stories turn to modern authors, though the story’s exceptional quality could easily mark it as a classic. Henry, the newly orphaned fox, is adopted by Henrietta and the other chickens in her coop. The story tackles the nature of a fox and raises the question of can we really choose to become anything other than what we are? Told with a nostalgic style, this story reads like a modern fable or folktale. It is easily one of the best-written in the collection. Next is “The Harvest Moon Ceremony,” written by NightEyes DaySpring. The first time reading the story left me confused, though a second reading managed to clear things up. The story shifts between perspectives of Maleekie and Rata, and it is not distinguishable right away who we are following, as the time also shifts between past and present. Coming from the White Moon tribe, Maleekie is Rata’s rival, a fox capable of magic and a protective brother. Tying their paths together is their love of Aki, a songstress. After forbidden love ends in tragedy, it splits the two foxes even further apart. While the shift in perspectives and time skips are troublesome, I say the story itself is worth a read. “A Part of The Family” by Kittara Foxworthy was an interesting story. It’s a futuristic story, though that’s not immediately apparent. While it doesn’t do much for the story besides the setting, a sentence about a fourteen-year-old bearing a child made me pause, just from the sheer lack of set-up. Victor and Terry return from a family trip with their kits to discover that Terry’s grandmother has passed away in their absence. Being gay and therefore the black sheep (or fox in this case) of the family, Terry and his partner are distanced from the family. Though a nice story, with a message of love and acceptance, there wasn’t much reason why it centered on foxes. “Face Value” by Jasen Devlin Jaden Drackus is set in the era of the the Mafia bootlegging business. Sam, a fox thief, is hired to disrupt Salvatore Russo’s, who is top of the gangster food chain, ball and allow for Caprio to take over. Sam however has other plans. In the true nature of the fox archetype, the story holds a cunning twist. The author himself was clever to use animal senses to lead to this story’s reveal. “A Trustworthy Fox” by Colin Leighton leads the reader into the story by playing the “untrustworthy fox” card but keeps the reader in with twists that follow through until the very end. Another art thief, this time by the name of Lesley Delavinge is preparing to make his name as a member of the Granger Gang. Gaining the trust of Alec Granger, the master thief, Lesley has to lead the thieves into Lord Redmayne’s estate and make off with his artwork. The story stood out to me because, just when you think you have the plot figured out and the story is about to end, it keeps going for another jerking twist and leaves the reader satisfied by the end. “Songs in the Garden” by Matt Trepal is written as delicately as a painter’s brush movements on a canvas. The world in which it takes place appears alive and pops out of the pages with its details. The construction of the story made me feel that there was more history to the work than presented, like it was part of a novel. Brolio, a traveling musician, is invited by the Duchess herself to perform at the palace for the Summer Festival, where an evil plan is to be enacted. While the story’s plot is simple, it is well-written and satisfyingly executed. Taking a slightly different and darker turn, “Street Fox” by SignificantOtter surprised me for its theme and how it dared to be different. Maple is a con artist, forced by his addict father to hustle on the street with his games and sleight of hand. A change happens in Maple’s life when Danny offers to team up with the fox and save enough money for a better life. The story deals with abuse, addiction, and hurting yourself to protect the ones you love. I thought this story was not only relateable but also memorable for its boldness and satisfactory for its concept. “The Fox-Man” by Amy Fontaine is the only story in the anthology to feature humans, though the story is not to be taken lightly. Muties, animals with the ability to turn into humans, are at war with their creators. Hidden under a force field in an abandoned theatre, the group of actors practice and perform plays for an invisible audience. The Fox-Man has a unique plot and fits well with the theme of the anthology. It holds fragments of a Greek tragedy, and the story is written like a play that could be performed by the actors themselves.“Pictures” by TJ Minde calls the phrase ‘love thy neighbour’ to mind, and it makes me mad because we all know that one person who is exactly like the character Frank Jones in this story. Jack Thomason’s story is told in a time shift between past and present. We watch the fox find joy and lose it. Jack holds onto memories through his photographs, the present reminding him of his past. When Frank Jones turns out to have alternative motives, I found myself rooting for the the main character, hoping that they would find a way to win. TJ Minde does a fine job in making the reader care about the characters and the crosses they bear.Species: Foxes features many good stories, and, while they vary in quality and memorability, they all make for an enjoyable read. Most stories play on the stereotype of the trickster fox, the clever one who is always trying to put one over everyone else, but others only scratched the surface of that idea and instead focused on going in a whole other direction. Thurston Howl from Thurston Howl Publications has done an excellent job in picking the featured stories and editing the anthology, and I am sure he will continue to do so in the future. A Slow Friendship
Now there’s a new full-color graphic novel for young readers, written and illustrated by Graham Annable (director of The Box Trolls). Peter & Ernesto: A Tale Of Two Sloths — pretty straightforward, yes? “Peter and Ernesto are sloths. Peter and Ernesto are friends. But Peter and Ernesto are nothing alike. Peter loves their tree and never wants to leave, while Ernesto loves the sky and wants to see it from every place on Earth. When Ernesto leaves to have a grand adventure, Peter stays behind and frets. The two friends grow even closer in separation, as Peter the homebody expands his horizons and Ernesto the wanderer learns the value of home.” It’s available now from First Second.
image c. 2018 First Second
FC-306 Pineapple Centrist - A full spec episode, plus a live interview with the creator of an upcoming art commissioning platform and escrow service.
A full spec episode, plus a live interview with the creator of an upcoming art commissioning platform and escrow service.
Watch Video Interview:Fox from Artconomy.com joined us to discuss his upcoming art commissioning platform and escrow service.
Link Roundup:- Photos of CJ being a Good Boy
- Bad Dragon sponsors race car
- Jury Fines Man $1 USD For Punching Charlottesville Rally Organizer
- Bojack Season 5 Returns September 14th
- Virginia man erects electrified fence near school bus stop to keep kids off property
- Horny Dolphin Causes French Beach to Close
- Police Arrest Man For Allegedly Having Sex With Dying Beaver While High On Methamphetamine
- Mystery Kangaroo in Austria still on the loose
- Googly Eyed Fish Fraud
- The Never-Ending Race To Concoct The Bluest Blue
- Extremely Unlucky Beachgoer Gets Hooked In The Genitals By A Stingray
- Kodi – Thanks for everything!
- Lieutenant Foxx – Just a few things I’d like to say…
[Live] Pineapple Centrist
A full spec episode, plus a live interview with the creator of an upcoming art commissioning platform and escrow service.
Interview:Fox from Artconomy.com joined us to discuss his upcoming art commissioning platform and escrow service.
Link Roundup:- Photos of CJ being a Good Boy
- Bad Dragon sponsors race car
- Jury Fines Man $1 USD For Punching Charlottesville Rally Organizer
- Bojack Season 5 Returns September 14th
- Virginia man erects electrified fence near school bus stop to keep kids off property
- Horny Dolphin Causes French Beach to Close
- Police Arrest Man For Allegedly Having Sex With Dying Beaver While High On Methamphetamine
- Mystery Kangaroo in Austria still on the loose
- Googly Eyed Fish Fraud
- The Never-Ending Race To Concoct The Bluest Blue
- Extremely Unlucky Beachgoer Gets Hooked In The Genitals By A Stingray
- Kodi – Thanks for everything!
- Lieutenant Foxx – Just a few things I’d like to say…
203 - god pissed on our pizza!!! - Patreon: www.patreon.com/thedraggetshow www.drag…
Patreon: www.patreon.com/thedraggetshow www.draggetshow.com Be sure to check our website for all Things Dragget Show! Podcasts, videos, merch and more! Also, don't forget we stream the D&D sessions Sunday at 7pm Central on YouTube! YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/DraggetShow 203 - god pissed on our pizza!!! - Patreon: www.patreon.com/thedraggetshow www.drag…
204 - Draggets Having Fun??? - Patreon: www.patreon.com/thedraggetshow www.drag…
Patreon: www.patreon.com/thedraggetshow www.draggetshow.com Be sure to check our website for all Things Dragget Show! Podcasts, videos, merch and more! Also, don't forget we stream the D&D sessions Sunday at 7pm Central on YouTube! YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/DraggetShow 204 - Draggets Having Fun??? - Patreon: www.patreon.com/thedraggetshow www.drag…
Cool Stuff From Europe. Finally. Maybe.
Last year we mentioned 44 Cats, an animated TV series from Rainbow Studio in Italy. Well now according to Animation Magazine (in their preview of the upcoming Brand Licensing Europe convention) it may just have found its way into North American markets. “44 Cats, produced in collaboration with Antoniano Bologna and Rai Ragazzi, follows the daily adventures of Lampo, Milady, Pilou, and Meatball – four adorable kittens who are part of a music band named The Buffycats. From their home in the Clubhouse (Granny Pina’s garage), they set out on to creative solve problems and help others while highlighting tolerance, diversity and acceptance. The show will debut on Rai Yoyo in November, whilst other broadcasting deals have been signed with Nickelodeon (multi-territorial), Discovery Kids (Latin America) and Super RTL (Germany). Major broadcasting deals in France, Russia, UK and many other countries are also in the pipeline.” Here’s hoping. Oh, the article also features a look at Mofy, a new stop-motion animated series from Sony Creative Products. “The story centers on Mofy, a fluffy, lovable rabbit who each episode learns about the world around her, discovers and understands feelings and emotions, and learns to be kinder and braver.” The show is already a hit with the preschool set in Japan.
image c. 2018 Rainbow Studio
Bear and Butterfly
Jim Benton is a comic creator known for titles like Dear Dumb Diary, It’s Happy Bunny, and other titles for younger readers with a sense of humor. Now IDW is previewing his latest graphic novel, simply titled Clyde. According to Comics Beat: “Arriving in February from IDW / Yoe Book, Jim Benton’s Clyde is an original graphic novel that follow Clyde the Bear as he moves from Cubville to Grizzly City (with an ex-juvenile delinquent butterfly) to see if The Bad Life is for him”. It’s a ways off still, but look for it in paperback next February.
image c. 2018 IDW Publications
Snake Oil Salesmen: Mind Games
Here is a seriously indy furry music video from Snake Oil Salesmen and this one has me sitting here wondering if these guys are in the fandom or not. There is always an occasional music video where people run out and get bad costumes from a shop that just look like bad mascots but in this case I just don't know. Anybody know these guys?
View Video
Brazil Furcamp (Foxtacy and ChaosRider) - South Afrifur Pawdcast, 2 September 2018
Explore “The Depths” adult furry webcomic – interview with the creators.
Meet webcomic writer Leilani. She’s interested in discussing furry webcomics, experience working with them, and how furry artists can be more successful with them. We chatted together with artists ABlueDeer and Kino Jaggernov about their project.
What is “The Depths”?
The Depths is an adults-only webcomic featuring anthropomorphic creatures in a historical alternate-Earth setting from the 1920s through the 1930s. The narrator is Leilani Perierre, a beautiful, brave, and savage sea otter. The webcomic focuses not only on Leilani’s origins growing up on a remote paradisaical island, but also her tales of romance, mystery, and epic adventure – above and below the deep blue sea. “The Depths” doesn’t just relate to the sea, it also relates to the soul. The cast includes Leilani, daughter of a tribal chieftain in the South Pacific, David (Leilani’s main love interest), Malana (Leilani’s foil), Kalea (Leilani’s BFF), Jamie (antagonist and foil to David), and Thierry as a French detective whose story is mostly unknown.
The creators say:
The Depths hit the internet in March of 2017 and generated buzz immediately. While the project is now doing regular weekly updates, it was slow going until funding was gathered for artwork. At the time Leilani, the creator and writer, was struggling with a foreclosure on her and her cousin’s home, and a lack of clientele coming forward for her other line of work, social media marketing and PR. Everything seemed to change when she joined forces with artists ABlueDeer and Kino Jaggernov. Business picked up and the Patreon, which launched this past April, now has 49 subscribers. The Depths ranks among the top 100 Most Read webcomics, based on Belfry’s comic List, and ranks in the Top 20 on Top Webcomics’ list. Not bad for only 36 pages.
Here’s a discussion with the team about The Depths, its growing success, and webcomics in general.
DP: What exactly is The Depths all about?
Leilani: Well, it started out as just a character. I had had the sea otter character for many years, and I’d written so many stories about her adventures on her own private South Pacific island. Finally, someone remarked on one particular story I did and mentioned how awesome it would look if illustrated. I’d grown up with comics all my life, in fact, my college thesis was on comic book censorship, so I got really excited about the idea. Of course, I lacked the artistic abilities.
ABlueDeer: That’s where we came in.
Leilani: Exactly. *laughs* I had known ABlueDeer for a while and we’d worked on a few comic projects already. So it was an easy choice, because he has a huge, loyal fan-base. The Depths is an erotic fantasy, but from a female point of view, and amidst the gratuitous sex and nudity, there’s drama, adventure, peril. And that’s really hard to find these days. I’ve written stories that feature sex and nudity, but they intertwine with drama, comedy, the supernatural, even horror, so I’m hoping my writing will translate well to The Depths.
DP: How did you two get into this?
ABlueDeer: Honestly, the main reason I got into this was because I wanted to help Leilani see the dream of seeing the comic become a reality. We’ve been friends for a good while already and I thought it was the least I could do to help her take the step forward. The idea of The Depths being an historical adventure in the 1920s, including mystery-solving, adventure, and some level of sexiness was very interesting to me too. I have a special weakness for stories that exist within an historical setting. And of course the share of drama that Leilani is giving the story makes it even more interesting.
KJ: Leilani and I have been friends for a long time too, and The Depths is her baby. When her comic needed a little extra help, I wasn’t going to leave her in the lurch. No way.
Leilani: A lot of people are already commenting that the webcomic reminds them of those vintage South Seas movies on television, or they equate them to the 1940s or 1970s pulp comics with a South Pacific Island setting or twist. I think that’s what’s really selling it so far, that it’s bringing the past back to life. It’s not a modern-day story, but the art really makes it look phenomenal and real and very modern.
DP: What’s your impression of the overall popularity and content so far?
KJ: It’s pretty amazing how fast it’s taken off. It’s only 36 pages old and already it’s got a pretty significant following. Leilani has worked very hard on the script, and I’m personally fueled by the drive to see this project succeed. As far as the content is concerned…well…I’ll admit, I have a fear of the ocean, of deep water. I’m terrified of it. So, you can draw your own conclusions, I think! *laughs*
Leilani: I think KJ’s been a real sport and is very courageous not to let fear distract from the art. Someone commented to me that when she views the comic, she truly feels like she’s underwater. That’s the kind of emotion I love to see, when a comic can take you to another world – even if it’s just under the sea. That speaks highly for these two wonderful artists.
ABlueDeer: I believe any amount of attention the comic gets is well deserved. Not only because of my share of work, but of course because of Leilani’s writing and Kino Jaggernov’s incredible coloring and backgrounds. I believe the story has a lot to tell, judging by its most interesting and captivating arcs. But it is only starting, so it’s natural that there’s only potential in the future. I can only hope that it will keep running for years and years as Leilani wants it to.
Leilani: I just love seeing what I’ve written being brought to life each week in such bold, brilliant colors, and great poses and layouts. Before we even launched the project, we did a survey and managed to get responses from over 200 people. 95% thought The Depths would be a hit. So far, they’ve been right. I encourage anyone who wants to start a webcomic to first speak to a large online audience up front, at least 1,000 people, and offer a survey. Get their input, consider it, and if you love what they say, use it.
DP: What’s your view of the webcomic industry today?
ABlueDeer: Spiky subject. I believe there’s not an industry per se right now. The Internet allows anyone to share their creations and points of view, and so it’s a very difficult market, with so much competition. But there’s probably space out there in the internet for webcomic creators to make a living from their webcomics, a bigger market that still needs to be explored and become efficient as an industry.
KJ: It’s certainly different than it was when I first started out doing comics. Back in the early 2000’s, everyone had these grand plans of being able to support themselves on their art alone. Most of them are either dead or the creators have just moved on. There’s still some awesome comics out there, but they’re a lot harder to find because I think a lot of people think, ‘Why should I spend hours of scripting and drawing each page which will be quickly read in a minute or two, when I can just play some video games badly, swear a lot, and post it to Youtube? I’ll get way more views!’ Webcomics hit a saturation point a long time ago, and the only ones left these days are the ones who don’t take it seriously or the TRULY passionate.
Leilani: I think that’s what really makes me feel good about The Depths. It IS to be taken seriously, it’s not funny, there’s not much humor to it, so if it’s doing as well as it is, it must mean there’s some passion in the story and art here. We’re in the time when, KJ’s right, you can get your fifteen minutes of fame for doing almost absolutely nothing. So if someone wants to bring a webcomic to life, it shouldn’t be for the fame, much less the fortune. There are already lines formed around the whole planet for that. You should do a webcomic because you just want to see it done, and you don’t care what John Q. Public has to say about it. I know The Depths won’t please everyone, and that’s not the aim. The Depths pleases me, and a lot of other people. That’s what’s important.
DP: What kind of future then do you see for the webcomic industry?
ABlueDeer: Well, we’re in a new era and industries seem not to be the future. So maybe, what we’re seeing now in the world of webcomics is what there will be in the future: plenty of small places and small communities supporting themselves to survive and become better, and maybe, in the long term, become popular enough throughout the world to become a larger part of the culture of the world as a whole.
KJ: The comic industry itself isn’t exactly doing well, despite the popularity of superhero movies. While there’s still a future for them, it’s a future that’s being kept alive by the truly inspired, because unlike movies or streaming video or games, the comic industry isn’t really seeing much, if any, growth. Should that passion die, the only webcomics that will be left will be small hobbyist strips, I think.
Thanks to these hard working furry artists for taking time for a chat! If you like what you see, visit Leilani’s Patreon to help make more of it.
Dragonkeeper
Now we find out a bit more about Dragonkeeper, a new CGI film in development which we talked about recently. Animation Magazine just gave us an update: “London-based sales company SC Films International has snapped up international rights to Dragonkeeper, an upcoming animated family feature from Spain & China, based on the first novel of Carole Wilkinson’s series. The author is adapting her own text with director Ignacio Ferreras (Wrinkles), Rosanna Cecchini, Pablo Castrillo, and Xiamping Wang. Jianping Li is co-directing with Ferreras. [The] synopsis: In ancient China, dragons were once friends of men, but men’s greed and lust for power ended their alliance, and these wise and magical creatures were hunted down by the Empire. Years later, in a remote fortress, a young slave girl named Ping strikes up an unlikely friendship with Long Danzi, the last of the imperial dragons. Learning the power of Qi, Ping helps the dragon escape from captivity and together they journey across the Empire in order to save his lineage, chased by the Emperor’s men and pursued by even darker powers… Ilion Animation Studios, the Spanish shop behind Planet 51 and Paramount’s forthcoming Wonder Park, will handle production alongside China Film Animation and Dragoia Media.” Still no word on a planned release date, but at least we know it’s coming along. Stay tuned.
image c. 2018 Dragoia Media
Liam Lynch: Be An Owl
Liam Lynch being his usual glammy self and looking like he is in an episode the the Mighty Boosh. Lyrics: Here comes a leopard and a raven Here comes a tiger. What’s he cravin’? There’s a spider, a coyote Creeping over, walking slowly A lion. A cheetah Laugh at darkness like a hyena The frogs sing with the crickets Be an owl an owl an owl Be an owl an owl an owl Be an owl an owl an owl Wolves prowlin’ in the night Sniff you out just to take a bite Be like an owl Awake while they howl Don’t blink til’ the daylight Some things can see you in the night Be like an owl Awake while they growl Here comes a leopard and a raven Here comes a tiger. What’s he cravin’? There’s a spider, a coyote Creeping over, walking slowly A lion. A cheetah Laugh at darkness like a hyena The frogs sing with the crickets Be an owl an owl an owl Be an owl an owl an owl Be an owl an owl an owl Be an owl an owl an owl While the bats are taking flight Hold your ground, you’ll be alright Be like an owl Be like an owl Be like an owl Here comes a leopard and a raven Here comes a tiger. What’s he cravin’? There’s a spider, a coyote There’s a viper, moving slowly A lion. A cheetah Laugh at darkness like a hyena The frogs sing with the crickets Be an owl an owl an owl Be an owl an owl an owl Be an owl an owl an owl
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Trailer: BoJack Horseman Season 5
Cottons [1] The Secret of the Wind, by Jim Pascoe – Book Review by Fred Patten
Submitted by Fred Patten, Furry’s favorite historian and reviewer.
Cottons [1] The Secret of the Wind, by Jim Pascoe. Maps, illustrations by Heidi Arnhold.
NYC, First Second, July 2018, hardcover, $19.99 (242 [+ 22] pages), Kindle $9.99.
Watership Down is known for its creation of a language and religion for its rabbits. Cottons, a deluxe hardcover graphic novel trilogy, has a rabbit history, religion, geography, industry, currency, and “magic”. This is mostly presented as background information in the unpaged epilogue to this first of three volumes.
The story takes place in the Vale of Industry, one of two vales in the World of Lavender (which is much less realistic for rabbits than the rabbit world in Watership Down). The Vale has two main species of inhabitants, the prey rabbits (called cottons) and the predator foxes.
The main protagonist is Bridgebelle, an apparently ordinary doe working in Wampu’s carrot factory. The Industry page explains:
“Sometime during the Tooth Age, an industrious rabbit named Rekra had a wild idea: if rabbits eat carrots for energy, then there should be a way to extract the energy out of carrots in a more pure form. After many failed experiments, he discovered a method of refining carrots into a light orange powder called cha.” (p. [255])
“Wampu Industries”, where most rabbits work, refines carrots into the cha that powers all rabbit materialism. Also rabbit art, but creating art is considered a waste of needed cha. Due to the need for more and more cha, there are less and less carrots for food, leading to a growing hunger problem. Bridgebelle would rather be free to use cha to create objects of art (called thokchas), but this gets her a reputation of being lazy, frivolous, and wasteful of cha.
In addition, the foxes (all shown as evil villains) are trying to force the rabbits to turn the carrot factory over to them. They want the factory and the cha for different reasons: Marrow Winterborne to kill the rabbits and gain a supply of endless power; Sylvan to enslave the rabbits and use the cha to lead the foxes to the Black Sun and summon the Broken Feather King, the ruler of Empyrean, the cottons’ Hell (but it is in the sky); and Vor for the cha as an opium-like drug to which he is addicted.
Besides Bridgebelle, there is a large cast of cottons: Glee, the worker brother of the fox-killed Soozie, who was Bridgebelle’s best friend; Thom Croquet, an artist who encourages Bridgebelle irresponsibly, and Thom’ old father Jhon, a carrot farmer; Wampu the industrialist and his foreman Lavit, interested only in increasing production; Toriji, Loniji, and Samiji, three believers in the cottons’ Windist Curatus religion (they have their ears bound up); and more.
The convoluted plot is that Soozie is killed leaving a secret that her brother Glee tries to solve; Thom Croquet tries to make more thokchas in an attempt to “do something important” through his art; the foxes jockey for power among themselves – it’s all impossible to summarize; so much is going on. But it’s interesting enough that the reader is drawn to keep reading to find out what happens next.
What makes Cotton so appealing is Heidi Arnhold’s detailed, attractive art. She makes the carrot factory intriguing with all its workstations, dials, and gages. The cottons don’t wear clothes, but they do have harnesses to hold pockets, and there is a reference to their having worn clothes in the distant past. All the characters stand out sharply from each other. Both Pascoe and Arnhold are described as having experience in the comic-book industry. This trilogy is a bravura advance beyond that. The Hollywood Reporter has an animated trailer.
Cotton is described as a trilogy, so it’s not a surprise that this ends on a cliffhanger. Cotton [2] The White Carrot will be published in July 2019, and presumably Cotton [3] The Curse of the Vales is scheduled for July 2020.
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