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Grandville is an enthralling mixture of not just furry material, but thriller, steampunk and alternative history.

 

This new comic, written and drawn by Bryan Talbot, the man responsible for other famous graphic novels such as Alice in Sunderlandand his work on Neil Gaiman’s Sandman series, is set in a world full of steam-powered cars, motorbikes, airships, robots (automatons) and other devices, is one in which France won the Napoleonic War, and the UK is now The Socialist Republic of Britain, having been given independence from the French Empire due to anarchist terrorist attacks.

 

The story follows Detective-Inspector Archie LeBrock of Scotland Yard, a badger built like a brick outhouse (or should it be set?) and his assistant Detective Roderick Ratzi (a rat), investigating a suspicious murder. This leads them to Paris and eventually uncover a shocking government conspiracy.

 

Talbot makes it clear what his influences are. He states in his introduction that was inspired by the French illustrator Jean Ignace Isidore Gerald, who worked under the name of J.J. Grandville (hence the name), sci-fi illustrator Albert Robida (who is referenced by the fact that there is a Robida Tower that was bombed), as well as Quentin Tarantino, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Rupert the Bear. There are early scenes set in a town that is almost certainly called “Nutwood”.

 

One thing that is made clear in the work is the reference to modern day politics. The is a far-right Prime Minister in the book is called Jean-Marie Lapin, a clear reference to the real far-right French politician Jean-Marie Le Pen, who almost became Prime Minister himself. There are also several references to the War on Terror (in this case the terrorists are British anarchists) and 9/11.

 

The book is beautifully drawn (colour throughout) and the plot is enticing, full of twists and turns. It draws you into its world wonderfully and does not want to let you go. Luckily, more books are planned, with a follow-up scheduled for 2010 and another possible three if the first are received well. I for one look forward to them.

 

Grandville is published by Jonathan Cape in the UK, Dark Hose in the USA, Comma 22 inItaly, Jemma Press in Greece, Reservoir Books in Spain and Comics Centrum in the Czech Republic. Copies can be brought from all leading book stores and websites, including FurPlanet.

Original article

Tags: Furtean Times Journalism Comic Book Graphic Novel Review Grandville Badger

Claymation characters Wallace and Gromit are to star in a new TV show about inventions on BBC One.

 

Wallace and Gromit’s World of Inventions will be made by Aardman and broadcast peak-time some time in 2010. A statement published by the BBC describes the show:

 

“In Wallace and Gromit’s World of Inventions, Wallace will take a light hearted and humorous look at the real-life inventors, contraptions, gadgets and inventions, with the silent help of Gromit. The series will aim to inspire a whole new generation of innovative minds by showing them real, but mind-boggling, machines and inventions from around the world that have influenced his illustrious inventing career.”

 

The series was commissioned by Jay Hunt, controller of BBC One, and by Jo Ball. Hunt said that she hoped the series would be a mainstream success, similar to the channel’s genealogy show Who Do You Think You Are?. She said: “We’ve got to be creative about how we take difficult subjects and bring them to a mass-market audience. It’s got to be done in a way that doesn’t say, ‘Sit up straight and eat your bran and here’s a bit about the Nazi’s.”

 

The series will feature two executive producers: Alison Kirkham from the BBC and Miles Bullough from Aardman.

Original article

 

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/commissioning/wallace-and-gromit-to-front-science-show/5005000.article

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/aug/29/wallac-gromit-world-inventions

Tags: Furtean Times FurteanTimes FurteanTimescom Wallace Gromit Journalism Scienc

British digital TV channel BBC Three has commissioned an adult puppet series featuring anthropomorphic animals.

We Are Mongrels, a series 8 x 30 minute episodes follows the exploits of a country fox who decides to discover "the real wild life" in the city. He therefore travels to the Isle of Dogs and meets up with a range of different characters including a "sexy" Afghan hound whom he falls in love with, a street cat, and a sarcastic pigeon from Blackburn.

The series is the creation of Adam Miller, who is one of the directors on Taking the Flak, the currently broadcast BBC Two comedy drama set in an African war zone, and the ITV2 sketch series Katy Brand’s Big Ass Show. Miller will also act as the director of We Are Mongrels. Stephen McCrumb will be executive producer. McCrumb has previously worked on long-running BBC Three sitcom Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps and more recently Coming of Age.

McCrumb told Broadcastmagazine that he and Miller had: "a shared love of puppets and the desire to do something ambitious in British comedy, outside of live action.

"“It has a lot of cutaways and flashbacks and it's fast-moving - more like an animation with puppets than a traditional sitcom. It gives you the licence to do things you can’t with live action. We pitched it as Avenue Q meets Family Guy: it’s playfully adult like Family Guy, but it's not crude in a Two Pints way."

The series will be broadcast next year and will be written by Jon Brown, who has written for ITV2 sitcom No Heroics, BBC Three sketch show Scallywagga and BBC One family sitcom After You’re Gone; and also with Daniel Peak who has also worked on Two Pints.

In a unbroadcast pilot for the show, the voice of the fox was played by Rufus Hound, Lucy Montgomery played the pigeon and Katy Brand played the pigeon. While it is hoped that the actors will return to play their roles, it has not yet been confirmed if they will.

Tags: Furtean Times Journalism Comedy We Are Mongrels Fox Cat Afghan Hound Pigeon

This is an urgent request for someone to please copy-edit my current book project.

I have written my mock history book, The Chained Wolf Presents: The History of Humanity - A Somewhat Mildly Amusing Guide to a Now Extinct Speciesand now it needs to edited, checked for spelling, grammar and other such errors and generally be given a good reading through by someone who has got the time to do so.

I did ask FurteanTimes.com’s Alex Grey if he could do it, but because of time he only managed to get as far as the first two chapters. However, he did give me some useful information for which I thank him for.

I therefore ask anyone if they could please copy-edit my book. Experience would be welcome. If you have written stuff that has been published before that will be of great help.

If anyone wants the job, you can find me at Fur Affinity, FurSpace or on Twitter. You can read the book as it currently is at Fur Affinity. In return, I will give you a mention in my book for your hard work

Tags: Copy-Edit Copy-Editor Copy Edit Editor Help Request History Of Humanity

The winners of the Ursa Major Awards for 2008 were announced yesterday at All Fur Fun, Washington State.

The big winners this year are the writer Kyell Gold and comic book authors Blotch. Gold, who has won several Ursa Majors over the year's for his books, many of which are male/male erotica, won the awards for "Best Anthropomorphic Novel" for Waterways and "Best Anthropomorphic Short Fiction" for In Between from his book Out of Position.

Blotch, which is the name for two artists, Kenket and BlackTeagan, have won the awards for "Best Anthropomorphic Other Literary Work" for Dog Day's of Summer and "Best Anthropomorphic Published Illustration" for "Suhl", the front cover for the Eurofurence 14 programme.

Other awards went to Heathen City for "Best Anthropomorphic Graphic Story", and Heat for "Best Anthropomorphic Magazine".

The 3-D computer animated film Bolt won "Best Anthropomorphic Film", internet cartoon There She Is won the award for "Best Anthropomorphic Dramatic Work or Series", and Spore won the "Best Anthropomorphic Game" award.

Original article

Tags: Furtean Times Journalism Ursa Major Award Awards Winner Winners

Two furry webcomics have recently published new "Dead tree" compilations of their strips.

Thomas K. Dye has published the first book of strips from Newshounds IIentitled "MegaNewsWest" and contains strips dating since when the original series ended with the staff of KPET News having moved to a now larger news company. The book is published by Lulu and costs £10.64, or you can download the book for £5.70.

The other book is the second part of Bill Holbrook's Kevin & Kelltreasury, featuring several of his older strips. Following on from his first part of the treasury, "Historic Kevin and Kell", the new book, "The Great Bird Conspiracy" includes strips from previous editions as well as containing a series of never-before-seen extras. Amongst the extras include a teleplay for a proposed 1997 Kevin & Kell television show. The book is published by The Bill Holbrook Store at a price of $24.95 (about £16.50).

Holbrook is also preparing to publish his 14th annual collection of strips for July, entitled "Rules of Engagement".

Original article

Tags: Furtean Times Journalism Book Release Released Released Newshounds II Kevin

Ursa Major Awards – The Previous Winners

This week sees the presentation of the Ursa Major Awards; the main awards in the furry fandom. Before the 2008 awards are presented, here is a list of previous winners

 

2001

• Motion Picture: Shrek
• TV Series: Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat
• Novel: Casual Rex
• Short Fiction: Beneath the Crystal Sea
• Other Literary Work: The Sound & the Furry: The Complete Hoka Stories
• Comic Book or Strip: Usagi Yojimbo
• Fanzine: Yarf!
• Published Illustration: Front cover of Fur Visions, Issue 20
• Game: Conker’s Bad Fur Day

 

2002

• Motion Picture: Lilo & Stitch
• TV Series: Greg the Bunny
• Novel: Rescue Ferrets at Sea (The Ferret Chronicles #1)
• Short Fiction: Familiars
• Other Literary Work: Ozy and Millie IV: Authentic Banana Dye
• Comic Book or Strip: Usagi Yojimbo
• Fanzine: Yarf!
• Published Illustration: Cover of Furrlough, Issue 109
• Game: Star Fox Adventures

 

2003

• Motion Picture: Finding Nemo
• Dramatic Series: Gary the Rat
• Novel: Between Darkness and Light
• Short Fiction: In the Line of Duty
• Other Literary Work: Best in Show: Fifteen Years of Outstanding Furry Fiction
• Comic Book: Usagi Yojimbo
• Comic Strip: Kevin and Kell
• Fanzine: Tales of the Tai-Pan Universe
• Published Illustration: Cover of Best in Show: Fifteen Years of Outstanding Furry Fiction
• Game: Wallace & Gromit in Project Zoo

 

2004

• Motion Picture: Shrek 2
• Dramatic Series: Father of the Pride
• Novel: Never Again a Man
• Short Fiction: Felicia and the Tailcutter’s Curse
• Other Literary Work: The Art of Usagi Yojimbo
• Comic Book: Usagi Yojimbo
• Comic Strip: Faux Pas
• Fanzine: Tales of the Tai-Pan Universe
• Published Illustration: Cover painting for Fur Plus, Issue 22
• Game: Sly 2: Band of Thieves

 

2005

• Motion Picture: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
• Dramatic Short Work or Series: Cake Dance, aka There She Is!! Step 2
• Novel: Volle
• Short Fiction: In His Own Country
• Other Literary Work: Tales of the Questor, Volume 1
• Comic Book: Usagi Yojimbo
• Comic Strip: Faux Pas
• Fanzine: South Island Furs
• Published Illustration: Cover painting for Transformations: A Forest Tales Story
• Game: Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves

 

2006

• Motion Picture: Over the Hedge
• Dramatic Short Work or Series: Hammy’s Boomerang Adventure
• Novel: Pendant of Fortune
• Short Fiction: Jacks to Open
• Other Literary Work: A Doemain of Our Own, Volume 1
• Comic Book: i.s.o.
• Comic Strip: Ozy and Millie
• Fanzine: Anthrolations
• Published Illustration: Cover painting for Pendant of Fortune
• Game: Ōkami

 

2007

• Motion Picture: Ratatouille
• Dramatic Short Work or Series: Gridlock (Doctor Who episode)
• Novel: Life’s Dream
• Short Fiction: Don’t Blink
• Other Literary Work: All the Newshounds Fit to Print
• Comic Book: Gargoyles
• Comic Strip: Ozy and Millie
• Fanzine: Heat
• Published Illustration: Blotch: cover painting for Fur Affinity United Convention Souvenir Book
• Game: Sam & Max Season 2, Episode 1: Ice Station Santa

Original article

Tags: Furtean Times Journalism Ursa Major Awards Award Winners Previous Winner

For most of us, the furry fandom is something of a past time. Sometimes, there might be some form of spiritual connection. But sometimes you can take it too far.

This was first brought to my attention by Ironwolf85, who chatted to me on FA, after reading some of the early chapters from my current book project, The Chained Wolf Presents: The History of Humanity – A Somewhat Mildly Amusing Guide to a Now Extinct Species – a full draft of which has been finished (quick plug there).

He sent me a message in which he included the following passage:

"The furries you see in the furry community are usually just humans in a different skin, they press their desires, wants, and needs into the artistic creation because they feel the furry can do what they cannot. It is not so much that they are animals with human intelligence as humans in an animal’s skin.

"They do this because many see animals as free of the worries of daily life, never having to go through the routine or put on the facade that people do to hide their inner self. As society becomes more advanced, people need an outlet - the furry community will expand. I believe I just psychoanalysed the majority of the furry community..."

Ironwolf85 referred to these members of the fandom as "Furnatics". His fursona is actually a persona of a human in a lab-coat and a white mask with only eye slits.

Now, I myself consider my fursona to be mainly a character. He is a character, or rather the main one, in which I use for my furry writings. However, I admit there may be is some kind of connection spiritually between me and wolves. There must be some reason why I decided to go with a wolf as my fursona and not some other kind of animal.

This is probably true with most members of the fandom. There is an animal that you really like, so you take it as your fursona. It could be a pet, it could be an animal you have some sort of academic interest in, or it could a mixture of lots of different creatures mixed up to create your own unique fursona.

Then there is how you express your enjoyment of the fandom and your fursona. You can do drawings of it, write stories featuring your character or maybe go to the length of making a fursuit (I just have a tail sadly).

Some however, do take their furriness to a whole other level. There are the lifestylers, some of whom have spiritual beliefs with their animal and have a totem; some members of the fandom may also be weres and otherkin, there are also groups like the free paws, who are furries who go barefoot because their fursonas do not wear shoes. These members of the fandom could be argued to be furnatical.

I suppose the problem is that there is always the chance of taking the furry aspect of your life too far. You have to remember that you are a human, no matter what you do. No matter how realistic your fursuit is, how closely you live with your animal you choose to adopt as your fursona, or whether you go to the lengths of deciding not wearing shoes, you cannot change your DNA (at least not yet). You are a human, whether you like it or not.

However, like all of these things, you have to remember that it is possible that your not connected with you are fursona enough. There are people who decide to suddenly change their fursona for some reason, no mentioning any bosses – I mean names. Why they decide to do this is their own prerogative, but I think that if you find an animal which you like and you stick with that as your fursona, than that is good for you.

There are also times in which it is good to get closer to the spirit of the creature that you have chosen. For example, if your fursona is say a gryphon and you do stand-up comedy, it would probably be much better and more believable to do your performance in a gryphon fursuit.

Actually, while I am on the subject, I've decided on something. From now on, I’m spelling the "Gryphon" in 2, The Ranting Gryphon as "Griffin", just to annoy him that little bit more. Not that reads this stuff as far as I know, but for me it makes things easier. I recently read The Meaning of Liffby Douglas Adams and John Lloyd and I came across a brilliant "word" to describe 2, because he does seem to be in a permanent state of cranleigh, which is defined as, "A mood of irrational irritation with everyone and everything."

What sort of spelling is "Gryphon" anyway? I think that when Lewis Carroll popularised that spelling in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, he was thinking that if someone ever invented a board game during his life time which involved putting tiles with letters on them and scoring points depending on the usage in the English language, he would clean it up. "Gryphon" is 16 points in Scrabble, "Griffin" is 14. By the way, does anyone else think that the reason why Americans spell words like realise with a "Z" is so that they can find more ways of getting those 10 points?

Sorry, I'm drifting from the point - and that point is of course to realise (with an "S") where real life ends, fantasy begins and to avoid furnaticism. Yes, we all have your connections with our fursonas. I have connections with my fursona. He is essentially based on me. He shares most of the aspects of my personality, while also having his own fictional elements with his own fictional universe.

However, one must not get carried up in too much. I for example, do not go around howling whenever there is a full moon and while my fursona is bare pawed, I enjoy wearing slippers. However, if you are going to pick a fursona, it is good to get under the fur of the character. Develop it over time, but realise it is just a character – a fictional being. Yes, draw it, write about it, make a fursuit and wear it (something I'd like to do), but remember, as with everything there are limits. Do not go too far, but also make the effort with it.

One last thing, does anyone know a furgonomics expert who could design a pair of shoes for a wolf?

Original article

Tags: Furtean Times Journalism Chained Wolf Chained Wolf Opinion Taking Your Furr

The official website for ScotiaCon, Scotland's first furry convention, is now fully online.

The convention, which will take place next Easter in Inverness, has issued a range of prices for attendees. These range from a basic £55 which offers just access to the con (known as the "MacRegular"), with extras being offered at £65 ("MacPremium") and £99 ("MacSponsor").

ScotiaCon will take place at the Ramada Jarvis Hotel. It will also have fursuiting facilities and a dealer’s den. You do not have to be a furry to attend.

Original report

Tags: Furtean Times Journalism Scotland ScotiaCon Scotiacon News Website Online

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