FAQ/Ask Me Anything
Fans of “Zoo’d” – and those who are curious – are encouraged to learn more about the quirky animals in space. Thank you to everyone who inquired.
Now read on for the answers…
What is with the name “Zoo’d”?
When I came up with them in 2017, I was going to call them the “Oddimals”, but as luck would have it, the name was already taken. I still wanted to incorporate the concept of ‘odd’ because they’re hybrids, so I combined “odd” with the word “zoo” because they’re a zoo of animals!
What inspired them?
In 2016, after being inspired by winning a creativity book at an adult coloring event, I began a year-long art project called #Kawaii365. By June 2017, after almost a year of drawing in “kawaii” style, they just flowed from me…. see the “Origins” section of this site for more details.
Who is your target audience?
I like to keep the humor somewhere between G and PG… so I would say the audience is anyone who likes cartoon animals, such as Garfield(TM), Animal Crackers(TM), etc. *It’s not age-targeted.
There are already a few ‘talking animal’ cartoonists, so how are you any different?
In addition to the fact that these are not ‘regular’ animals (these are hybrids), I’ve also incorporated more kawaii (Japanese meaning “cute & innocent”) into them than typical North American cartoons.
Why no pigs? Or any known farm animals?
Well, that may be too cliche (I love Jim Davis’ work with “Orson’s Farm”, but don’t intend to duplicate it). With the exception of fan-favorite Unicat(C), I’m ensuring all the hybrids are original and unique.
Rumor has it that there is a web comic on the horizon. What style can fans expect to see?
Primarily, it will be a gag strip, with family-friendly humor. I have a bit of formal cartooning training and so I like to experiment with a variety of comic panel styles, so you’ll see some variations. If you join higher tiers on our Patreon page, we accept ideas from fans for future strips!
Why are they so….weird?
Because I’m weird ^_^
Some are male, and some are female… does this mean that they’ll fall in love or date each other?
This is a wonderful idea, but no. It wouldn’t be fair because there’s an imbalance – 7 boys and 5 girls… 12 in total on their small planet. They like to keep everything platonic, otherwise it would just complicate things.
What is with their strange planet?
It’s called “Zurbpod”, which was made from an anagram of some of their initials. It’s a small purple planet, about the size of Earth’s moon, but more distant to us. You can learn more about Zurbpod under it’s about page.
Do they have parents?
No. They were created by a mad scientist on Earth, who was secretly mixing animal DNA in her lab. Her name is Dr. Zedjowski, and when her secret was discovered, she wanted to protect her “babies”, so she broke into the large astronomy lab late one night, and put them all into a one-way spacecraft, toward a strange little planet that she inadvertently discovered. This way, they wouldn’t be captured – so in a way she’s their “parent”.
How old are they? Will they age to eventually be elderly?
They’re about mid-teens in the strip… due to the fact that Dr. Zedjowski was only experimenting for a few months before sending them to Zurbpod, they’re all within the same age range. At this point, I have no plans for progressing them to an advanced age.
If they don’t live on Earth, how is it that they know English and have favorite food, books, etc.
Well, they learned basic language from Dr. Zedjowski, as she did “raise” them for a few months first. She occasionally sends care packages to them, and they have a telescope from her so they can keep watch/keep in touch. They’ve learned to make food, and Beever especially enjoys cooking & baking (and Elefox enjoys eating…)
Where do they get their stuff from?
Since they cannot safely travel to & from Earth, Dr. Zedjowski sends them occasional care packages, complete with food, grooming items, magazines and technology items.
Are they actual aliens?
In a way yes, and in a way no. They were “born” in a lab on Earth, and then sent to another planet to live. If anything, that probably gives them dual citizenship…
Will they ever return to Earth?
At this point in time, they’ve built a nice communal home on Zurbpod and have no plans to leave. Maybe, someday if it’s ever safe for them, they may visit Earth….
I understand 3 of them have “accents”. Why is this?
It keeps them more interesting – after all, an accent makes one sound intelligent.
Why do they have zodiac signs?
Well, they have birth dates…and I’m a ‘hippie’ who is into astrology. In addition, it makes it easy to have a balanced 12 characters.
If Pandaroo is a boy, why does he have a pouch?
He needs a place for his calculator… and on occasion, a safe place for Octomouse.
If Zurbpod’s climate is not like Earth’s, then how does Beever grow flowers?
They’re just sweeter flowers, if one were to taste them. And Zurbpod’s warmer, somewhat humid climate is perfect for growing plants ^_^
Does Unicat use a litter box?
She’d really rather not say. Thank you for respecting her privacy ^_^
I’ve noticed they don’t have obvious minorities… how do I know if I’m being represented?
I fully intend for the Zoo’d Animal Hybrid Friends(C) to be all-inclusive. I respect and appreciate all humans from all walks of life, and though I deliberately kept race and politics out of this series, you may notice that Pandaroo represents people who may suffer with depression, Rabbird represents people with social anxiety, and Beever represents males in the LGBTQ+ community. If you find a character you can relate to, then I’m glad, thank you.
Can their images be used on any random product or in my own art?
No. They are copyrighted to me, which means that if they appear on other work without my permission, that it is an illegal offense. However, in lighter news, I’m happy to collaborate and work with interested licensees, as long as we draft up a contract first.
Can you do custom Zoo’d art for me?
Yes, absolutely! To set it up, select tier #3 on our Patreon page
What if I can’t currently afford to pledge on Patreon?
There are always other ways to show an artist support, and the easiest is just sharing along what you’ve discovered, with people who would be interested. The simplest way may be texting images, sharing on your social media or even emailing…. and someday, showing in person. Just please give credit to the artist – thank you ^_^
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