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Hello Everyone!

We open this week's show with a discussion on how self-control is just you empathizing with your future self. We look at an article that discusses your brain (with words that Metriko barely can pronounce) and how empathy and self-control are merely two sides of the same coin. It's an interesting lead in because-

Our main topic is commitment vs. autonomy in a relationship. As a relationship develops and becomes long-term, partners often struggle with balancing how to maintain their independence without sacrificing intimacy in the relationship. We discuss the definitions, pitfalls, and tribulations that are often encountered in such encounters, and ways that you can work to help stabilize your relationship. It's a real romp of a topic and one to get 2017 off with a running start!

Our closing question is from a bisexual guy who has issues emotionally connecting with ladies and problems performing anal sex with men. Is he doomed to be a straight player or is this just latent homophobia? We unpack this question and offer some less accusatory answers to his questions.

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

Thanks and, as always, be well!

FA 052 Commitment vs. Autonomy - Are empathy and self-control related? Can you be committed in a relationship while maintaining your autonomy? Is a bisexual guy secretly homophobic? All this, and more, on this week's Feral Attraction!

A happy new year from CGI house Illusorium Studios!
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Ha Huy Hoang is a freelance animator and character designer who signs his work with the name Splendid River. Over at his web site he has many samples of his work, and also a short trailer for Rescue, a 2D animated film he is working to complete. A chubby wolf must discover his inner hero when an evil monster kidnaps the love of his life — a pretty mushroom. Yes. Also for sale at the web site are his books of character design sketches, Toontastic and Animatoon.

image c. 2017 by Ha Huy Hoang

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Another fine mashup from isthishowyougoviral with NSFW lyrics. What do you expect with Eminem?
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Here’s an artist who also puts things quite simply: “Justin Hilden is an animator and illustrator based in Los Angeles. He loves possums and Scandinavian pastries.” Based on the former at least, Justin created an animated short film called Oh Possum, which can be viewed on his web site. There you will also find an extensive essay about his creative process of dreaming up the possum brothers, Switch and Ellsworth, and bringing them to life through animation. You can also see episodes of The Roadents, a series about two gophers on a road trip that Justin created for Bix Pix Entertainment and Sony Pictures Television.

image c. 2017 by Justin Hilden

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Black Swan (BONUS ENDING)
The story isn't over yet. See more at: http://www.TheRaccoonsDen.com FACEBOOK: http://www.Facebook.com/TheRaccoonsDen TWITTER: http://www.Twitter.com/TheRaccoonsDen FURAFFINITY: http://www.FurAf... From: The Raccoon's Den Views: 2365 16 ratings Time: 02:56 More in Entertainment

From french film production company Studiocanal [1] comes a a film about snakes and a scorpion. Yes, snakes. It may be some time before we get an English version of this. "The incredible adventure of a little snake ready to do anything to regain the love of his life. Tired of being the pain-sufferers of their community, Ajar the snake and his buddy Pitt the scorpion decide to try their luck in the neighboring oasis where the high bourgeoisie of the Saharan desert lives and to find Eva, a beautiful serpent of which Ajar fell madly in love. It is the beginning of crazy adventures that will lead them to cross the desert in the pursuit of love and even more to the discovery of themselves ..." [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/StudioCanal
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It seems as if we’ve been seeing trailers for A Dog’s Purpose for a long long time now, but it’s finally set to actually hit theaters at the end of this month. It’s a live action film directed by Lasse Hallstrom (The Cider House Rules), based on a novel by W. Bruce Cameron. Josh Gad (Frozen) stars as the interior voice of a domestic dog, initially named Bailey. We say ‘initially’ because after several years living with a beloved human boy, Bailey dies… only to be re-born as another dog with another human companion.  And so on and so on, different lives as different dogs with different humans… until, several lives down the road of eternity, he meets up with Bailey’s original companion. IMDB has more.

image c. 2017 Amblin Entertainment

Karen Krajenbrink describes her job quite succinctly: “I do art.” Going into perhaps a bit more detail, she elaborates: “Associate Art Director at a mobile gaming company by day, freelancer by night. I’ve worked in games, film, and TV for art direction, visual development, character design, story, pipeline creation, BG paint, prop design, and technical pitches.” Add to that one more achievement: In 2015 she completed her first illustrated children’s book called Fox & Boots, “… a 24 page story about friendship, love, and loss, illustrated in full color.” It’s available at her store, along with her sketchbook and several art prints. [Let us wish you all a Happy and Safe New Year in 2017!]

image c. 2016 by Karen Krajenbrink

Another artist with a distinctive style goes by the distinctive name of Edwardian Taylor. He works as a concept artist, storyboard artist, and children’s book illustrator. According to his web site, “Edwardian Taylor has always loved to draw.  It became so bad, that his parents had to hide his crayons from him because when he was out of paper he would draw all over his bedroom walls.  He got familiar with the uses of cleaning supplies at an early age, but this never kept him from drawing.” Among his interesting current projects is a new book called The Animal Alphabet Fairy Tale Edition, which presents each letter of the alphabet via a different creature from myth, legend, and classic literature. His Shop also has a collection of his books and art prints.

image c. 2016 by Edwardian Taylor

​Dear Papa Bear,

I have been a part of the furry fandom for about 3 years now, but I have only become active in the fandom about a year ago. I consider myself an artist and I make furry art all the time. I'm hoping to attend a con sometime soon as well. One thing that I really want to get is a fursuit. I only want a partial because I know I could grow out of a full suit quickly. I want one mainly to entertain and to advertise my character at conventions. I'm willing to save up the money, but my parents do not really understand why having a suit is important, or why it is not a waste of money. One of their main arguments is that I would never wear it. I know they can cost around $1,000 or more for a decent suit, so I could see their point. I don't have any big issues with paying for college or a car, so I do have room to buy one. I just need a good reason to justify my purchase to my parents. They tend to think that people who go to cons are weird, and I know that they are not entirely wrong. I've tried to explain to them that being yourself and expressing your hobbies is not a bad thing when in the right places. I don't exactly know how they would react to the fursuiters at cons, so I need your advice. How can I convince my parents that fursuits are not weird and that it is not a waste of my money (and yes I know that fursuiting is a little weird, but you know what I mean.) 

Thanks,

James the Arctic Fox (age 14)
 
* * *
 
Hi, James,
 
Smart of you to only get a partial for now, since you are probably still growing. Also, if money isn’t an issue for you and you save up the money for yourself, then you should be able to purchase what you want to without having to get parental approval, especially if, by the time you get a full fursuit, you are 18 or older.
 
Secondly, furry is a hobby, right? Many hobbies can cost a considerable amount of money. For example, golfing, skiing, SCUBA diving, horseback riding, etc. These are all things that could easily rack up hundreds of dollars in costs over a short period. Would your parents consider these things a “waste of money”? We all need some fun and hobbies in our lives, and I bet they wouldn’t criticize such pursuits. Therefore! Their objection is not the money; it’s the hobby itself, right? “Waste of money” is code for “We think that’s weird and don’t want you to do it.”
 
So, is fursuiting “weird”? Well, no stranger than being, say, a mascot. If you wanted to dress up as a lion for a local high school team, would that be weird? Oh, no no, heavens no, because that is related to socially sanctioned sports, so it’s cool. Is fursuiting weirder than people going to Star Trek conventions and dressing up as Vulcans and Ferengi? Again, it is the furry thing your parents object to.
 
Oh, here’s something interesting, too: if you are trying to be an artist—a professional, money-making artist—and create a fursuit to promote your business, your fursuit is tax deductible as a marketing tool, so maybe you could use that as an argument, too. Quite a few furries make money doing this sort of thing.
 
Finally, fursuiting is a lot of fun! Don’t your parents like you to have fun? I love donning my bear fursuit and having people wanting to give me a hug because I’m a cute fuzzy bear. It’s a way to interact with others and to bring fun and joy into people’s lives. What’s weird about that?
 
In summary: fursuiting is fun, a fursuit can be a marketing tool, and fursuiting is no stranger or more expensive than some other hobbies out there. And, anyway, you can't hug money, but you can hug a furry. Argument made.
 
Hugs,
Papabear

​Dear Papa Bear,

I'm going to a furry con next year and for fun I thought I'd share a room. I found someone in a Facebook group I'm part of and we quickly made plans. However, in my excitement that I finally found someone didn't really look into the guy until after the initial arrangements. Turns out based on his Facebook likes he is a diaper fur. Now normally I am a very open minded individual and not much bothers me when it comes to people's kinks but diapers by their very nature disgust me and I don't if I could stand to be in the same room as the guy. Just knowing someone puts what I consider to be one of the most disgusting objects in the world on their body makes my skin crawl. 

How do I explain to this guy that I just made this arrangement with that his fetish makes me physically ill and I'm going to have to back out on our deal? 

Is there still a way I can make this work? I feel like such a tolerant ass and I know he going to hate me. 

Typhon (age 32)
 
* * *
 
Hi, Typhon,
 
This is a lesson in checking people out before you agree to room with them, isn’t it? But now that you have told this furry that he can room with you, it would be quite dishonorable of you to tell him that you changed your mind: be a man of your word. It’s your fault you didn’t check out his background more thoroughly and not his, and you might ruin his plans to go to the furcon if you back out now. Not cool.
 
Now that you have made this deal, it doesn’t mean you have to have an uncomfortable time of it. As I understand it, most diaper furs wear these garments under their clothes anyway, so you’re not going to see anything. Just to make things clear, though, you should lay some ground rules about sharing the room (many of which should be agreed upon with roomies at furcons as a matter of course, anyway).
 
For example, you can tell the guy you are a bit shy and to please change clothes in the bathroom and you will do the same. Tell him you have learned he’s a diaper fur, and that while you are not going to forbid him from being himself, you would like him to please be discreet about it because it is not something you are into. To reciprocate, ask him if there are any things that bothers him and agree that you will not do those, either.
 
In addition, request some standards be put in place: promise him you will not be messy and ask him to do the same (this should cover things like leaving diapers around; ask him to please dispose of stuff or keep it packed away). If food is eaten in the room, clean up after meals. Don’t leave wet towels everywhere, etc. Depending on what your idea of fun at a con is, you might also request “please do not bring hook ups to the room—I don’t want to walk in and see you having sex.” Or some such thing. Now, if you plan on doing stuff like that yourself, you can do a simple signage system, if you know what I mean (you’re 32, so you probably do), so that if someone is using the room for naked fun, the other promises to stay out (within reasonable hours, of course).
 
In short: don’t be a jerk. Don’t go back on your promise (as long as he honors his to pay for his half of the room), and don’t say things like “your desire to wear diapers makes me physically ill.” Be respectful, but ask for his respect and consideration in return. Since you’re both paying for the room (I assume), he also has the right to ask for some space and consideration, too.
 
Who knows? Maybe you’ll actually like this guy and become friends. If not, consider it a lesson learned and be more careful next time you arrange for a roommate.
 
Have fun at the con!
 
Papabear

Fandom Intro: Switch (Series Extra)
Check out Switch's introduction vlog to the fandom, where she shares her fursona info, background and more! See more at: http://www.TheRaccoonsDen.com FACEBOOK: http://www.Facebook.com/TheRaccoo... From: The Raccoon's Den Views: 1083 14 ratings Time: 01:16 More in Entertainment

Man, It's been more than a year since seeing anything from this film and we finally have a US release date of February 24th ... and a new trailer. This is the trailer currently in theaters.  
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For such a horrible year Glove and Boots try to look on the good things this year. The only thing they left out is Zootopia. I mean! Stripper tigers ... amiright? [1] [1] https://furry.today/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Untitled.gif
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Fandom Intro: Flash (Series Extra)
Check out Flash's introduction vlog to the fandom, where he shares his fursona info, background and more! See more at: http://www.TheRaccoonsDen.com FACEBOOK: http://www.Facebook.com/TheRaccoons... From: The Raccoon's Den Views: 1208 17 ratings Time: 01:16 More in Entertainment

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The Saga of Atlas & Axis is a very special collection of comic books that chronicles the adventures of these two anthropomorphic dogs, Atlas (Afghan hound) and Axis (Terrier mutt). Friends and neighbours in a settlement in the early middle ages, they’re forced to undertake a new life of adventures when a tribe of violent canines from the north devastate their village and enslave the few survivors, all in their absence. They travel to rescue those alive, they meet other characters in their path, and beyond their initial mission, they devote themselves to finding new discoveries in their notably animal-anthropomorphic universe.

 
The saga as conceived by Pau, its artist and scriptwriter, consists of four volumes with a story with continuity. Created almost simultaneously in Spanish and French, the publishing of the fourth volume will be in the coming months, which concludes its story (at least for the moment).

 

 
Its style is very furry. This means that it makes use of an animal anthropomorphism which, some say, is the most common in the fandom, the closest to trends within the fandom or in current media. The characters are humanoid animals (mostly dogs) who, while they have a similar cognition to our own, and they’re bipedal and use clothing and tools, they also have particular traits and habits specific to their own species. They mark their territory by peeing, they follow trails with their sense of smell, and they easily fall for a lady dog, to then fall in love with a different one after a short while.

 
This gives the comic and its characters an adorable charm, which contrasts with the harshness of violent scenes, not especially bloody but clearly explicit. The world of Atlas and Axis is one where neither well-being nor survival is assured (rather the reverse), but every little achievement is a reason for joy and celebration. Although they don’t always make the best decisions, whatever the situation, the two doggies try to keep going as best as they can.

 
The Saga of Atlas & Axis reminds of other European comics, such as the adventures of Astérix and Obélix. Nevertheless, the comic from the canine duo is full of small funny gags that give it its own identity, and give context to its universe. Such is the case, for example, with the poor sheep, who for some reason sometimes explode.

 
Pau, its author, is a Spanish illustrator native from Majorca. Active since the mid 90s, besides publishing his own comics, he’s published cartoons in newspapers and magazines, including the Belgian magazine Spirou. Also stands out for furry his collaboration with the French publishing house Delcourt (2006), illustrating the fable of ‘Les Deux Chèvres’ (‘The Two Goats’) in a compilation of fables by Jean de la Fontaine, whom we spoke about in our previous report on fables.

 
GM: Hello Pau! The Saga of Atlas & Axis is a very personal comic, isn’t it so? It has been a passion project for many years. You are the sole author of the script and the drawings. Were you inspired by personal events? Why did you want to tell this story?

 
P: That’s right. Initially it was my bet for becoming a professional comic author. I wanted to make a comic with international success, and I studied what makes good comics good. For many years I’ve been doing newspaper jokes on current affairs and politics. Most “adult” themes can also be told to children in a subliminal way, disguised within stories. I think they’re more effective. On one hand I wanted to show my point of view on significant topics, some a bit philosophical… and on the other, I made use of my personal experiences of course. My experiences with my dogs, my excursions and trips, which is where we learn, and reflect on, the most.

 
GM: A subject that’s always present throughout the comic is violence. This clashes, as it happens in other instances with animal-anthropomorphic material, with a universe where things are pretty, cute, ‘everything’s so adorable’… then bam! An arm’s cut off! It reminds me of Game of Thrones in a way (without the court intrigue). Where does this animosity stem from?

 
P: Yup. We currently slightly trivialize violence, because we see it so much on television. With “cute” animals violence is really violent, it’s more impactful. Violence exists in the animal world, I try to address it like they do in animal documentaries, as something inevitable, not cruel but normal. In documentaries, lions eat gazelles, and they’re for all audiences. And I also like stories to thrill, I think excitement is one of the strengths of The Saga of Atlas & Axis.

 
GM: In this more civilized world (though every different society in the comic thinks they’re the most ‘civilized’, and something similar may happen to us), it makes us question our belief that being alive is a right; in the universe of the comic it is a privilege. So was the case not long ago among humans some centuries ago, and such may be the case in other countries (in those where they’re at war, for sure). But, this fits well with the rest of animal behaviour of the characters.

 
P: Well, we’re still animals. And war is not something that happens in other countries and not our own. Look at Ukraine for example, a country in our vicinity, just about to enter the EU, and without realizing it they’ve started a war. Our stability is very fragile, as History shows. Sometimes we believe we’re superior to animals, or different from them; in the Saga the ridiculousness of that attitude is exposed. They too believe themselves to be superior to other animals…

 
GM: Why, specifically, did you choose animal characters, or anthropomorphic animals, instead of people?

 
P: Mainly for three reasons. One, because I think it’s easier for the reader to identify themselves with the characters, since we’ve all been pups and many we’ve had doggies. Another one, because through animals I can better show emotions and attitudes that we consider human. All emotions are shown in a stronger manner, I aim to the most primitive side of the reader’s heart. And another reason, is because I enjoy drawing animals more

 
GM: The inking is flawless. The color contrast is highly distinguishable. The shading is subtle or non-existent, typical ‘cartoon shading’, which gives it a distinctly comic look. There are really beautiful vignettes, especially when there are water reflections or landscape panoramas. Is it digital art? Was it drawn by hand? How did you draw it?

 
P: Thank you! The color is digital, the drawing and inking were done on paper. I don’t like being in front of a screen for long, burning my eyes, but digital color lets you rectify easily and prints almost exactly like you choose to, unlike color on paper, which often changes too much. The drawing and the inking I can do on paper, in a traditional way. I uploaded some videos on YouTube on the process of creating the comic pages, the videos can be seen at my channel “Pau cartoonist” (link⇒).

 
GM: Aaah, I see there you’re using Adobe Photoshop, is that your digital tool of choice? And a tablet, of course.

 
P: Well, it’s the only one I know how to use a bit!

 
GM: It says in your blog that the fourth volume of The Saga of Atlas & Axis is already published (in French). How do you usually write, in French first? In both languages and you publish the French one first? Do they translate it for you?

 
P: After several years it’s mixed in my head, sometimes Axis surprises me saying something in French that doesn’t fit so well in Spanish, other times they use expressions in Spanish that can’t be translated… a funny thing I wanted to do throughout the Saga was using animal phrases and idioms, such as “putting one’s head in the wolf’s mouth” or “it’s raining cats and dogs”, and it turns out many of them exist in several languages. Unfortunately, some are lost in translation, but luckily, I’ve had very good translators for the different languages, who follow the spirit of the work and sometimes find phrases in their language, related to animals, that are super fun and don’t exist in Spanish. Yes, the fourth volume was published in French in September, and in Spain we’re waiting for the comic book convention of Barcelona (March 2017).

 
GM: The fact that it’s published first in French, does it have anything to do with the French / Belgians reading more comics?

 
P: Yes. And also, the French / Belgian publishers usually pay authors sufficient royalties in advance to allow them to draw the comics.

 
GM: About the translation into English, is it definitely going to be published?

 
P: The publishing company Titan Comics bought the rights, and will be publishing it in May of 2017, in the US and UK.

 
GM: When you started the comic, did you intend to finish the saga at some specific moment? Is the fourth volume the last volume? Might there be more?

 
P: I had an ending thought out, but I could have delayed it indefinitely. The publisher preferred that I keep it to four volumes, so I used that ending. It concludes the story well. But, you know, Star Wars were only 3 movies and look at what happened later…

 
GM: Oooh so it ends there… I was going to suggest that you put a Golden Retriever in the story, but okay…

 
P: Hehe, many friends asked me to include their dogs Atlas and Axis themselves are based on real dogs, one mine and the other from a friend.

 
GM: What comics would you say had the most influence on you? Which comics do you like the most?

 
P: I could make a very long list of comics and authors I like that influenced me greatly, and I’d still leave many unnamed. But I like to mention them, because I might uncover them to some readers. I value them when they’re well drawn, and that they tell interesting or amusing stories, well-told stories: Tezuka, Corben, Moebius, Segar, Will Eisner, Disney, Toriyama, Munuera, Uderzo, Goscinny, Rosinski, Van Hamme, Bryan Talbot, Otomo, Sakai, Mordillo, Quino, Blain… Max… Jan…

 
GM: Ah you name big ones. And others I don’t know.

 
P: Franquin, Hermann, McCay… They’re also great, I recommend them!

 
GM: You’ve also published other comics, and you’ve worked with the publishers of Spirou. Is there any other project you’d like to highlight?

 
P: I made short stories for Spirou, and two small comics, many of them with animals. As far as more ambitious projects go, I have some with animals like Atlas & Axis, but set in different times. I plan to make a whole collection. (Shows the image)

 
GM: Oh how cute! What animal is Curtiss Hill?

 
P: He’s a dog. He’s the famous pilot doggie*

*(translator’s note: ‘And another pilot doggie!’ is a common shout at fairs where stuffed animals are used as a prize.)

 
GM: Besides what we’ve talked about so far, would you like to add something?

 
P: I could say that I’m probably the only one who instead of walking his dogs, my dogs walk me, because Atlas & Axis have taken me to comic conventions and fairs from different cities in Europe. And I’ve learned to bark in different languages thanks to their foreign editions. Seems true that animal language has no frontiers!

 
GM: Oh how cuuute

 
GM: Thank you very much for answering my questions, Pau. And a hug!

 
P: You’re welcome, thank you for your interest in the Saga! Likewise!

 

 
‘The Saga of Atlas & Axis’ is available for sale in Spanish through Dibbuks (link⇒), volumes with approx. 80 pages in color, at 16 € per volume. They’re also available for sale in French through the publishing company Ankama (link⇒). Pau has his own blog at Blogspot (link⇒), where you can follow his ventures.

 

The entry ‘The Saga of Atlas & Axis’: </br>Review and Interview </br>with Pau its Artist appears first in FurryFandom.Es.