I hate that it comes to this but unfortunately it is very common in the Furry Fandom. Inevitably, someone finds a character or fursona that they like and, rather than try and create something on their own that is different and unique, they steal another design and claim it as their character. It happens even more when the character in-question is popular. This has happened to people like Telephone, Captain, and all manner of other creators and their creations. I have even had people steal Cheshire before and I had to report a TikTok account multiple times for using my character as their profile picture because they were also claiming the character was theirs.
When the Protogen species came out (see my blog HERE)~ I was quick to get one from my buddy Flamesvoices. I had just beaten the game PORTAL and therefore, we decided on a Portal-themed Protogen simply named “Portal”. He was made over 6 years ago…
This design quickly became popular in the community with many people also wanting to get their own Portal-themed Protogen. Now, don’t get me wrong…you cannot claim a pallet and you absolutely cannot claim ownership over the “idea” of a character based on a video-game. There have been MANY portal-related Protogen, but each one is different and unique, despite using similar color schemes and being based on the same game. Then, you have this person and their “Portal”:
THIS. IS. NOT. OKAY!!!
This is not even “inspired” by my Portal is it is a blatant ripoff (a 99% copy). Worse, I see that this was made over ten months ago. For ten months, someone has been going around with a blatant copy of my character with the ONLY difference being the symbol on the hip. NOT COOL. This…is character theft. They are taking a character that is meaningful to me and doign whatever they want with it. Now…naturally, I am the type to think that maybe this was an innocent mistake…so, I did send them a few messages on the matter:
I’m still waiting for a response…but whether or not they choose to do anything about this, well, unfortunately…that is the problem when it comes to characters. Since ideas like these can’t often by copyrighted (if at all) in ay way that keeps them safe, copycats and fakes will pop up all the time. All we can do is block these people, ban them from communities, and hope they wise up and change their ways. But, I wanted to put it out there that these people need to be corrected (not rudely mind you- don’t harass people, but do educate them on why they can’t just steal someone else’s character and the damage it causes).
This has already stressed me out. I don’t know this person…I don’t know what else they have stolen, whether they take credit for other things I have done or posted, whether they are a good person or a complete asshole online. I can’t speak for any of that. If they made a suit, I would feel even more horrified because again, this is essentially my character, they just slapped a different sticker on the hip and called it a day. It’s horrible behavior and I wish it had been called out ten months ago.
So, please…if you see this person posing as “Portal”- they are not Portal. This is my character they have essentially stolen and I AM NOT OKAY WITH IT. Please ask them to take the character post down and/or change the character to where it does not mimic mine.
Again, I am fine with Portal based characters…but this ain’t it… This is theft… And I’m pretty upset right now.
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UPDATE:
After I had sent the original “thief” a message, I went ahead and joined the subreddits they were part of and posted an introduction where I introduced myself and explained why I had joined. I also messaged the mod teams of each subreddit asking them to delete OPs posts as it contained my character who had been copied. R/Protogen was really helpful while I got no response from R/Furry on the matter. I also joined the Protogen Discord and introduced myself there.
While not the best introduction to make to a community, setting myself up as the original owner was the smarter thing to do because this way, I had more eyes on my character in case anyone tried to copy/steal it again.
Finally, after several hours, I got a message from the OP who had copied my character. As it would turn out, their friend (who we will call Skipper) had “designed” this OC for them and they were not aware it was a copy. While one should take reasons/excuses with a grain of salt, OP said they did not mean to steal, was not trying to cause any harm, and they did apologize. They were really cool about it, they took down the posts, and agreed to not use the OC again. They even offered the sketch page from Skipper for the original “ref” of their version of Portal.
OP stated they had gotten a new fursona since then…and so, I asked if I could see the new fursona so that I might draw them later (if I had the time). Several people said this was way too nice of me and that they would never do something like this in a similar situation. But, there’s a few things we must remember when it comes to character theft:
Some people legitimately do NOT know that they are stealing. Like in OP’s situation, they trusted their “friend” to make them a character and the “friend” copied a character instead.
The fandom is FULL of children. Children are the most likely to steal/copy a character because they don’t really know that it is wrong. They just want to be part of the fandom so will grab something off of Google that they resonate with and call it a day. Hardly ever do they steal/copy something to be malicious.
The fandom is also full of people on the spectrum (myself included) who might not really understand what is right and wrong in some instances. This doesn’t excuse the behavior but we can at least sympathize with them to an extent.
Just because they have done something wrong does not mean we must be cruel… These things can be handled with kindness and, in spreading kindness, we make the community a better place. Also, seeing as I had then gotten two more pieces of art out of this ordeal, I felt willing to help them out since they seemed to not have much in the way of art for their new OC. So now, if you do see the Portal ref, it has been changed to fit the original Portal and does indeed belong to me, as well as the Portal sketch…both of which were done by this artists known as “Skipper”.
Anyways, I am glad the issue got sorted. I am glad this was one instance where everything worked out.
Just remember that each character created is precious to someone. There are no excuses which ever make character theft okay. If you cannot afford a fursona, there are free resources out there to help you in creating one (or a base for one). There are free art groups, there are online tutorials to help you learn to draw. There are ways to make something unique to you so that stealing shouldn’t even cross your mind.
But, thank you all for reading and as always, I will see you in the next blog!
Most might not know it but, I was born and raised in Indiana. I grew up in a small city known as Terre Haute and it’s very easy to live under a rock when you come from a place so tiny. Some might know my history in finding the Furry fandom. I was introduced to it via a friend back in 2007 and had a very hard time finding communities so that I might explore the fandom a bit more in my teenage years… Needless to say, Furries still weren’t very well-known back in 2007 (at least, not where I was from), and those that did know about Furries did not really accept them. So, a few years back when I was checking out a massive list of stateside conventions, you could say that I was more than a little shocked when I found out that my home state hosted its own Furry convention, and that this convention was only about an hour away from where I lived!
IndyFurCon (iFC) is an annual furry convention based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The event was first held at the Hilton Indianapolis North on August 13-15, 2010.
Like all Furry conventions, this event was partnered with an organization for charity. In the past, iFC partnered with Southside Animal Shelter, but, for the past few years (maybe more) and in 2022, iFC partnered with EARPS (Exotic Animal Rescue & Pet Sanctuary), raising money for the various animals in their care in order to get them the surgeries and medical attention they need as well as raising awareness and hopefully finding these animals their forever home.
Having not gone to a convention since 2018, I was itching to get back into the scene of it. I missed suiting, I missed the energy that the conventions had, and, I wanted to see how my homestate and its convention might differ from the other conventions I had attended in the past. Also, unlike other conventions where I would be rooming and hanging out with other suiters and Furries, this year my little Sister wanted to come along…a non-Furry wanting to attend a Furry convention to see if she could figure out the appeal.
And here was my overall impression…
The Hotel:
The convention took place at the Marriott East Hotel in Indianapolis, and don’t get me wrong, this place is beautiful! There were several spaces open and available for running panels, the rooms themselves were very spacious with a few appliances for use (mini-fridge, TV, reading lights on the bed boards, coffee maker). The bathrooms were a bit cramped but, there was a massive tub so…there’s a plus! The rooms were nice and clean and I had no complaints about where we were staying in the slightest. We even had a good view of the courtyard! Between the restaurant/bar, the courtyard, the massive parking lot, the fountains, etc…this hotel really was like a dream!
Not only was the hotel itself super nice but, the location of the hotel was nice as well. While it’s nowhere near downtown Indianapolis (which is where all the shopping and bars are located), the hotel itself was located close to several different restaurants that were all within walking distance. There was Subway, Arby’s, Culvers, and even a McDonalds. For Furries that were on a budget this was super convenient since you would not have to DoorDash your food, and what was available wasn’t super expensive either. Not to mention, if you don’t have to use your car, you won’t have to worry about losing your parking space. There was also a Dollar Tree within walking distance which means even more for those that are struggling with extra money. So…as far as location goes, I think the Marriott is super convenient and a blessing for those that don’t have a ton of money to spend at the convention.
My only complaint would be the lack of elevators and the fact that for a hotel that has done this convention before…the Staff at the hotel did not really seemed prepared.
The first issue I had with the hotel was entirely my fault. Like most people, I reserved the hotel room online several months in advance (since rooms fill up quick) and I was convinced that the money had taken out from my account. But, when I got to the hotel, it turns out that online I had never paid- the system merely reserved my room for me and now instead of $325 and some change, I would owe $450 because of an incident fee they apply to the room (which you get refunded if there is nothing wrong with the room). Because I did not have nearly $500 in my account, my card was getting declined and my Sister ended up having to pay for the room which was a bummer. Not to mention, rooms were not open for check-in until 3pm. As a suiter, this makes it really hard since I have several cases of luggage that they are expecting me to leave in my car (and let me just say that Indianapolis is not the safest city- I used to live there and I’m speaking from experience) until that time, and, that makes suiting nearly impossible until later in the evening because of this. I also feel like the staff at the hotel was not super great at explaining their process, they just gave a lot of blank stares when asked basic questions and even their systems did not seem to be working properly because they couldn’t even print out receipts. So, while not knowing about the money taking out was totally on me, just…not being prepared for a massive group to come in and not having systems for even a simple reciept was a little annoying. I suppose in the future I could just come a day early for the convention but…that’s super expensive and I’m not sure I have the money for that.
They even gave my room to someone else after we had already checked in? My sister and I were rleaxing and unpacking our things when a random man just unlocked our door and walked into our room. We just stood there confused for a moment when the guy said he would go downstairs to fix the issue. My sister and I offered to watch his things while he worked on this problem…and then his friends showed up too! They didnt want to come in the room so we now had one guy down at the desk, another guy that went after the first guy, and this random girl outside our door watching everyone’s luggage minus the one bag we chose to watch for the guy. He did get his room fixed and he was a long way down the hall from us. But, that whole moment just made me think…
What if I had been changing? What if we had been sleeping or just crawling into bed? It really made us paranoid for the rest of the night every time we heard someone pass by our door.
The Panels/Events:
The theme for iFC 2022 was “Furries on Broadway”, and so, a few of the panels and events revolved around this theme. There was an event called: “The Phantom of the Community Theater” and there was even a showtunes sing-along panel. A lot of panels just had to do with music in general but, like many Furry Conventions, there was an event or panel for just about everyone. The convention had video-games, tabletop gaming, they played “Artemis” which I have never done before (maybe next year), there was the Dealer’s Den and the Artist Alley, and even an escape room. There were a ton of comedy panels from stand-up mic shows to “Whose Lion is it Anyways?” which was absolutely amazing to attend. Then there were panels which had no real theme to them and just ended up being utter chaos (ie; Monkey Knife Fights). There were dances every night and they even had a DJ booth set up out in the courtyard for some partying. The courtyard itself had yard-Yahtzee and corn hole.
The organizers for these events were all VERY passionate about what they were doing…of that I have no doubt. But, for all the events that I attended with my sister…there were many that came off as a bit unorganized, some were downright boring, and my biggest issue was that there were a ton of good events that overlapped a lot of other events making it impossible to attend a lot of what you wanted to go to!
For example, Floor Wars was happening at the same time as the Phantom of the Community Theater…and that bled into another event for Furry Mingling which I really wanted to attend. I finished Floor Wars and ran to the Mingle only to catch the last 30-minutes of it which didn’t really give me a lot of time to do anything. Also, the Mingle…for as good idea as it was, it was poorly executed. Covid has obviously changed our culture, and it is always better to be safe than to be sorry…but, when you have 20 people (or more) sitting side-by-side, talking full-force at each other in hopes of building a connection, but we have to talk through masks? That’s horrid. My throat hurt so much from having to yell over so many other people. Most of the conversations I ended up having was me leaning into the person I was speaking to and yelling: “What?!” “Huh?!” “I’m sorry, what did you say?!” – and that was a vast majority of what we managed to cover. Don’t get me wrong, I still managed to talk about some subjects, but barely. Then, when everyone got up to exchange contact info, because I only made it on the butt-end of the event, no one even came up to get any of my contact info which really was a bit sad.
Likewise, there were a few events that did not really do what was advertised on the website description? I chose a panel based on War Reenactment. I like history and my family are all history buffs…so this was something I was super interested in. I walk into the panel room, see some of the war equipment, and I was fully expecting some sort of demonstration, only to be sitting there listening to someone talk about their reenactment stories and what it means to them. Now, is that a bad thing? No. But this speaker ended up running out of things to talk about…and it’s clear that this event could be so much more elevated. If you brought props, show how they are used! Pass around some items for the people to touch, to see, to tinker with a bit. Make it more interactive, make it more fun, and maybe even dress the part! I just feel like the event was at a 20 and could have easily been elevated to a 75 with minimal effort. Same with the campfire songs. I liked the event, but, I saw where it could have been so much better. There were so few attendees, chairs could have been arranged in a circle around the campfire to really give it a “camp” feel. There were three organizers all singing songs, but they all sang songs that the other organizers did not really know. I feel like the organizers would do well to learn the songs together, and they could have added things like music tracks, a screen where lyric videos could be posted for the audience, and, if any of them knew how to play the guitar, they could get in on that action as well! Again, it’s an event that was a 20 but could have been made into a 100 with very minimal effort. But of course, these are all volunteers and so, I know they don’t have all the time in the world for these things…but, these are ways they could improve for next year if they want to do similar events again.
But all the comedy panels were pure gold and I love the audience participation. I hope to catch even more of these panels and shows in 2023.
Con Staff:
The convention staff were all super friendly…and the extra volunteers were really nice as well. I did not run into a single staff member that wasn’t very nice and willing to help in any way they could. Security was very vigilant in making sure that everyone was staying safe (and that included wearing their mask). And, even when there were blatant rule-breakers causing issues (which I saw a few), the Staff was very nice and professional in handling this issue. So, I give a thumbs-up to the con Staff and I know that I thanked quite a few of them for all their hard work and efforts to make iFC great!
The Cons of the Con:
As I mentioned before, there were a few things that did not thrill me when it came to iFC. The overlapping of several of the panels was one such issue that was hard to overlook. also just the array of what was available. There were so many panels for some niche hobbies…but I still found nearly a whole day where I was waiting for some event that I was actually interested in. But, my biggest issue with the convention was the lack of a Fursuit Parade. Fursuit Parades are ICONIC at conventions and damn-near a staple of them. Fursuiters gather around and get their picture taken and then parade around the convention space so you can see all the fursuits all at once. This is always great for YouTubers to grab video and great for fursuit lovers to grab some pictures of their favorite suits. It’s also just a wonderful time for fursuiters! I know that when I asked the help desk about the parade, I was told that I was not the only person asking about it…and that they did not really have a reason as to why there was not one happening this particular year. and while it may seem silly, the lack of a parade just made the convention feel a little empty as the parade is practically a tradition.
The other con to the convention was during the dance competition. Seating made it impossible to see. And yes, I am aware that getting there early is impairative (but again, we go back to overlapping panels), but I think it’s really bad when behind me, I hear people talking about leaving because they can barely see the tops of the dancers ears. The seating was so terrible and, even though this particular room has two massive screens on either side of the stage, not a single one of them was utilized for streaming or showing the dance competition. If they had only done this, this would have made the xperience a billion times better. And my last gripe about the dance competition isn’t about the organizers…its about the people attending.
When people saw that the seating was pretty trash (myself included), many people then moved to stand against the wall so they could at least see something. This was fine as we all were very courteous with each other (ie; we stood flat against the wall and didnt angle out). But, there wa s agirl and her friend who not only decided to bring a bunch of their luggage and crap into the dance competition (NEVER do this), they then placed all their stuff by an outlet and speaker (again, do not do this…security might have forced us all to sit down had they seen this obvious fire hazard and risk to the equipment) in front of me…and then one of the girl angled herself out to where neither me nor my sister could see. Her friend noticed this and tried to get the girl to move against the wall, but the girl snapped at her friend causing some rather awkward drama. Just please…read the room, see what others are doing, be considerate of others.
The only other con to this convention is again, a personal one. This is my first year going to a convention in my home state where I really do not have a group of friends to share this…hobby with. Therefore, much as I had a great time with my sister, it did make me miss the days with Captain, Patch, and the other friends we made in the fandom. I think that next year, I want to try and not be such a wallflower…really insert myself into some groups and make some friends so I just don’t feel so left out and lonely for the next year.
In conclusion, it wasn’t a bad convention. It actually reminded me a lot of Alamo City Furry Invasion when it first ran. It’s a smaller convention, clearly…and it was a little unorganized. There was a jumbled schedule that seemed to be always changing. There were overlapping events and misprints in the booklets. There were long waits to get to rooms due to there only being one elevator, and, there seemed like there were massive gaps in between some of the larger events. There were events missing that many people missed…but despite all of those things, I still had a blast.
Furries at these sorts of conventions always pass the vibe check. I might not have made any friends…but, the people I did have conversations with were wonderful company and we got in a lot of laughs. I actually did get a few people to exchange Twitter usernames with me so we could game together and even learned about a few Furry apps that I can make use of to find friends for next year. I got to joke with people, take some great pictures with some amazing fursuits, and got to share a lot of my previous con stories. I even learned about a few species I have never heard about before and so, I look forward to sharing those with you all (maybe in the future).
Was it perfect? No…but, it really didn’t have to be. The convention was still a fun and wonderful time and, it’s nice to know that they have so much room to grow because it means I get to experience those moments when they improve in the future. Also, it was just fun see ing the way my sister took it all in…the fandom, the events, just watching people live and party for a weekend without a care in the world.
But, I am so happy to be home now…back in my house, back with my dogs, ready to spend the week relaxing before I have to go back to being an adult.
But, tell me what YOU think?
Have you ever been to iFC? If you went to past conventions, how did iFC 2022 differ from other years? did you have fun at the convention? What is your local Furry convention and how often do you go? What was your favorite Furry convention and your least favorite?
As always, let me know your thoughts and opinion in the comment-section down below. While you’re at it, you can also view my iFC convention video!!! Thank you all for your continued support of this blog and, I will see you fuzzbutts in the next entry!!!
A few years ago (3-4 years), I saw that Rune (my fursuit- mainly the head) was falling apart. Fearing that a 2.0 version would not really be possible for quite awhile, it was a relief when at long last an opportunity for another suit came along. My dear friend, Patch at CCSMascots wanted to try a new technique using liquid foam (which had become all the rage in making Fursuit head bases) and, he said that if his friends were willing to pay money towards the materials, then he would be willing to send them one of his new foam bases.
It was at this point that my friend Flamesvoices had started their own fursuit business and wanted some more items for promotional pictures. They made me an offer that I could not refuse. If I got the head base from Patch then, after paying for materials, they would make me a partial. It was winning scenario for everyone. Patch got to try a new technique in order to further improve their existing business, Flamesvoices got a project that they could show off as part of their portfolio, and I would get a new partial suit.
But…things started to get a little complicated from the very beginning…
Due to circumstances that I can no longer remember (it really was a long time ago), the liquid foam bases did not really work out as planned. But, still wanting to keep his word and promises, Patch offered to send one of his classic carved bases instead. I was fine with this arrangement as I was still desperate for a suit, and so, when the foam base was sent over, Flamesvoices got to work.
Because the base was more canid, the plan was to go with my Mecari character named Cheshire. The Mecari are an open species created by Patch, so, it only seemed fitting to bring her to life using his base. Cheshire’s character had also been designed originally by Flamesvoices so again, it just seemed like the perfect match. Cheshire had been designed with certain suit parts already in mind, and it would be Flamesvoices first time integrating solid parts (plastic, resin, etc) on a foam suit…so it was an experiment to say the least.
The parts pinned on and held to the foam just fine…
But when Cheshire moved into the “furring” part of the process, that’s where things began to take some more turns.
Again, this was a long time ago and so, I can’t really remember all the specifics. But at some point, Cheshire’s horns were just not working. They sat too small on the head and interrupted the shape of the ears. It was a complicated mess, and so, Flamesvoices asked me if they could try some minky horns instead to see if maybe those looked any better. I told them to go ahead and try it out, but once it was done, the end result was not really all that desirable (to me).
So, Flamesvoies decided they would try and find a way to make the original horns work. It was at this point that the head was becoming extremely heavy. More foam had been added to give it more shape and to smooth out a lot of the rougher cuts, and the ears were now causing a bit of an issue. At one point there was a problem with the jaw, and, Flamesvoices wanted to use the original teeth for a different project anyways- so fabric teeth ended up being used instead. Again, this method was more of an experiment, and something about the way the foam all came together made the jaw look a bit lopsided when the tongue of the suit was not completely center.
I was given a few other updates like the eyes, how the head was coming along after shaving and etc…and then life happened.
If you read my last entry then you will know that things got a little out of hand in my life. Cheshire as a project was already taking too long because of unforeseen complications and, on top of that, my own life was flipped completely upside down. So, in late 2020, I had to move from Texas back to Indiana. I took Rune with me but, because I did not have a solid place to live, I did not ask for Cheshire just in case I ended up moving a lot more. That same year I moved in with my Father and felt comfortable enough to have Cheshire mailed to me, but alas, she had yet to be completed.
More time passed and I was so busy in my new life that I gave up on Cheshire for the time being. In 2021 I got my own place and then in 2022, I finally had been at my job long enough that I had vacation time. That’s when I signed up for Indy Fur Con and I decided that now more than ever that it was time for Cheshire to come home.
Originally, Cheshire was supposed to be a partial but…that plan was never truly realized. Life and other things happened (obviously) so while I do finally have Cheshire in my possession, I was only given the completed head and I have a tail that was made for her by CCSMascots. I had some badges made for Cheshire as well. One was made by Patch and the other from an artist I commissioned at my first-ever Furry Convention. Alas, divorce can be such a messy thing and there were a lot of items I lost in the move that I might never find again.
But, I have Cheshire now and she is lovely. I was also given a lot of other small goodies which really made me feel good~ so it was a wonderful end to my day when all of that got delivered. I even made an unboxing video so, if you want to see me put on Cheshire and go over what it’s like to wear her, you can check out my video for that HERE.
Anyways, that’s all I got for this one. Next blog will probably be my overall thoughts and review of my experience at Indy Fur Con 2022 – so, I will see you then!!!
It’s crazy to think that this blog used to be my life and my passion and then it all fell silent for so long. I planned so many times to write something out, explain my massive hiatus and go over why this blog started to collect dust and my presence disappeared but, every time I thought about sitting down and typing it all out, it just felt…wrong. Even now, I know that whatever words I put down will not be as well thought-out as I would like. But regardless, I think an update blog is more than necessary to go over why I disappeared as well as some current events.
My Hiatus:
I suppose the biggest thing there is to cover is why I disappeared in the first place. I guess the main reason, put simply is: Life happens. Between 2019 & 2020 I went through a lot of hard times. The pandemic was rough on many people and unfortunately, I was one of the people who suffered from it. I was sick for almost 4-months after getting covid and my life just kept spiraling. In February of 2020 I lost my Step-Dad (and Father figure), in August, I lost my sister-in-law/ best friend. Then in early September, my (now ex) wife asked for a divorce. This meant I had very little time to pack up my life and move from Texas back to my home state of Indiana where I now reside.
These last two years really have just been about getting my life back together. I got a solid job in 2021 that was making more than just $8.25 an hour and by September of 2021 I had my own place. Since then I have had a few ups and downs. Finances are still tight and like most of the middleclass in America, I am living paycheck-to-paycheck. I slipped away from the Furry Fandom because at the time that I felt that I was losing everything, the fandom just seemed like this extra well of toxicity and drama that I felt like I just could not handle. Every other week someone was being cancelled or called out…and I just got so exhausted seeing other people post about their misery. I just had to turn away for awhile and focus on me and focus on my mental health. It did not help that since I was no longer in Texas, I felt really disconnected from several of my closest friends within the fandom (a few who were at least within driving distance). My creativity just seemed to run dry and so, I focused on fandoms and hobbies that were not as mentally taxing on me and mostly just got back into blogging about video-games and really focusing on my YouTube channel focusing on gameplay.
I think I just reached a point where the things that used to inspire me in the fandom just seemed like a chore. Not only was I no longer suiting or making character videos, I wasn’t even drawing or following Furry news. So, it only made sense that this blog started to gather cobwebs since I really felt as if I just needed a break from it all. At least for a little while.
Retiring Rune?
Another reason I stepped away from the fandom was the fact that my suit: Rune, had started to fall apart. Now, do you need a fursuit in order to be a Furry? Of course not! But, I will admit that one thing that got me so involved in the fandom in the first place (rather than just being a wallflower and observer) was getting to engage with each others as an entertainer in a fursuit and just talking about fursuiting in general. My experiences and stories about conventions and outings really helped me connect with others (since I struggle socially), and, doing things like making YouTube videos in suit and attending conventions really kept fuel on my fire to keep making Furry content in some way, shape, and form.
But, when Rune started to fall apart…my inspiration and drive started to fall apart with him. I have stated many times before that I commissioned Rune from an amateur maker. This is not a bad thing as it was better for my budget and it helped someone gain valuable experience (not to mention, I really love how Rune turned out)! But, I have also said that through doing this, I did find out the hard way that Rune’s fur was not really good for suit making, and that there were some serious flaws in the design which made it so that this suit head really was not built to last. My buddy Flamesvoices had to give Rune some major “surgery” to fix a vast majority of the larger issues but even then, it was not a cure all. Rune is now 6-years-old and he has been falling apart for the last 2 years. He has bald spots and places where the glue is breaking. He has holes behind his ears, among other issues. There were talks of refurbishing the suit which would prolong its life, but truthfully, it’s just an old suit and the better option would be to just get a new one…but financially, that is just not possible. So, the more that Rune became run down, and the more it became clear that another Rune just wasn’t in any near future…again, my fire and drive to be in the community, be active and participating…it just started to dwindle and die. I will use Rune as a suit for as long as I can, but his retirement is imminent and I feel like I would be lucky to even get another year out of him at the most.
Collabs & Reviews:
Before my hiatus I had a major backlog of Projects. I had a bunch of Fursuit Friday interviews for my Furry Spotlight (most of which got lost after my ex broke my laptop), I had promised to do book reviews and series reviews of Furry materials. Even after I moved back to Indiana, I reached out to the people that had asked for my reviews in order to possibly get back into reviewing their series but, every time I tried, something would come up. Now, I’m not the type to make up excuses. Family deaths, personal illness, and the lack of time aside…it really just came down to an unwillingness to put in the effort to do those things. Depressed, exhausted, and utterly unmotivated, all those projects I had lined up just went into the closet to be left and forgotten. Will I ever get back to any of them? Well, I suppose there is always that chance but, I wouldn’t be placing any bets on that. Even writing this blog feels more like a chore…but a mandatory one. I’m just still not at the place I feel I need to be mentally in order to resume this blog and keep up with it like I used to.
Indy Fur Con & New Suit!
Ready for some good news? I know that I am! So, sad and depressing stuff aside, I actually managed to save up the money and the vacation time to go to my State’s local convention: Indy Fur Con! Not only that but, my Sister (who is not a Furry) decided that she wanted to go with me! It should be an exciting experience and will be interesting to see how the Indiana con differs from the ones that I attended in Texas. Already I can tell that it’s going to be a much smaller convention. I am guessing it will be more like ACFI in its first year, but, some of the events look promising.
I did notice a lack of fursuit parade and, rather than just having a regular dance competition, we have the floor wars instead. So, that will be cool to see. I think the challenge will be more in finding things that my Sister might find interesting since she has never been to a convention before and isn’t really involved in the fandom. My goal is to maybe get her to suit around for a little bit which brings me to the next point: I am getting my new suit!!
I say that she is new but really, Cheshire has been in the works for several years. After I got a base from CCS Mascots (after donating money for materials to help them experiment with new foam bases), I gave that base to Flamesvoices and gave her the money for materials so that they could make Cheshire (a character they originally designed). Cheshire was a bit of a struggle and went through several changes in her design due to issues with her horns and then her teeth, etc. I was given a tail by CCS Mascots for the character. The Cheshire partial was supposed to come with sleeves, hand paws, feet, tail, and the head. But, with life issues and the fact that I moved away, I believe I am only receiving the head and hand paws and will be using the tail made for me by CCS Mascots despite the furs being different colors. I am excited for this suit and have been waiting what seems like forever to give this character a whirl so, the fact that she will debut at this new convention is really exciting!
Future Goals:
As far as my future goals go…who can say?
Would I like to get more involved in the fandom again? That answer changes daily. It really depends on what I happen to see on my Twitter feed. Being involved in the Furry fandom was fun but, there were some day where it literally felt like a second job. As someone that isn’t super social to begin with, the amount of effort it took for me to stay involved and nurture the friendships I had was…huge. And, I honestly don’t know if I would have the time for it. I barely have the time for the friends that I have right now.
But, it would be nice to start posting in this blog more and, if I can get the files from my old laptop, I might even be willing to post all those old Furry Spotlight blogs I had sitting around and waiting to be posted.
I do plan on sharing my thoughts on the convention though and comparing it to my previous experiences. I would really like to get my Sister involved as well and either make a YouTube video out of it or just d an interview with her to see what her overall thoughts were on the convention since she is seeing it from a different perspective than I am.
But I won’t make a ton of promises here. I won’t tell you anything that I don’t think that I can somehow back up…you know? I prefer to keep things simple, blunt, and honest.
Anyways, that’s all I have for this blog. In the end, all I want to say is: Never be scared of stepping away from things in order to make yourself better. Just because I stopped posting in Furry groups and walked away from things like telegram and Furry Amino does not make me any less of a Furry. Just because I stopped making YouTube videos and stopped covering Furry news does not mean I ever stopped being part of the fandom…I just became an observer rather than an active participant because that was better for my overall mental health. Be kind to yourself and never apologize for doing the things that are right for you!
Thank you all for the many years of support you have given me, and as always, I will see all you fuzzbutts in the next article!!!
Animation by Jib_Kodi Character belongs to Todd the Red Fennec
Art has always been one of the biggest staples of the Furry Fandom outside the love of anthropomorphic animals itself, and it seems shocking to me that one of the least-spoken of mediums is animation. In the Furry Fandom, animation has a very special place, especially when you look at 2D animation.
A Brief History
The history of 2D animation dates all the way back to 1824 – originally using motion (the spinning of a wheel or twisting of a rope) and still images to create the illusion of movement. It was only in 1908 that 2D animation was revolutionized when Emile Cohl created the first 2D animation known as “Fantasmagorie” by using over 700 black-and-white drawings of a stick figure. This animation, though using hundreds of images, was only 70 seconds in length. Either way, this was the first animated cartoon. So, how does this relate to Furries?
After Emile Cohl paved the way for 2D animation, other artists followed suit. Walt Disney created “Steamboat Willie” in 1928 which introduced the world to Mickey Mouse, and from there, 2D animation only grew in popularity. Walt Disney, Hannah-Barbara, Warner Brothers, etc. So many notable characters have come from 2D animations, and a lot of people have found the Furry Fandom through their love of these 2D characters. Bugs Bunny, Simba, Balto, Roger Rabbit, Bambi – do these sound familiar to you? How about these films & cartoons: “Fox and the Hound”, “All Dogs go to Heaven”, “101 Dalmations”, “Lady and the Tramp”, “Aristocats”, “Secret of Nymh”, “Pokemon”, “Digimon” -Do any of those ring a bell?
Cartoons, movies, anime, and even some video-games have all been produced using 2D animation…and through the love of certain characters, people have found their Fursona and the Furry Fandom in general. (Source: The History of 2D Animation)
Furry Animators
There are a lot of animators in the fandom, and each one has their own unique way of animating and style. Nowadays, a lot of animation is done using computer-generated images, but there are still those that delve into traditional animation as well. While I am sure there are some names that might pop up more often than others within the fandom, rather than talk about the most popular animators, I have decided to pick out my favorites to share their animations with you.
Jib_Kodi:
Jib_Kodi (also called Jibbin_Kodiyak) is one of the more well-known animators in the community – known for his unique style as well as his character/fursuit. Their involvement in the fandom begins in 2017…but, if you want to read more about them in-depth, I would suggest checking out their interview with DogPatch Press.
What I love about their style in particular is the “sketchy” nature of it. The wiggling lines and the way everything sort of jiggles as the animation is playing. It’s more rough compared to other 2D animation, but I love it for this reason. Generally, Kodi’s style is full of bright colors and they often tell stories pertaining to their feelings or their real life. Their animations involve road trips and visits to cons, other people finding out they are a furry, or other shenanigans involving their home life and/or friends. It’s very down-to-earth, and though exaggerated in their animations, it is often very relatable in some way.
One of my favorite animations that they did was something I found on Google years ago (though you can also find it on their FA which I will link), but it is still something that gives me a good chuckle:
“Damn Deers” by Jib_Kodi
If you want to check out Jib’s work for yourself, you can find their animations via their Furaffinity / Twitter / and Instagram.
Cerberus:
Cerberus is someone that I discovered more recently while browsing through FA. I originally noticed them because of their unique art style, but, as I went deeper into their gallery, I noticed that they also dabbled in 2D animation. What I really like about their style is how it can be both simplistic and complicated at the same time. How they break down something into its most basic shapes but when it all comes together, they use this method to create such fluid movements. Their animations are also interactive as far as getting them to play, and I have always enjoyed this newgrounds-feeling flash animation.
My favorite pieces of animation when it comes to Cerberus would have to be: “Rescuing Ghosts” and I love it for a few reasons. The first is what I mentioned up above…it’s the style in which Cerberus uses simplicity to break things down into their most basic shapes, and yet, putting it all together creates some of the most fluid movement I have ever seen in a 2D animation. The next reason would have to be the story. I wont spoil anything since it really is an animation you would have to experience for yourself. Lastly, I love it because it involves others in the Furry Fandom. Swiftcutter helped in creating the characters and Foxamoore provided the music. I think it’s great how this is a collaborative piece and I’m sure anyone can agree that the finished result is breathtaking.
I also really liked their piece “Rockoons TV” partly due to the fact that I loved the song they chose…but also because of the setting and how everything plays out. Again, not going to spoil anything here, but the narrative is really spectacular and I suggest checking it out.
But if you want to check out Cerberus’ material for yourself, you can find them via their FA Page.
Bolgy Wolgy:
While this is NOT an animator but rather a very popular meme (albeit cringy) within the fandom, I have to say that it is worth mentioning because it has produced some pretty infamous 2D animations. The original rap was made by senzawa on YouTube who used a bad copypasta for the lyrics. Since it was making fun of Furries, the Furry Fandom quickly picked it up and made it into their own.
The original meme animation is credited to candiewrapper:
But one of the more commonly-known animations for this piece belongs to Seelmaru:
Both are excellent 2D animators doing original animations as well as music videos, so they are worth checking out.
Conclusion
In conclusion, just like any other art form out there, animation is a huge part of the fandom and who we are…because of the popular cartoons and movies, a lot of us found our way into the fandom, and some of these things even inspired our Fursonas. Animation continues to be a huge part of the fandom today but it does seem to often be shadowed by the success of things like digital commissions and fursuits. Still, I think we should tip our hats to all the amazing animators out there and really let them know how much we appreciate them (as we should do to all the artists and creators out there that continue to make this community bright and magical).
Who are your favorite animators? What draws you to them or to their style? Let me know in the comment-section down below. Are you an animator? Feel free to link yourself in the comment-section as well so that others can check out your material.Â
Wanna know more about 3D animation? Check out Fuzzball’s Story Time article on 3D art and how it embodies the Furry Fandom!
That’s all I have for this one, so thank you all for reading and your continued support of this blog. I will see you all in the next article! 😉
Furry Fiesta is a furry convention that is held in Dallas, Texas, USA. It occurs each February or March at the Hyatt Regency Dallas. Dedicated to the advancement of the furry fandom as a whole and the enjoyment of its attendees, it includes a variety of events centered around the concept of bringing people together for social enjoyment.
The Dallas Regional Anthropomorphic Meeting Association (DRAMA) was formed as a non-profit governing organization in the first half of 2008. Officers were elected, by-laws were documented, and it became an entity in its own right.
Texas Furry Fiesta was my first-ever Furry Convention, so it holds a lot of memories for me. While the convention is massive (4,844 Furries attending in 2019) and is well-known for many of its charitable doings (Donating 25% of funds to C.A.R.E which in 2019 equaled over $29,000)- it has also been surrounded in various controversies. TFF has been trying to make several changes to their convention in order to be more friendly towards the community. This even means a lot of “quality of life” changes such as making a family-friendly area for their 2020 gathering.
However, one change comes in the form of costume regulation:
Props and costumes are not unheard of at Furry Conventions…as people are trying to fill out a certain character. This has also meant that there are a lot of Furries walking around with (at times) questionable attire, and calling out certain conventions over what they allow is a constant exchange on Furry Twitter. Just last year, Fetish gear hit the spotlight, with people lumping in Pup Hoods, harnesses, and anything leather with fetish-gear, and arguing that certain things should not be allowed in a public convention space (because there are children and families present).
Conventions also take place at hotels, where there are business men/women, and people on vacation…and all this was part of the discussions of what should be worn at a con, and what should not be worn at a con. Most of this discussion aims towards creating a positive outlook on the Furry Fandom. Whereas most embrace sexuality and sexual activity, there is always the matter of when it is appropriate and when it is not.
TFF’s new policy against wearing military or law-enforcement gear/uniforms was seen by a large number of people to keep out confusion. Someone in crisis might see the uniforms and mistake a suiter for some sort of professional in that field. But others seemed to also take into account the current state of the USA and its political crisis.
It’s not a surprise that certain sensitivities are at an all-time high, especially in the Furry Fandom (based on their demographics and statistics)- while very few argued against the policy, there was a large number of commentators that decided to hop on the policy post, to spread hate for those wearing the uniforms. What should have been a universal understanding of a new rule, quickly turned into a dumpster-fire of personal beliefs, and hatred towards those who serve around the world on a normal basis:
A lot of people from the ACAB movement (All Cops are Bastards) hopped on the post to show their support and to also give out some hateful words towards our men and women in the service. Those that wore the uniform in costume were called “Bootlicking Pretenders”, and our men/women in uniform were all likened to hateful bigots and Nazis. A lot of people said they had been blocked and were being harassed because of their veteran status (even though they never wore uniforms in suit), and others even threatening violence. At the time I was reading through the thread for the policy, TFF had done nothing to delete any comments or de-escalate the situation. But it seemed that the thread itself was later deleted. I only pulled some of the comments, but the fires raged on as the policy quickly just became a place for people to spread their opinions and politics.
After the new policy was released, a lot of Furries with a German Shepherd fursona quickly saw themselves blocked by others on Twitter. It was then noted that due to the policy and G-Sheps being the ones usually in said-costumes due to their character-roles, a lot of Furries had blocked German Shepherds, citing them also as bigots and Nazis. The amount of hate this flared up, shows a deep-rooted problem in our community. Going on a “Witch-Hunt” is not uncommon in the Furry Fandom, recent drama being fights over POC (people of color) having their own spaces at cons, and even women hosting their own parties since they feel unwelcome in many of the after-dark events. Witch-hunts are often fueled by a policy or some drama post which is then followed by a string of harassment to certain individuals online or threats.
While it was sad to see so many people blocked and mistreated just because they chose their favorite breed of canine to portray themselves as, it was even more sad to see that no one was doing anything about it. I tried searching up non-shepherds that were talking about this issue and how wrong it was, but I found very few. The posts I did find were all in support of blocking German Shepherds, purely on their species…and not on who they really were, or what they really believed. Even if a Fursona is make-believe, this is a form of discrimination, and I do feel that TFF should have addressed it rather than just delete the issue and pretend it never happened in the first place.
I feel like they did this from a business standpoint, as standing against wrongs (in any kind) might mean a loss in business…and a lot of the Furry Fandom acts as a hive-mind and often follows the trend on how they should act, behave, and believe.
Although, I praised the new policy for several reasons:
It does get rid of that confusion. We do have children at the convention and they should know who is a real officer and who is not.
In terms of military gear, we do have several ‘real’ soldiers and veterans attending, and stolen valor (even if for cosplay/costuming) is not cool.
Actual military is not supposed to wear their uniform when not on duty, this is just part of the regulations, and it shouldn’t be broken.
And due to the political climate in the USA, no Fursuiter or cosplayer should put themselves at risk by wearing the uniform.
The policy brings more good than it does harm (though there were those that opposed the policy since the uniform is an integral part of the fursuit or character as a whole)- and I agree that it was more-or-less used to curb those wearing attire that was ‘historically accurate’ but sparked a lot of controversy or feelings of being uncomfortable at conventions (like re-enactment uniforms from civil wars and etc). A convention should never be a hostile environment and is a place to have fun where everyone feels safe.
I guess, as a closing statement; No matter how many claim that the Furry Fandom is “accepting”, if you head to Furry Twitter, you will see that a lot of the time, it is the opposite. As someone that has been in the fandom for over 13 years, I have seen a major shift in Furry-tolerance among its own members…and it has not been for the better (in most cases). This is my personal opinion, and I have known several people to leave the fandom due to what it has become. But, like with all things, you have to find the good in it…and work hard to create the kind of change that you want. I write this blog in order to shed some light and truth on situations no matter how dark or grisly they are. While a lot of people in the fandom like to sweep issues under the rug, I do feel they need to be dug up at times and really addressed and fought over so we can forgive, evolve, and move on.
But what do YOU think?
Feel free to leave me you comments and opinions in the comment-section down below. If you are going to leave a political comment, I ask that you make it civil and something to host discussion. Blatant hate and disregard of our service-members will be deleted. Personal opinions are fine as long as you address it in a calm manner…and respectfully. But, that’s all I have for this entry. Thank you all for your continued support of this blog. If you want to attend TFF, the con runs from February 28th- March 1st of 2020.
Art by Shewulf7 (FA) Characters belong to me & Shewulf7
TL;DR – You can check out my channel for streaming here: Mixer.com/SamUtari
Well, I have to say that this is my first time starting a blog with a shameless plug! So Happy New Year? It has been awhile since I made a good “updates” blog…so now would be a good time, right?
Streaming….
As some of you might know, I have a YouTube Channel (outside of my Furry one) where I play random series of games (mostly Guild Wars and GW2 with the occasional opinion-related vid on a different game). I used to be pretty active on it, but, it never took off…so it doesn’t get the attention it should. Still, doing YouTube always had me curious about streaming…but the idea was always so daunting for multiple reasons:
I only have a small laptop.
I don’t have a microphone.
I do not have a webcam let alone a good camera.
I am not tech savvy by any means!
I have very low self-esteem.
I have always been told that I am funny, talented, entertaining (blah, blah, blah)- but I don’t believe a word of it. But, I was always told that streaming would suit me…and so I decided to give it a shot in 2020. Luckily, my bestie (HurtfulG on Mixer) had also started her streaming journey (and currently has over 350+ followers on Mixer) so she helped me with some UI things, banner sizes, and all that. I’m still not 100% confident, and I def don’t have a streaming schedule…but yeah, I’m getting there.
So far I have been doing co-streams of Dead-by-Daylight, Minecraft, and etc. I have done one-shot streams of My Time at Portia and Warframe (will probs do more streams of those games in the future). My main series right now seem to be Borderlands (which I play with my wife) and Fallout 76.
But yeah, it has been an adventure. I’m currently sitting at only 28 followers (next follower goal is 50). I’m still trying to find my balance as I try to make a more solid streaming schedule that doesn’t clash with my friends or real life obligations. I have decided that I am going to be chopping up my streams and placing them on YouTube. So maybe my channel will become more active.
My ultimate goal is that hopefully, over time, I can build more of a following and work to get better set-ups as far as things like a quality mic, an actual PC, and even better editing software. But for now, it’s just one goal at a time.
But this doesn’t mean that I have forgotten about this blog! I have actually been working on some articles (believe it or not), and I do have some exciting things to share with you guys! These things include:
The return of Sunny & Moony (Discussion or Review)
Hot Twitter Topic on new TFF policy
More Gaming Furs articles
ETC
The creator of Sunny & Moony did reach out to me, and I’m excited to check out the revival of their series. Also…while I wanted to try and cover more light-hearted Furry News, the real stuff I want to cover is not very nice and does require a lot of delicate handling (thus how long I have been taking to get them out there). I would love to going back and doing Furry Highlights again (since I have a ton of them saved on my old laptop), and if I can get all those done, I might even start up interviews again.
So yeah…the plans are there. The real problem is motivating myself to try and do the work.
Anyways, that’s all I got for now! If you head to Mixer and give me a follow, I would greatly appreciate it! Also, thanks so much to those that stick around and support this blog! Hopefully I will see you all in the next entry/article/review! 😀
The Furry Fandom has always been known as a place of acceptance, a place to be whatever you want to be. We have our rules, our codes of conduct- but even with all the love, acceptance, and creativity…we all have our cringe stories. We have all encountered the more “unlikable” characters in the fandom and have our stories because of them. While a lot of the fandom tries to sweep these characters under the rug, their presence is everywhere: beware groups, the constant battles on Furry Twitter, there is no escaping it.
Now take a look at the character known as: OWO-Chan.
I started seeing the character in Furry groups across Facebook and was immediately invested in learning more. While the comics and shorts portraying OWO-Chan were meant as jokes, there was no fooling me that there was a lot of truth behind what was being shown as well. From the way the character degrades artists, to the harassment of other creators, begging for free art, etc. There was a deep truth behind the meme whether anyone wanted to admit it or not. I often found myself laughing and shaking my head at the small panels and knew this was something I wanted to feature on my blog.
Because, if there’s one thing I think is important to cover…it is all sides of the fandom as it stands. This means covering the good, the bad, and ugly.
So I reached out to the artist (SQUISHYMOON) and they were kind enough to answer a few questions for me about the character, its creation, and overall purpose.
Describe OwO-chan for those that may not know the character:
OWO-Chan is a very basic female fursona, and what I mean by that is she has the most “common” aspects of the furry community made into a design. She’s blue and white with a curly tail and normal wolf/dog ears, she’s not super unique and probably looks like 1000s of other fursonas in the fandom. She also has a large bust and hips, along with a bulge that gets bigger in every comic.
Her personality is based off a toxic popfur, the reason I say ‘toxic popfur’ and not just ‘popfur’ is because I believe there are popular furries who are good people and that not everyone who’s a “popfur” is bad. She’s based off everything wrong, toxic, and gross in the furry fandom. Because just like every fandom out there, there’s always gonna be bad with the good.
What inspired their design?
That’s a hard question, I wasn’t planning on making this a “real” fursona. It started off as a “shitty” doodle I made last second in a regular art I was making, I thought up the most annoying furry in the fandom and BAM: owo was made. I didn’t even choose her name, it was the name the fandom gave her so I went with it.
What was the first OwO-chan comic and what brought it about?
She actually started off as a crappy doodle in a random artwork I did, and after over 100 people liked and commented on it I started making comics! All requested by people in the fandom, it seems like a lot of people have also dealt with someone like owo-chan. Every comic I make is based off someone’s request in the fandom along with my own experiences with toxic people, so honestly owo-chan was brought about from many different people not just me.
What do you hope the comics accomplish (if anything)?
At first, I just wanted to make a stupid meme because I thought it was funny. After seeing other people’s stories in the fandom: all the hate, sadness, and being able to make people laugh about something that probably wasn’t the best thing to deal with..makes me really happy. Now I want to help spread information around Facebook, showing exactly what a toxic furry is. Maybe we can stop new furries and even old furries from behaving this way, while also being able to joke about it. A lot of furries have been this person at one time, and that’s okay. As long as you learn from your past mistakes that’s all that matters, but you shouldn’t be held to your past the rest of your life. Most of all, I just want to make people laugh. And also maybe non-furries will see that this type of person isn’t what our fandom is about.
Since the comics seem to revolve around particular (unlikable) characters that exist in the fandom…how do you think certain issues in the fandom could be solved?
I don’t particularly think it can be solved, at least not in my lifetime. All fandoms big and small have a “dark side”. Furries are seen as perverts who have sex is fursuits, in the MLP fandom they’re seen as gross old men who jack off to clop porn. Sometimes you have to just accept there’s always gonna be “that person” in the fandom. I think what could help, is standing up to people who are this way. Stand up to bullies, stand your ground when getting commissions, stop letting people tell you that you charge too much for art. Basically I think we need to stop letting “bad” “toxic” people run around thinking they can get away with stuff because they’re popular or because they have a “mental illness”. We are all responsible for our actions ya know?
Everyone seems to ask, so can you confirm that OwO-chan’s bulge and breasts seem to grow with every comic?
Yes, I can confirm her tits/thighs and bulge are getting bigger in every photo. But shhhhhhh you didn’t hear it from me!! Haha
Has there been any negative attention because of the comics?
Sadly yes, there have been a few “bad” comments and messages regarding the comics. A few have said I’m making it seem like being a toxic person is okay, that younger furries will think it’s okay to act that way, and that I’m making furries seem super sexual, and that I need to stop.
And one person said I probably drew this because I’m actually like the person I draw! That one wasn’t very nice to hear, but, those are just some things people have said. It’s not easy hearing negativity, but it’s also not something I’m exactly scared of. I have been hearing negativity my whole life, most of us have. It hurts, but the good always over-grows the bad! And if I can make 100’s of people smile and bring the fandom together, then those 10-30 negative comments or messages don’t matter. Who knows maybe one day I can even win over the negative people with my art!
What is the best thing to come from the OwO-chan comics?
Well, firstly my page had 56 likes/follows five days ago. Today I have over 300, being able to share my art with that many people is amazing. The best thing in my opinion is, owo-chan is basically everyone’s fursona. I don’t claim her to be just mine, I let everyone draw her and use her however they please. If the whole fandom wants to use her as a mascot to show what bad furries look like I’d be 100% okay with that! If someone wants to put her on a t-shirt, go ahead. She’s everyone’s, and we can all enjoy making memes and jokes together while spreading information about toxicity in the fandom!
Anything to add?
I’d just like to say, I’m super glad people are enjoying the character. It makes me even happier we can all bond over awful experiences in the community and fandom, and maybe in the future we can have less people like owo-chan.
I just want to give a huge “thank you” to Squishymoon, not only for taking time to answer my questions (and draw for some of them as well), but just for creating the character in general. I think it takes a lot of guts to have such a sense of humor in the fandom. A lot of the time what we see is more along the lines of pretending something doesn’t exist rather than tackling it head-on. And those that do try and tackle issues in the Furry Fandom tend to be on the side of witch-hunts that I see doing more harm than good. I think tackling toxic furries in a humorous way that highlights what real bad behavior looks like is actually good for the community. I agree with Squishymoon in that it is something to bring us all together and to teach new and old furries on how not to behave and teach them what is not acceptable without having to put them on blast directly.
So thank you again Squishymoon for taking the time to do this for me! And remember to check out their linked pages above for more OwO-chan and more amazing art in general!
But what do YOU think?
What are your opinion on OwO-chan? What do you think is a good way to confront and eliminate toxic furry behavior? What are some of your furry cringe stories? Do you think the fandom sweeps too much under the rug and doesn’t like confronting its dark side?
As always, let me know your thoughts/opinions in the comment section down below. Thank you all for reading, and I will see you all in the next blog! 😉
Vet tech, runner, fursuiter, grease monkey, motorcycle hysteric and full time nutjob. ALS can kiss my fuzzy butt. I ain’t scared! –DogBomb
Words on a profile that are not even a shadow of the figure that Tony “DogBomb” Barrett would create when he was diagnosed with ALS in March of 2018. Furries, for all the negative backlash they receive have often shown light in many ways throughout their communities. Whether that be placing smiles on the faces of adults and children alike, raising money for animal organizations through their conventions, or, in the case of Tony (DogBomb), raising money and awareness for a very serious disease…Furries have always been there to lend their helping paw.
Tony not only shed light on his condition by documenting it as it was happening, but he showed how something so terrible and devastating did not have to bring a person down. ALS is very real, and very serious…but Tony never let it stop him from loving and living his life in the only ways he knew how. Wherever he went he continued spreading positivity and love, all while educating the public on why taking action and making an effort towards research was important and even crucial if a cure was to be found for future generations.
He took something terminal in stride as he continued to walk, boat, ride, and sit down with friends all the while confessing that he shouldn’t be doing such things, but he had a point to prove, even with his doctor’s disapproval. Through laughs and moments of honesty, and even a few moments of vulnerability- DogBomb had nothing to hide from the community he loved so much, and all he ever asked is that we pay it forward, and keep shining that light after he had gone.
“No one should be broken up over my passing. Sadness or anger at ALS is appropriate, but there is nothing to grieve about when you consider the ride that I was afforded. Wag every day, please. Hug your dogs and your friends. Smile when you think of me. No regrets.”
—DogBomb
-About ALS-
(Provided here is just a summary but you can read all about ALS:Â HEREÂ )
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neuro-degenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed.
With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, people may lose the ability to speak, eat, move and breathe.
ALS usually strikes people between the ages of 40 and 70, and it is estimated there are more than 20,000 Americans who have the disease at any given time. ALS can affect anyone, and can also run in families. While scientists have made leaps and bounds in their discoveries and treatment of ALS, there is no cure.
“People often ask me if I’m scared. For whatever reason, I’m not scared at all. I’ve never been afraid of much in this life, except for the thought of losing my independence, which absolutely terrifies me.”
—DogBomb
-A Mutt’s Journey-
Tony gained attention in the fandom in August of 2010 when a picture started circulating of him in his Fursuit standing next to a wheelchair user. This moment he recorded as “Courage on Two Wheels” on his Furaffinity. This was the moment where Tony showed his loving and honest character, saying that people always saw him as “courageous” for Fursuiting in public, whereas the true courage came from the people such as the girl in the wheelchair (named Sarah).
“As the crowds parted to make way for the upright canine, a young
lady in a wheelchair caught my attention.
Unable to speak, or even wave for that matter, she used her beautiful
eyes to lure me over.
She was alone in her chair, body twisted and lacking in coordination,
betraying its owner with a vengeance. She was bereft of speech, couldn’t
hold a pen and lacked the motor skills to write if she could, yet when I
held her hand in my paw, her eyes danced. They spoke volumes.
I spent the better part of half an hour in this angel’s company.
She felt my claws and leaned her head against my fur.
We watched the throngs hurry past, the waves wash over the shore
and the gulls shriek and take flight.
A peaceful island in a sea of activity.
Eventually, she released my paw and made a motion with her head.
It was time for me to bid farewell.
I gave her shoulder a pat and I saw that terrific smile flash
across her face. I felt calm and blessed by her company.”
—DogBomb as said in “Courage on Two Wheels”
His journey to finding the fandom was somewhat similar to my own as he found it after a friend merely referred to him as being a Furry. I personally saw nothing else about this moment in Tony’s life, but it’s something fun to imagine as I have personally gone from living under that rock to falling down the rabbit hole.
It was March in 2018 when Tony was diagnosed with ALS and given an estimated life-span of 1-3 years. The disease varies from person-to-person…and as to how quickly his physical state would deteriorate no one knew. But “You can’t keep a good dog down”.
Since his diagnosis, Tony has been adamant on raising money and awareness for ALS, all the while making more ‘personal’ contributions to help ALS research. On November 10th, 2018- Tony and others marched a mile in the name of ALS research and raised $34,000 for the cause! As Tony exclaimed: “The organizers were blown away by the exuberant fun that a whole mass of fursuiters brings to an event. It was the first time that the local ALSA reached their fundraising goal and it was the biggest walk ever. Yeah, furries did that.”
Tony also participated in a clinical trial in an attempt to stop the disease. And though he was declined in becoming an organ donor because of his ALS, he did sign over his body to science for use as a cadaver. Even then, he showed his bright and humorous side, wanting nothing more than to provide a few good laughs to doctors-to-be.
My body is willed to the UCI Medical School, so I wrote a note for the student(s) who are stuck with my weird husk. I want them to have fun AND learn valuable skills. Life is too short not to enjoy a good giggle. pic.twitter.com/4ZkdT3vbXl
It was then on March 29th 2019 that Tony announced he would be ending his life on his own terms- refusing to let the disease take him, and that the date he had chosen was April 5th, 2019. In that time he traveled to have drinks with friends, say his last goodbyes, all the while still spreading light and positivity throughout the fandom. DogBomb was not defeated by ALS but rather, the fandom agreed that the goodest of boys had taken the victory lap on it all:
Dogbomb has left the building. I love all y’all!
Furries have always been the butt-end of the joke (sexual pun intended? Unintended?) when it comes to society. We know that people see us just as the weirdos in the animal costumes that may or may-not do questionable things behind closed doors. But if there’s one thing that Furries come together on despite fandom drama and spite from the outside…it’s fighting the good fight for a good cause.
Not only did Furries raise over 30k for ALS back in 2018, but on March 24th 2019 Furries took to the streets in a marathon once more to raise money for ALS research and to spread awareness. Spear-headed by Tony as “Team Smelly Mutt”, they raised over $110,000 for charity and continue to raise money for ALS by selling art, doing streams, selling stickers, t-shirts, and other goods all in the name of “DogBomb” and his message:
“There are some that view furries as a punchline, but I can tell you that the ALS association takes us very seriously. The fandom has been an absolute fund raising force, and no group has ever risen to the occasion like you all. Over $100,000 raised so far. Let that sink in…
Almost every single person at the meet and greet had questions about what furry is, and there is a huge buzz about our participation in the marathon. Perceptions are changing, my friends, and that’s due to your hard work. Am I proud to be a furry? You’re damn right I am.”
—DogBomb
…these acts of kindness, charity, determination, and overall love for a member of the community has helped in shedding light on the Furry Fandom as a whole, and really brought back what the fandom is all about: teamwork, inclusiveness, positivity, creativity, a place where anyone and everyone can find their place and belong. This fandom is a fandom of LOVE, and we shine brightest when we are all together working towards a common goal.
Tony “DogBomb” has given permission to use the likeness of his character but only if those proceeds go to ALS research. And, if you wanna send a few bucks to help out, you can still do so by checking out Team Smelly Mutt’s page:Â HEREÂ or by visiting http://weboc.alsa.org –
-Time too short but a whole life lived-
If it was one thing that DogBomb asked of others (outside of being kind to one another) it was to live. It was to live and do the things you loved, tell others how much they mean to you, and to sit back with a cold one. But most of all, he asked that others not mourn his death, but rather celebrate his life and smile.
After his time came and went and he crossed that rainbow bridge, Twitter went dark in honor of DogBomb. Profile pics faded to black with the rainbow lei to represent his journey into the next life, with hashtags calling for a toast for DogBomb with several people speaking up about their amazing interactions with this man who was an inspiration (and still is) to so many.
I myself never got to meet him, and only this year did I start following his journey, not knowing how drawn in I would become, nor how deeply I would feel the loss of someone who is technically a total stranger. That’s part of the reason why this blog has taken so long to write…because the words just couldn’t form in my mind as I can’t speak on experience about any of this…only that watching this journey further affirmed why I love the fandom, further inspired me to continue writing about the fandom, and it restored my faith in both humanity and the fandom. It also caused me quite a few tears before my work shift that I can not say I am ashamed of…because even through text I could feel the love radiating off of the goodest boy, and all of those touched by his spirit and determination to kick ALS’ butt!
So while it may be a few days late, I think I will snuggle my loved one just a little bit closer tonight, and I think I will pop open a beer. And when I get paid next, you will be seeing a little donation (even if not much) from this little fuzzbutt.
I have been on that side of the fence where I catch someone impersonating my friends in the Fandom…heck, I even made a massive beware on someone trying to make a suit out of a friend’s original character that they already had a suit for! The Furry Fandom can be crazy with drama and publicity incidents…but one of the biggest problems the fandom has is with continuing art theft.
I have written several bewares on snarky kids and teenagers that think they somehow own something because they found it on Google and saved it to their phone or computer…but I guess it’s shocking when it happens to you. Character theft isn’t something only reserved for the Popufurs. Unfortunately, if you have ever posted a picture of your Fursona anywhere online, someone will find it…and someone will probably use it at some point.
But the really frustrating part? They is hardly anything you can do to stop people from doing it—
So, some friends of mine were browsing TikTok when they noticed that someone decided to use my character “Cheshire” and call themselves “FurryQueen”. They have no videos, tons of fans…but overall had no content posted. You can tell the image they chose of Cheshire was taken right off of Google, screenshot with the transparency squares and all…and immediately, I made a TikTok account to message them and let them know that they did not have the right or permission to use a character I have spent a ton of money on.
I know this person is probably a child, they might not even be aware of what character theft is…but what they are doing by taking my character is putting their own image on that character. If they make terrible videos or make some racist or homophobic remark…that gets put onto ME. So the next time I post that character or walk around in the fursuit of this character, it can really cause a bad situation.
CHARACTER THEFT IS NEVER OKAY—and the fact that people don’t understand this from the start is baffling. I understand the Furry Fandom can be a place where one might feel it’s hard to fit in. That’s why I provide so many free resources on my blog. I try and educate people on the DOs and DONTs in the fandom so that they get a good experience from the start. But ignorance of a rule does not justify breaking that rule.
…and the final thing I noticed is that reporting these people SUCKS! There really is nothing out there to protect from character theft. You can report an account for impersonating…but unless they are impersonating a real person, that website or app will hardly ever take action. On a site like TikTok…if that person isn’t following me back, the chances are high that they will never see my message and therefore won’t change their ways.
I can post a beware on Facebook, on my character’s page, on Furry Amino, on this blog, and on my instagram…but that’s more a warning for others to look out for their beloved characters and doesn’t save mine from this current predicament. There is a great feeling of helplessness when things like this happen because there is only so much you can do before you are forced to sit and wait. It’s both maddening and frustrating and popular apps like TikTok are a cancerous breeding ground for such thieves.
But what do YOU think?
How do you go about protecting your character? What would you do in this situation? Do you think apps and websites should take into account character theft as being valid because the Furry Community is so large as are other fandoms with original characters?
Rune's Furry Blog 