As soon as this portion of the story arc began, I imagined Wally and crew eventually finding Holly in an imaginary world set right; Healthy baby, Loving husband, happy home. What’s the moral thing to do in that circumstance? Leave her be, or rip her out; back into a place of trauma and uncertainty? Does she get a say in how things unfold?
There is so much to love in the craft, creation, and detail of this strip in general, and the latest story arc in particular. I’m totally, utterly gripped. Can’t wait till Wednesday….
I love the grass perspective in the 1st panel; the cracked safety glass, doc’s shadow underfoot, etc. Btw, and thoughts on the incoming very dark cloud cover? It seems sudden, and growing larger in every panel.
I’m very interested to see how this interaction evolves. Aside from Lyn’s recent demise via explosion, these cops may have already been exposed to the mutagen via various locations in the course of their investigation, and this is clearly a ‘heated’ exchange. There’s obviously a mysterious dormancy stage for the mutagen at this point in the story arc, and I have a theory that at this point in the timeline, it is the denser emotions that spontaneously trigger the mutagen in a monstrous direction (fear, anger, etc.), regardless of incubation time. Perhaps it’s just strong emotions in general that trigger spontaneous change -and being conscious while mutating would certainly cause a huge adrenaline dump-but it’s my operating theory of the moment./// I’m also beginning to think of the mutagen as a natural defense mechanism of the world itself. Anger, fear, etc fueled by technology in the guise of world war is reeking havoc on the planet. What better response than to attempt to regress humans back to a form that ostensibly will work within the constructs of environment, rather than destroy it.///// Of course, the mutagen evolves as all viruses do. When the Endtown story arc begins, it seems an instant of exposure means a nearly instant transformation, but it’s clearly not that way in the beginning stages (which we only get to see through flashbacks). Lyn would have had a very strong cocktail of fear-love-anger-rinse-repeat in his system upon seeing mutated Holly and their lifeless child; what makes me curious (and more in the camp of those who feel he is trying to protect Holly somehow) is that his monster form still contains so much of his original form. Have we seen that in any other ‘monster’? If he is mid mutation, it does seem he is hanging on to some scrap of his humanity until the last panel where the eyes in his ‘tail’ go blank. Up till then, there is expression, and cognition in his various faces.
I’m so happy to see this strip today. Hoping it means all computer trouble is swiftly being ameliorated. Nothing worse than being a creator of any kind, and having your tools fail you. The delay made me realize how much I look forward to each strip.
Agreed on all counts. Guess we’ll see how it evolves soon enough.