Writer and Illustrator: Anthony Falleroni Independent, August 2026Anthony Falleroni’s Planet of the Pets is a 30-page graphic novella that takes a deceptively simple premise and uses it to deliver a surprisingly sharp satire of consumerism, corporate greed, and humanity’s seemingly endless desire to buy, sell, and own everything. The story centers on the Fuzzos, a new species of genetically engineered animals created by a corporation as luxury pets for the mega-rich. Designed to be irresistibly cute and cuddly, the Fuzzos become an overnight cultural phenomenon, with consumers predictably rushing to get their hands on the latest must-have creature. Things eventually go horribly wrong. The Fuzzos have instincts of their own, humanity’s attempts to control its creations backfire spectacularly, and before long, human civilization is facing the consequences of its own stupidity. The basic trajectory is deliberately reminiscent of Planet of the Apes, and the title makes that connection impossible to