NEW Why Did You End the Strip?

There were several reasons. First and foremost, I was finished with the main story and wanted to give it a nice, solid ending rather than just petering out (or worse, jumping the shark). Second, I wanted to get away from the “daily strip” format and start a new project in the “comic book” format, which I am currently (as of February 2010) working on. Finally, I’d been doing Suburban Jungle for ten years and needed a break. I still love SJ and intend to do more with it in the future.

How does society work if the predators eat prey species?

Perilously. There are very specific rules about who can make a kill, who can be killed, when and how it can happen, and what is done afterward, and those rules are taught to everyone from the moment they are born. However, to the inhabitants of the SJ world, that’s just “the way it is,” and while change is possible, it’s long and difficult in coming.

Why doesn’t Comfort/Drezzer/Yin/Wensley wear pants?

SJ is a purely clothing-optional world. Fur (and the laws of ‘toon anatomy) take care of most needs for warmth and/or modesty, so all clothing is an accessory, and its use is determined by the habits or interests of the individual.

Can different species have children? Are hybrids possible?

Generally, the laws of what types of breeding are possible in the SJ world follow those of the real world, with one major exception: scientific intervention can create cross-species mixed breeds, but it is rare and expensive. See InterClinic.

What does MegaHuge ConglomaCo do, exactly?

They merge with, take over, or establish corporate relationships with other huge companies with similarly vague names. Or later, they have the same thing done to them.

Who ARE the furs in black? And what is the purpose of The Village?

That would be telling.

What’s up with the alliterative names? And why do people use species for the last name? Isn’t that terribly unoriginal?

It’s a cultural thing. In a world where knowing the species of whom you’re dealing with makes the difference between being a bigwig or being a breakfast, it’s considered good form by predators especially to announce their presence in any way possible, including formally declaring, by way of their name, what their species is. The fact that Tiffany Tiger and Conrad Tiger are both “– Tiger” doesn’t mean that they’re related, it just means, as you can probably gather, that they’re both tigers. As for the alliteration, it’s just traditional to favor alliterative names when possible.

What’s up with all these cameos?

I donate “guest appearances” in The Suburban Jungle to charity auctions at conventions. The winner’s “personal furry” character appears in a Sunday-style strip.

Who’s your favorite character?/Which character is most like you?

They’re all like me in one way or another! I suppose I could say I’m least like Comfort or Eddie Ape. I tend to think of myself as being like Leonard, although Tiffany, Drezzer, and Conrad are all strong contenders. As to who’s my favorite, I don’t think I could pick just one.

What’s up with all these guest strips?

Occasionally, friends or fans will create “filler” strips for me while I am unable to keep the strip running, or if I need a short break. Running a comic strip while working a demanding day job ain’t easy!

What’s up with all these outages?

I occasionally suffer from mood swings, stress, or just simply being really, really busy. Sorry about that!

Do you take commissions? Do you have any merchandise?

I have been known to take commissions, but I generally do them as one-time events (usually auctions) these days because I am often terrible about getting them done in a timely fashion. As for merchandise, Merchandise Maven is your source for SJ t-shirts, buttons, prints, mousepads, and other cool swag. As of February 2010, the books are currently out of print, but that will be changing later this year.

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