Your Guide to the World of Furry Fandom
Once again, from out of nowhere, this one. We’ll let Image Comics explain it: “Journey into the thrilling world of international espionage as one of Britain’s most covert MI-6 divisions, The Nest, recruits a brand-new secret agent to their team: SPY SEAL! An exciting new comic series-reminiscent of The Adventures of Tintin and Usagi Yojimbo.” Spy Seal is written and illustrated by Rich Tommaso (She Wolf) and the first full-color issue is available now.
image c. 2017 Image Comics
Things take a furry turn once again over at Vertigo’s Astro City comic. (Remember that gorilla drummer?) This time, it’s canine costumed crusader. From Previews: “Meet G-Dog, possibly Astro City’s most unusual superhero ever. Half man, half dog – but who’s running the show? The answers will change a life, reveal another hero’s deepest secrets, and possibly, just possibly, save the world. Oh, who are we kidding… they’ll definitely change the world. Do you see that handsome face?” Issue #47 hits the shelves in early September.
image c. 2017 Vertigo
We got this from Marvel Comics themselves: “They say every dog has his day — and this is Lockjaw’s! The Inhumans’ prodigious pooch takes the lead, teleporting into amazing adventures! When the Avengers and Inhumans come to blows, Lockjaw shows he has a nose for danger! With Attilan in turmoil around him, the colossal canine has his own agenda in an all-time classic tale that could only be named ‘Woof!’ What a revoltin’ development for the Thing when he spends the day babysitting and dog-walking — with Lockjaw on the end of the leash, it’s slobberin’ time! Plus: The humongous hound helps the homeless, has the Inhumans in dogged pursuit, and goes digging for his Original Sin!” Collecting together previous adventures of Lochjaw by a variety of artists and writers, the Lockjaw: Dog Days full-color one-shot is available now.
image c. 2017 Marvel Comics
Wayward Raven is the name of a small press comic book publisher founded by Mark C. Frankel. More recently though, the company has branched out and published a new picture book for young readers. It’s called Percy, written by Mark and illustrated by Elke Reva Sudin. “Percy is a sirrush. Just what is a sirrush? In truth, even Percy himself doesn’t know, but he is determined to find out. Join the noble Percy as he goes on a quest across many lands and encounters interesting characters as he attempts to find others like himself.” Something to do with the gates of ancient Babylon. Read it, you’ll understand.
image c. 2017 Wayward Raven
Voracious is a recent full-color comic book series written by Markisan Naso and illustrated by Jason Muhr and Andrei Tabacaru. The first story arc (Diners, Dinosaurs, & Dives) was the simple (?) story of a young chef who inherits a time travel suit — and uses it to collect dinosaurs he can slaughter and butcher to make new meat for his ailing restaurant. (Not your vegan ed-otter’s cup of tea, but what the hey…) In the second story arc however (Voracious: Feeding Time), things take on a decidedly more anthropomorphic turn: “Hunting dinosaurs and secretly serving them at his restaurant, Fork & Fossil, has helped Chef Nate Willner become a big success. But just when he’s starting to make something of his life, he discovers that his hunting trips with Captain Jim are actually taking place in an alternate reality – an Earth where dinosaurs evolve into Saurians, a technologically advanced race that rules the far future! Some of these Saurians have mysteriously started vanishing from Cretaceous City and the local authorities are hell-bent on finding who’s responsible. Nate’s world is about to collide with something much, much bigger than any dinosaur he’s ever roasted.” Nothing worse than discovering you’re accidentally a serial killer… Feeding Time is available now in a collected edition from Action Lab.
image c. 2017 Action Lab
Um, we’ll let the folks at Kechal Comics explain it: “Placed in men’s tightie whitie underwear on a whim by the scientist who captures him, Baxter the monkey does the only logical thing possible – he instantly develops consciousness and the ability to speak. Because… SCIENCE!!! Excited by his discovery, the scientist decides to see if other animals react as well as Baxter. Gaining intelligence, rational thought and an innate understanding of justice and fairnesss. Let’s just say further experiments do not go as well. Join Baxter as he navigates a world he’s just starting to understand, a world full of fearful humans, zany animals, and one seriously deranged bunny rabbit.” See? We told you they’d say it better! Underwars #1 was written by Kevin Joseph and illustrated in black & white by C.M. Brennan, based on a series of paintings he did.
image c. 2017 Kechal Comics
Mexico’s Anima Estudio have been mentioned around here before, most recently for their upcoming animated feature based on the 1960’s TV animation oddity Here Comes the Grump. In the meantime, they’ve completed work on another CGI feature called Monster Island, set to be released soon direct to DVD. “When Lucas finds out he is not really a human, but actually a monster, the news changes his whole world! Embarking on a quest to Monster Island to discover his real roots, Lucas undergoes a journey he will never forget. He finds himself face to face with more tentacles, fangs and far-out situations than he can shake one of his new wings at. Ultimately Lucas learns that being a freak, isn’t freaky — it means you’re a member of a brand new type of family that you can proudly call your own.” The film is directed by Leopoldo Aguilar, and it features the voices of Fiona Hardingham, Katie Leigh (Gummi Bears), Jenifer Kaplan, Erik Larsen, and Michael Robles. Amazon says to look for it this September.
image c. 2017 Anima Estudio
[Hey Ed-Otter! Where’ve you been? Down with a temperature, that’s where. Sorry for the absence! More catching up from Comic Con…] Sean “Cheeks” Galloway is perhaps best known (among the Furry Fans at very least!) as the illustrator of the Pearls of Panderia graphic novel (which of course we’ve talked about). Now he’s back with a more personal project: His own comic imprint, Table Taffy. Recently he released the first Table Taffy Comic ‘Zine. We’ll let him explain: “Table Taffy Comic ‘Zine is a new line of books to showcase comics based on my creator-owned projects! Issue #1 features the Shadow Pirates one-shot #1, as well as comics for my Bastion’s 7, Gumshoes 4 Hire, Little Big Heads, and introducing my new property, Mohnstur Watch! Games and activities are also included, so the whole family can enjoy!” Plenty of characters both human and decidedly-not to be found here. Visit his web site to learn more.
image c. 2017 Table Taffy
Now there’s a new full-color graphic novel for young readers with the interesting title of Dog Night at the Story Zoo. It’s written by Dan Bar-El and illustrated by Vicki Nerino. Here’s how the publisher says it: “It’s Open Mic Night at the Story Zoo and the dogs are up to tell their tales in this hilarious graphic novel for young readers. At the Story Zoo, you get to tell any story you want in front of the live audience, as long as it’s about you. And tonight is dog night. So sit back, relax, and let these dogs tell their tales. We’ve got some hilarious but quite touching stories from dogs of all kinds, including a bulldog who doesn’t wanted to be judged by his looks; a bloodhound who loses her power of scent and turns to a dog called Surelick Holmes for help; an energetic poodle who saves the day with her yapping; and a stray who takes fetching to a whole new level.” Got all that? It’s available now in hardcover. [And we’ll see YOU all after a quick trip to San Diego Comic Con!]
image c. 2017 Tundra Books
