Writers: TC Robinson and Lily Edwards
Artist: TC Robinson
Colourist: Lily Edwards
Independently published, 2025
When we received this title for review, we were expecting a children’s comic. It is anything but.
Furryphobia is a schlock horror short comic which has integrated surreal elements and black humour to add to the eeriness. Here is the promotional copy:
The updated version of a 24 page horror comic, made to be a quick read with funny visuals (no character drama just KILLER FURRIES). Combining Small Town horror with a furry uprising. Inspired by Five night at Freddie’s, Angel Hare & 90s Slashers ! Created by Us, TC Robinson & Lily Edwards, two Comic art Graduates based in Leeds. Beginning our careers with this very kickstarter, so help out where you can. What’s the story you may ask ?!
It’s simple ! After her grandchild dies by the hands of killer furries, an ex dog handler grandma goes out into the night to get revenge. Not understanding what a furry is, but boy she’s about to find a lot of them.
An upright cow staring through a window at night? We decided to interview writer and artist TC Robinson about what on earth is going on here.
WCBR: I originally thought by “furries” you were referring to the adult entertainment type of “furry”. Only on a re-read did I realise you are writing about what in Australia we call “plush toys” or “stuffed toys”. Somehow, taking a bunch of giant toys and casting them into the role of a pack of man-eating monsters is worse (possibly because my youngest daughter’s room has about two hundred of the things, scattered everywhere) than what I thought a furry was. What was the inspiration for the plot?
TCR: It is actually a mixture of both. It’s meant to play with the adult entertainment of Furries, the killers literally being fursuits brought to life but there is an aspect of them being toys since the suits are revealed to be empty. My inspiration for the whole story was spending the past few years in Education at Leeds Arts where there is a growing furry community. I respect them enjoying what they want but I did find the suits inherently unsettling so I pondered if furries could be a horror Icon. Literally analysing that in a vlog here: https://youtu.be/GHlOhZMbJSc?feature=shared The storytelling and how they act being inspired by 80s & 90s horror comedies like Critters, Gremlins and Killer Klowns from Outer Space. Crafting them into oddball slashers. But you are correct when you say their inspired by toys too, because I didn’t want to dehumanise furries and that community so I merged my original inspirations with movies like Chucky, Puppet Master and Poltergeist, creating a pack of killers that are actually just big fluffy inanimate objects that have gained a level of sentience. I too, have experience with the creep factor of a large stack of teddies. Having siblings and friends who collect plush toys (particularly the ugly kind). So merging the furries with toys coming to life was the premise behind the whole thing, hopefully creating an interesting concept.
WCBR: There is some black magic afoot in the story. A giant plush cow isn’t going to ordinarily eat someone and a giant plush man-shark doesn’t disappear into a puddle. Toys seem to feature a lot in horror – I think it is that contrast between childhood innocence and evil which gives it a hook – but we almost always see dolls. Are you out to shift the paradigm? Toy manufacturers are going to hate you if you’re successful.
TCR: Other than wanting to create a unique concept I wasn’t setting out to deconstruct toys and franchises that have come before. As I would love to have furryphobia sit side by side with killer toy IP. I’m hoping to represent the potential of furries in the horror space as well as EXPAND on what a killer toy / slasher story can become. Attempting to break out of the box and show that it doesn’t just have to be dolls & masked men as horror icons but something in between. And to comment on the idea of the supernatural involved – that was definitely intentional, wanting to have the killers be fun but scary as they have almost cartoon logic where they can disappear, swallow you whole and make you laugh (maybe not in that order).
WCBR: The story is bereft of dialogue. This was plainly a conscious decision. I think it adds to the suspense. It certainly means you need to lean into your art to carry the plot. What was the thinking about that?
TCR: Exactly that, I wanted the artwork to carry the story. Being funny & scary visuals first and character drama second. The way the book was scripted was by myself and my co-writer Lily Edwards brainstorming eye-catching images and jokes for the book and I think If I had slapped dialogue across the page it would only have detracted. And I’m glad it added to the suspense, a gloomy quiet atmosphere was what the book was intended to have with then the laughter of the creatures cutting through it like a hot knife. since the first initial concept we knew a stoic and broody grandma was always going to be the protagonist, so the silence also helps settle the reader into her POV of being hard of hearing and depressingly alone.
WCBR: Any plans for a sequel? Or a prequel?
TCR: I have many ideas for sequels in mind but there are currently no plans to develop them, unless the kickstarter is a success – then maybe 🙂 I’m also developing and expanding the story to be a screenplay (mostly just for practice). But it would follow a wannabe jock needing to learn about furries to defeat the furries. Going to a nerd in his school as well as his Grandma to learn about her past experiences with them – but that’s still in the outline stage.
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Furrytopia is currently in the middle of a Kickstarter campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/furryphobia/furryphobia-quick-horror-one-shot