T.H.E. Fox
| T.H.E. Fox | |
|---|---|
 Thaddeus Fox | |
| Author(s) | Joe Ekaitis |
| Current status/schedule | Concluded |
| Launch date | 1986 |
| End date | 1998 |
| Genre(s) | Furry |
| Rating(s) | PG |
T.H.E. Fox is a furry comic strip by Joe Ekaitis which ran from 1986[1][2] to 1998. It is one of the first online comics, beginning in the year after Witches and Stitches. T.H.E. Fox was published on CompuServe, Q-Link and GEnie,[3] and later on the Web as Thaddeus.[4]
Initial strips—consisting of one panel each—were drawn as pixel art on a C64 KoalaPad, first using KoalaPainter, then Advanced OCP Art Studio.[3][5] Each panel had a resolution of 160x200 in sixteen colors (or 320x200 in eight), and took from two hours to half a day to complete.[3] Later strips were inked, then scanned onto a PC and touched up with Paintbrush.[3] Characters were typically presented in a single plane, though some strips used oblique or perspective projection.
The comic consisted almost entirely of gags; some concerned the characters' animal natures, but Ekaitis preferred to cover news and exaggerate events of everyday life.[nb 1][3] The main character—Thaddeus Horatio Eberhard, or simply Thaddeus Fox—was often seen interacting with his roommate, Bunnington Ellsworth Rabbit (Bunn E. Rabbit).[3] Other regulars included Grizz Lee, M.D.; Wilt the Wolf; an unnamed coyote, and Thaddaeus' nephew, Ferdinand.[3][6]
Thaddeus (in fursuit form) and his creator appeared on the Rapid T. Rabbit and Friends show several times, as well as in the Pasadena Doo Dah Parade.[7][8][9][10] The comic was mentioned in the magazines .info and RUN,[5][11] and was the subject of an interview by the Commodore 64/128 RoundTable.[3] Thaddeus and Bunn also featured in editorial cartoons for the San Bernardino Sun regarding the O. J. Simpson murder case and the price of groceries,[3][9] and appeared on the covers of Commodore journal Twin Cities 128 (TC-128).[3]
Despite running weekly for several years, the comic never achieved Ekaitis' goal of print syndication.[3] Updates became less frequent,[9] and eventually petered out altogether.
Notes
- ^ Ekatis: "Since Thad and Bunn are more like people who happen to look like a fox and a rabbit, the gags seem to be funnier if their animal species don't enter into it. Everyday life is the best source for gags."
References
- ^ Benjamin Ong Pang Kean (2008-06-12). "Economics and Comics: How Do Webcomics Fit In?".
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ Lee Atchison (2008-01-07). "The Third Age of Webcomics, Part One". Sequential Tart.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Joe Ekaitis (1994-12-04). "Meet Joe Ekaitis — T.H.E. FOX" (Interview). Interviewed by Sherry accompanied by Lou Schonder.
- ^
Brendan Kachel (September 10, 2007). "Better than blogs: Webcomics, the Internet's answer to the funny pages" ([dead link]).
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ a b
Jeff Lowenthal (1989). "Public Domain". .info (27). Iowa City, IA: Info Publications: 59. ISSN 0897-5868. OCLC 17565429.
Each week Joe creates a single comic using a combination of computer drawing programs.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ Joe Ekaitis (1999-02-15). "Tinky Winky". Thaddaeus.
- ^ Special Guest: Joe Ekaitis, Creator of "T.H.E. Fox", Rapid T. Rabbit and Friends, 1989-12-02
- ^ T.H.E.Fox with Editorial Cartoons by Joe Ekaitis, Rapid T. Rabbit and Friends, 1994-07-18
- ^ a b c Returning Guest: Thaddeus Fox, Rapid T. Rabbit and Friends, 1997-04-14
- ^ 5th Avenue Easter Parade with Thaddeus Fox, Rapid T. Rabbit and Friends, 2000-04-24
- ^
Tim Walsh (1988). "Pixel Perfection". RUN (55). Peterborough, N.H: Wayne Green: 46. ISSN 0741-4285. OCLC 10151803.
QuantumLink fans are also sure to recognize Joe Ekaitis's work.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help)
External links
- T.H.E. Fox in the GEnie Commodore File Library
- Thaddeus (archived at Internet Archive) the website for the web published comic strips.