just injecting my 2c
--- In SkunkworksAMA_at_yahoogroups.com, "Take a wild, friggin guess" <a_change_of_plans@...> wrote:
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> ...Or maybe it's already here. I don't know, to be quite honest. But I've noticed a lot of various forums and places discussing the current status of the "furry fandom"; I've even noticed some discussion of it here over the past couple weeks.
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> Now, perhaps because of my age, or the fact that I'm pretty much on the fringe outskirts of the fandom, I cannot help but notice the changes that have been occurring over the years. Granted, the fandom has always had it's share of nutjobs and fruitcakes, and maybe I'm over-reacting. Maybe it just seems more noticeable because there are more people in it than there used to be. Maybe the younger people are totally fucked up because of the various medications and mental disorders doctors like to pass out like lollipops these days. Maybe the older people have always been clearly insane, and I just never noticed it until now.
I think it's just more noticeable due to the specialized distribution channels that have evolved over time (places like fur affinity/chan boards/second life etc etc)
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> Back in 1995, when I attended my first convention, there were a few dog-collar-wearing oddballs in attendance. But just a few. Mostly, I saw single people, married (or unmarried) couples, senior citizens and kids. The artwork was unique and easily identifiable by even the newest fan, and comics with enjoyable, often well-written stories could be found everywhere. Fanzines were popular, and were instrumental for aspiring artists to get their work out into the public eye.
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> Now, I realize a lot of folks use the internet nowadays instead of things like fanzines or comics. Let's face it, anyone with a webpage and a scanner can churn out a webcomic. But somewhere along the way, Style got tossed into the back seat along with Worthwhile Stories and Innocent Enjoyment. The driver's seat was taken over by Insanity and the passenger seat was soon occupied by it's close friend Fetish. The pedal is pinned to the floor, the kids are screaming in the back seat, and there's no way that car is going to pull over anytime soon.
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> At what point did the furry genre become a "sexual fetish" or a "lifestyle"? I always thought it was about funny animals, cartoons, and science fiction. Sure, there was sex sometimes, but it was usually fairly normal stuff, not some of the weird shit that populates Fchan's /ah/ board. Where exactly does diaper-wearing, dismemberment, horribly-prolapsed internal organs or any of the other soul-searing crap come into the picture? How can some fans honestly function on a daily basis when they truly believe they are the spirit of some 500-year old wolf/dragon creature? Methinks the kiddies got their brains severely fried on Lucky Charms and too many episodes of Pokemon.
I would imagine that it became a sexual fetish/lifestyle after a bunch of fringe members caught the attention of the media. Also, pretty much anyone can make a group of some sort online and garner members who will agree with everything they say or do, giving them the shelter and mindset that it's "ok" to be like that.
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> These days, it seems conventions are used as "meat markets". Many people (who probably have no interest in artwork or stories) seem to use these events to hook up with potential partners, attempt to get laid (even MY mind refuses to picture what that must look like), get wasted on recreational drugs or get drunk. So where, exactly, does "furry" make it's presence known in that sordid little concoction?
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> Answer? Nowhere. That sort of behavior has nothing to do with anthropomorphic stuff. "Furry" seems to be used as a loosely-binding glue to adhere to people of questionable character and motives. Unfortunately, that same glue is making them stick to the innocent fan, damning them by simple association. No one likes to be grouped in with the likes of animal-abusers, kiddy-diddlers and the like. But, unfortunately, the fandom's "open arms" policy has presented a severe chink in the armor, and all the outcasts are using it to find a haven.
It's not just the furry fandom, but other interest groups as well (online gaming, gun collecting, you name it). There's always going to be a negative stereotype of some sort due to a few bad apples.
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> Now the question is: what are you going to do about it? Doing nothing and whining is easy; I see people do it all the time ("Maybe someone should go over and save so-and-so's gallery before they close it down. I would, but I'm too fucking lazy and preocupied with video games. By the way, can someone else call 911 for me? My house is one fire, but I've just got to beat this next level!") What do you think should be done, or how do you think it COULD be done?
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> As I posted on CYD, I believe that artists are just as resposible for the situation. An aspiring artist gets a few fans, some of them ask if he can draw some enormous dog cock drilling some 4-year-old beheaded cub herm (and offer him money for it), and the artist does so. Boom! Now he's getting money and all sorts of fans, but are these the kinds of fans he really wants? Was that little bit of money worth opening the floodgate?
I would guess that some people just want the attention and are willing to draw whatever generates it. I figure that they end up being assimilated into your aforementioned groups (see also previous group-think statement).
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> I have mentioned in the past that I am changing how I do my work. I still plan on doing portfolios (I have several drafted already, as a matter of fact), but I will be focusing more on stories. I will be using Caterwaul Inc. as my vehicle for this adventure. I will also be putting a lot of my "mainstream" work into these comics, and I hope it will be evident in the camera angles, lighting, and detail. I will be focusing on the characters and the stories they have to tell. The stories are not G-rated (there's nudity sometimes), but they're also not XXX-rated spank magazines. If you want something of that nature, well, that's what the portfolios are for.
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> Speaking of which, I have mentioned to some folks on the group that a lot of the future folios are considerably tamer than my older material. In fact, the roughs for "Skunkworks VII" look more like Playboy/early Penthouse than Hustler. There are still the occasional hardcore pieces, but not quite as prevalent as years past. I hope that folks will enjoy this change. My reason for changing my formula? I want to produce a high-quality item that even someone not involved with the fandom would be interested in reading or looking at. Something that one wouldn't feel the need to hide from everyone else because it's not the usual thing. I'd like to try to transcend the "furry" genre and try to steer my little corner of it into a greener pasture, a place where the nutjobs aren't welcome and won't find anything fap-worthy for their disturbing fetishes.
Sounds cool, although I think you've already arrived at said pasture (you never left?). Besides, over time (e.g. 10+ years?) what we think is "weird" will (most likely) coast towards acceptable/tolerated. I can almost hear the old man going "Sonny, back in my day I would collect pictures of anthropomorphic animal orgies" followed by "Whatever grandpa, its all about asphyxiating auto erotic inter-species bestiality now!"
Personally I tend to prefer pictures more like "No Deposit, No Return" (I guess I have a thing for lionesses with dreads? Also the pose and coloring are awesome). However that doesn't mean I would turn down another "Lori's adventures in body cavity elasticity" ;P.
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> I don't know if any other artists are willing to set standards such as this or not. But if they keep drawing the more unsettling material, they're going to keep attracting the undesireables, and that won't be good for anybody.
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> So what do you folks think? What should, or COULD, be done? Realistically, mind you. I really don't want to hear how someone would take their Level 9 Ninja-assasin wolf character and defeat the opponent. I want this to be a sensible, logical, and hopefully drama-free discussion. Your advice, comments, or ideas are most certainly welcome. This was just something I'd been thinking about for awhile and finally took the time to write it all down and post it here.
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> --JMH
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IMO Why not just keep doing what you like doing and forget about the rest of the fandom? Alternatively you could make another "burned furs" movement (but we all know how that turned out).
As far as "Furry" goes for myself: I don't dress up in fursuits, go to cons, nor do I have a spirit animal. I just like the art! (ok and the smut, but that's art too :P) So I'm not sure if I can really identify/talk with with anyone in the fandom outside of "did you see them triceratops tits? Yeah I'd like to crash my meteor into the end of her Cretaceous period <if you catch my meaning>". Anyways that was a really long lead-up for such a bad joke so I'll stop here :D
Received on Sat Jun 06 2009 - 17:52:10 CDT