What Are Furry Comics?
Furry comics generally refer to webcomics created by and for furries, meaning they contain anthropomorphic animal characters, similar to manga like Beastars. Art, whether it be illustration or storytelling is so interwoven into the furry fandom that it’s not surprising that furry comics play such a big role in furry culture.
So, is “Furry” a genre?
While it’s classified as a genre, it doesn’t concede itself to any tropes apart from containing these aforementioned anthropomorphic characters. Furry comics can be dramas, comedies, romances; they can essentially be any genre of story just with furry characters instead of human ones.
How Are They Rated?
In this list, we’ll run you through some of our top picks for what we believe to be the best furry comics. This is across all genres and while it’s hard to come to an objective rating for these kinds of things, we will base it off of 3 factors:
Storytelling Mastery: Does the comic weave a tale that is compelling and richly layered? Are the themes explored both meaningful and thought-provoking?
Artistic Expression: How effectively do the visuals captivate and convey deeper emotions? Is the art style unique and fitting for the story?
Character Depth: Are the characters developed in a way that fosters a genuine connection with the reader? Do they grow and evolve?
Now, without further ado, in no particular order. let’s get into this list.
Housepets – Rick Griffin
We’ll kick things off with a household name in the furry comic world that is Rick Griffin. He is known mostly for his comedy webcomic series “Housepets” which follows the life of different animals in each installment.
While his earlier comics I felt were a bit lacking in the illustration front, (most of them being black and white and slightly lacking in detail) his witty writing has always been there. However, he really stepped his game up in later releases of the Housepets series where, illustration and color-wise, where each panel is just bubbling with charm.
Because each installment features new characters it’s hard to develop any amazing depth but I don’t think this holds it back very much considering it’s just supposed to be a fun light read.
Cover of Housepets Book 7
Image via Amazon
Tamberlane – Caytlin Vilbrandt
Now, this is a personal favorite of mine, and for good reason. When it comes to production quality it doesn’t really get much better than Tamberlane. This fantasy comic tells the story of the animal citizens of a town named Treehollow when they discover a strange creature like nothing they’ve ever seen before wandering around their home. In an almost Tarzan-like situation, the creature turns out to be a human and an extremely young one at that, which is where Belfry the bat steps in deciding she is far too young to fend for herself and takes on the task of raising her with the help of a whole range of colorful characters.
Every page is a work of art, and not a single character feels overplayed or one-noted they each feel like they bring something unique to the story.
Additionally, if you’re someone who isn’t a huge fan of webcomics and wants to be able to physically hold your comics they also offer gorgeously printed comics with heaps more content than the web-version, so if you do enjoy the comic and want to support them even more we strongly recommend picking up a physical copy for yourself.
Tamberlane Cover Art
Image via Tapas
Blades of Furry – Deya Muniz , Emily Erdos
I must admit, when I initially heard this title, I imagined an Enter The Dragon-style action adventure with furry characters fighting their way through hoards of enemies to reach the top, where they finally face some akimbo-katana-wielding final boss. It’s safe to say I was completely wrong and that’s not at all what this is about.
Blades of Furry is actually a comic about Emile, an ice-skating deer who, due to some unfortunate circumstances has to face off with one of the best ice skaters in the world; Radu Basanko. I’m not entirely sure about the rule set of the ice skating they’re doing because they throw some crazy kicks at each other and it looks more like a fight than any sort of ice skating I’ve seen but don’t let this fool you as this is actually a romance comic. In an attempt to not spoil anything more about this comic, we recommend checking it out yourself if this piques your interest.
Blades of Furry Character Art
Image via Reddit
Lackadaisy – Tracy J. Butler
If you’ve done any research at all into furry comics, chances are you have heard of Lackadaisy, and that’s with good reason as well. This comic, starting in 2008 is probably one of the most well-established, written, and illustrated comics you’re going to find out there. It is just amazingly polished, bubbling with character and uniqueness. It follows the story of several cats that run a 1927 jazz speakeasy (a speakeasy being an old-timey, retro bar). Given that it is set in the 1920s, things get a little wild, and we’ll refrain from saying any more as to not spoil anything.
While the author, Tracy, does not consider herself a furry artist, it is impossible to deny that there is a clear appeal for the furry fandom. Also, the comic has since been adapted into an animated series and looks just as spectacular animated as it does static.
Lackadaisy Promotional Art
Image via Twitter
Twokinds – Tom Fishbach
Twokinds is yet another favorite in the fandom and celebrated its 20th birthday not too long ago but the origins of the comic stem even further back.
Tom initially wrote the comic in his mid-teens as a book but decided that webcomics may be a better medium for his work as he wasn’t completely happy with the writing. However, its narrative devices and development really shine through in the comic, tackling themes of discrimination, self-discovery, heritage, and rejecting traditions it really has some powerful underlying themes.
It follows the life of Trace Legacy who was once a leader of a group of powerful mages but has since lost all memory of that following an injury from a battle. He finds himself in the company of a girl named Flora and begins to recover his memories. He slowly begins to piece together that his people are enemies to Flora’s race and must overcome this conflict of interest. That is the foundation of the plot, we strongly recommend you go check it out for yourself.
Also, you may know the creator’s younger brother Mark Fishbach better known by his channel name on YouTube Markiplier.
Cover Art of Twokinds Book 1
Image via Amazon
Where Can I Find Furry Webcomics?
If you’re kind of new to this whole furry comics thing, you’re probably wondering where you can even find these comics not to worry, we’ll catch you up to speed.
For one, we’ve attached links to all their respective webcomics above if you’re looking to check any of the aforementioned ones out, but if you’re looking for a place to browse, it can be quite daunting. Sites like Webtoons, Tapas and Comicfury are extremely popular and where you can find a lot of independent creators putting out their work. However, if you’re looking for creators who are taking their comic series super seriously, chances are they are going to have their own website where they publish it. Unfortunately, most big creators don’t want to upload to public libraries of comics as it takes away their control and their ability to promote their work. But, if you’re just dipping your toes in, the aforementioned 3 sites are great for finding some comics you may like.
