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The Human Hybridization Project
The Human Hybridization Project (PP!R) is a story I am writing, which I intend to release as a webcomic. It follows Sam Bailey, one of five teenagers given seemingly supernatural powers by an alien named Ezrai. It is a "coming-of-age body horror," and it heavily emphasizes themes of personhood and dehumanization, isolation, mental illness, religion, and internalized homophobia. It's also a goofy knockoff Power Rangers (I absorbed Power Rangers via osmosis) which takes heavy inspiration from the children's cartoons I grew up with.
The Cast
Main Characters
Sam Bailey (Modified): A 15 year old autistic boy and the pov character of the story. Deeply anxious and kind of mean with an overdeveloped sense of self-importance. I went with a simple and easy design for him, a long face with exaggeratedly large sadeyes and an overwhelmingly blue color palette.
- Modification: Telekinesis. Only works on things he can see or mentally visualize, and in close range. Requires physical strength and effort. (Almost like an extra limb/set of limbs.)
Nate (Human): A 15 year old boy and a friend of Sam's, with an interest in horror games. For his design, I was originally inspired by a Filipino-American YouTuber my younger sister had been watching. Over time, I added an increasing amount of emo fashion to his design. A try to emphasize pointy and blocky shapes for him, with a little softness.
Suzan Glenn (Modified): A 16 year old girl and the de-facto leader of the group. A bit intense. For her, I took a lot of inspiration from the "smart girl"/"sassy girl"/"tomboy" archetype in children's shows. The biggest inspiration for her original design was Edyn from Magi-Nation. I try to use a lot of triangles and squares in her design.
- Modification: Shapeshifting. Can "absorb" things directly touching her skin while shifted.
Adam Schechter (Modified): A 14 year old and most enthusiastic of the group. Like a children's cartoon character tragically trapped inside a horror movie. For their design, I took a lot of inspiration from the main characters of the kids shows I grew up with, most notably Dan from Bakugan and Tony from Magi-Nation.
- Modification: Speed.
Eloise Greene (Modified): A 15 year old girl who does not want to be here. A bit awkward. Her design has changed a lot over time. She was originally a character I had just doodled for no story in particular. Eventually, I added her to PP!R and began slowly changing her design. I aim for "punk but soft" for her design. Her and Regina share the "girly girl" role.
- Modification: Illusions. Can create visuals and sounds that aren't really there. Requires physical effort.
Regina EndÅ (Modified): A 16 year old girl who desperately wants to maintain group cohesion. The sort of person who feels the need to regularly change her appearance, which saves mw the trouble of settling on a design. Lots of bright colors. Her and Eloise share the "girly girl" role.
- Modification: Invisability. Can extend it to anything directly touching her skin.
Side Characters
(Sam's) Mother and Father (Human):
(Nate's) Mother and Father (Human):
Antagonists
Ezrai (Alien): The alien who gave them their powers. Something between a priestess, a mad scientist of the "nasty government ghoul" variety, and a power-tripping middle manager who thinks that she is god. She can shapeshift. Can look like an uncanny mimickry of a human or a goofy creature trying to blend in (by looking like a cow) or basically anything else.
Empty Vessel
Empty Vessel is a side story/sequal to The Human Hybridization Project. It follows some of the other "modified human" kids that the characters from PP!R meet, and is largely told from the perspective of Xavier. It switches between the present-day, taking place many years after the events of PP!R when all of them are adults, and the past, taking place in tendem with the story of PP!R and elaborating on events mentioned in it.
Empty Vessel elaborates on some of the themes present in PP!R. I feel that expanding into these topics is a necessary part of elaborating on PP!R. It also features content which is arguably more graphic and disturbing than the content of PP!R, something which will likely be true of any further sequal stories. I'll need to hire a sensitivity reader at some point for it.
Notes for Empty Vessel: Can we dream of a better life, a better way of relating to others, and even a "nicer way to kill it"? Not without getting attacked by aliens!
The Cast
Main Characters
Xavier (Modified): The primary pov character of Empty Vessel and Alex's older brother. A deeply sentimental and personable guy afflicted with a myriad of trauma-based mental disorders and struggling with severe alcohol dependency. Also a horror comics enthusiast. I gave him a bit of a willow tree inspired design, and his appearance doesn't change much between his teen and adult design other than gaining his "beard of sorrow" (as TvTropers call it). His style of dress is dark and usually greyscale, but very casual. Almost like a low-effort emo look, but not quite.
- Modification: Invisability.
Alex (Alexandra) (Modified): The secondary pov character of Empty Vessel and Xavier's little sister. Moments away from cracking in half at any given moment. Her child design goes for extremely youthful and girlish (with some occasionally anachronistic-looking elements), almost to a strange degree given her age (13), whereas her adult design is meant to swing too far in the other direction, looking unnaturally stiff and bussinesslike.
- Modification: Telekinesis.
Amir (Modified): Xavier's boyfriend. A weird guy who dies tragically young. A bit of a backyard scientist. For his design I tried to emphasize pointy and blocky shapes (he's extremely traingular), and generally muted colors (except for when he's "working"). I tend to dress him slightly anachronistically and give him very few facial expressions. A very "people take one look at me and immedietly pick me out as having a mental disorder" sort of guy.
- Modification: Electricity. Can create and conduct powerful electrical currents without seriously injuring himself.
Side Characters
Roselyn (Modified): Close friends with Alex. Hates Xavier.
- Modification:
Letitia "Tish" (Modified): Just doesn't give a shit.
- Modification:
Trevor (Human): Xavier's friend and older brother figure when Xavier was a teenager and he was in his early 20s.
Xavier's Other Friends (Human): Mutual friends of Xavier and Trevor.
Eloise Greene (Modified): Works with The Group. Spent years on the road doing recruiting in her early 20s. Very, very tired. Platonic life partners with Sam.
- Modification: Illusions.
Sam Bailey (Modified): Works with The Group. Spent years on the road doing recruiting in his early 20s. Has some odd religious beliefs. Fully dead inside. Platonic life partners with Eloise, dating Lucia.
- Modification: Telekinesis.
Lucia (Modified): Works with The Group, writes about Modified Human issues. A little crazy. Dating Sam.
- Modification: Shapeshifting.
Antagonists
(Xavier and Alex's) Mother (Human):
(Xavier and Alex's) Father (Human):
(Xavier and Alex's) Grandfather (Human):
