Yes, this is still a fairly ‘hard’ sci-fi comic, so I can’t just have intelligent giant sloths appear out of nowhere without explanation. Fumiaki is certainly up to something, it would seem…
↓ Transcript
Jacob: I can't believe Fumiaki boosted animal brains like this. It shouldn't be possible.
Largo: Largo has human brain, like you. We are -- what's the world?
Miguel: Medica quimera.
Largo: Yes, yes, chimeras! Human brains, from babies not yet born, put in slo-cow babies. He needed heads big enough for human brains. Because you have big heads.
Roger: But we're not pineapple flavored. You know that, right?
Jacob: Transplanting fetal tissue between species? That's monstrous. Although it also explains how he made the dancer's tree. But why this line of research?
Largo: Well, the tree was just a gift to the dancer.
Jacob: Who?
Largo: The dancer. She who watches over us, over all the jungle, for all of time.
Jacob: Great. Giant sloths with religion. How much further to the lab, Largo?
Largo: Just over this rise...
Largo: Largo has human brain, like you. We are -- what's the world?
Miguel: Medica quimera.
Largo: Yes, yes, chimeras! Human brains, from babies not yet born, put in slo-cow babies. He needed heads big enough for human brains. Because you have big heads.
Roger: But we're not pineapple flavored. You know that, right?
Jacob: Transplanting fetal tissue between species? That's monstrous. Although it also explains how he made the dancer's tree. But why this line of research?
Largo: Well, the tree was just a gift to the dancer.
Jacob: Who?
Largo: The dancer. She who watches over us, over all the jungle, for all of time.
Jacob: Great. Giant sloths with religion. How much further to the lab, Largo?
Largo: Just over this rise...
And just today, news came out that 25% of the cow genome comes from snakes.
It’s impossible to be too weird when writing about genetics. No matter what I write, nature is even crazier.
Plant chimeras are easy, people have been making them for centuries. Transspecies animal chimeras though, those are tricky, especially if you are trying to have specific organs from one genome.
On another topic, didn’t Dahnai like to dance or something?
Speculation about who the Dancer is will be met with stone silence, to avoid spoilers. In any event, you’ll find out next page. 🙂
Doesn’t this mean their species will die out?
Mmm…human brains in a sloth/bovine hybrid is one thing, but the larynx, jaw structure and tongue? Doesn’t seem like it would facilitate human speech.
But I could be wrong.
It means that if they have babies (and the one without horns is female), they’ll just be dumb animals.
As for speech, we can assume some manipulation went on there. That’s not nearly as difficult as boosting intelligence.
I hate myself for thinking this, but I don’t think they have to worry overly much about dying from old age or the condition of their offspring, considering how Joey is tracking Jacob, and he’s been portrayed as being thoroughly violent.
New reader, just finished the whole of your comic so far over the course of two days.
Before I say anything else, I’d like to mention that I’m not very fond of sci-fi. The only reason I came to this comic at all was because the ad had a cute dog-girl in it. When I realized it looked more like sci-fi than fantasy and that the art style wasn’t really to my liking (on the very first page), I stopped and went to my other comics, twice.
I’m glad I changed my mind the third time. I’m /really/ not a fan of sci-fi, as I’ve mentioned — I far prefer fantasy, because I like to see what worlds people can weave almost from scratch rather than trying to keep what I find is usually a rather tenuous link to reality. I like things that make people wonder, look around in amazement, and, despite the troubles that occur, sometimes make me think “wouldn’t it be amazing if our world was like that?”
This comic is nothing like that. It’s dark, and some of the things in it make me shudder inside. Fewer than probably should, considering my moral standards. And I read the whole thing, and I laughed sometimes and at other times I sat in uncomfortable silence wondering what was going to happen.
And I want to see more, from a comic that has “genocide” in the title and involves biochemical warfare. I’d say that probably means you’re incredibly talented(I think so, at least). I’m sure, from the sort of people who read your comic and the comments they’ve given you, that you already knew that, but I thought you might like a reminder.
In short, “Awesome, keep it up.”
Thank you, Carrot. Glad to have you reading. I think you’re going to enjoy the rest of the story.
Giant Sloths with religion… you mean people from the southern midwest US?
LT’s comment is why this commenting system needs a “like” or “+1” or something.
Heh, +1 to LT’s comment! Gave me a chuckle.