Q: Are you a furry?
A: Actually, no, not at all. Although I do read comics by self-described furry artists, I have no reason to consider myself a furry. The anthro theme came about sort of by accident. Inspired by comics like Badly Drawn Kitties, I wanted to see if I could draw in an anthro style, and I liked the results so much that it just stuck.

Q: Is Ian you?
A: No. I don’t have an avatar of any kind. But he is very similar to me. Actually, except for the obvious difference in sex, Ian and Melanie are both very similar to me; and about equally so. I guess I’m the compromise between them. Sort of. Just don’t address me as Ian. My name is Chandler.

Q: Why New York?
A: I’m going to paraphrase John Lennon here (I would quote him, but it would take me too long to find the quote on the internet): ‘If I had lived in Roman times, I would have lived in Rome. But I am alive today, so I live in New York.’

Q: What’s the title mean?
A: It’s a Moldy Peaches song. And it sounds cool.

Q: What species are the characters?
A: Ian is a river otter, Melanie is a lioness, Alex and Mikhael are domesticated dogs (breeds unspecified), Kate is a domesticated cat, Sarah is a lop-eared rabbit, and Layne is a raccoon. And their species is acknowledged in the comic. It’s not like Jack, where the characters are essentially humans in animal suits. For instance, interspecies relationships are sterile and not acknowledged by the government (like homosexual relationships).

Q: Where do the characters’ names come from?
A: Almost all of the names are references to real-life people. Some are more obvious than others. The name Melanie Hopkins is obviously a reference to David Hopkins, the artist who draws Jack, but it’s also a spin on “Melpomere,” the Greek muse of music. The name Ian Conor combines the names of two musicians I respect a lot: Ian McKaye and Conor Oberst.

Q: What kind of band is the Pinups?
A: Hardcore punk. I imagine that they sound almost exactly like The Argument by Fugazi. Except that Fugazi has two singers, Guy and Ian, and Guy sounds nothing like Ian (Conor, from the comic). Ian Conor sings like his namesake: Ian McKaye. Also, the pinups have only one guitarist, a female backup singer, and aren’t nearly as political as Fugazi.

If you have a real question for me (I just made these up), then email me at madeoftrees@email.com. I will answer any questions.