WikiFur - User contributions [en]

Omaha The Cat Dancer

2010-06-20T22:38:03Z

Lucifer: Sorry, the reason was that these sections are incomplete and outdated, not that they contained spoilers.

Furry art

2010-06-20T20:18:10Z

Lucifer: /* Origins in other genres */ not sexually graphic

'''Furry art''' or '''anthro art''' is a phrase sometimes used to describe artwork depicting [[anthropomorphic]] [[animal]] characters. Usually furry art is created with [[furry fandom]] as the main audience, though some works that could be described as "furry art" are intended for a larger, more mainstream audience.

A person who creates furry art is called a ''[[furry artist]]''.

== Defining traits ==
[[Image:Bruce_the_Hyenorse.jpg|thumb|right|280px|A portrait representation of typical multi-species "furry" art]]

The most basic and pervasive idiom of furry art is the depiction of [[humanoid]] figures with animal traits: heads, [[tail]]s, ears, fur, and so on. This isn't always the case: furry artwork can include completely non-humanoid animals whose only anthropomorphic traits might be their facial expressions, dialogue, range of emotions acted out, to the completely opposite end of the spectrum in completely human characters with animal ears and tails attached to them, as is popular in [[anime]] [[fanart]]. Another popular theme in furry art is in the [[transformation]] of people to animals and vice versa, as in [[werewolves]] or other mythical creatures, or in [[science fiction]] devices, such as the use of [[genetic engineering]].

=== Origins in other genres ===

The most commonly accepted theory as to the origination of furry art is that it has its roots in the indie [[comic]]s and science fiction/fantasy fan culture of the 1980s.

Due to heavy censorship of the comic book industry by the [[Wikipedia:Comics Code Authority|Comics Code Authority]] in the 1960s and 70s, there was a huge boom in underground comics, and it was during this time that [[Wikipedia:Robert Crumb|Robert Crumb]] began creating the seminal ''[[Fritz the Cat]]'' comics, in which an anthropomorphic feline con artist goes on wild adventures that involve a variety of sexual escapades. The comic would later be made into a [[Fritz the Cat (film)|film]] by maverick [[Wikipedia:Animation|animation]] director [[Wikipedia:Ralph_Bakshi|Ralph Bakshi]]. ''Fritz the Cat'' came at a time when animation was universally considered to be a children's medium, and was met with considerable acclaim and box office success for a non-mainstream film.

The underground comics culture gave rise to a wave of independent black and white comics in the 1980s. It was during this time that many of the first [[proto-furry]] comics and [[APA]]zines began to appear. [[Steve Gallacci]]'s [[Albedo]], Eastman and Laird's [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]], [[Stan Sakai]]'s [[Usagi Yojimbo]], and [[Reed Waller]]'s [[Omaha the Cat Dancer]] were among them, many of them now considered to be cornerstones of what was still becoming the furry fandom.

Many of the most prominent furry artists of the 1990s, such as [[Terrie Smith]], [[Daphne Lage]], and [[Tygger Graf]], and even contemporary fan favorite [[Marci McAdam]] all point to [[Wikipedia:Wendy and Richard Pini|Wendy and Richard Pini]]'s popular ''[[Elfquest]]'' series of fantasy comics as a major source of stylistic influence. Though ''Elfquest'' doesn't feature what would normally be considered furry characters, it shares, and is possibly responsible for introducing many ideas popular in furry art and fiction: protagonists who are close to nature and are able to communicate with animals (some of them actually possess [[wolf]] blood), an enormous emphasis on empathy and sentimentality, names such as "Petalwing," "Clearbrook," or "Moonshade" that combine two nature- or color-oriented words into one, the use of human beings as antagonistic characters, and a predilection for mystical, nativist imagery.

Even today, popular fantasy fiction and children's cartoons continue to influence trends in furry art. Witness the enormous popularity of [[Brian Jacques]]' [[Redwall (series)|Redwall series]] of novels, [[Disney]]'s 1994 blockbuster feature ''[[The Lion King]]'', Rare Software's [[Star Fox]] series of [[videogame]]s, or [[Wikipedia:Rumiko Takahashi|Rumiko Takahashi]]'s [[Anime]]/[[Manga]] series [[Wikipedia:Inuyasha|Inuyasha]] among today's furry fan artists.

:''See also:'' [[History|furry fandom's history]]

=== Yeah, but is it Furry? ===

The definition of what should and should not be considered furry is a subject of ongoing controversy. Some individuals favor a definition that includes any and all media that relates to the anthropomorphism of animals, stretching from prehistoric cave paintings to representations of [[Egyptian mythology|Egyptian gods]] to contemporary [[Warner Brothers]] cartoons, to the most lewd and graphic images that can be found on the [[VCL]] can and should all be classified as furry art. Others favor a more exclusive definition, arguing that only those images and media created by individuals who operate within the social boundaries of the furry fandom and whose output is distributed primarily inside of the fandom's channels should be considered to be furry art; and while extracurricular media might be enjoyed by furry fans, it is not furry in and of itself.

The major criticisms of the inclusive definition of furry art are that it is an attempt to justify and elevate fan-oriented output to be equivalent to what is created outside of the fandom (this opinion is predicated of course on the belief that furry art does not qualify for the same level of distinction), and that it trivializes the historical artwork and more mainstream media by the association. Opponents of the exclusive definition argue that it is only used by aggressors and [[troll]]s to diminish and confine furry artwork that might be appropriate for a larger audience and that nobody can know for certain what audience an artist intended his creations for.

Many artists who have been known to attend furry conventions, [[roleplay]] as anthropomorphic animals, and represent themselves as such in art are uncomfortable with the "furry" label for various reasons. Instead they prefer to classify their artwork as '[[Anthropomorphic|anthro]],' '[[were]],' or any number of other terms that all mean roughly the same thing but lack whatever negative connotations or baggage they feel might be attached to furry art that they were trying to avoid.

It should also be noted that there is a significant portion of people who feel that the distinction is not that important, and that to engage in the argument is a waste of time that might be better spent creating, enjoying, or making fun of the art in question.

== Where to find Furry Art ==

A more appropriate question to ask might be where ''can't'' you find furry art. A Google image search for nearly any kind of animal will usually yield furry art featuring that animal within the first page or two. However, the enterprising fan might have more success finding furry art at any one of the many galleries dedicated to hosting it:

* [[TransFur]]
* The [[VCL]]
* [[Yerf]]
* [[ArtSpots]]
* [[Furry Art Pile]]
* The [[Orlando Furry Archives]]
* [[YNA]]
* [[Fur Affinity]]
* [[ArtVark]]
* [[The Lion King Fan-Art Archive]]
* [[PlayMouse]]
* [[The InflatioNation]]
* More art archives: [[:Category:Art archives|all-ages]] - [[:Category:Mature art archives|mature]]

Additionally, many general-purpose or cross-genre public gallery sites host furry artwork and most of them feature specific categories for it:

* [[SheezyArt]]
* [[deviantART]]
* [[Y!Gallery]]
* [[Side 7]]
* [[GFXartist]] [http://www.gfxartist.com/]
* [[Art Wanted]] [http://www.artwanted.com/]
* [[Epilogue]] [http://www.epilogue.net/index.html]
* [[Elfwood]] [http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/elfwood.pike]

Furthermore, there are [[List of furry LiveJournal communities|a wealth of LiveJournal communities]] dedicated to the creation, discussion, and exchange of furry art.

It is a common practice for artists to create their own individual galleries, hosted on personal website portfolios.

== Creating Furry Art ==
[[Image:DrawingInSketchbook.jpg|right|thumb|250px|A furry artist drawing in a [[sketchbook]]]]
One of the trademarks of the furry art community is its inclusivity. Anybody who wants to put a pencil to paper and draw animal people is welcome to do so and can quickly find a place in the furry art scene should they have a mind to, and many of the galleries listed above have no content restrictions, thus making them ideal for beginners to share their work.

If you are unsure of how to begin creating furry art, here is a simple step-by-step how-to:

# Get a pen or pencil and a sheet of paper. Any kind will do.
# Draw whatever it is you have in your head!
# Lather, rinse, repeat.

That's it! That's all there is to it. Don't be afraid of making mistakes, and don't be afraid of what other people might say about your artwork. Just draw, all the time. The best avenue of improvement for the any artist at any skill level is to practice, ''constantly''. Anybody can draw, and the people that are exceptionally skilled artists are so because they are drawing nonstop. Patience and diligence are all it takes!

:''See also:'' [[Furry Artist]]

=== Online resources and tutorials ===

There is a wealth of information useful to artists of all skill levels available at no cost on the internet, a great deal of which is specific to furry art:

* [http://www.drawfurry.com/ Draw Furry]
* [http://www.fignations.com/jelisa/tutorials/fur_and_hair.html Fur, hair, and clothing tutorials]
* [http://div.dyndns.org/EK/tutorial/ Katherine Dinger's photoshop tutorials and digital painting walkthroughs]
* [http://features.cgsociety.org/story_custom.php?story_id=2503& Eric Tranchefeux's Hyperrealistic Cat Project]
* [http://www.deviantart.com/view/17124835/ Jen's Fur Tutorial]

Additionally, drawing resources of a more general nature will help the artist expand his or her skills and visual repertoire:

* [http://www.saveloomis.org/ Art Instruction books of Andrew Loomis] - PDF copies of all of Andrew Loomis' books on illustration
* [http://www.good-tutorials.com/ Good-Tutorials.com] - Thousands of Adobe Photoshop tutorials, of varying usefulness
* [http://www.pslover.com/ Photoshop Lover] - Tutorials and resources

Art technique and discussion boards for useful critical feedback:

* [http://www.wetcanvas.com/ Wetcanvas]
* [http://www.conceptart.org Conceptart.org]
* [http://www.eatpoo.com/phpBB2/index.php Eatpoo Digital Art Forums] - Not for the thin-skinned!

=== Books for Additional Reading ===

==== Drawing animals ====

* [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0399508023/qid=1125187804/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-3825148-4506336?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 How to Draw Animals], Jack Hamm
* [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1581801319/qid=1125188100/sr=8-3/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i3_xgl14/104-3825148-4506336?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 Painting Animals that Touch the Heart], by Lesley Harrison
* [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0486274268/qid=1125187804/sr=8-8/ref=pd_bbs_8/104-3825148-4506336?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 The Art of Animal Drawing: Construction, Action Analysis, Caricature], by Ken Hultgren
* [http://www.amazon.com/Weatherly-Guide-Drawing-Animals/dp/097103141X The Weatherly Guide to Drawing Animals], by Joe Weatherly

==== Figure drawing ====

* [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0131830481/qid=/sr=/ref=cm_lm_asin/104-3825148-4506336?v=glance Figure Drawing: The Structural Anatomy and Expressive Design of the Human Form] by Nathan Goldstein
* [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0823014010/qid=1125185896/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-3825148-4506336?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters] and [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0823002810/ref=pd_bxgy_text_1/104-3825148-4506336?v=glance&s=books&n=507846&st=* Anatomy Lessons from the Great Masters] by Robert Beverly Hale
* [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/078948045X/qid=/sr=/ref=cm_lm_asin/104-3825148-4506336?v=glance Anatomy for the Artist] by Sarah Simblett
* [http://www.amazon.com/Dynamic-Figure-Drawing-Practical-Books/dp/0823015777/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236495414&sr=1-2 Dymamic Figure Drawing] by Burne Hogarth

==== General drawing technique ====

* [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0874774241/qid=1125188171/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-3825148-4506336?v=glance&s=books Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain], by Betty Edwards

[[Category:Arts and Crafts]]
{{Featured article}}

[[cs:Furry art]]
[[de:Furry Kunst]]
[[es:Arte furry]]
[[fi:Antropomorfinen taide]]
[[fr:Dessin furry]]
[[ru:Фурри-арт]]
[[sv:Furrykonst]]

Omaha The Cat Dancer

2010-06-20T20:15:26Z

Lucifer:

Fritz the Cat

2010-06-20T19:59:58Z

Lucifer:

:''This article is about the comic. For the film, see [[Fritz the Cat (film)]].''
[[File:Fritz description.jpg|thumb]]
'''''Fritz the Cat''''' is a [[comic strip]] created by [[wikipedia:Robert Crumb|Robert Crumb]]. Set in a "supercity" of [[Anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic]] animals, the strip focuses on Fritz, a feline con artist who frequently goes on wild adventures that involve a variety of sexual escapades. Crumb began drawing this character in homemade comic books when he was a child. Fritz became his most famous character.

The strip appeared in ''[[wikipedia:Help! (magazine)|Help!]]'' and ''[[wikipedia:Cavalier (magazine)|Cavalier]]'' magazines. It subsequently gained prominence in publications associated with the [[wikipedia:underground comix|underground comix]] scene between 1965 and 1972. ''Fritz the Cat'' comic compilations elevated the strip into one of the most iconic features of the underground scene.

The strip received further attention when it was adapted into a 1972 [[Fritz the Cat (film)|animated film]] with the same name. The directorial debut of animator [[wikipedia:Ralph Bakshi|Ralph Bakshi]], it became a worldwide success. It was the first animated feature film to receive an [[wikipedia:X-rated|X rating]] in the United States and the most successful independent animated feature ever.

Crumb ended the strip in 1972 due to disagreements with the filmmakers. He published a story in which Fritz was murdered by an ex-girlfriend. A second animated film, ''[[The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat]]'', was produced in 1974 without the involvement of either Bakshi or Crumb.

==Overview==
[[File:Fritz Bugs Out.jpg|thumb|left|A panel from "Fritz Bugs Out" by Robert Crumb.]]
''Fritz the Cat'' was created in 1959 by [[wikipedia:Robert Crumb|Robert Crumb]] in a homemade comic book story called "Cat Life", based on his experiences of Fred, the family cat.<ref name="Pahls">{{cite book |last1=Pahls |first1=Marty |title=The Early Years of Bitter Struggle |edition=third |series=The Complete Crumb Comics |volume=Vol. 1 |year=2003 |month=May |origyear=1996 |publisher=Fantagraphics Books |isbn=0930193423 |pages=vii; x–xi |chapter=Introduction: Right Up To The Edge }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Duin |first1=Steve |last2=Richardson |first2=Mike |title=Comics, Between the Panels |year=1998 |publisher=Dark Horse Comics |isbn=1569713448 |page=186 }}</ref> The character's next appearance was in a 1960 story titled "Robin Hood". By this point, the cat had become [[anthropomorphic]] and been renamed Fritz, a name derived from a minor unrelated character who appeared briefly in "Cat Life".<ref name="Pahls"/><ref name="Harvey"/> Fritz appeared in the early 1960s ''Animal Town'' strips drawn by [[wikipedia:Charles Crumb|Charles]] and Robert Crumb. Sometimes Fritz was accompanied by Fuzzy the Bunny, who served as an alter ego for Charles, his creator.<ref name="Pahls"/>

''Fritz the Cat'' is set in a "modern 'supercity' of millions of animals."<ref>{{cite book |last=Crumb |first=Robert |author= |coauthors= |title=Fritz the Cat |year=1968 |publisher=Head Comix |location= |isbn= }}</ref> Stories begin simply and become increasingly chaotic and complex as the narative responds to uncontrollable forces.<ref name="Pahls"/> The look of ''Fritz the Cat'' comics was characterized by the use of the [[wikipedia:Rotring|Rapidiograph]] [[wikipedia:technical pen|technical pen]] and a simple drawing style Robert Crumb used to facilitate his story telling.<ref name="Mercier">{{cite book |last1=Mercier |first1=Jean-Pierre |authorlink1= |last2= |first2= |editor1-first=D. K. |editor1-last=Holm |editor1-link= |others= |title=R. Crumb: Conversations |year=2004 |publisher=University Press of Mississippi |isbn=1578066379 |pages=212–213 |chapter=Jean-Pierre Mercier/1999 |ref= |bibcode= |laysummary= |laydate= |separator= |postscript= |lastauthoramp=}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Steve |last=Bell |title=Robert Crumb |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2005/mar/18/robertcrumb.comics |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] | doi =March 18, 2005 }}</ref> Crumb states that much of the comic books he enjoyed as a child were [[funny animal]] comics, particularly those of [[wikipedia:Carl Barks|Carl Barks]].<ref name="CrumbCoffee-3">{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The R. Crumb Coffee Table Art Book |isbn=0316163333 |page=3; 6–18 |chapter=My earliest memory of comics is the way they smelled! |year=1998 }}</ref> Crumb was later influenced by [[wikipedia:Walt Kelly|Walt Kelly]]'s daily anthropomorphic funny animal comic strip ''[[wikipedia:Pogo (comics)|Pogo]]'';<ref name="CompleteFritz">{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Complete Fritz the Cat |chapter=Introduction |date=February 1978 |publisher=Belier Press |isbn=9780914646167 |page=IV }}</ref> Crumb did not copy Kelly's comics directly, but states that he imitated his drawing style closely; Crumb admired Kelly's storytelling style, which "seemed [to be] plotless and casually done. The characters talked to each other and nothing much happened. Just a lot of foolishness takes place".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The R. Crumb Coffee Table Art Book |isbn=0316163333 |page=23 |chapter=I consider the best of the American media of the old days to be a classical education by today's standards! |year=1998 }}</ref> Robert Crumb stated of his anthropomorphic work:

<blockquote>I can express something [with animals] that is different from what I put into my work about humans ... I can put more nonsense, more satire and fantasy into the animals...they're also easier to do than people ... With people I try more for realism, which is probably why I'm generally better with animals.<ref name="Pahls"/></blockquote>

In 1964, when he was not working at [[wikipedia:American Greetings|American Greetings]], Crumb drew many ''Fritz the Cat'' strips for his own amusement. Some of these strips would later be published in ''[[wikipedia:Help! (magazine)|Help!]]'' and ''[[wikipedia:Cavalier (magazine)|Cavalier]]'' magazines and in the [[wikipedia:underground comix|underground comix]].<ref name="Maremaa">{{cite book |last1=Maremaa |first1=Thomas |authorlink1= |last2= |first2= |editor1-first=D. K. |editor1-last=Holm |editor1-link= |others= |title=R. Crumb: Conversations |year=2004 |origyear=1972 |publisher=University Press of Mississippi |isbn=1578066379 |pages=28–31 |chapter=Who Is This Crumb? |ref= |bibcode= |laysummary= |laydate= |separator= |postscript= |lastauthoramp=}}</ref> Fritz also appears briefly in Crumb's [[graphic novel]] ''Big Yum Yum Book: The Story of Oggie and the Beanstalk'', drawn in 1964, but not published until 1975.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Holm |first1=D. K. |title=Robert Crumb |year=2005 |publisher=Pocket Essentials |isbn=190404851X |page=44 }}</ref> Several characters from the anthropomorphic universe of ''Fritz the Cat'' appeared in another Crumb comic strip, ''The Silly Pigeons'', drawn in 1965 and intended for ''Help!''<ref name="CrumbCoffee-65">{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The R. Crumb Coffee Table Art Book |isbn=0316163333 |page=65 |chapter=I wanted to be on my own so bad...and just worry about no one but myself |year=1998 }}</ref> In 1970, Crumb redrew an early Fuzzy the Bunny story written by Charles Crumb in 1952; it was published in ''[[wikipedia:Zap Comix|Zap Comix]]'' #5.<ref name="CrumbCoffee-3"/>

==Characters==
Marty Pahls, Crumb's childhood friend, describes Fritz as "a poseur", whose posturing was taken seriously by everyone around him.<ref name="Harvey"/> Fritz is self-centered and [[wikipedia:Hedonism|hedonistic]], lacking both morals and ethics.<ref name="Harvey">{{cite book |last1=Harvey |first1=Robert C |title=The Art of the Comic Book: An Aesthetic History |year=1996 |publisher=Univ. Press of Mississippi |pages=198–199; 200; 217–218 |chapter=The Lonely Hearts Club Band }}</ref> Thomas Albright describes Fritz as "a kind of updated [[Felix the Cat|Felix]] with overtones of [[wikipedia:Charlie Chaplin|Charlie Chaplin]], [[wikipedia:Candide|Candide]], and [[wikipedia:Don Quixote|Don Quixote]]."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Albright |first1=Thomas |title=Fritz the Cat |format=liner notes |year=1972 |publisher=[[wikipedia:Fantasy Records|Fantasy]] 9406 }}</ref> Fritz's had a "glib, smooth and self-assured" personality, characteristics Crumb felt lacking in.<ref name="Barrier-3">{{cite web |url=http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Funnyworld/FritzPartOne/FritzThree.htm |title=The Filming of ''Fritz the Cat'': Crumb, His Cat, and the Dotted Line |accessdate=2007-03-02 |author=[[wikipedia:Michael Barrier (historian)|Barrier, Michael]] |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=Spring 1972 |work=
|publisher=Funnyworld, No. 14 |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref> According to Pahls, "To a great extent, Fritz was his wish-fulfillment ... [the character allowed Robert to] do great deeds, have wild adventures, and undergo a variety of sex experiences, which he himself felt he couldn't. Fritz was bold, poised, had a way with the ladies—all attributes which Robert coveted, but felt he lacked."<ref name="Barrier-3"/>

Crumb denied any personal attachment to the character, stating, "I just got into drawing him... He was fun to draw."<ref name="Barrier-3"/> As Crumb's personal life changed, Fritz would too. According to Pahls, "For years, [Crumb] had few friends and no sex life; he was forced to spend many hours at school or on the job, and when he came home he 'escaped' by drawing home-made comics. When he suddenly found a group of friends that would accept him for himself, as he did in Cleveland in 1964, the 'compensation' factor went out of his drawing, and this was pretty much the end of Fritz's impetus."<ref name="Barrier-3"/>

An early untitled 10-page story, drawn in 1964 and released in 1969 as part of ''R. Crumb's Comics and Stories'', depicts Fritz as a beatnik caricature who has an incestuous tryst with his sister.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Glaubitz |first1=Nicola |authorlink1= |last2= |first2= |editor1-first=Ladina |editor1-last=Lambert |editor2-first=Andrea |editor2-last=Ochsner |others= |title=Moment to monument: the making and unmaking of cultural significance |trans_title= |url= |format= |accessdate= |type= |edition= |series= |volume= |date= |year=2009 |month= |origyear= |publisher=Verlag |location= |language= |isbn=3899429621 |oclc= |doi= |id= |page=201 |pages= |at= |trans_chapter= |chapter=Crumb and popular cultural memory |chapterurl= |quote= |ref= |bibcode= |laysummary= |laydate= |separator= |postscript= |lastauthoramp=}}</ref> In "Fred, the Teen-Age Girl Pigeon," Fritz is portrayed as a [[wikipedia:pop music|pop music]] star.<ref name="Canaday">{{cite book |last=Canaday |first=John |date=Nov 11, 1968 |title=Schuman the Human as Shock Therapy |publisher=[[wikipedia:New York (magazine)|New York]] |volume=1 |issue=32 |page=57 |accessdate=2009-06-22 |issn=00287369 }}</ref> The strips "Fritz the Cat" and "Fritz Bugs Out" portray him as a hip poet and college dropout in the [[wikipedia:hippie|hippie]] scene.<ref name="Barrier-3"/><ref name="Hodgetts">{{cite book |last=Hodgetts |first=Vicki
|date=Jun 22, 1970 |title=America's Best-Loved Underground Cartoonist |publisher=[[wikipedia:New York (magazine)|New York]] |volume=3 |issue=25 |page=40; 43 |accessdate=2009-06-22 |issn=00287369 }}</ref> "Fritz Bugs Out" uses anthropomorphic characters to comment on race relations, with [[crow]]s representing African Americans.<ref name="Dowd-Hignite">{{cite book |editor1-first=Douglas |editor1-last=Bevan Dowd |editor2-first=M. Todd |editor2-last=Hignite |title=Strips, Toons, and Bluesies: Essays in Comics and Culture |year=2006 |publisher=Princeton Architectural Press |isbn=1568986211 |page=79 |chapter=Robert Crumb }}</ref> Fritz is portrayed as a self-conscious hypocrite, obsessed with his racism and associated guilt, while crows are portrayed as "hip innocents".<ref name="Dowd-Hignite"/> "Fritz the Cat, Secret Agent for the C.I.A.," inspired by the popularity of the [[wikipedia:James Bond|James Bond]] series, portrays Fritz as a member of the [[wikipedia:Central Intelligence Agency|Central Intelligence Agency]].<ref name="Barrier-3"/><ref name="Hodgetts"/> "Fritz the No-Good" depicts Fritz becoming involved with terrorist revolutionaries; he also abuses and rapes one of the group member's girlfriends.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Complete Fritz the Cat |chapter=Fritz the No-Good |date=February 1978 |publisher=Belier Press |isbn=9780914646167 |page=98 }}</ref>

Fritz has an on again off again relationship with a female fox named Winston, they break up at the beginning of "Fritz Bugs Out".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Complete Fritz the Cat |chapter=Fritz Bugs Out |date=February 1978 |publisher=Belier Press |isbn=9780914646167 |page=29 }}</ref> Later in the story, she attempts to convince him not to "bug out", but eventually agrees to go on a road trip with him.<ref name="CompleteFritz-41">{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Complete Fritz the Cat |chapter=Fritz Bugs Out |date=February 1978 |publisher=Belier Press |isbn=9780914646167 |pages=41–48 }}</ref> When her car runs out of gas in the desert, Fritz abandons her.<ref name="CompleteFritz-41"/> She reappears in "Fritz the Cat Doubts His Masculinity"<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Complete Fritz the Cat |chapter=Fritz the Cat Doubts His Masculinity |date=February 1978 |publisher=Belier Press |isbn=9780914646167 |page=75 }}</ref> and in "Fritz the No-Good", where the two reunite after Fritz is thrown out of his wife's apartment.<ref name="CompleteFritz-92">{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Complete Fritz the Cat |chapter=Fritz the No-Good |date=February 1978 |publisher=Belier Press |isbn=9780914646167 |pages=92–94 }}</ref> Fuzzy the Bunny, who appeared in the early ''Animal Town'' strips, reappears as a college student in "Fritz Bugs Out" <ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Complete Fritz the Cat |chapter=Fritz Bugs Out |date=February 1978 |publisher=Belier Press |isbn=9780914646167 |page=30 }}</ref> and as a revolutionary in "Fritz the No-Good".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Complete Fritz the Cat |chapter=Fritz the No-Good |date=February 1978 |publisher=Belier Press |isbn=9780914646167 |page=96 }}</ref>

==Publication history==
[[File:Fritz the Cat.jpg|thumb|This compilation inspired the production of ''Fritz the Cat'' as a film, released in 1972 to much success.]]
''[[wikipedia:Help! (magazine)|Help!]]'', a magazine published by former ''[[wikipedia:Mad (magazine)|Mad]]'' editor [[wikipedia:Harvey Kurtzman|Harvey Kurtzman]], published two stories featuring Fritz, including the character's first public appearance in January 1965, "Fritz Comes on Strong".<ref name="Choron">{{cite book |last=Choron|first=Sandra|authorlink= |coauthors=Harry Choron, Arden Moore |title=Planet Cat |year=2007|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt |location=Massachusetts |isbn=9780618812592 |page=96}}</ref> In this debut story, Fritz brings a young female cat home and strips all her clothes off before getting on top of her to pick fleas off of her. Preceding the publication of the story, Kurtzman sent Crumb a letter which read, "Dear R. Crumb, we think the little pussycat drawings you sent us were just great. Question is, how do we print them without going to jail?"<ref name="CrumbCoffee-48">{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The R. Crumb Coffee Table Art Book |isbn=0316163333 |page=48; 52–53 |chapter=When I left home my father bought me a bus ticket to Cleveland and loaned me $14 |year=1998 }}</ref>

Although Kurtzman agreed to publish the story, he requested that Crumb alter the final two panels; the published version depicted Fritz standing next to her.<ref name="CrumbCoffee-48"/> Crumb later recalled that the original ending "wasn't that dirty ... only slightly risque by today's standards".<ref name="CompleteFritz"/> In May 1965, ''Help!'' published a second Fritz story, "Fred, the Teen-Age Girl Pigeon". In this episode Fritz is a guitar-playing pop idol and he brings Fred, a female pigeon groupie, to his hotel room and proceeds to eat her.<ref name="Skinn-84">{{cite book |last1=Skinn |first1=Dez |title=Comix: The Underground Revolution |year=2004 |publisher=Thunder's Mouth Press |page=84 |chapter=The Two Lives of Fritz the Cat }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Horn |first1=Maurice |title=The World encyclopedia of comics, Volume 1 |year=1976 |publisher=Chelsea House Publishers |isbn=087754042X |page=266 |chapter=Fritz the Cat }}</ref> [[wikipedia:John Canaday|John Canaday]]'s ''[[wikipedia:New York (magazine)|New York]]'' magazine review of ''Head Comix'' describes this punch line as "outrageous brilliance [that] is rivaled only by [[wikipedia:Evelyn Waugh|Evelyn Waugh]]'s last lines in ''[[wikipedia:The Loved One|The Loved One]]''."<ref name="Canaday"/>

"Fritz Bugs Out" was [[wikipedia:Serial (literature)|serialized]] in ''[[wikipedia:Cavalier (magazine)|Cavalier]]'' from February to October 1968.<ref name="Harvey"/> In the summer of 1968, ''Fritz the Cat'' strips appeared in the [[wikipedia:Viking Press|Viking Press]] compilation titled ''Head Comix'', which focused exclusively on Crumb's material.<ref name="Harvey"/> In 1969, [[wikipedia:Ballantine Books|Ballantine Books]] paid Crumb a $5,000 advance for the publication rights to a compilation of three stories featuring Fritz. Crumb used the money to purchase a three-acre lot.<ref name="Hodgetts"/> Crumb abandoned the character that year,<ref name="Maremaa"/> but previously unpublished stories appeared in ''Promethean'' #3 & 4 in 1971 and ''Artistic'' in 1973.<ref name="CompleteFritz-Editor">{{cite book |author=J.B.R. |title=The Complete Fritz the Cat |chapter=Editor's Note |date=February 1978 |publisher=Belier Press |isbn=9780914646167 |page=II }}</ref> "Fritz the Cat 'Superstar'" was the last new story released; it was published in ''The People's Comics'' in 1972.<ref name="Estren">{{cite book |last1=Estren |first1=Mark James |title=A History of Underground Comics |year=1993 |publisher=Ronin Publishing |isbn=091417164X |page=283 |chapter=Cycling and Recycling }}</ref>

In 1978, Bélier Press published ''The Complete Fritz the Cat'', which brought together all the published stories featuring Fritz, as well as previously unpublished drawings and unfinished comics. At the artists request, a 10-page story drawn in 1964 and previously published in ''R. Crumb's Comics and Stories'' in 1969 was excluded from this collection.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Complete Fritz the Cat |year=1978 |publisher=Belier Press |isbn=9780914646167 }}</ref> In April 1993, [[wikipedia:Fantagraphics Books|Fantagraphics Books]] published ''The Life & Death of Fritz the Cat'', compiling nine major strips, including the 1964 story previously excluded form ''The Complete Fritz the Cat''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Life & Death of Fritz the Cat |date=April 1993 |publisher=Fantagraphics Books |isbn=1560971177 }}</ref> ''Fritz the Cat'' strips also appear in ''The Complete Crumb Comics'' series.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Early Years of Bitter Struggle |series=The Complete Crumb Comics |volume=Vol. 1 |year=1996 |publisher=Fantagraphics Books |isbn=0930193423 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=Some More Early Years of Bitter Struggle |series=The Complete Crumb Comics |volume=Vol. 2 |year=1996 |publisher=Fantagraphics Books |isbn=0930193628 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=Starring Fritz the Cat |series=The Complete Crumb Comics |volume=Vol. 3 |year=1996 |publisher=Fantagraphics Books |isbn=093019375X }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Death of Fritz the Cat |series=The Complete Crumb Comics |volume=Vol. 8 |year=1998 |publisher=Fantagraphics Books |isbn=1560970766 }}</ref> An unpublished page featuring Fritz that had been intended for ''Help!'', as well as comics featuring other characters related to the anthropomorphic universe of ''Fritz the Cat'', appeared in ''The R. Crumb Coffee Table Art Book'' in 1998.<ref name="CrumbCoffee-3"/><ref name="CrumbCoffee-65"/><ref name="CrumbCoffee-48"/>

==Cultural impact==
Following the publication of the compilations ''Head Comix'' and ''R. Crumb's Fritz the Cat'', Crumb received increased attention and ''Fritz the Cat'' became one of the most familiar features on the underground comix scene<ref name="Skinn-84"/><ref>{{cite book |last1=Horn |first1=Maurice |title=The World Encyclopedia of Comics |year=1983 |publisher=University of Michigan |isbn=0877543232 |page=266 }}</ref> and Crumb's most famous creation.<ref name="Mercier"/> These stories served as the basis for a pair of film adaptations produced by [[wikipedia:Steve Krantz|Steve Krantz]], ''[[Fritz the Cat (film)|Fritz the Cat]]'' 1972, directed by [[wikipedia:Ralph Bakshi|Ralph Bakshi]], and ''The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat'' 1974, directed by Robert Taylor. It affected later strips, such as ''[[Omaha The Cat Dancer]]'',<ref>{{cite book |last1=Skinn |first1=Dez |title=Comix: The Underground Revolution |year=2004 |publisher=Thunder's Mouth Press |page=71 |chapter=Can't Get Enuff }}</ref> ''[[Rocky (comics)|Rocky]]''<ref name="MacDonald">{{cite web |last=MacDonald |first=Heidi |title=Martin Kellerman: It's a Dog's Life in Sweden |url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6289263.html |date=December 6, 2005 |journal=[[Publishers Weekly]] |accessdate=10 July 2009}}</ref> and ''[[Horndog]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cgwiki.comicgenesis.com/index.php/Comic:Horndog |title=''Horndog'' info |accessdate=2009-09-15 |publisher=Comic Genesis}}</ref> In ''Graphic Novels: A Bibliographic Guide to Book-Length Comics'', D. Aviva Rothschild criticized the stories printed in the collection ''The Life & Death of Fritz the Cat'' as being misogynist, racist, and violent. He felt that, "They also tend to ramble, as if Crumb were making them up as he went along."<ref name="Rothschild">{{cite book |last1=Rothschild |first1=D. Aviva |title=Graphic Novels: A Bibliographic Guide to Book-Length Comics |year=1995 |publisher=Libraries Unlimited |isbn=1563080869 |page=110 |chapter=Funny Animals }}</ref> Rothschild concluded that, "Even though ''Fritz the Cat'' is a classic, there are better, more coherent Crumb books around."<ref name="Rothschild"/> The 1972 film adaptation of ''Fritz the Cat'' was ranked 51st on the Online Film Critics Society's list of the top 100 greatest animated films of all time<ref name="OFCS">{{cite web |url=http://ofcs.rottentomatoes.com/pages/pr/top100animated |title=Top 100 Animated Features of All Time |accessdate=2007-03-02 |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |format= |work= |publisher=Online Film Critics Society |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref> and 56th on Channel 4's list of the ''100 Greatest Cartoons''.<ref name="Channel4">{{cite web |url=http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest/cartoons/results.html |title=Top 100 Cartoons |accessdate=2008-01-28 |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |work= |publisher=Channel 4 |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref>

===Animated adaptations===
{{main|Fritz the Cat (film)|The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat}}
[[File:A Soul Tormented.jpg|thumb|In ''Fritz the Cat'' (1972), directed by Ralph Bakshi, Fritz tries to pick up a trio of young females by convincing them that he is a "tormented soul".]]
In 1969, New York animator Ralph Bakshi came across a copy of ''R. Crumb's Fritz the Cat'' and suggested to producer Steve Krantz that it would work as a film.<ref name="Gibson-McDonnell-62">{{cite book |last1=Gibson |first1=Jon M. |last2=McDonnell |first2=Chris |title=Unfiltered: The Complete Ralph Bakshi |year=2008 |publisher=Universe Publishing |isbn=0789316846 |pages=58; 62–63; 80–81 |chapter=''Fritz the Cat'' }}</ref> After meeting with Bakshi, Crumb loaned him one of his sketchbooks as a reference,<ref name="Gibson-McDonnell-62"/> but was unsure of the film's production and refused to sign the contract.<ref name="Gibson-McDonnell-62"/> Bakshi and Crumb were unable reach an agreement after two weeks of negotiations but Krantz secured the film rights from Crumb's wife, Dana, who had a power of attorney.<ref name="Gibson-McDonnell-62"/> Crumb received $50,000, distributed over the course of production and ten percent of Krantz's proceeds.<ref name="Gibson-McDonnell-62"/> ''Fritz the Cat'' was the first animated feature film to receive an [[wikipedia:X-rated|X rating]] from the [[wikipedia:Motion Picture Association of America|Motion Picture Association of America]] (MPAA).<ref name="Barrier-1">{{cite web
|url=http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Funnyworld/FritzPartOne/FritzOne.htm |title=The Filming of ''Fritz the Cat'': Bucking the Tide |accessdate=2007-03-02 |author=[[wikipedia:Michael Barrier (historian)|Barrier, Michael]] |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=Spring 1972 |work= |publisher=Funnyworld, No. 14 |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref> The film's distributor capitalized on the rating in the film's advertising material, which touted the film as being "X rated and animated!"<ref name="Barrier-1"/> Released on April 12, 1972, it opened simultaneously in Hollywood and Washington, D.C.<ref name="Barrier-3"/> The film went on to become a worldwide hit, grossing over $100 million (USD) and was the most successful independent animated feature ever.<ref name="Gibson-McDonnell-62"/> The film is credited with extending Crumb's reputation beyond the underground comix scene.<ref name="Skinn-84"/> Crumb disliked how the film presented the sexual content and politics.<ref name="Maremaa"/><ref name="Barrier-3"/><ref name="Barrier-5">{{cite web |url=http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Funnyworld/FritzPartTwo/FritzFive.htm |title=The Filming of ''Fritz the Cat'': A Strange Breed of Cat |accessdate=2007-03-02 |author=[[wikipedia:Michael Barrier (historian)|Barrier, Michael]] |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=Fall 1973 |work= |publisher=Funnyworld, No. 15 |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref> Following the film's release, ''The People's Comics'' published the story "Fritz the Cat 'Superstar'", in which Crumb satirized Bakshi and Krantz. Crumb portrayed Fritz in a script conference for a fictional sequel ''Fritz Goes to India''.<ref name="Estren"/><ref name="Gibson-McDonnell-62"/> The strip ends with a neurotic ex-girlfriend killing Fritz. She stabs him in the back of the head with an ice pick due to Fritz's overt sexism.<ref name="Estren"/> In 1974, Krantz produced the sequel ''The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat'', without any participation from Bakshi or Crumb.<ref name="Harvey"/><ref>{{cite book |last1=Estren |first1=Mark James |title=A History of Underground Comics |year=1993 |publisher=Ronin Publishing |isbn=091417164X |page=259 |chapter=Into the Overground }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Wikipedia|Fritz_the_Cat}}
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:1972 deaths]]
[[Category:Cat characters]]
[[Category:Comic characters]]
[[Category:Mature comics]]

Fritz the Cat

2010-06-18T02:01:50Z

Lucifer: /* Publication history */

:''This article is about the character. For the film, see [[Fritz the Cat (film)]].''
[[File:Fritz description.jpg|thumb]]
'''''Fritz the Cat''''' is a [[comic strip]] created by [[wikipedia:Robert Crumb|Robert Crumb]]. Set in a "supercity" of [[Anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic]] animals, the strip focuses on Fritz, a feline con artist who frequently goes on wild adventures that involve a variety of sexual escapades. Crumb began drawing this character in homemade comic books when he was a child. Fritz became his most famous character.

The strip appeared in ''[[wikipedia:Help! (magazine)|Help!]]'' and ''[[wikipedia:Cavalier (magazine)|Cavalier]]'' magazines. It subsequently gained prominence in publications associated with the [[wikipedia:underground comix|underground comix]] scene between 1965 and 1972. ''Fritz the Cat'' comic compilations elevated the strip into one of the most iconic features of the underground scene.

The strip received further attention when it was adapted into a 1972 [[Fritz the Cat (film)|animated film]] with the same name. The directorial debut of animator [[wikipedia:Ralph Bakshi|Ralph Bakshi]], it became a worldwide success. It was the first animated feature film to receive an [[wikipedia:X-rated|X rating]] in the United States and the most successful independent animated feature ever.

Crumb ended the strip in 1972 due to disagreements with the filmmakers. He published a story in which Fritz was murdered by an ex-girlfriend. A second animated film, ''[[The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat]]'', was produced in 1974 without the involvement of either Bakshi or Crumb.

==Overview==
[[File:Fritz Bugs Out.jpg|thumb|left|A panel from "Fritz Bugs Out" by Robert Crumb.]]
''Fritz the Cat'' was created in 1959 by [[wikipedia:Robert Crumb|Robert Crumb]] in a homemade comic book story called "Cat Life", based on his experiences of Fred, the family cat.<ref name="Pahls">{{cite book |last1=Pahls |first1=Marty |title=The Early Years of Bitter Struggle |edition=third |series=The Complete Crumb Comics |volume=Vol. 1 |year=2003 |month=May |origyear=1996 |publisher=Fantagraphics Books |isbn=0930193423 |pages=vii; x–xi |chapter=Introduction: Right Up To The Edge }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Duin |first1=Steve |last2=Richardson |first2=Mike |title=Comics, Between the Panels |year=1998 |publisher=Dark Horse Comics |isbn=1569713448 |page=186 }}</ref> The character's next appearance was in a 1960 story titled "Robin Hood". By this point, the cat had become [[anthropomorphic]] and been renamed Fritz, a name derived from a minor unrelated character who appeared briefly in "Cat Life".<ref name="Pahls"/><ref name="Harvey"/> Fritz appeared in the early 1960s ''Animal Town'' strips drawn by [[wikipedia:Charles Crumb|Charles]] and Robert Crumb. Sometimes Fritz was accompanied by Fuzzy the Bunny, who served as an alter ego for Charles, his creator.<ref name="Pahls"/>

''Fritz the Cat'' is set in a "modern 'supercity' of millions of animals."<ref>{{cite book |last=Crumb |first=Robert |author= |coauthors= |title=Fritz the Cat |year=1968 |publisher=Head Comix |location= |isbn= }}</ref> Stories begin simply and become increasingly chaotic and complex as the narative responds to uncontrollable forces.<ref name="Pahls"/> The look of ''Fritz the Cat'' comics was characterized by the use of the [[wikipedia:Rotring|Rapidiograph]] [[wikipedia:technical pen|technical pen]] and a simple drawing style Robert Crumb used to facilitate his story telling.<ref name="Mercier">{{cite book |last1=Mercier |first1=Jean-Pierre |authorlink1= |last2= |first2= |editor1-first=D. K. |editor1-last=Holm |editor1-link= |others= |title=R. Crumb: Conversations |year=2004 |publisher=University Press of Mississippi |isbn=1578066379 |pages=212–213 |chapter=Jean-Pierre Mercier/1999 |ref= |bibcode= |laysummary= |laydate= |separator= |postscript= |lastauthoramp=}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Steve |last=Bell |title=Robert Crumb |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2005/mar/18/robertcrumb.comics |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] | doi =March 18, 2005 }}</ref> Crumb states that much of the comic books he enjoyed as a child were [[funny animal]] comics, particularly those of [[wikipedia:Carl Barks|Carl Barks]].<ref name="CrumbCoffee-3">{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The R. Crumb Coffee Table Art Book |isbn=0316163333 |page=3; 6–18 |chapter=My earliest memory of comics is the way they smelled! |year=1998 }}</ref> Crumb was later influenced by [[wikipedia:Walt Kelly|Walt Kelly]]'s daily anthropomorphic funny animal comic strip ''[[wikipedia:Pogo (comics)|Pogo]]'';<ref name="CompleteFritz">{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Complete Fritz the Cat |chapter=Introduction |date=February 1978 |publisher=Belier Press |isbn=9780914646167 |page=IV }}</ref> Crumb did not copy Kelly's comics directly, but states that he imitated his drawing style closely; Crumb admired Kelly's storytelling style, which "seemed [to be] plotless and casually done. The characters talked to each other and nothing much happened. Just a lot of foolishness takes place".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The R. Crumb Coffee Table Art Book |isbn=0316163333 |page=23 |chapter=I consider the best of the American media of the old days to be a classical education by today's standards! |year=1998 }}</ref> Robert Crumb stated of his anthropomorphic work:

<blockquote>I can express something [with animals] that is different from what I put into my work about humans ... I can put more nonsense, more satire and fantasy into the animals...they're also easier to do than people ... With people I try more for realism, which is probably why I'm generally better with animals.<ref name="Pahls"/></blockquote>

In 1964, when he was not working at [[wikipedia:American Greetings|American Greetings]], Crumb drew many ''Fritz the Cat'' strips for his own amusement. Some of these strips would later be published in ''[[wikipedia:Help! (magazine)|Help!]]'' and ''[[wikipedia:Cavalier (magazine)|Cavalier]]'' magazines and in the [[wikipedia:underground comix|underground comix]].<ref name="Maremaa">{{cite book |last1=Maremaa |first1=Thomas |authorlink1= |last2= |first2= |editor1-first=D. K. |editor1-last=Holm |editor1-link= |others= |title=R. Crumb: Conversations |year=2004 |origyear=1972 |publisher=University Press of Mississippi |isbn=1578066379 |pages=28–31 |chapter=Who Is This Crumb? |ref= |bibcode= |laysummary= |laydate= |separator= |postscript= |lastauthoramp=}}</ref> Fritz also appears briefly in Crumb's [[graphic novel]] ''Big Yum Yum Book: The Story of Oggie and the Beanstalk'', drawn in 1964, but not published until 1975.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Holm |first1=D. K. |title=Robert Crumb |year=2005 |publisher=Pocket Essentials |isbn=190404851X |page=44 }}</ref> Several characters from the anthropomorphic universe of ''Fritz the Cat'' appeared in another Crumb comic strip, ''The Silly Pigeons'', drawn in 1965 and intended for ''Help!''<ref name="CrumbCoffee-65">{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The R. Crumb Coffee Table Art Book |isbn=0316163333 |page=65 |chapter=I wanted to be on my own so bad...and just worry about no one but myself |year=1998 }}</ref> In 1970, Crumb redrew an early Fuzzy the Bunny story written by Charles Crumb in 1952; it was published in ''[[wikipedia:Zap Comix|Zap Comix]]'' #5.<ref name="CrumbCoffee-3"/>

==Characters==
Marty Pahls, Crumb's childhood friend, describes Fritz as "a poseur", whose posturing was taken seriously by everyone around him.<ref name="Harvey"/> Fritz is self-centered and [[wikipedia:Hedonism|hedonistic]], lacking both morals and ethics.<ref name="Harvey">{{cite book |last1=Harvey |first1=Robert C |title=The Art of the Comic Book: An Aesthetic History |year=1996 |publisher=Univ. Press of Mississippi |pages=198–199; 200; 217–218 |chapter=The Lonely Hearts Club Band }}</ref> Thomas Albright describes Fritz as "a kind of updated [[Felix the Cat|Felix]] with overtones of [[wikipedia:Charlie Chaplin|Charlie Chaplin]], [[wikipedia:Candide|Candide]], and [[wikipedia:Don Quixote|Don Quixote]]."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Albright |first1=Thomas |title=Fritz the Cat |format=liner notes |year=1972 |publisher=[[wikipedia:Fantasy Records|Fantasy]] 9406 }}</ref> Fritz's had a "glib, smooth and self-assured" personality, characteristics Crumb felt lacking in.<ref name="Barrier-3">{{cite web |url=http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Funnyworld/FritzPartOne/FritzThree.htm |title=The Filming of ''Fritz the Cat'': Crumb, His Cat, and the Dotted Line |accessdate=2007-03-02 |author=[[wikipedia:Michael Barrier (historian)|Barrier, Michael]] |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=Spring 1972 |work=
|publisher=Funnyworld, No. 14 |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref> According to Pahls, "To a great extent, Fritz was his wish-fulfillment ... [the character allowed Robert to] do great deeds, have wild adventures, and undergo a variety of sex experiences, which he himself felt he couldn't. Fritz was bold, poised, had a way with the ladies—all attributes which Robert coveted, but felt he lacked."<ref name="Barrier-3"/>

Crumb denied any personal attachment to the character, stating, "I just got into drawing him... He was fun to draw."<ref name="Barrier-3"/> As Crumb's personal life changed, Fritz would too. According to Pahls, "For years, [Crumb] had few friends and no sex life; he was forced to spend many hours at school or on the job, and when he came home he 'escaped' by drawing home-made comics. When he suddenly found a group of friends that would accept him for himself, as he did in Cleveland in 1964, the 'compensation' factor went out of his drawing, and this was pretty much the end of Fritz's impetus."<ref name="Barrier-3"/>

An early untitled 10-page story, drawn in 1964 and released in 1969 as part of ''R. Crumb's Comics and Stories'', depicts Fritz as a beatnik caricature who has an incestuous tryst with his sister.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Glaubitz |first1=Nicola |authorlink1= |last2= |first2= |editor1-first=Ladina |editor1-last=Lambert |editor2-first=Andrea |editor2-last=Ochsner |others= |title=Moment to monument: the making and unmaking of cultural significance |trans_title= |url= |format= |accessdate= |type= |edition= |series= |volume= |date= |year=2009 |month= |origyear= |publisher=Verlag |location= |language= |isbn=3899429621 |oclc= |doi= |id= |page=201 |pages= |at= |trans_chapter= |chapter=Crumb and popular cultural memory |chapterurl= |quote= |ref= |bibcode= |laysummary= |laydate= |separator= |postscript= |lastauthoramp=}}</ref> In "Fred, the Teen-Age Girl Pigeon," Fritz is portrayed as a [[wikipedia:pop music|pop music]] star.<ref name="Canaday">{{cite book |last=Canaday |first=John |date=Nov 11, 1968 |title=Schuman the Human as Shock Therapy |publisher=[[wikipedia:New York (magazine)|New York]] |volume=1 |issue=32 |page=57 |accessdate=2009-06-22 |issn=00287369 }}</ref> The strips "Fritz the Cat" and "Fritz Bugs Out" portray him as a hip poet and college dropout in the [[wikipedia:hippie|hippie]] scene.<ref name="Barrier-3"/><ref name="Hodgetts">{{cite book |last=Hodgetts |first=Vicki
|date=Jun 22, 1970 |title=America's Best-Loved Underground Cartoonist |publisher=[[wikipedia:New York (magazine)|New York]] |volume=3 |issue=25 |page=40; 43 |accessdate=2009-06-22 |issn=00287369 }}</ref> "Fritz Bugs Out" uses anthropomorphic characters to comment on race relations, with [[crow]]s representing African Americans.<ref name="Dowd-Hignite">{{cite book |editor1-first=Douglas |editor1-last=Bevan Dowd |editor2-first=M. Todd |editor2-last=Hignite |title=Strips, Toons, and Bluesies: Essays in Comics and Culture |year=2006 |publisher=Princeton Architectural Press |isbn=1568986211 |page=79 |chapter=Robert Crumb }}</ref> Fritz is portrayed as a self-conscious hypocrite, obsessed with his racism and associated guilt, while crows are portrayed as "hip innocents".<ref name="Dowd-Hignite"/> "Fritz the Cat, Secret Agent for the C.I.A.," inspired by the popularity of the [[wikipedia:James Bond|James Bond]] series, portrays Fritz as a member of the [[wikipedia:Central Intelligence Agency|Central Intelligence Agency]].<ref name="Barrier-3"/><ref name="Hodgetts"/> "Fritz the No-Good" depicts Fritz becoming involved with [[wikipedia:Terrorism|terrorist]] [[wikipedia:Revolutionary|revolutionaries]]; he also [[wikipedia:Sexual abuse|abuses]] and [[wikipedia:rape|rape]]s one of the group member's girlfriends.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Complete Fritz the Cat |chapter=Fritz the No-Good |date=February 1978 |publisher=Belier Press |isbn=9780914646167 |page=98 }}</ref>

Fritz has an on again off again relationship with a female fox named Winston, they break up at the beginning of "Fritz Bugs Out".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Complete Fritz the Cat |chapter=Fritz Bugs Out |date=February 1978 |publisher=Belier Press |isbn=9780914646167 |page=29 }}</ref> Later in the story, she attempts to convince him not to "bug out", but eventually agrees to go on a road trip with him.<ref name="CompleteFritz-41">{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Complete Fritz the Cat |chapter=Fritz Bugs Out |date=February 1978 |publisher=Belier Press |isbn=9780914646167 |pages=41–48 }}</ref> When her car runs out of gas in the desert, Fritz abandons her.<ref name="CompleteFritz-41"/> She reappears in "Fritz the Cat Doubts His Masculinity"<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Complete Fritz the Cat |chapter=Fritz the Cat Doubts His Masculinity |date=February 1978 |publisher=Belier Press |isbn=9780914646167 |page=75 }}</ref> and in "Fritz the No-Good", where the two reunite after Fritz is thrown out of his wife's apartment.<ref name="CompleteFritz-92">{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Complete Fritz the Cat |chapter=Fritz the No-Good |date=February 1978 |publisher=Belier Press |isbn=9780914646167 |pages=92–94 }}</ref> Fuzzy the Bunny, who appeared in the early ''Animal Town'' strips, reappears as a college student in "Fritz Bugs Out" <ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Complete Fritz the Cat |chapter=Fritz Bugs Out |date=February 1978 |publisher=Belier Press |isbn=9780914646167 |page=30 }}</ref> and as a revolutionary in "Fritz the No-Good".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Complete Fritz the Cat |chapter=Fritz the No-Good |date=February 1978 |publisher=Belier Press |isbn=9780914646167 |page=96 }}</ref>

==Publication history==
[[File:Fritz the Cat.jpg|thumb|This compilation inspired the production of ''Fritz the Cat'' as a film, released in 1972 to much success.]]
''[[wikipedia:Help! (magazine)|Help!]]'', a magazine published by former ''[[wikipedia:Mad (magazine)|Mad]]'' editor [[wikipedia:Harvey Kurtzman|Harvey Kurtzman]], published two stories featuring Fritz, including the character's first public appearance in January 1965, "Fritz Comes on Strong".<ref name="Choron">{{cite book |last=Choron|first=Sandra|authorlink= |coauthors=Harry Choron, Arden Moore |title=Planet Cat |year=2007|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt |location=Massachusetts |isbn=9780618812592 |page=96}}</ref> In this debut story, Fritz brings a young female cat home and strips all her clothes off before getting on top of her to pick fleas off of her. Preceding the publication of the story, Kurtzman sent Crumb a letter which read, "Dear R. Crumb, we think the little pussycat drawings you sent us were just great. Question is, how do we print them without going to jail?"<ref name="CrumbCoffee-48">{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The R. Crumb Coffee Table Art Book |isbn=0316163333 |page=48; 52–53 |chapter=When I left home my father bought me a bus ticket to Cleveland and loaned me $14 |year=1998 }}</ref>

Although Kurtzman agreed to publish the story, he requested that Crumb alter the final two panels; the published version depicted Fritz standing next to her.<ref name="CrumbCoffee-48"/> Crumb later recalled that the original ending "wasn't that dirty ... only slightly risque by today's standards".<ref name="CompleteFritz"/> In May 1965, ''Help!'' published a second Fritz story, "Fred, the Teen-Age Girl Pigeon". In this episode Fritz is a guitar-playing pop idol and he brings Fred, a female pigeon groupie, to his hotel room and proceeds to eat her.<ref name="Skinn-84">{{cite book |last1=Skinn |first1=Dez |title=Comix: The Underground Revolution |year=2004 |publisher=Thunder's Mouth Press |page=84 |chapter=The Two Lives of Fritz the Cat }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Horn |first1=Maurice |title=The World encyclopedia of comics, Volume 1 |year=1976 |publisher=Chelsea House Publishers |isbn=087754042X |page=266 |chapter=Fritz the Cat }}</ref> [[wikipedia:John Canaday|John Canaday]]'s ''[[wikipedia:New York (magazine)|New York]]'' magazine review of ''Head Comix'' describes this punch line as "outrageous brilliance [that] is rivaled only by [[wikipedia:Evelyn Waugh|Evelyn Waugh]]'s last lines in ''[[wikipedia:The Loved One|The Loved One]]''."<ref name="Canaday"/>

"Fritz Bugs Out" was [[wikipedia:Serial (literature)|serialized]] in ''[[wikipedia:Cavalier (magazine)|Cavalier]]'' from February to October 1968.<ref name="Harvey"/> In the summer of 1968, ''Fritz the Cat'' strips appeared in the [[wikipedia:Viking Press|Viking Press]] compilation titled ''Head Comix'', which focused exclusively on Crumb's material.<ref name="Harvey"/> In 1969, [[wikipedia:Ballantine Books|Ballantine Books]] paid Crumb a $5,000 advance for the publication rights to a compilation of three stories featuring Fritz. Crumb used the money to purchase a three-acre lot.<ref name="Hodgetts"/> Crumb abandoned the character that year,<ref name="Maremaa"/> but previously unpublished stories appeared in ''Promethean'' #3 & 4 in 1971 and ''Artistic'' in 1973.<ref name="CompleteFritz-Editor">{{cite book |author=J.B.R. |title=The Complete Fritz the Cat |chapter=Editor's Note |date=February 1978 |publisher=Belier Press |isbn=9780914646167 |page=II }}</ref> "Fritz the Cat 'Superstar'" was the last new story released; it was published in ''The People's Comics'' in 1972.<ref name="Estren">{{cite book |last1=Estren |first1=Mark James |title=A History of Underground Comics |year=1993 |publisher=Ronin Publishing |isbn=091417164X |page=283 |chapter=Cycling and Recycling }}</ref>

In 1978, Bélier Press published ''The Complete Fritz the Cat'', which brought together all the published stories featuring Fritz, as well as previously unpublished drawings and unfinished comics. At the artists request, a 10-page story drawn in 1964 and previously published in ''R. Crumb's Comics and Stories'' in 1969 was excluded from this collection.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Complete Fritz the Cat |year=1978 |publisher=Belier Press |isbn=9780914646167 }}</ref> In April 1993, [[wikipedia:Fantagraphics Books|Fantagraphics Books]] published ''The Life & Death of Fritz the Cat'', compiling nine major strips, including the 1964 story previously excluded form ''The Complete Fritz the Cat''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Life & Death of Fritz the Cat |date=April 1993 |publisher=Fantagraphics Books |isbn=1560971177 }}</ref> ''Fritz the Cat'' strips also appear in ''The Complete Crumb Comics'' series.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Early Years of Bitter Struggle |series=The Complete Crumb Comics |volume=Vol. 1 |year=1996 |publisher=Fantagraphics Books |isbn=0930193423 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=Some More Early Years of Bitter Struggle |series=The Complete Crumb Comics |volume=Vol. 2 |year=1996 |publisher=Fantagraphics Books |isbn=0930193628 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=Starring Fritz the Cat |series=The Complete Crumb Comics |volume=Vol. 3 |year=1996 |publisher=Fantagraphics Books |isbn=093019375X }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Crumb |first1=Robert |title=The Death of Fritz the Cat |series=The Complete Crumb Comics |volume=Vol. 8 |year=1998 |publisher=Fantagraphics Books |isbn=1560970766 }}</ref> An unpublished page featuring Fritz that had been intended for ''Help!'', as well as comics featuring other characters related to the anthropomorphic universe of ''Fritz the Cat'', appeared in ''The R. Crumb Coffee Table Art Book'' in 1998.<ref name="CrumbCoffee-3"/><ref name="CrumbCoffee-65"/><ref name="CrumbCoffee-48"/>

==Cultural impact==
Following the publication of the compilations ''Head Comix'' and ''R. Crumb's Fritz the Cat'', Crumb received increased attention and ''Fritz the Cat'' became one of the most familiar features on the underground comix scene<ref name="Skinn-84"/><ref>{{cite book |last1=Horn |first1=Maurice |title=The World Encyclopedia of Comics |year=1983 |publisher=University of Michigan |isbn=0877543232 |page=266 }}</ref> and Crumb's most famous creation.<ref name="Mercier"/> These stories served as the basis for a pair of film adaptations produced by [[wikipedia:Steve Krantz|Steve Krantz]], ''[[Fritz the Cat (film)|Fritz the Cat]]'' 1972, directed by [[wikipedia:Ralph Bakshi|Ralph Bakshi]], and ''The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat'' 1974, directed by Robert Taylor. It affected later strips, such as ''[[Omaha The Cat Dancer]]'',<ref>{{cite book |last1=Skinn |first1=Dez |title=Comix: The Underground Revolution |year=2004 |publisher=Thunder's Mouth Press |page=71 |chapter=Can't Get Enuff }}</ref> ''[[Rocky (comics)|Rocky]]''<ref name="MacDonald">{{cite web |last=MacDonald |first=Heidi |title=Martin Kellerman: It's a Dog's Life in Sweden |url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6289263.html |date=December 6, 2005 |journal=[[Publishers Weekly]] |accessdate=10 July 2009}}</ref> and ''[[Horndog]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cgwiki.comicgenesis.com/index.php/Comic:Horndog |title=''Horndog'' info |accessdate=2009-09-15 |publisher=Comic Genesis}}</ref> In ''Graphic Novels: A Bibliographic Guide to Book-Length Comics'', D. Aviva Rothschild criticized the stories printed in the collection ''The Life & Death of Fritz the Cat'' as being misogynist, racist, and violent. He felt that, "They also tend to ramble, as if Crumb were making them up as he went along."<ref name="Rothschild">{{cite book |last1=Rothschild |first1=D. Aviva |title=Graphic Novels: A Bibliographic Guide to Book-Length Comics |year=1995 |publisher=Libraries Unlimited |isbn=1563080869 |page=110 |chapter=Funny Animals }}</ref> Rothschild concluded that, "Even though ''Fritz the Cat'' is a classic, there are better, more coherent Crumb books around."<ref name="Rothschild"/> The 1972 film adaptation of ''Fritz the Cat'' was ranked 51st on the Online Film Critics Society's list of the top 100 greatest animated films of all time<ref name="OFCS">{{cite web |url=http://ofcs.rottentomatoes.com/pages/pr/top100animated |title=Top 100 Animated Features of All Time |accessdate=2007-03-02 |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |format= |work= |publisher=Online Film Critics Society |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref> and 56th on Channel 4's list of the ''100 Greatest Cartoons''.<ref name="Channel4">{{cite web |url=http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest/cartoons/results.html |title=Top 100 Cartoons |accessdate=2008-01-28 |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |work= |publisher=Channel 4 |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref>

===Animated adaptations===
{{main|Fritz the Cat (film)|The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat}}
[[File:A Soul Tormented.jpg|thumb|In ''Fritz the Cat'' (1972), directed by Ralph Bakshi, Fritz tries to pick up a trio of young females by convincing them that he is a "tormented soul".]]
In 1969, New York animator Ralph Bakshi came across a copy of ''R. Crumb's Fritz the Cat'' and suggested to producer Steve Krantz that it would work as a film.<ref name="Gibson-McDonnell-62">{{cite book |last1=Gibson |first1=Jon M. |last2=McDonnell |first2=Chris |title=Unfiltered: The Complete Ralph Bakshi |year=2008 |publisher=Universe Publishing |isbn=0789316846 |pages=58; 62–63; 80–81 |chapter=''Fritz the Cat'' }}</ref> After meeting with Bakshi, Crumb loaned him one of his sketchbooks as a reference,<ref name="Gibson-McDonnell-62"/> but was unsure of the film's production and refused to sign the contract.<ref name="Gibson-McDonnell-62"/> Bakshi and Crumb were unable reach an agreement after two weeks of negotiations but Krantz secured the film rights from Crumb's wife, Dana, who had a power of attorney.<ref name="Gibson-McDonnell-62"/> Crumb received $50,000, distributed over the course of production and ten percent of Krantz's proceeds.<ref name="Gibson-McDonnell-62"/> ''Fritz the Cat'' was the first animated feature film to receive an [[wikipedia:X-rated|X rating]] from the [[wikipedia:Motion Picture Association of America|Motion Picture Association of America]] (MPAA).<ref name="Barrier-1">{{cite web
|url=http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Funnyworld/FritzPartOne/FritzOne.htm |title=The Filming of ''Fritz the Cat'': Bucking the Tide |accessdate=2007-03-02 |author=[[wikipedia:Michael Barrier (historian)|Barrier, Michael]] |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=Spring 1972 |work= |publisher=Funnyworld, No. 14 |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref> The film's distributor capitalized on the rating in the film's advertising material, which touted the film as being "X rated and animated!"<ref name="Barrier-1"/> Released on April 12, 1972, it opened simultaneously in Hollywood and Washington, D.C.<ref name="Barrier-3"/> The film went on to become a worldwide hit, grossing over $100 million (USD) and was the most successful independent animated feature ever.<ref name="Gibson-McDonnell-62"/> The film is credited with extending Crumb's reputation beyond the underground comix scene.<ref name="Skinn-84"/> Crumb disliked how the film presented the sexual content and politics.<ref name="Maremaa"/><ref name="Barrier-3"/><ref name="Barrier-5">{{cite web |url=http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Funnyworld/FritzPartTwo/FritzFive.htm |title=The Filming of ''Fritz the Cat'': A Strange Breed of Cat |accessdate=2007-03-02 |author=[[wikipedia:Michael Barrier (historian)|Barrier, Michael]] |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=Fall 1973 |work= |publisher=Funnyworld, No. 15 |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref> Following the film's release, ''The People's Comics'' published the story "Fritz the Cat 'Superstar'", in which Crumb satirized Bakshi and Krantz. Crumb portrayed Fritz in a script conference for a fictional sequel ''Fritz Goes to India''.<ref name="Estren"/><ref name="Gibson-McDonnell-62"/> The strip ends with a neurotic ex-girlfriend killing Fritz. She stabs him in the back of the head with an ice pick due to Fritz's overt sexism.<ref name="Estren"/> In 1974, Krantz produced the sequel ''The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat'', without any participation from Bakshi or Crumb.<ref name="Harvey"/><ref>{{cite book |last1=Estren |first1=Mark James |title=A History of Underground Comics |year=1993 |publisher=Ronin Publishing |isbn=091417164X |page=259 |chapter=Into the Overground }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Wikipedia|Fritz_the_Cat}}
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:1972 deaths]]
[[Category:Cat characters]]
[[Category:Comic characters]]
[[Category:Mature comics]]

WikiFur:Featured article candidates

2010-06-18T02:00:54Z

Lucifer: /* Nominations */

{{proposed}}
Here we determine which articles are featured on [[WikiFur:Featured articles]], and on the front page. '''A featured article should exemplify WikiFur's very best work.''' See [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:What is a featured article|what is a featured article]] for criteria.

Once [[Wikipedia:Consensus|consensus]] has been reached about a particular topic, place a summary of it it in the next available slot, and update the featured article pages to reflect this. For an article that is particularly significant on a certain day, such as a radio broadcast, it may be suitable to postpone it to a later date.

__TOC__
== Procedure ==

=== Adding nominations ===
#'''Check the [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:What is a featured article|featured article criteria]]''' and make sure the article meets ''all'' of them before nominating.
#*WikiFur is not as big as Wikipedia, therefore it may be appropriate to nominate articles that are lacking in one or more areas. You should still try to remedy this to the best of your ability before nominating it.
#Place <tt><nowiki>{{FAC}}</nowiki></tt> on the talk page of the nominated article.
#From there, click on the "leave comments" link.
#''(If you are resubmitting an article)'' Use the '''Move''' button to rename the previous nomination to an archive. For example, [[WikiFur:Featured article candidates/Television]] → [[WikiFur:Featured article candidates/Television/archive1]]
#Place <tt><nowiki>===[[name of nominated article]]===</nowiki></tt> at the top.
#Below it, write your reason for nominating the article.
#Finally, place <tt><nowiki>{{WikiFur:Featured article candidates/name of nominated article}}</nowiki></tt> at the top of the list of nominees on this page by first copying the above, clicking "edit" on the top of the page, and then pasting, making sure to add the name of the nominated article.

=== Supporting and objecting ===

Please read nominated articles fully before deciding to support or oppose a nomination.
* To edit nominations in order to comment on them, you must click the "edit" link to the right of the article nomination on which you wish to comment (not the overall page's "edit this page" link).
* If you approve of an article, write <nowiki>'''Support'''</nowiki> followed by your reasons.
* If you oppose a nomination, write <nowiki>'''Object'''</nowiki> followed by the reason for your objection. Each objection must provide '''a specific rationale that can be addressed'''. If nothing can be done in principle to "fix" the source of the objection, the objection may be ignored.
** To withdraw an objection, strike it out (with <tt><nowiki><s>...</s></nowiki></tt>) rather than removing it.

Consensus must be reached in order to be promoted to featured article status. This will probably involve some changes to the article based on feedback. Before objecting, consider just changing the article yourself so you don't have to.

=== Writing a good summary ===

Once an article has been selected, it should be summarised in a way that encourages readers to read more about the topic. Ideally, the first paragraph of a featured article is already a [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Lead section|lead section]], but if it is not you may need to adjust the article. You '''should''' merge these sorts of refactoring changes back to the original.

Once this is done, pick and choose sections of the lead to be placed in the featured text. You may also decide to include the lead portions of further sections within the article, or to synthesise your own summary of them. Try to include plenty of links within the summary so that readers have an easy time reading about related topics too.

The final touch is the picture. This should usually be right-aligned and sized to anywhere between 100px to 150px, depending on the shape of the image. Don't forget to turn the text of the article name into a '''bolded''' link to the article, otherwise people won't be able to read more about the topic.

=== Featuring an article ===
Once the summary is written, you should feature the article:

#Place the summary on the appropriate page - e.g. <tt><nowiki>[[WikiFur:This week's featured article/</nowiki>Week {{CURRENTWEEK}}, {{CURRENTYEAR}}]]</tt>
#Change the template on the article's talk page from <tt><nowiki>{{FAC}}</nowiki></tt> to <tt><nowiki>{{featured}}</nowiki></tt>
#Add <tt><nowiki>{{featured article}}</nowiki></tt> to the very bottom of the article itself (''after'' categories)
#Make a note of the featured article in the [[WikiFur:Featured articles#{{CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{CURRENTYEAR}}|appropriate section]] of the Featured articles page
#Add <tt><nowiki>{{WikiFur:This week's featured article/</nowiki>Week {{CURRENTWEEK}}, {{CURRENTYEAR}}}}</tt> to the top of the [[WikiFur:Featured articles/Complete|complete list of featured articles]]
#Click the header of the month name on that page to bring up the featured article log for that month, and move the nomination discussion template from below to the top of that page.

== Nominations ==

{{WikiFur:Featured article candidates/Fritz the Cat}}
{{WikiFur:Featured article candidates/E621}}
{{WikiFur:Featured article candidates/Ozy and Millie}}


For past discussion of featured article nominations, see [[/Archive|Archive]].

{{Wikipedia|Featured article candidates}}
[[Category:WikiFur featured article candidates]]

[[de:WikiFur:Artikel der Woche/Vorschläge]]
[[ru:ВикиФур:Кандидаты в избранные статьи]]

WikiFur:Featured article candidates/Fritz the Cat

2010-06-18T02:00:11Z

Lucifer: Created page with '===Fritz the Cat=== Fritz the Cat (film) is a featured article, and I believe that this meets similar qualifications. (~~~~)'

===[[Fritz the Cat]]===
[[Fritz the Cat (film)]] is a featured article, and I believe that this meets similar qualifications. ([[User:Lucifer|Lucifer]] 02:00, 18 June 2010 (UTC))

2009-12-26T03:21:55Z

Lucifer: /* Overview */

{{Infobox webcomic
| title = Horndog
| image = [[Image:Horndog.jpg]]
| caption =
| author = [http://mysticstudiosproductions.comicgenesis.com Isaac M. Baranoff]
| url = http://horndog.comicgenesis.com/
| status =
| began = 2003
| ended =
| genre = Comedy
| rating = [[File:Censor MA button.png]][[Category:Rated_MA]]
}}
'''''Horndog''''' is an American comic strip created by Isaac M. Baranoff and published by Mystic Studios Productions. It focuses on Bob, a skirt-chasing canine marijuana user who often finds himself in surreal adventures, often involving a variety of sexual experiences. ''Horndog'' first appeared as an underground comic in 2003, and made its web debut in 2009. Since its introduction, it has attained a strong cult following and appraisal from varied cartoonists from both the mainstream and underground scenes, and underground musicians. It is frequently ranked highly by users on websites such as ''WebcomicZ'' and ''Top Webcomics''.

==Overview==
''Horndog'' is set on a planet — or alternate dimension — which closely resembles Earth in its development, culture and structure, but is inhabited by anthropomorphic animals. The strip's establishes that the setting retains much of the same country and city names as Earth. Although the comic's stories are often surreal in nature, it also explores a number of social issues, including racism, drug use, AIDS and abortion, although dramatic aspects within the strip are rare, and the stories are strongly comedic. Black cats represent African Americans, with dogs representing whites. The setting is strongly urban, but the actual city name is not specified. The strip strongly favors cannabis use, with hard drug users portrayed unfavorably.

The strip primarily focuses on Bob, a smooth talking dog whose key interests are acquiring cannabis, and sex. His day to day life is often unusual, as he was once buried alive, and his former roommate, Freddy, returned from the dead on multiple occasions, after committing suicide. Bob is often seen engaging in a series of one night stands, and is in an open relationship with Charlene. Leonard is Bob's best friend, sharing the majority of his interests, such as hip hop music and marijuana. Bob's roommate, Tommy, does not use drugs, but is still called upon to purchase marijuana for the group, and is arrested and jailed. Tommy manages to avoid prison after the police smoke all of the evidence.

==History==
Baranoff created ''Horndog'' in 2003. It is published by Mystic Studios Productions.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.myspace.com/mysticstudiosproductions |title=Mystic Studios Productions |accessdate=2009-09-15 |publisher=MySpace}}</ref> The online edition of the strip began in 2009, and was hosted on [[wikipedia:Geocities|Geocities]], before moving to [[wikipedia:Angelfire|Angelfire]], and later to [[wikipedia:Comic Genesis|Comic Genesis]]. The strip has remained independently published in all of its incarnations.

==Reception==
''Horndog'' is ranked at #13 on WebcomicZ,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.webcomicz.com/webcomics/843/horndog.html |title=Horndog |accessdate=2009-09-15 |publisher=WebcomicZ}}</ref> and at #262 on TopWebComics,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://topwebcomics.com/sample/9177/default.aspx |title=Horndog |accessdate=2009-09-15 |publisher=TopWebcomics}}</ref> and has received favorable responses from cartoonists, underground musicians and hip hop fans.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.myspace.com/officialhorndog |title=Comments |accessdate=2009-09-15 |publisher=MySpace}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:2003 births]]
[[Category:Dog characters]]
[[Category:Comic characters]]
[[Category:Florida]]
[[Category:Mature comics]]

Stan Sakai

2009-12-08T02:48:55Z

Lucifer: rm "not himself a furry" - Sakai's article doesn't say that at all

{{unreferenced}}
'''Stan Sakai''' is a Japanese American who has been writing and drawing [[comics]] since 1984. Born in Kyoto, Japan, Sakai grew up in Hawaii and presently resides and works in the Los Angeles area.

His most famous and critically acclaimed work is ''[[Usagi Yojimbo]]'', although he has created or worked on many comics of interest to furries, including ''[[Albedo Anthropomorphics]]'', ''[[Beauty of the Beasts]]'', ''[[Cutey Bunny]]'', ''[[Nilson Groundthumper and Hermy]]'', ''[[Ninja High School]]'', ''[[Space Usagi]]'', and ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'', as well as many well-regarded non-furry comics as ''[[Groo The Wanderer]]'', the Sunday strips for the serial ''[[Wikipedia:Spider-Man|Spider-Man]]'', the comic book ''Shi'', and occasional covers for Marvel and Disney comics. An award-winning artist, his accolades include multiple [[Wikipedia:Eisner Award|Eisner]] and [[Wikipedia:Haxtur Award|Haxtur]] awards, as well as ''Best Anthropomorphic Comic Book'' in the [[Ursa Major Awards]] five times running for 2001-2005, with a double award in 2004 for ''[[The Art of Usagi Yojimbo]]''.

Stan Sakai's art style is distinctive. Although his art style uses simple line designs like many [[funny animal]] cartoons, and his character's faces can go very wild during a 'take', he also includes many realistic traits; characters generally are [[anthropomorphic]], and have at least a slight amount of biological plausibility. His designs may have been the influence of the later [[Mobian]] designs used in the [[Sonic the Hedgehog]] comic book and animations. However, one thing that Stan Sakai has never done is drawn a tail on any of his characters; in Fantagraphics #24, he stated that "... giving them tails would make them somehow a bit too animalistic," and that he, himself, doesn't know whether or not Usagi Yojimbo has a tail.

Stan Sakai appeared as the guest of honor at [[Anthrocon 2004]]. Although he had been leery of attending [[furry convention]]s in the past, he and his family enjoyed themselves. Since that first visit, he has planned other visits to other furry conventions; not as a guest of honor, but a fellow convention attendee.<ref>[http://www.livejournal.com/users/unclekage/6952.html Stan Sakai's Anthrocon 2004 report]</ref>

== References ==
<references />

== See also ==
* [[Wikipedia:Stan Sakai|Stan Sakai]] at [[Wikipedia]]

== External links ==
*[http://www.usagiyojimbo.com/sakai.html Stan Sakai's biography at Usagi Yojimbo.com] - Includes links to more pages about his career and his creations.
*[http://www.usagiyojimbo.com/anthrocon2004.html Pictures of Stan Sakai and fans at Anthrocon]

[[Category:People]][[Category:Comic artists]]
[[Category:Animators]]
[[Category:Anthrocon guests of honor]]
[[Category:Japan]][[Category:California]]
[[Category:Ursa Major Award winners]]

[[es:Stan Sakai]]

Horndog

2009-12-08T00:56:34Z

Lucifer: /* Overview */

Horndog

2009-12-01T05:31:04Z

Lucifer:

Horndog

2009-11-23T03:32:10Z

Lucifer:

WikiFur:This week's featured article/Week 35, 2009

2009-11-15T08:50:24Z

Lucifer: image

[[File:Fritz the Cat (film).jpg|right|124px|Fritz the Cat]]
'''''[[Fritz the Cat (film)|Fritz the Cat]]''''' is a 1972 animated film written and directed by [[wikipedia:Ralph Bakshi|Ralph Bakshi]] as his feature film debut. Based on the comic books by [[wikipedia:Robert Crumb|Robert Crumb]], the film was the first animated feature film to receive an [[wikipedia:X-rated|X rating]] in the United States. It focuses on Fritz (voiced by [[wikipedia:Skip Hinnant|Skip Hinnant]]), a feline in mid-1960s [[New York City]] who explores the ideals of hedonism and sociopolitical consciousness. The film is a [[wikipedia:satire|satire]] focusing on American college life of the era, race relations, the [[wikipedia:free love|free love]] movement, and [[wikipedia:left-wing|left-]] and [[wikipedia:right-wing|right-wing]] politics. ''Fritz the Cat'' was the first independent animated film to gross more than $100 million at the box office.

''Fritz the Cat'' had a troubled production history and controversial release. Creator Robert Crumb is known to have had disagreements with the filmmakers, claiming in interviews that his first wife signed over the film rights to the characters, and that he did not approve the production. Crumb was also critical of the film's approach to his material. ''Fritz the Cat'' was controversial for its rating and content, which viewers at the time found to be offensive. Its success led to a slew of other X-rated animated films, and a sequel, ''[[wikipedia:The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat|The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat]]'', was made without Crumb's or Bakshi's involvement. ('''[[Fritz the Cat (film)|more...]]''')

File:Fritz description.jpg

2009-11-15T08:45:49Z

Lucifer: "Fritz the Cat" panel by R. Crumb.

== Summary ==
"Fritz the Cat" panel by R. Crumb.
== Licensing: ==
{{comic-panel}}