This is you go-to spot for commonly asked questions about the comic, or the characters, in the ongoing story of Selkie.

If you have a question you would like to submit, just email them to the following address: faq AT selkiecomic DOT com.

Please note! All questions will be answered solely at my discretion. If it is a plot-related question or something I would prefer to reveal in-story or simply something I don’t wish to answer, I may politely abstain from a response. So sorry if I can’t give you a straight answer. Now, lets begin! ๐Ÿ˜€

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What is Selkie?
This is a commonly asked question that I unfortunately can’t answer in entirety at this point. I have confirmed in-story that she is of a non-human sapient species, but beyond that she’s just a little girl who is more-than-a-little different from other kids.

Some information about her species has been made canon in ancillary updates. There has been an Anatomy Sketch, and a two-page Cover Letter.

Where did Selkie come from?
Her origins, as well as that of her species, will be revealed in time.

Is Selkie a mythological selkie (shapeshifting seal-person)?
No, although elements of the selkie myth were part of her character and design inspiration (which is why I decided seals are one of her favorite animals). Other sources of inspiration include Gollum from Lord of the Rings, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, the Futurama episode Cyber-House Rules (Sally is adorable!), and H.P. Lovecraft’s short story “The Doom That Fell Upon Sarnath”.

Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Sure! I am a visual arts student in Springfield, IL hoping to pursue a career in either graphic design or illustration one day. I have been called weird, funny, goofy, and Tim. Don’t know why they call me Tim. Might be because I am so enchanting.

Do you have plans to merchandise the comic in the future?
Eventually I would like to move in to the market for books, buttons, etc. I just can’t at this time. For right now, it’s simply a labor of love.

Where did you get the idea for the comic? What inspired you to start a webcomic?
I wanted to run a webcomic for several years, but none of the ideas I had ever stuck with me. I tried scripting a few “goofy hijinks” ideas, but those got boring for me after awhile. I also tried my hand at a scifi/superhero action story a few years back that was… just terrible, and not in the good way.

Selkie started from a doodle I made while working a telemarketing job. I drew this picture of a little girl with giant flippers for feet and a shark mouth. Something about her stuck in my head. I drew a few more pictures, changed a few details, and between phone calls I started sketching the very first comics.

I have Selkie on the brain almost every moment of the day. I run storylines and scenes and dialog through my head almost all day, and draw pencils for the comics between classes and such. I also decided early on to use the comic as a venue to practice and learn more about digital illustration, so it also acts as my testing board for new artsy tricks.

And this may sound trite, but I think it would be difficult to keep doing the comic without all the encouragement and support of the readers. Every update day I am basically glued to my phone checking for emails to see what people have to say about the new strip. The readers keep me honest, and give me a constant motivation to keep to a deadline and keep the comic going. I love it all. ๐Ÿ˜€

How do you create the comic’s artwork?
At the time of this posting, the artwork is done on a combination of a sketchbook and and Photoshop CS5. I draw it out in my sketchbook, then scan it in and use Photoshop to outline and color and layout panels and dialogue.

Selkie is definitely allergic to land vegetables, but would she be able to eat aquatic vegetables?
Selkie’s digestive system is carnivorous; she can digest neither aquatic or terrestrial plant matter. She gets her plant-based nutrients through what is in the meat she eats. The taste is an issue for her as well. Plants, whether fruits or vegetables or grains, simply taste bad to her.

Selkie can also eat gelatins, as long as they are sugar-free bonemeal based gelatins without fruits. Fruit flavored gelatins would taste bad to her, regardless of actual fruit content.

Can Selkie eat refrigerated or preserved fish, or can she only eat fresh/raw fish?
Absolutely! She can eat canned tuna, salmon, or anything fishy. She can also eat preserved things like sardines and kippers, provided they aren’t swimming in olive oil or anything. In that case she would most likely just have to skim the olive oil off of the fish before eating. Any trace amounts in the meat would be safely ignored.

Do you draw inspiration from real life when writing the children?
Mostly. I try to think about how I would feel in their positions, and I try to write with the philosophy that kids are smarter and more perceptive than people give them credit for. In general, I try to write as if they are people, with opinions and thoughts of their own. Sometimes I try to dial back the dialogue if they get too adult-y, but otherwise I focus on their independent natures.

How old is Todd?
Todd is 26.

I was just wondering what does Selkie drink? Since sheโ€™s a carnivore, I imagine juice and teas are out of the question. Does she just stick to water? Is milk okay?

Selkie drinks primarily water. Occasionally she’ll drink milk, but primarily water. Very weak teas would go down fine without upsetting her stomach but she wouldn’t like the taste of it.

You mentioned a superhero action comic, was that what has become Sue and Kathryn?

No, Sue and Kathryn started out as a “goth humor” thing I drew periodically when I was big into Jhonen Vasquez. I drew SnK strips every once in awhile and eventually the “lol blood and guts” humor started leaning more towards adventure stories.

The superhero strip idea is something I thought up back in high school and have never really been able to assemble into something that feels “workable”. It involves four people who are among the last free humans in a post-alien-invasion world where Earth has been subjugated. They get magical super powers from an alien crystal and start fighting to reclaim the planet.

As I said, it needs work.

I wonder, how does Selkie react to spices like pepper?

It depends on the concentration. If used modestly it adds a little of the zip to her food without causing a stomach reaction. Light applications of sauce and spices are fine for her so long as itโ€™s mixed with meats, although she doesnโ€™t like the flavor of non-meat things if itโ€™s too domineering.

Can you tell me a bit about the four sarnothi clans?

Sure! Sarnothi society is generally divided amongst four Clans, which despite the name is closer to being a combination ethnicity and political party than any sort of family thing.

In older times the Clans acted as a sort of caste system, determining a sarnothi’s role in society. These have become less rigid over time, but many sarnothi still end up following some variation of the traditional roles. In order of population size:

Sar’Teri: Clan Sar’Teri are Sarnoth’s laborers and soldiers. They tend to be gruffer and more conservative and traditionalist. Sar’Teri sarnothi can be identified by having dark-complexioned skin with bright colored face markings that generally form geometric shapes (squares, triangles, etc)

Tel’Dora: Clan Tel’Dora are Sarnoth’s scholars scientists and doctors. They tend to be more open to new experiences and embracing of new ideas. Tel’Dora sarnothi can be identified by light green and yellow-green skin tones with dark face markings that resemble stripes.

Mor’Kama: Clan Mor’Kama are Sarnoth’s spiritualists shaman priests and theologians. They generally eschew heavy worldly investment, and seek greater understanding of the will of the Spirits. Mor’Kama sarnothi can be identified by pale skin tones and thin whorl markings along their arms but no facial markings.

Jin’Sorai: Clan Jin’Sorai are Sarnoth’s artisans crafters and performers. They tend to be task-oriented and driven. Jin’Sorai sarnothi are identified by a light blue or violet skin tone unique to their Clan, with face markings that take the form of speckles or rounded blobs.