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“Dogs go wacko for Schmackos!” If you grew up in Australia, you might have this TV ad series stuck in your brain. A big reason is the hand-made, stop-motion animation (think Wallace and Gromit, from before everything went CG). These ads have quirky, nostalgic appeal for a long-standing branding win.

North Americans might have no idea this exists. That’s why I’m happy to share it as Furry News, with a bit of animation-nerd interest. Yes, the fandom has become part of pop culture down under. The official mascot for Schmackos pet treats is now crafted by Furry paws.

Schmackos has been made since 1989 by Mars Petcare. That’s the Australian subsidiary of Mars Inc. (a global brand worth over $30 billion and famous for Snickers and M&M’s). In late 2017, they approached Lucky Dog Fursuits to commission a suit for their mascot.

He’s a Jack Russell terrier named Roger, and the commission is special because the character design is already well established. Usually if you hear about branding and fursuiting, it’s about fans copying something trademarked. This is a reversal where a mascot was entrusted to an indie maker, instead of ad industry professionals.  I think it happened because fandom has raised fursuiting quality so high. They came to furries to ask for their skills, not to take over an existing fan creation – so I would call it good work and positive to fandom. It’s a high profile portfolio piece like a pro sports team fursuit. Such work can help a maker to establish a career as a “pro-fan”.

Here’s the suit maker Topaz, her business, and the finished commission of a Roger suit for Shmackos.

Lucky Dog Fursuits is a small business based near Brisbane, Australia. It has been up and running since November 2016, and it couldn’t have been more of an enjoyable experience! I have absolutely fallen in love with the craft, and can’t see myself doing much else in years to come.

• The Lucky Dog Fursuits website
• Business Twitter 
• Don’t forget the Patreon!

Work room part 1! pic.twitter.com/FKAFN1qcZ4

— Blue and Topaz @ FurDU (@TopazBean) February 22, 2018

Now!
I know you’ve all be wondering what that big secret project as all about?
Well, here it is!

I was approached earlier in the year by Mars Pet Food Company, Australia, and they needed a new mascot for their pet treat line, Schmackos! And I asked me! pic.twitter.com/Z7UmL2WpRs

— Blue and Topaz @ FurDU (@TopazBean) December 13, 2017

But wait, there’s more! Let’s look at the TV ads and how this started. I talked to Nick Donkin, animation director for the original campaign. 

The Schmackos campaign started with Flying Gherkin studio, maker of boutique work for some of the biggest brands.

Flying Gherkin is a Melbourne based animation company established by Nick Donkin in 1993. Specialising in traditional stop motion, claymation, mixed media, puppetry and live action for film and TV ads, branded content, music videos, idents, title sequences and stuff that hasn’t even been invented yet. Your eyes are going to go crazy.

Hi Nick, can you fill me in on the background and what you do?

I created the campaign in 1997 in Sydney, Australia. Directed and animated 3 x 30 sec tvcs. They were well received and won a bunch of advertising awards. I created the characters in collaboration with the ad agency and my puppet crew.

What was it like to work on them?

A lot of fun. Had a great crew. Shot on 35mm film. Good times.

How long did your ads run and who made them after that?

They played my old ads as recently as 5 years ago. I made the first three, then they gave the campaign to a cheaper company who did a really crappy job imitating my style. Anifex took it over after my initial campaign.

When fandom artists deal with tracing and more, it’s a universal complaint, it seems. But Nick’s animation aesthetic still thrills me today. Look at all the warts-and-wrinkles charm in the characters:

Here’s six ads that appear to have been made by another studio for New Zealand.

And here’s a whole “movie” – a 3 minute short that’s more than just an ad. If they made stuff like this in the US I would watch it for fun!

For a look at Anifex, here’s a 2009 Schmackos ad they made. In 2012 they won awards including for a short film, Sleight of Hand – it helps to show how commercial work supports creative art.

Says Michael Cusack, writer, director and animator of the short film: “We work on our short films between commercial jobs. Consequently, they take a long time to make! Sleight of Hand is just under ten minutes long and it took a year to complete.”

If fursuit makers get higher end commissions, it can help them do full time “pro-fan” work.

So why did advertisers want a fursuit maker when they sought Lucky Dog Fursuits?

Marketing business news says that Schmackos was off TV for two years, and in 2017, they wanted a comeback to modernize the brand. I guess the animated style ran it’s course after many years so they tried a live action dog and a guy in costume. That aired, and it seems to have led to this story.  I haven’t learned if the fursuit will be on TV, but if that’s what modernizing means – welcome to the furry future!

Like the article? It takes a lot of effort to share these. Please consider supporting Dogpatch Press on Patreon.  You can access exclusive stuff for just $1, or get Con*Tact Caffeine Soap as a reward.  They’re a popular furry business seen in dealer dens. Be an extra-perky patron – or just order direct from Con*Tact.

Ward’s Valley is a new full-color fantasy graphic novel from IDW and Top Shelf Comics. “Ward is a grumpy gnome who only wants to be left alone. He never asked for company… but when his beautiful forest starts filling up with animals, it’s more than just grumpiness that makes him nervous. Mysterious trolls are one the loose and Ward will need all the help he can get to defend Ward’s Valley.” This is interesting to note: The art is by Brenda Hickey, known for her work on IDW’s My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic series, the the story is written by Bobby Curnow, the My Little Pony series editor. Look for it on the shelves now.

image c. 2018 Top Shelf Comics

Looks as if next month IDW will release a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collection of particular note. According to them, it’s like this: “Go back to the very beginning, with the Turtles’ first encounter with the Foot Clan and their mysterious leader, the Shredder. With over 300 pages of mutated martial-arts action, this volume is perfect for fans to relive the glorious days of the Turtles’ origins, as well as an excellent place for new readers to see where the TMNT phenomenon began. Collects the first seven issues of the series, plus the Raphael and Michelangelo Micro-Series one-shots, all in brilliant color.” Yep, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Color Classics Volume 1 was written by Kevin Eastman and illustrated (and colored!) by Peter Laird.

image c. 2018 IDW Publishing

Not sure if I'm happy with the new designs but it is a new Ninja Turtles series. I will wait and see the pilot before I decide to hate this.
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Yes, this is one major problems furs have when they have to interact with humans.
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Hello everyone!

We open this week with a discussion on to best mediate conflicts in relationships. While this is a topic that we've covered before we wanted to present an alternate take from one of the main contributors from PolyWeekly, LustyGuy, as he offers his views on how to fight fair in a relationship to ensure everyone has the maximum potential to "win".

Our main topic is on transitions. During the course of last week's episode we discovered that this was a topic that we both wanted to delve into, so here we are. We talk about what the more common transitions that we will face in life are, and the ways we can best broach them, prepare for them, and thrive from them. 

We close out this week's show with a question about compatibility. Our questioner keeps dating guys that he discovers aren't compatible with him once they start dating. Is this a question of romantic connection, vulnerability, or of being true to yourself? 

For more information, including a list of topics, see our Show Notes for this episode. 

Thanks and, as always, be well!

FA 103 Life Transitions - Can you fight fair in a relationship? Can you hasten the rate of change? Should you hurry love? No... you just gotta wait! All this, and more, on this week's Feral Attraction!

Getting in on the ground floor regarding a new animated film — We don’t even have any images yet! But, here’s what we got from Variety: “Production is now under way at Cinesite in Montreal on Extinct, an animated feature being directed by David Silverman, the co-director of Pixar hit Monsters Inc. The film is a co-venture between multi-territory distributor China Lion Film, which will finance the picture, and China’s Wink Animation, part of Huayi Brothers Media. The adventure-comedy involves an adorable species of fluffy animals, called flummels. When two flummels are transported into the present day, they learn that their genus has become extinct, and travel back in time to try to save their race. The story is written by written by Joel H Cohen, John Frink, and Rob LaZebnik (The Simpsons).” According to the article, look for it in late 2020.

image c. 2018 China Lion Film

 

A very cute animation by Blankie [1]based off of TheFatRat's music track "Never Be Alone" [2]. [1] https://www.furaffinity.net/user/blankie/ [2] https://youtu.be/Ic-gZlPFTkQ
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(Content warning: antisemitic hate)

Altfurry and the Furry Raiders are toxic trolls on the fringes of fandom. These tiny groups claim to be furries, but they align with alt-right hate groups in the larger culture. Their harassment of a subculture comes disguised with bad-faith claims to support “freedom” and oppose “SJW’s.” Here’s a look behind the false front and a reminder that their hate is like oil and water to this community.

Racist hostility can’t coexist with a group full of queer nerds that’s based on tolerance and creativity. This makes altfurries uncomfortable about their alt-right associations, especially when they try to recruit – making them do two-faced, propagandistic denials that they’re “diverse” and not actually hateful. The denials are contradicted by how they look, talk, and act.

The denials are also contradicted by ban after ban for abuse on the platforms that they use for organizing. From early 2017 to February 2018, altfurries relied on Discord servers that hid behind layers of secrecy. Then on February 28, Discord kicked them out along with numerous other alt-right servers. I’ve been in contact with company reps about their investigation. What they found was as extreme as groups being responsible for murders – but Altfurry and the Furry Raiders weren’t let off the hook for the coordinated bans. They were all violating terms of service against hate.

When a company weeds out potential customers like that, money talks and bullshit walks. But if you still hear Altfurry denials, here’s a screenshot to prove beyond a doubt why they’re unwelcome on Discord. This was posted in the group – and then there’s a phone call with organizers who admit making a special channel for this.

The best propaganda move the fash have pulled was reframing their propaganda as a free speech issue.
Instead of "The Holocaust never happened" it's "Why won't anyone let me say that the Holocaust never happened?", and boom, instant support from conservatives for Holocaust denial.

— High Road Taker (@InnerPartisan) March 10, 2018

When they claim to support “freedom”, that includes explicit Holocaust denialism. When they claim “diversity”, that includes for spreading antisemitic conspiracy theories. And when they claim to oppose “SJW’s”, that’s code for evading limits on trolling and rule violation, as well as a tactic to scapegoat their targets (up to and including Jews).

After being banned from Discord, now they’re on a recruiting spree.  That’s one way to compensate for steady losses (you’d be overestimating their intelligence to tell them to give up already). ZeloxQuo, who staffed the group responsible for hate speech, and was previously exposed for assisting white supremacists with trolling, has been baiting FurAffinity users for attention. This calls for pointing out bad faith manipulation.

Giving a heads up to all my followers and friends. Keep your distance from this guy. He's an altfurry artist and recently just started finding a bunch of people to watch that don't align with his views. Just block him and ignore him. pic.twitter.com/qgcq80Rzvy

— Snowball Foxxo (@RussellTehFox) March 19, 2018

These manipulation tactics may work on oblivious or less involved members of Altfurry (and “alt-lite” catchment groups). Exposing exactly what they represent can ensure that the public won’t be fooled too.

For context about bans and recruiting, let’s look at the main organizer for Altfurry Discord, “Len Gilbert”, AKA Casey Hoerth.

Altfurry’s Diet Führer herds the sheep.

Some of Casey’s greatest hits of trolling and hate that he organized: (1) Urging members to attack Califur with swatting calls, contributing to its possible closure. (2) Supporting violence at the neo-nazi march in Charlottesville in August 2017, which contributed to the death of a former furry.

Casey styles himself as a Richard-Spencer type, PR-savvy white supremacist; the oily kind who tries to avoid open slurs and hides racist hate behind plausible deniability, euphemism and code. But sometimes it slips out anyways. Below is a video where Casey admits inviting alt-right hate groups into fandom.

His group shifted between Discord servers to dodge scrutiny, but always maintained a core of the same low hundred or so members. One of their final organizing phone calls happened on February 16, 2018 before Discord banned them. Below is an hour and a half recording plus casual transcript. You can hear Casey admit making a channel for “The Jewish Question” and call Zelox his “Gatekeeper” to help draw young kids into the group.

Transcript

The first 1/3 is all Casey, and worth most attention. It gives a feel of how he is focused on manipulating a group.

Casey was proud of getting 70 or so people to merge with his group from another one run by neo-nazi Blumiere (AKA Romulus.) They were afraid of security because the merger required a public link for a short time but it changed to vetted only. They had a “dummy” server where newbies were contained and vetted in by staff (including Zelox). Casey says his AltFurry server is different from Blumiere’s because it’s not public and has a litmus test for members being right wing, and the other one attracts a younger group, more from the alt right. He talks about lowering age to get in to 16, and how young white kids are “more right wing and tribal minded”. To introduce new members to his group, he shares his idea of what AltFurry is for and sets a goal of maybe posting a mission statement on Twitter.

Next, funny enough, he says there’s no litmus test because they’re open minded. The contradiction with his previous statement doesn’t seem to matter because he’s talking to sheep. (It’s a good example of him manipulating by saying two things at once and picking which one fits). Being “open minded” means herding together with a getting along principle. That’s mentioned at 18:40, and at 20:30, he admits that when Legofreak was going on about the “Jewish Question” and making debate a “contact sport” – he got his own special channel where Holocaust denial was welcome.

Another of their principles is being “creative” (that’s funny, because then they go on about meming, stealing art to do it, and trolling an artist who got upset about it.) They say they all do trolling, but that’s not what the group is really for – it’s really for fighting “SJW’s”. They think the left has been like a united army, and they have had people with big ideas clashing, but will fix it with organization now. (Isn’t it great how that worked out? Back to square 1…)

At the 1/3 point Casey opens channels to everyone, for boring talk about how to have artists in a channel. They stopped trying because of fear of consequences of being openly AltFur. At 1/2 way is trolling talk. One member jokes about getting homoerotic art of Casey and things get very awkward. They laugh about how “it’s all guys there” and that makes things easier.  At the 2/3 point Casey makes jealous, resentful attacks at myself and @Deotasdevil. At the 3/4 point Casey leaves and there is groupie praise for how “alpha” he was (to a tiny group with zero self awareness about being rejected losers). At 85%, a member talks of having worked with database admin and organizing/recruiting members for game servers. He conceptualizes furry fandom as a game with sides and bosses to beat. They use the term redpill about recruiting for AltFurry.

Bonus info

There’s a look behind the false front. It should be emphasized that despite Casey’s oily togetherness talk and euphemisms – the group’s purpose supported a whole channel for hate speech. Here’s some more of what was in it from “Legofreak”, who appears to be Jeremiah Maier, age 19, a Californian living in east Oakland. His Youtube channel was actually started at age 12 for sharing Legos.  (That means Casey, a 30-something year old man, is encouraging teens into Holocaust denialism.)

This hate group keeps spinning their wheels, never accomplishing anything, always looking backwards at bad, dead old beliefs, with jealousy for the truly positive and creative majority of fandom they can’t be part of. There’s a saying that the best revenge is living a good life, so ignoring them is good…  but then they’re targeting kids.  So keep making sure everyone knows it’s the wrong path that will always end in being pariahs, until they grow up and leave it.

Like the article? It takes a lot of effort to share these. Please consider supporting Dogpatch Press on Patreon.  You can access exclusive stuff for just $1, or get Con*Tact Caffeine Soap as a reward.  They’re a popular furry business seen in dealer dens. Be an extra-perky patron – or just order direct from Con*Tact.

The Trailer dropped for Unicorn Wars, a dark and strange film from Alberto Vazquez [1]'. The NSFW was mostly for language. [1] https://www.cartoonbrew.com/awards/meet-spains-hottest-animator-alberto-vazquez-swept-goya-animation-categories-tonight-148282.html
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Imagine if every Google search was measured in sweat. In the 90’s, dead-tree newspapers were the place for movie listings, job ads and more. Delivering them was my first job. The Sunday paper was the size of a log, and it hurt to climb hills on a bike with a sack full of them in the middle of a blizzard or blazing heat. Relaxing afterwards with the comics was a treat, and there used to be a lot of good strips. Calvin and Hobbes was my favorite.

Furry has had zines, newsletters, comic books, strips, and webcomics. But I’m not aware of any fandom news publication with a regular comics or art feature adding to commentary. Dogpatch Press Patreon subscriptions are almost at the goal for that. It asks why furries don’t use the political cartoon format – (Wikifur says it had “some of the earliest anthropomorphic or funny animal art.”) Maybe they need a news source to host it? Doesn’t it seem like a worthy match?

That’s why the site is going to start commissioning an artist a month for a site banner. It will link to a headline post promoting the artist. Eventually regular comics might be added, but just a banner is OK to start.

TO APPLY – submit to banners@dogpatch.press:

• Your page link, one favorite piece, and a one-paragraph bio.
• Your price for a banner for the top of this site.
• (Optional) – Price for one comic with artistic freedom (any format; panel, strip, or page)
• Price for a six month/six comic contract.

Preference goes to pro quality artists with an interesting style, message or story, who might be underexposed. Examples:

• A unique or lesser seen art style like “Toon Grotesque“.
• Nonfiction or political comics (true life stories, or single panel satire.)
• Someone outside of the US or representing a community (Latin American artists have done previous banners.)
• If you do a running comic, go ahead and use existing characters. Self-promoting in the art is great!

This isn’t a popularity contest to commission eye candy from the most-followed artists. Also, a lot of popular stuff is about sex – sex sells, and there’s no problem with that, but this is meant to promote stuff that doesn’t rely on it (that stuff already does well on it’s own). It helps to be worthy for other reasons. This is to showcase fandom potential and artists that deserve a boost.

Here’s some pieces that have previously appeared.

by Jib Kodi

For artists – about the site.

“Furry news” is DIY alternative reporting from a fandom perspective. It’s a direct line to the furry world. There’s barely any “professional journalism” about furries because you can’t get that outside and there is no “objectivity” inside. For example, I write about events I also organize because nobody else will. That isn’t just news, it IS fandom, but it still counts as news the same as zines, columnists, magazine-style commentary, or “gonzo” first-person literary reporting. It can include jokes, satire, rough edges like a band’s bedroom album, RP, and a voice like yours. The concept is “Be The Media”, and it’s for love like artists do their thing.

So go wild!

Speaking of pay and making a professional platform: some writers chatted with me about starting a market-rate-paying furry publishing outlet apart from the Big Three publishers (Rabbit Valley, Sofawolf, Furplanet). Something with a periodical magazine concept. A top furry fiction author (no name, but you know it) confided to me that fandom just isn’t ready – it’s still a small niche that only supports handfuls of “pro fans” (like career fursuit makers) so far. It’s a shoestring budget deal, but fandom is growing, so let’s see where it leads.

Like the article? It takes a lot of effort to share these. Please consider supporting Dogpatch Press on Patreon.  You can access exclusive stuff for just $1, or get Con*Tact Caffeine Soap as a reward.  They’re a popular furry business seen in dealer dens. Be an extra-perky patron – or just order direct from Con*Tact.

Things do get strange in the world of politics, and likely many people would agree that things have gotten even more strange than usual of late. And now, we can add furries to the mix! Follow us here: Vice President Mike Pence and his family wrote a book, Marlon Bundo’s Day in the Life of the Vice President, which details that very thing — from the point of view of the Pence family’s new pet rabbit, Marlon Bundo. (The text is actually by daughter Charlotte Pence, with illustrations by Second Lady Karen Pence, who is a watercolor artist.) Not to be outdone, upon hearing news of this political comedian John Oliver and his crew at Last Week Tonight created A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo, written by Jill Twiss and illustrated by E.G. Keller. Marlon Bundo is bored with his life as a vice-presidential pet, until one day he falls in love with another male rabbit named Wesley. Marlon offers Wesley his paw in marriage, but their same-sex union is loudly opposed by a stink bug — with a suspiciously familiar crop of white hair. Upon its release, the Marlon Bundo book instantly became a #1 best-seller on Amazon. It’s available now from Chronicle Books.

image c. 2018 Chronicle Books

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reminder that these stream FRIDAY @7pm on YouTube if you would like to join the chat! for all things Dragget: www.draggetshow.com Here is video of it w/ illustrations and more! -- youtu.be/b7_mOg-Hw3M Our Patreon w/ great new rewards! www.patreon.com/thedraggetshow Telegram Chat: t.me/draggetshow Dungeons And Draggets #08 - reminder that these stream FRIDAY @7pm on YouTube…

I'm not a wolf but I kinda want to be one now.
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Hello,

​I was wondering if you can help me with something. You see, my first experience with the furry fandom was when I was 13 years old or so. But the thing is, I got exposed to the NSFW side of the fandom and became addicted to it for a few years now. I had the idea to join in the fandom and try to stay on the clean side. Unfortunately, it was not the case as still have the addiction. Sometimes I even have had thoughts on wanting revenge on those who make this kind of art material and how a lot of furries don't keep this kind of stuff private on facebook and twitter that makes it really easy for kids to view it. I only just want to be a good person a lay my demons to rest. Also, if I do actually want to be in this fandom, I might be afraid because of being viewed as immature or as some kind of degenerate and whatever terms and labels people have been throwing around, I know some people say furry is also just a label.

Thanks, Anon

* * *

Dear Furiend,

Thank you for your letter, which allows Papabear to address some interesting subjects.  You sound as if you have a lot of guilt over being sexually stimulated by furporn.  First of all, as a teenager it is completely natural that your libido would be on overdrive.  Sex is pretty much on the brain of all young men (and women) because that's when you are the healthiest and most fertile.  It's a Mother Nature thing.  Most people become very stimulated by "normal" pornography on the Internet.  In fact, porn sites are the most accessed of any type of website on the Web.  (Interestingly, the Bible Belt states have the highest rate of porn access in the United States).  Is furporn worse or more "degenerate" than any other type of pornography? No, no it is not.  Do furries look at a lot of porn?  Yes, many do--some more than others, of course.  Is furry all about porn?  Certainly not.  Furporn is just one small aspect of a very interesting and diverse fandom; however, to deny that it is also a fascination for many furries would be tantamount to sticking one's head in the sand.

Why do some furries look at or create furporn? Are they secretly zoophiles? No. I have a number of theories on this matter about which I am writing more in-depth in my upcoming book.  One theory is that fursonas create a mask over our sexual proclivities--a buffer, if you will, protecting us from our culture-promoted embarrassment and anxieties over being sexual animals.  It is the same reason, for example, why I, as Grubbs Grizzly, felt much more comfortable performing on stage in fursuit than I ever would have as myself: you feel less vulnerable, more protected against criticism or guilt.

Another theory is that furporn allows us to be more free in expressing our animalistic sexual desires.  In furporn, no one worries about protection, for example, and there is a sense of liberation in letting it, shall we say, all hang out. It also relieves anxiety over being homosexual ("It's not me doing this, it's my fursona") or having a fetish of some kind. The factor that furries do not exist in real-life places furporn high on the "this is just totally fantasy" list, making it feel safer because one knows that having sex with a dragon or anthro wolf is never going to happen in real life, so there, again, is the relief from anxiety and anticipation.

Seeking "revenge" on furporn artists will not help you, as you likely know. First of all, there's no way you will get rid of furporn, no matter what you do. It's here to stay. Secondly, furporn didn't create sexual desires in you; you already had those and porn just provides you with an outlet.  Thirdly, don't feel guilty about it.  Human sexuality is extremely diverse, and it can be imaginative and highly creative in a good way (the only bad kinds of sexuality involve anything in which sex is forced against someone's will--rape, sex with children, for example). When sex is consensual and done safely, it is actually a healthy practice that fosters social bonds and even love. 

Finally, if looking at furporn made you a reject in the fandom, then yours truly would be a reject, too. I don't think I am, so you should be cool.

Re-examine why you have these feelings of guilt and shame. Is it because YOU think furry sexuality is bad, or is because you feel society thinks it is bad and will reject you?

Hugs,
Papabear

Sex. The biological imperative to reproduce. The thing saving every species from extinction. But some people don't enjoy or have an interest in sex. Why not? Is something fundamentally wrong or is this a new valid sexuality coming to light? Caudle joins Roo and Tugs to discuss the world of asexuality in this episode, while also contrasting it against the openly sexual world of furry. We also have Space News, and olde timey ad, and more!




NOW LISTEN!
Show Notes
Special Thanks

Caudle, our guest
Simone, for the ident
Kit
Kira
Cubz T. Wolfe
Amethyst

Music

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

Patreon Love

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


Docos, the Doritos Locos Taco Tiger from your local Taco Bell!
 
Artorias Ichisake and Kit


Rifka, the San Francisco Treat!

Lokimutt and Guardian Lion and Cody and HotSauce
Plus Tier Supporters

Skylos
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Simone Parker

McRib Tier Supporters

Ilya / EpicRive

Next episode: Big and small. BIG and HUGE. Teeny and Tiny! Our next episode is MACRO and micro! Send your comments by March 23, 2018! S7 Episode 11 – The Big A - Sex. The biological imperative to reproduce. The thing saving every species from extinction. But some people don't enjoy or have an interest in sex. Why not? Is something fundamentally wrong or is this a new valid sexuality com

Hey, remember Tentacle Kitty?  The little plushie feline with 10 wiggly things?  Well she’s been growing in popularity, enough that now Dark Horse Press bring us the Tentacle Kitty Coloring Book. “Tentacle Kitty, or ‘Pink One’ as she was called in her tribe, is a kitty from another dimension, that happens to have tentacles. After a series of unfortunate event, she is trapped on Earth trying to find a way home. Armed with ten tentacles, an adventurous spirit, and new friends, what could go wrong?” Featuring 96 pages of art by the likes of John Merritt, Amy King, Yishan Li, Brittney Williams, Aubrey Aiese, and Rootis Tabootus, it wiggles its way onto book shelves this coming May.

image c. 2018 Dark Horse Press

To close off the FWG Awareness week for March, we’ve reached out to editors, authors, and publishers in the furry fandom to bring you a short reading list of works touching on post-colonialism and the development of cultural identity in former colonies. While not a common topic both within furry literature and outside it, such themes can be found in the stories listed here. Please bear in mind that this is by no means a comprehensive list, though!

Furry Short Stories:

• “We Are One” by Thurston Howl (from ROAR 8), a sci-fi horror story about finding a paradise supposedly untouched. To say more would give away spoilers.
• “Migration Season” by J.A. Noelle (from Seven Deadly Sins), a story about the clash between cultures and the cost of pride.
• “Long Time I Hunt” by Erin Lale (from ROAR 7), which follows a wild cat spirit through time, starting with its connection to Native Americans through to present day.

Furry Novels:

• Memoirs of a Polar Bear by Yoko Tawada, which follows three generations of polar bears in a circus.
• Barsk: The Elephant’s Graveyard by Lawrence M. Schoen, set in the distant future where humans have vanished and their uplifted animal creations have built their own society.

You can find the furry anthologies and novels here:

• ROAR 8: https://furplanet.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=905
• ROAR 7: https://furplanet.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=877
• Seven Deadly Sins: http://thurstonhowlpub.storenvy.com/products/21737903-seven-deadly-sins-furry-confessions
• Memoirs of a Polar Bear: https://www.amazon.com/Memoirs-Polar-Bear-Yoko-Tawada/dp/081122578X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521217819&sr=8-1&keywords=memoirs+of+a+polar+bear
• Barsk: https://furplanet.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=838

Non-Furry Novels and Series:

• Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, a novel with two overlapping story arcs, both of which focus on Okonkwo. The first arc focuses on his fall from grace within his tribe, and the second focuses on the culture clash that devastates Okonkwo’s world when aggressive European missionaries arrive.
• Cities of Salt by Abdul Rahman Munif, a story of the disruption to a poor oasis community after oil was found there.
• The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy, set in Kerala, India, 1969, this story follows the trials and tribulations of a family as it tries to cope with cultural changes.
• The Alliance-Union books by C. J. Cherryh, an expansive series that follows Earth and its interstellar colonies as they declare independence, expand and encounter other species, and the conflicts that ensue.
• The Ancillary Trilogy by Ann Leckie follows a former ship’s AI trapped in a human body as she tries to learn what it means to be an individual, and uncover the act of treachery that tore her former life away.

(All of these can be found either at your local bookstore or on Amazon.com!)

Many thanks to Mary E. Lowd and Kiris, whose suggestions helped us put this list together!