earthfurst's stories

Looking to buy yourself furry merchandise, but unsure of what to buy? Fear not! There are at least three furry subscription box services on the internet for you to choose from. Boxsona, Fur Delivery, and Furry Mystery Box are all ready to deliver furry merchandise direct to your door.

If you haven't heard of a subscription box service before, it's a recurring (sometimes monthly) delivery of niche products. More well-known examples include Loot Crate (nerdy products) and BarkBox (products for dogs). It's like someone took the idea of loot boxes from the gaming world and put them in real life.

On March 6th, 2015, furry artist Sebastian Rivers (known as "Lurid" or "Mori" in the furry fandom) and over 60 other people found their homes in Schenectady, NY engulfed in flames. Four people lost their lives in the blaze, and the rest became homeless overnight.

Besides losing his home and his four cats (who were like his children), Sebastian lost all of his sketchbooks, laptop and Wacom tablet: the tools he used for his digital painting, his sole source of income. For the time being, he has a place to stay, but it is temporary.

James Alexander Wolfe, who has been a friend of Sebastian's for a little over 2 years, has set up a GoFundMe Fundraiser account on his behalf. James has set the goal at $3,000, because with that money, Sebastian could buy a new laptop and tablet to re-establish his business, and have enough left over to help him get back on his feet.

As James puts it, "I hope you find it in your hearts to help my friend in his time of need, and I thank all of you that took the time to read this."

Update (June 6): If you prefer PayPal to GoFundMe, Sebastian wrote that "VGAcolor [at] gmail.com is my Paypal email. even $1s help; i am really damn close!! so please help or [spread the word] if you can! thank you".

In addition to the GoFundMe, Sebastian is accepting commissions to do art (using pencil, ink and colored pencil) on 9x12 inches, 75 lb archival paper. Inked art is $20 (example) and colored pencil art is $50.

As reported a few months ago, Sharon Sakai has been battling illness. The Cartoon Arts Professional Society (CAPS) have been fundraising for Sharon & Stan Sakai (creator of Usagi Yojimbo) to help with medical bills.

Dark Horse will be publishing a hardcover benefit book The Sakai Project: Artists Celebrate Thirty Years of "Usagi Yojimbo" in association with CAPS. On January 31 the participation of 47 creators was announced with a call for art submissions from industry professionals with a deadline of February 20. The Sakai Project will be released on July 23.

Participating artists include:

• Arthur Adams
• Brian Michael Bendis
• Howard Chaykin
• Mark Crilley (Akiko)
• Geof Darrow
• Edgar Delgado (Ultraduck & Ultrapato)
• Stephanie Gladden (Hopster's Tracks)
• Michael Golden (Bucky O'Hare)
• Matt Groening (Simpsons, Life In Hell)
• Mike Kunkel (Herobear and the Kid)

• Batton Lash (Supernatural Law)
• Oscar Martin (did Solo?)
• Mike Mignola (Hellboy & Abe Sapien)
• Bill Morrison (Captain Carrot and the Final Ark)
• Michael Avon Oeming (The Mice Templar)
• Scott Shaw (Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew)
• Jeff Smith (Bone)
• Phil Yeh (Frank the Unicorn and Penguin & Pencilguin)

Comic book publisher Antarctic Press, the first publisher of furry anthologies Furrlough and Genus, is running an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to raise cash to remain in business.

It is always difficult to ask for help, but due to current circumstances, we have incurred over $70,000 in debt and costs from returns.

Antarctic Press expanded into the mass retailer market, but got a bit "hosed" by returns of unsold comics from stores. Contributor perks include wallpaper, comics – some signed – an Indiegogo-only print signed by five artists, and subscriptions of new AP comics.

There are 40 days left in the fundraiser, with $4,667 already pledged; enough to eliminate one of the company's smaller loans.