Your Guide to the World of Furry Fandom
You just know that anything from a publisher called Plotless Comics is going to be interesting, right? Well that’s the home of Walrus-Rabbit, created by Matt Marchetti (the actual title is much much longer but we’ll leave it at that), and SadoCat, created by Cory Patten. Needless to say things are not very serious but are very very strange in these funny animal superhero comics. Read all about these characters and more at their Plotless web site.
image c. 2018 Plotless Comics
After a rather disastrous live action movie (which they had nothing to do with!), American Mythology Comics have decided that Underdog deserves a new coat of paint — and a new comic book series all his own. Created in 1964 by W. Watts Biggers for Total Television, the original Underdog animated series told the story of an anthro dog (known only as “Shoeshine Boy”) who had the secret ability to transform into the flying caped crime-fighter known as Underdog. Now, many years later, American Mythology present the new full-color comic written by Batton Lash and illustrated by Bill Galvan. It’s hitting the shelves this month, and Previews World has an interview with the creators.
image c. 2017 American Mythology
Things get decidedly more anthropomorphic in issue #18 of Scooby Doo Team Up from DC Comics: “Can it be? The entire universe threatened by the spectral spirit of Canis Major, the dog star? To get to the bottom of the space-spanning mystery, canine crimebuster Scooby will have to team up with some of DC’s greatest dog heroes, including old friends Krypto and Ace the Bat-Hound, plus G’Nort, Wonder Dog, and the Space Canine Patrol Agency!” Woof. Have a look at it on-line over at Read Comics.
image c. 2016 DC Comics
IDW Publishing take Disney Comics to a whole new place with the first (#0) full-color issue of Duck Avenger. “It’s the start of a most-wanted Disney superhero epic! When Scrooge McDuck buys mysterious, ultra-hi-tech Ducklair Tower, Donald sneaks onto a forgotten floor — and as Duck Avenger, finds an amazing AI sending him into a breathless space alien battle!” It seems that Duck Avenger (written by Alessandro Sisti and Ezio Sisto, with art by Alberto Lavoradori) has been a phenomenon in Europe for some time. Now Jonathan Gray has helpfully adapted it for North American audiences. Issue #0 is out now, and IDW has more on issue #1, hitting stores later this month.
image c. 2016 IDW Publishing
Decalzilla is an art project and on-line store created in 2010 by two artists named Jon and Courtney. No prizes for guessing: They create custom hand-made vinyl decals in a variety of designs and colors. Comic book stuff, anime, and yes lots of cartoons (including cartoon animals!) find there way into the works you find at Decalzilla.com. All of them original designs, mind you, not just copies of official artwork. Based out of Southern California, they travel to anime and comic conventions all around — and they’re hoping to expand their circle into other parts of the country and even internationally as well.
image c. 2016 Decalzilla
(Hmm, lots of exclamation points this week. Must be more stuff from Comic Con!) Loter Studios is the creation of John Loter and his wife Shelley Loter, both of whom worked for years as Creative Directors at Disney Consumer Products. They continue to consult for Disney (and assorted animation companies) on t-shirts and other merchandising, but since 2005 they have also been creating their own line of original products based on original characters. Just this year, that expanded to include their very first full-color comic book: Supa-Rillas, created with the help of John’s brother, animation director Steve Loter (Kim Possible, American Dragon: Jake Long). Simian superheroes out to save the world — all for bananas. Check out the web site to see more of what they’ve worked on.
image c. 2016 Loter Studios
“A burnt-out boxer named ‘Knuckles’ is being tracked by the Mexican mafia, but when Thunder Monkey arrives, whose side will Knuckles choose? Everyone wants to know who Thunder Monkey is, and what is his original power!” After a a successful Kickstarter campaign, creator Lee Oaks presents the first black & white issue of Thunder Monkey, published by Dream Bug Productions. So who IS this super-powered simian and what does he seek in Summercity? Find out by checking out the latest issue over at Atomic Avenue.
image c. 2016 Dream Bug Prod.
We almost let this pass us by. Betsy Bauer is an illustrator who’s worked in animation for some time (on projects like Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2) as well as illustrated children’s books. But her latest project is… dumb. Or at least she says so. It’s called Super Dumb Coloring Book of Super Dumb Cats, and it’s a collection of dumb superhero puns — with cats. (Look, these are her words, not ours! Honest!) Join Catman, Sailor Mewn, and I-Yarn Man (!) and all the rest — and add some color to their lives. You can find this black & white (obviously) paperback at Amazon, Stuart Ng Books, and Gallery Nucleus.
image c. 2015 by Betsy Bauer
Sometimes things are described in a very straightforward manner: “The Adventures of Aero-Girl. It’s the story of a young jet-pack wearing sidekick who must not only deal with the death of her father & mentor, but also that his powers (and her destiny) have been transferred to a silverback gorilla.” It’s also a new self-published 4-issue comic book miniseries, written by DeWayne Feenstra and illustrated in full color by Axur Eneas and Juan Pablo Riebeling. After a successful Kickstarter campaign this summer the first issue is available now, so check it out over at Fan Girls Are We.
image c. 2014 by Eneas & Riebeling
