Softpaw Magazine

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Softpaw Magazine

Softpaw Magazine is the first cub-related magazine in the fandom, mainly featuring erotic art and stories. It is published by Dream Field Comics, and distributed online and through Rabbit Valley.

The first issue of Softpaw was published in October 2006. A story-based spinoff, Finding Avalon, was first published in July 2008.

Softpaw has been popular, but also highly controversial due to its subject matter, with bans at Eurofurence and Further Confusion.

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History

Softpaw was partially inspired by Arcc's "Ivan & Tas" series on the Secretmoon oekaki, a haven for fans of cub artwork.[1] The publishers drew from a mix of established artists and authors on Secretmoon and Cub Central, as well as new artists on websites like Fur Affinity. As the production of Softpaw cost a large amount of money, pre-orders and donations were encouraged, with donators' nicknames printed on the last page of each issue.

Some contributors held events to promote the comic, such as the popular pizza parties at Further Confusion and Califur. However, attempts by artists to distribute the comic at Eurofurence were thwarted when the convention banned the work, followed shortly after by a ban at Further Confusion, where publishers had planned to release Softpaw #3.

Softpaw #2 was listed in the Ursa Major Awards's 2007 Recommended Anthropmorphics List in the Best Fanzine category. The next year, both Softpaw #3 and #4 and Finding Avalon #1 made it onto the awards ballot, for Best Magazine and Best Comic Book respectively. In the end, neither work won, but the fact that they had got that far concerned those who felt such works should not be considered for the award.

For the 2009 Awards, a rule blocking "works of a predominantly sexual nature, or which include explicit sexual situations involving characters which may be underage or non-anthropomorphic animals" was added.[2] As no issues of Softpaw or Finding Avalon were published in 2009, this rule was not tested against them.

Issues

Web NC-17

Softpaw issues have been released on a six- to nine-month basis. However, there have been no new releases since 2008.

Issue #1

Softpaw #1 cover (Coonkun)

The first issue was printed in October 2006 and was initially shipped on November 15th, 2006. The recommended retail price is stated as US$19.95 - significantly more than most other periodical furry comics and fanzines.

This issue is comprised of 64 color pages and contains the following stories:

Some artists also contributed standalone artwork:

Arcc, Asthexiancal, Coonkun, Fennec, Gilbhart, Inuki, Kichigai Kitsune, Krezz Karavan, Lune Cheetah, McDutt, Sylus Foxdragon, Wolfblade, Zen and Zippo.

Issue #2

Softpaw #2 cover (Lando)

Issue two was printed in June 2007 and made its debut at Anthrocon 2007 The recommended retail price is US$19.95. A pack of issues #1 and #2 was subsequently made available for US$29.95.

This issue contains the following stories in 80 full-color pages:

  • "Sleep Over", a gay-content comic by Shiuk
  • "Zeak's Wonderful Life of Doom", a straight-content comic by Jkal, Azures and HySeed
  • "Those Good Old Games", a straight-content comic by Bbmbbf
  • "Brave?", a straight-content comic by Momiji Yuuga
  • "Bath Time", a gay-content comic by Inuki
  • "The Perfect Size", a straight-content comic by Krezz Karavan and BBMBBF
  • "Flower Kitties", a straight-content comic by Papaya Kitty
  • "Tyler's Trouble", a gay-content comic written by Crassus and drawn by Shiuk

Some artists also contributed standalone artwork:

Ben Raccoon, BA (credited as A Bee), Fennec, Coonkun, Skifi, Edis Krad, Asthexiancal, ZEN and Lando

The original image of the back cover by Inuki reveals more of the characters genital area. This was covered with some white steam in the published version. A limited print of the original artwork was shipped together with a pack consisting of Softpaw #1 and #2 if directly ordered from Inuki shortly after release.

Issue #3

Softpaw #3 cover (Shiuk)

The third issue was first printed on January 2008. This issue was expected to be released at Further Confusion 2008, until convention staff informed Softpaw that their magazine “would be against their new rule banning representations of minors engaged in sexual acts.”[3] The recommended retail price was US$24.95. Despite the lack of a convention release and the higher price tag, the third issue still sold out at Rabbit Valley.

This issue contains the following stories in 96 full-color pages:

  • "Finding Avalon", written by Jery Softpaw and Kiffin Softpaw, drawn by BA (credited as A Bee)
  • "The Milkshake Club: Part 2", a gay content comic written by Athalon Ferret, drawn by Fel
  • "Zeak's Wonderful Life of Doom", a gay content comic by HySeed
  • "Happy Trip", a straight content comic by Zorro Re
  • "Here Comes Annie", a straight content comic by BBMBBF
  • "Little Red and the Big Bad Wolf", a gay content comic by Shiuk
  • "A Knight's Tail", gay content comic by Mek

Some artists also contributed standalone artwork:

Coonkun, Arcc, Asthexiancal, Celestial, Lando, Leon Flare, Meesh, Meow Rouge, Momiji Yu-ga, Zen and Zippo

Issue #4

Softpaw #4 cover (Papaya Kitty)

The fourth issue was first printed on November 2008 and sold for a retail price of US$19.95. Buyers who pre-ordered Softpaw #4 got a free issue of another Softpaw Magazine or of Finding Avalon with their order.

This issue contains the following stories in 64 full-color pages:

  • "Winter Fun", a gay content comic written and inked by Amiramasi, colors by K
  • "Oh, Brother!", a gay content comic by Wolfblade
  • "Oasis Tome 1&2", a straight content comic written and pencilled by Jkal, inks by Hyseed, color by Miao
  • "The Insatiable Prince", a gay content comic by A Bee

Some artists also contributed standalone artwork:

Arcc, Asthexiancal, Ben Raccoon, Inuki, Mek, Papaya Kitty and Wishing Star as well as some illustrations by the story's artists.

Finding Avalon

Softpaw Magazine's Finding Avalon Logo

Finding Avalon is a comic based on two series started in Softpaw, and is meant to take a more serious approach to cub artwork. Its format is 40 pages, full color, glossy, in the big magazine size.

Finding Avalon #1 cover (Shiuk)

Issue #1

The first issue was printed in June 2008 and initially released at Anthrocon 2008. Mail-order issues started shipping in July 2008. The recommended retail price was US$14.95 and it includes two stories in comic form:

A Bee and "kitty" Maverick also contributed standalone artwork for the inside covers.

References

  1. ↑ Ivan & Tas 8 (NSFW) - comment by Jery Softpaw (22 September 2008)
  2. ↑ 2009 Ursa Majors open, but not to all - GreenReaper, Flayrah (22 January 2010)
  3. ↑ http://www.crushyiffdestroy.com/frontpage/index.php?blog=1&p=140&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#more140

External links

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