+--------------+ MMMMMM--------------MMMMM---------------------------- | | MM MM M MM | #03 Aug 90 | MM MM M MM MM MM M MM M MMMMM MMMM MMMMM | | MMMMM MM M MMM M MMMMM MM M MM MM M MM | ========== | MM MM M MM MM M MM M MM MMMMMM MMMM | | MM MM MM MM MM M MM MM MM MM M | Osprey Press | MM MMM M MM MMMMM MMM M MMM MMMMM MMMMM | | M +--------------+ -----------------------------MMM--------------------- [][][][][][][][][] * THE ELECTRONIC FURRY FANZINE * [][][][][][][][][] [] [] [] -- Back From The Dead Issue -- [] [] [] [] "Coventry" * "Rhudiprrt, the Prince of Fur" [] [] "Xanadu" * Other Stuff [] [] Expanded Publications & BBS Lists! [] [] [] [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Yes, it's finally back, some three months late and being produced with new equipment (figuratively speaking, but more on that later). Several of you have already heard the excuses as to why FURBYTES was put on hold; basically, it boiled down to having no time and no hardware. The computer that I was using to produce the 'zine with first ended up living in a different house than I was. Now that we're both in the same location again, it appears that it has developed a bad motherboard. At any rate, for those of you who keep track of such things, the first two issues of FURBYTES were produced on a TRS-80 with an XL8R upgrade board using an obscure word processor called "LazyWriter." This issue is being produced on an Intertec Superbrain using a less obscure word processor called "WordStar." The Intertec Superbrain is a CP/M computer from 1980, whose outstanding features include using dual processors (ostensibly to speed things up but I haven't noticed it running any faster than old CP/M computers that limp along with just one), using the only disk format known to man that writes in "inverted data," and having one of the ugliest cases I think I've ever seen on a microcomputer. A different version of the Superbrain than I have was, however, the first computer to use high-density 5.25" disks, and it got 1.5 meg on each one back in 1980. Now that we've hit 1990, MS-DOS computers get 1.2 meg on each one. Isn't progress wonderful? CORRECTIONS Several of the who's-getting-what-from-who descriptions in last issue's article on furry echo conferencing were wrong. I apologize. At this point it's probably moot, though, since a lot of what was reported then is completely out of date. Two big changes involving the "Toons & Morphs" furry conference: Noel Tominack has been replaced by Watts Martin as moderator (yes, me) and T&M has been made a part of CandyNet, a separate network from FidoNet. At least two boards dropped T&M over a remarkably trivial fight over whether or not the CandyNet administrators were being weenies when they made a rule stipulating that you must be a member of CandyNet in order to receive a CandyNet echo (like Toons & Morphs), yet still sent it to a non-CandyNet board where Noel Tominack, who was FurBytes #3, Aug '90 -- Page 2 at that point still moderator, could receive it -- or whether the people who were violating that rule were, in fact, the true weenies. Luckily, everyone involved worked diligently at proving that both parties were, indeed, willing to treat what should have been a very simple matter as a major disaster and ended up aligning people on one side or the other on both furry echos. (Both "sides" are, in light of these events, presented with the first official FurBytes FURRY WEENIE AWARD. Congratulations, and your checks are most certainly not in the mail.) ------ COVENTRY Kay Shapero "He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart" -- Proverbs 11:29 Just thought I'd throw in a little fannish history here, to help put various things in perspective. Many years ago, a fan spent many years creating and imbellishing a marvelously detailed imaginary world named Coventry. He told friends about it who asked to join in on the fun, and before long a number of fans were writing stories set in Coventry, involving Coventranean versions of themselves and the other people involved. And a good time was had by all for quite awhile, but alas, people being people, it was not long before one of the participants got the bright idea of getting even with someone they were mad at by writing the latter's Coventry character into a story in which the character was made to look like a fool or worse. Retaliation followed, and it began to get a bit messy. It didn't help when some of the participants with less of a grip on reality than most decided to try and see if they could hallucinate themselves into Coventry with a little LSD, but at least they hurt nobody but themselves. Worse was the response of several people who took one look at the dopers and concluded that people should be "saved" from Coventry, by means of a truly nasty conspiracy. People involved in Coventry started receiving little messages warning them to get out at once, signed with a strange little sigil "The Guardian." Before long, these messages included transcripts of theoretically private conversations with other Coventry writers along with language of the "you thought you were with friends, but you see we know everything" variety. Suddenly nobody knew who they could trust and the entire thing came apart. A few things were left from the wreckage - the rule that nobody should write someone else into a story without permission of the latter, that one should think twice before writing oneself into the story, and in any case to carefully distinguish between what a character may have said, and what one believes oneself (most of these turned up in slightly altered form when D&D came along, which is why various older fen in a FRP game will always carefully state during a game that "my character says such and such" instead of simply making the comment). But Coventry was gone. FurBytes #3, Aug '90 -- Page 3 Now the above little history does not match the current day situation of Furry fandom exactly, but there are parallels we should note. The main thing that broke up what was a very entertaining fandom indeed was backbiting and the resultant lack of trust. So if we want to keep this interesting phenomenon referred to as "furry fandom" about, let's be careful not to step on it. "Do not look near, (only at the current time) Do not look far, (only at things long past) Not by hatred is hatred appeased Hatred is appeased by non-hatred only." Buddhist Saying ------ RHUDIPRRT, THE PRINCE OF FUR (Comic Review) Bi-monthly from MU Press Script: Dwight Decker. Art: Teri Wood. 32 pages, black & white, $2.00 (increasing to $2.25 w/issue #2) What if they published a serious "furry" comic and nobody bought it? "Rhudiprrt" is the story of Warren Schafer, a bitter old man whose only companion in his last years is his cat, Delilah. When Warren passes away, he is given the choice of going to the human afterlife -- where ONLY human souls find their place -- or to be reincarnated as an anthropomorphic cat on the world of Rherau, the very real world that our cats are reborn on when they die, in the hopes of seeing Delilah again. Warren is given the body of Rhudiprrt, the brother of the king- to-be of Thrallmar. Unfortunately, Rhudiprrt is severely retarded, and in his body, Warren is unable to speak, barely able to move and treated as a mindless 'runt' by most of the people around him. To make matters worse, Rhudi and his brother are the targets of ongoing assassination attempts. This leaves Warren in the position of trying to conceal his "cover" (the real Rhudiprrt would not possess the fighting training Warren has from the military, nor the ability to understand the political machinations going on around him) while trying to protect his naive brother, the future prince, from his untrustworthy uncle -- and searching for his lost "love," Delilah. (As Warren explains angrily to the angel sent to guide him heavenward, "That cat had more love in her than ten humans, etc.") I didn't know quite what to expect of RHUDIPRRT when I picked it up; I knew Teri Wood by name only, and had only seen Dwight Decker's writing in the context of the original ELFQUEST GATHERUM (a compilation of interviews, sketches and background information on Wendy & Richard Pini's ELFQUEST graphic novel series), for which he served as editor. What I found was fluid brushed artwork and a story and dialogue that puts RHUDIPRRT on a level with the original ELFQUEST itself. FurBytes #3, Aug '90 -- Page 4 Decker isn't afraid to go into philosophy and theology; the notion inherent in the story's premise -- that in the Christian view of the afterlife, there is no place for nonhumans, and that this is morally unjust -- is something I haven't seen touched on outside of the writings of environmental ethicists. The questions it raises about the renewal of Warren & Delilah's "relationship" have yet to be answered, but they are intruiging. How does a cat regard a loved master? And what happens when they meet again, this time as equals of the same species? I have heard that the orders for issue #2 of RHUDIPRRT were under 1,500. Hopefully MU Press will give the title a chance, but how is it possible to get the general audience to accept a book like this? The average comic reader -- you know, the one who feels that THE UNCANNY X-MEN is challenging reading and that the realism of a book can be measured in its body count -- isn't going to have a clue about a book like this. RHUDIPRRT deserves to be read by the audience of books like Vicky Wyman's XANADU and, yes, the Pinis' ELFQUEST stories. These stories should appeal to a literate fantasy audience. However, that audience so far hasn't found RHUDIPRRT. I don't know whether this is due to poor distribution, poor advertising, or an unfortunate reluctance on their part to try anything new, but as it stands now, not that many furry fans even know about RHUDIPRRT -- yet its appeal should transcend "furrydom" given the opportunity. If you can find this book out there, buy it now. You won't be disappointed (and you might even turn into a raving fanatic about it) -- and it certainly needs all the support it can get. ------ XANADU NEWS Some new things are happening (finally) with Vicky Wyman's fantasy series XANADU, published as a five-issue miniseries in 1988-89 by the now-defunct Thoughts & Images. The first issue of a Xanadu fanzine published by Lex Nakashima has appeared, called "The Ever-Changing Palace." It sports professional printing standards (glossy covers, saddle-stitching) combined with surprisingly ugly layout (c'mon, Lex, you DON'T USE UNDERLINES to emphasize things outside of manuscripts and college book reports). It features stories and art by Vicky Wyman (of course), Chuck Melville and Juan Alfonso, among others. Full details and ordering information appear in the "Other Publications" section of this issue of FURBYTES. ECP #2 is scheduled to appear by the San Diego Comic Con (August 2-5). The second Xanadu series, ACROSS THE DIAMOND SEAS, is rumored to be in production for release as a graphic novel by Eclipse at the end of this year. Work is also going on for a new series called XANADU 3000; no details are available on this one, although the idea of a funny-animal answer to CAMELOT 3000 (DC's series where King Arthur and friends went into the future) sounds... ahem... never mind. XANADU 3000 is, according to Lex, likely to make its first appearance in the "Ever-Changing Palace" 'zine. D.A.C. Crowell's opera based on "Xanadu," which had been featured on a syndicated National Public Radio show, has dissolved after a threatened lawsuit and counter-lawsuit between Crowell and Lex Nakashima. Crowell is now pursuing the production of an original FurBytes #3, Aug '90 -- Page 5 anthropomorphic fantasy story, to be published first as a comic then produced as an opera, apparently so it can still be the first opera based on an anthropomorphic comic book. ------ RANDOM BYTES It has been reported that the resurrected pornographic furry 'zine "Q" has again been discontinued. FURBYTES was never able to confirm its new publisher or address, but evidently it's a moot point now. FurVersion recently sent out FV Update #2, with the promise of an 80-page, 'flippy' cover issue #21 coming out Real Soon Now. Karl Maurer is determined to keep FV to its 4 issues per year schedule, but won't promise any degree of regularity. The most recent issue has been delayed due to illness and to extreme changes in his personal situation, including a change of address (hmm, sounds like FURBYTES, doesn't it?). "Red Shetland" #2, scheduled for release in April, still hasn't appeared in comic stores (at least in the Tampa Bay area). Roz Gibson's story "Escape From New York," a dark thriller set in a near (anthropomorphic) future, is being published professionally as ".357" by MU Press. The first issue is scheduled for August. "Escape From New York" was originally serialized in "Rowrbrazzle." Steve Gallacci promises a new appearance of Erma Felna in some form for the San Diego Comic Con. He is hard at work on the incredibly-delayed issue #15 of ALBEDO, to be continued by MU Press. Reed Waller ("Omaha") and Roz Gibson are scheduled to appear together on a panel at the San Diego Comic Con about furry eroticism. Martin Wagner's HEPCATS, self-published under the Double Diamond Press tag, is in financial trouble. Wagner is taking commissions for color sketches (one or two characters, $25, four character "group portrait," $40). Write for more information to Double Diamond, 7117 Wood Hollow Drive #1728, Austin, TX 78731. ------ PUBLICATIONS COMMERCIALLY DISTRIBUTED COMICS .357, Roz Gibson; MU Press, $2.25, schedule unknown. Police stalk a serial killer in New York. First appearance scheduled for August. ALBEDO ANTHROPOMORPHICS, Steve Gallacci; MU Press, $2.25, irregular schedule. Hard sf stories including "Erma Felna, EDF," high-tech military adventure. Scheduled to return in August after year- long absence. CEREBUS, Dave Sim; Aardvark-Vanaheim, $2, 12/yr. Moody, introverted dark fantasy exploring human and aardvark psychology. EQUINE THE UNCIVILIZED and RED SHETLAND, Jim Groat; Graphxpress, $2, irregular schedule. Spoof of "Conan" and "Red Sonja." No issues seen since August 1989. FurBytes #3, Aug '90 -- Page 6 HEPCATS, Martin Wagner; Double Diamond, $2, 6/yr (irregular). Contemporary story about four college friends; currently serializing "Snowblind," 18-part graphic novel. MIGHTY TINY, Ben Dunn; Antarctic Press, $2, 5-issue miniseries. Military adventure story chronicling several generations of sapient mice in post-human civilization. OMAHA THE CAT DANCER, Reed Waller & Kate Worley; Kitchen Sink, $2, irregular schedule. Chronicling the adventures of Omaha, a feline exotic dancer, and the lives of her friends (and enemies). PANDA KHAN, Dave Garcia & Monica Sharp; Abacus Press, $2, irregular schedule. A kingdom of 'uplifted' pandas in a reconstructed Chinese-like dynasty set in a science-fiction universe. RHUDIPRRT, THE PRINCE OF FUR, Teri Wood & Dwight Decker; MU Press, $2, 6/yr. Innovative fantasy about a human reborn in a world of cats. TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, Kevin Eastman & Peter Laird; Mirage Studios, $1.75, 12/yr. Four martial-arts turtles fight crime in present-day New York. USAGI YOJIMBO, Stan Sakai; Fantagraphics, $2, 8/yr. Ronin rabbit in feudal Japan wanders through adventures faithful to Japanese history and mythology. SMALL PRESS PUBLICATIONS THE BESTIARY, Scott & Shirley Alston, 5137 Catherine St., Philadelphia, PA 19143; small press comics, specials (including "Terrie Smith Does Art"); send SASE for complete catalog. THE CENTAUR'S GATHERUM, P.O. Box 10216, Colorado Springs, CO 80932; Editor/Publisher, Edd Pegg Jr. 'Zine about centaurs, mostly art and some comics along with comments. Contributors include Donna Barr, Terrie Smith, zillions more. Monthly; write for subscription information. FURNOGRAPHY, c/o Robert & Brenda Daverin, P.O. Box 2464, Redwood City, CA 94064; editors, Robert & Brenda Daverin; Publisher, Serendipity Enterprises. Furry erotica modelled after Hustler & Penthouse; "Forum"-style in-character lettercols, "phurtos." Contributors include Brian O'Connell, Mitchell Biero, Scott Alston. Quarterly; most recent issue seen, #2, 32 pp.; no subscriptions; single copy $4.50 postpaid, age statement req'd. Both issues available; publication temporarily suspended. Checks/MO: Robert or Brenda Daverin. FURTHERANCE, 200 Dupont St., Philadelphia, PA 19127-1208; Editor/Publisher, Rune. Newszine about funny animal comics, fiction and animation; reviews, interviews, articles, some art and fiction. Contributors include Kevin Carroll, Scott Alston, Shon Howell, Kay Shapero, Noel Tominack. Schedule unknown; most recent issue seen, #2, 48 pp. (?); subscription using "account" method; single copy price, $3 postpaid. FURVERSION, 621 Boulevard Way, Oakland, CA 94610; Editor, Karl Maurer; Publisher, Serendipity Enterprises. Comics, fiction and art, from "G" rated material to erotica. Contributors include Ted Sheppard, Michael Higgs, Brian O'Connell, Bryce Nakagawa, Chuck Melville, Watts Martin, Eric Elliot, Ken Sample, and Juan Alfonso. Quarterly; most recent issue seen, #20, 62 pp.; subscriptions $20 (4 issues), single copy $6; write for back issue availability. Checks/MO: Karl Maurer or FurVersion. FurBytes #3, Aug '90 -- Page 7 FUZZY NIPS, small-press comic by Bill Fitts/Mark Merlino, 13412 Gilbert St., Garden Grove, CA 92644 (Wildcat Press); write for more information HUZZAH!, 6700 Warner Avenue #5G, Huntington Beach, CA 92647-5130; Editor/Publisher, Dwight Dutton. Fanzine for Thoughts & Images and MU Press titles. Current status unknown. Most recent issue seen, #5; single copy price, $4 postpaid (color centerfold), $1.50 postpaid (without color centerfold). Checks/MO: Dwight Dutton. INTERCEPTED, "The Multiversal Party Line"; $1.10 for hard copy (also downloadable from Stormgate Aerie). Free-Form Role-Playing Game. 12536 Short Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90066 MYTHAGORAS, P.O. Box 272987, Tampa, FL 33688-2987; Editors, Bill Biersdorf and Watts Martin; Publisher, Osprey Press/Concept Alliance. Fiction, art, comics; environmentalism and computers as well as general science fiction/fantasy (in addition to "furry" topics), no erotica. Contributors include Maggie de Alarcon, Zjonni Perchalski, Chuck Melville, Bill Fitts, Tom Verre, Eric Blumrich, Watts Martin and Kay Shapero. Quarterly; most recent issue seen, #2, 32 pp.; subscriptions, $16/yr (4 issues); single copy price $4.50 postpaid ($3.50 cover price); no copies of #1 available. Checks/MO: Mythagoras or Concept Alliance. YARF!, P.O. Box 1200, Cupertino, CA 95015-1200; Editor/Publisher, Jeff Ferris. Comics, art, fiction, articles; no erotica. Contributors include Chris Grant, Dan Flahive, Lance Rund, Dave White, Watts Martin, Maggie de Alarcon, Monika Livingston, Kris Kreutzman, Fred Patten, Zjonni Perchalski and Tom Verre. 8/yr; most recent issue seen, #5, 48 pp.; subscriptions, $24 (8 issues, increasing to $32 with issue #9); single copy price $3 postpaid ($4 starting with #9); back issues available. Checks/MO: Jeff Ferris or YARF!. If you have the addresses of any other furry/funny-animal fanzines or fan press comics, please let us know. FurBytes #3, Aug '90 -- Page 8 FURRY REMOTE ACCESS SYSTEMS This list includes BBS's that have either a general "furry conference" (marked by {f}) and/or furry-oriented storyboards {s}. A storyboard in this definition is a free-form role-playing game where participants take the roles of different characters (furry or otherwise) and interact with other characters, like a conventional RPG but without referees. Send any updates, additions, or deletions to me via one of the methods at the end of this issue. 213 822-6729 STORMGATE AERIE {fs} CALAN Nicolai Shapero. Los Angeles, CA 102/524 Opus, 96H/24/12/03 FurNet 214 361-8992 THE POLAR DEN {fs} TXDAL Darrel Exline. Dallas, TX 124/1005 Opus, 24/12/03 FurNet 301 753-9528 SOMETHING DIFFERENT {f} DCWAS Gironimo. Washington, DC rOverBoard, 96H/24/12/03 315 387-4326 THE ELECTRIC HOLT {f} PAPHI John DeWeese, Seth Grenald. Philadelphia, PA WWIV Mac, 24/12/03 408 736-4777 THE JOHN GALT LINE/FOXES' DEN {fs} YARF! CASJO Lance Rund, Peter Glaskowsky. San Jose, CA TBBS, 4 lines, 96HV/24/12/03 415 452-0350 KYIM'S SCRATCHING POST {fs} FurVersion CAOAK Karl Maurer, Patrick Swift. Oakland, CA FoReM ST, 96/48/24/12/03 415 481-2806 YELLOW SUBMARINE {fs?} CAPAL Dr. Mabuse. San Leadro, CA ? QuickBBS, 24/12/03 FurNet 415 571-1486 THE FUR SIDE {fs} CAPAL Jo & Charlie Kellner. Foster City, CA 204/2 Opus, 24/12/03 FurNet 714 530-2554 THE TIGER'S DEN {fs} ConFurence CASAN Shayne Raney. Garden Grove, CA 103/143 Opus, 24/12/03 FurNet, CandyNet 714 842-9799 ROWRBRAZZLE {fs} 'Brazzle, Mythagoras, others CASAN Dwight Dutton. Huntington Beach, CA TBBS, 2 lines, 24/12/03 714 986-1525 THE OTTER'S HOLT {fs} Jerry Case. Ontario, CA ? Paragon, 96HV/24/12/03 813 351-2530 ALTER REALITY {fs} Franklin Veaux. Sarasota, FL PBBS/H, 12/03 813 371-3498 UNCLE BOB'S ALLIGATOR FARM & TOFU MUSEUM {f} Todd Sleeman. Sarasota, FL GBBS Pro, 24/12/03 813 378-2218 THE ARMADILLO CONNECTION Tyler Robinson. Sarasota, FL {f} Mythagoras 137/111 Paragon, 24/12/03 FurNet 813 884-0939 THE CASUAL MANOR FLTAM Jay Schnedl. Tampa,FL 377/8 TAG, 24/12/03 CandyNet FurBytes #3, Aug '90 -- Page 9 FURBYTES is published on nothing that even remotely resembles a regular schedule, but I'll try to avoid any more 3-month gaps between issues (who knows, maybe the original goal of a monthly Electronic Furry Fanzine will yet be met). Letters of comment are ecstatically accepted and may, indeed, be printed. Article submissions should be sent in ASCII. To make my life easier, it would be nice for them to be sent with no formatting (i.e., no justification) and carriage returns only at the end of paragraphs; if your editor can't handle that, please format the lines to 70 columns. Stories with bylines are copyrighted to their author(s). Everything else copyright (c) 1990 Osprey Press. FURBYTES E-Mail Addresses: GEnie - FidoNet - To "Max" at The Armadillo Connection, 1:137/111 Other BBS Mail - To "Watts Martin" at Stormgate Aerie, "Max" on aLTER rEALITY, Armadillo Connection Watts Martin 5233 N. Tamiami Trail #7N Sarasota, FL 34231 813 351-3103 (voice) 07/29/90 Party on, dude.