Kids, do not try this at home. Huffing water is very bad for humans.
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I’ve got a Fan Art update today! Courtesy of KiwiDraw:
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Thanks a lot Kiwi!
Today's edition of the Secret Commentary is empty, because Dave failed to come up with something for it.
A towel is actually a pretty good idea to contain the water. But wouldn’t it constrain her gills?
Not if the towel was loose enough.
It’s tied around her underarms, but not tight enough to constrict her.
Nice to see that sombody didn’t just randomly put the gills on the neck, but actually at the lungs like they should be.
Agreed. Gills on the neck or head would only work if you constantly keep moving to keep oxygenated water flowing. Otherwise the water in the immediate area runs out of oxygen and you pass out. Lungs can easily be re-purposed as pumps as long as there’s some kind of flow-valve system involved to keep things going one way.
I also like her reaction to the metal pot, and find it curious that she doesn’t react until after the water’s gone through fully… Does she smell with her nose or with her gills?
I imagine she smelled the metal of the bowl with her nose like most other species, but she probably can’t speak while she’s got water in her lungs (at least, not without spraying water everywhere).
As the others said, good work on thoughtful physiology, Dave.
I imagine Selkie would enjoy some sort of aquatic vacation…good thing Wisconsin borders Lake Michigan 🙂
Gives a new meaning to “Say it, don’t spray it”…
I considered neck slits initially, and could probably explain a diaphragm system that would negate the need for constant movement, but I doubt that neck gills would have enough surface area to work with for the oxygen needs of a human-sized organism. Unless they were large gill flaps jutting out from under her chin. But I think that would be a little too Creature from the Black Lagoon.
Her towel is adorable, with the animal prints…. was that another shopping-spree pickup, or did Todd have it already?
I think the splotches are just where the towel got wet over Selkies gills.
Pfff. Unobservant Leesai is unobservant. I still think it’s cute, though!
Ceramic, Todd, ceramic… Or glass. Plastic is nasty, too.
lol, its so cute how she’s complains about the towel now when she made them all close their eyes to change.
No, it’s not that she’d rather wear nothing; she just didn’t get why he made her change into towels instead of clothes.
Awwww.. don’t remember if she’s blushed before, but its cute that when she does.. its deeper purple 🙂
I love the way Todd reacts to these things! He’s trying so hard to make it seem like he doesn’t notice the odd things, but his face goes all o.O and it makes me happy :D.
I’m eloquent! Anyway, I think you’re doing a really good job with everyone’s reactions to Selkie. And I love the comic to bits.
Physiology is well thought out, drawn well, reactions are awesome… every page is a little better.
Want to comment and say I love the close-up on Theo in the last panel… he looks annoyed/angry, but it’s really well drawn.
I didn’t mean for him to look annoyed. Probably just a side effect of the Old Man Eyebrows. XD
Plastic would work, we can’t taste that.
That’s some really cute fanart.
This whole arc, with the plants=bad has made me wonder, is Selkie allergic to all plants, or just land plants? Is is possible that she can handle seaweeds (perhaps just in small amounts) and it just wasn’t tested? I know she’s a carnivore, but even cats who are very close to pure carnivores occasionally eat some plant matter.
Just a thought. I’m sorry if it has already been answered somewhere.
Thanks for an entertaining comic,
-Zay
No problem at all, it’s a good question. Generally speaking, Selkie is incapable of digesting plants, aquatic or otherwise. Cats are the same way; as far as I know, cats only eat grass or nibble ferns when they have an upset stomach and want to induce vomiting intentionally to relieve discomfort.
No, at least to a degree, cats are capable of digesting modest amounts of simpler carbohydrates. Though generally carnivorous, some cats can and do like to eat some fruit. Vegetables and grains, due to being higher in fiber and difficult-to-digest carbohydrates, tend to be less palatable, but they don’t necessarily make cats sick in smaller amounts.
Grass is somewhat different, and there’s a reason only ruminants like cows eat it–it’s almost completely indigestible and high in cellulose, which is why it makes cats ill. Most grass makes humans ill, too, but tastes vile, so we don’t even try.
Phrased differently, since simple carbohydrates are found in milk and meat as well, most carnivores are capable of digesting at least some fruit. That doesn’t mean, of course, that it tastes good to any particular one. (Although I’ve been told that the meat of bears that eat a lot of berries tastes very sweet and berry-y.)
Of course, Selkie’s biology could be something completely different, so she can’t eat and doesn’t like whatever you say she can’t eat and doesn’t like. And, interestingly, grapes specifically (unlike other fruit) are apparently somewhat poisonous to dogs and cats, although my dog liked eating grapes.
Well… The thing about cats is they are only one type of carnivore and Selkie isn’t very closely related to them since they are land mammals and she’s a water creature who’s either cold blooded or somewhere in between. There are many animals that *can’t* eat veggies (most of what comes to mind for me are cold-blooded ones, but I’m sure I could find a few mammals—especially ones who are insectivores) – most sharks, certain lizards, nearly all snakes, certain kinds of fish. Like these animals, Selkie’s needs are very defined (ex – her body has to be heated up during the winter or she goes into a state of torpor, the requirement of a very strict diet of meat, her gills which need to be kept wet, etc…). I think it shows a great deal of thought and creativity that Dave created a such a character as it seems too many non-human humanoids in fiction operate the same as their human counterparts even though they may look radically different.
Does SelkieComic have a facebook page? If not youd you be interested in making one? my friends know how to work all that stuff
I haven’t bothered to set up a facebook page, mostly because I am almost never on Facebook and I’m afraid I would start to neglect it after the initial “new toy” phase.
Good Point
I agree that glass would be a good choice, as long as you don’t use fancy crystal, called “leaded glass” with good reason. It’s not as prevalent now, but the lead content in older crystal can be dangerous. For this reason I would also make sure any ceramic is labeled “Food Safe” as decorative bowls may have lead in the glazes. Plastic may not be good, as certain chemicals are bad for people and other creatures, like BPA. I have to wonder, though, as aquatic creatures are naturally sensative to chemicals, how does she handle all the pollutants in our current environment? She couldn’t even swim in a standard pool, I think the chlorine would hurt her terribly.
You think smelling chlorine is bad, try breathing it. Yuck.
No kidding. There’s a reason pure chlorine gas was a weapon of war before the nastier ones were invented (mustard gas, etc) – it’s a terrible irritant.
Remembering back to my freshman year, I recall our chem professor doing a demonstration where she made salt by burning a lump of sodium in a jar of chlorine gas…with an open top. The front rows of the auditorium were coughing for a good 10 minutes.
Actually, chlorine gas bonds with exhaled C02 to form hydrochloric acid. In one’s lungs. Unpleasant, and none too quick.
I’m curious about something. I heard one interesting hypothesis that suggested that a certain part of human evolution was spent in the water, this explains certain very non ape characteristics humans have. Is this where Selkie’s species came from? I mean were they a mutation that split off from us at the acquatic point of our evolution?
I adore the comic by the way. Have only read it about five times now 😛 haha
I win … 15 times so far… might be addicted to the story … might. But I agree that using the lung area is better then how most people think to draw amphibious organs … bloody idjits. The only other really good place is on their backs as well. I don’t think that the front chest would be a good idea either. Most animals have their heart in front of their lungs and all that jazz.
That’s a captivating idea! As for a more direct answer… I dunno! XD
Great comic, as always. I love your work. Selkie is adorable. Your character development is great, everyone feels three-dimmensional. Selkies hands are a particularly impressive aspect of your art. I have difficulty with making webbed fingers look right (the ones I’m drawing are for a steampunk platypus, in case you were wondering). I also have a piece of advice. Todd holding the waterbottle in the first pannel would look a bit more natural if you showed the tips of his fingers peeking over the edge of the bottle.
… actually, did Selkie’s species evolve on this planet?
Good story line, brings back far too many things.
Write faster
Hello all, I’m a recent, delighted discoverer.
Beethoven is right. it’s called “the aquatic ape hypothesis” by Sir Alister Hardy. About 5 million years ago, shoreline apes took to a semi-aquatic existence, losing their fur to become more streamlined- except that on their heads, which grew longer for babies to hold on to!
5 million years isn’t a lot of time in evolutionary terms, but a fantastically improbable macromutation might account for it.
I’m interested in the lack of external ears. What music does Selkie enjoy? Something with a heavy bass I suspect.
I haven’t really thought much about Selkie’s music tastes to be honest but if my own cousins (who are about Selkie’s age) are any indication, she would primarily listen to pop music. Maybe light rock or kid-friendly R and B.
Hmm…How do they handle this in Selkie’s school? Letting her run around wet all the time in winter couldn’t be good for her.
I do so love this, by the way.