page 37, chapter 10

http://diem-the-kitty.tumblr.com Diem

Oooh, his reaction is definitely interesting.
(I want some pretzels, now…)

madsniper

Those nice big salt crystals look tasty!
- http://diem-the-kitty.tumblr.com Diem
  
  Exactly!
- Adriano
  
  They still have those in the future? How weird 😛
  - madsniper
    
    We’ve been over this XD
- http://diem-the-kitty.tumblr.com Diem
  
  Omigosh, thanks for the feature. 😀
Wrendragon

He definitely knows something!
- http://diem-the-kitty.tumblr.com Diem
  
  I’m thinking he either RECOGNIZES Wren or just knows about him. Lohaun told Wren to find Ash specifically.
safyrejet

He dropped one. Maybe you can snag that one.
- Speedy Marsh
  
  Whoever spends the next couple of centuries in a cryo tank can have it.

Robert Nowall

CDs are still available in this future? Well, if vinyl can make a comeback right now…

madsniper

Oh crap. That was supposed to be a thing. I might change this!
- Robert Nowall
  
  Don’t sweat it. One classic 1941 SF novel (“Slan,” by A. E. VanVogt, if you’ve ever heard of either) ostensibly takes place some thousands of years in the future, but really it takes place in 1941—elevators still have operators, papers still have evening editions, and so on. Do such things lessen its power as an SF novel? Not really. And it doesn’t lessen the power of your work.
  - madsniper
    
    Thanks! I don’t usually mind it. I can explain away most things as being part of the lost technology. But the CD thing was actually going to be vaguely important later on so I couldn’t leave it here, haha. I literally started this comic before smart phones existed, so that’s why you get relics like flip phones near the beginning. XD
    - Robert Nowall
      
      One can pick things to pieces just by thinking what (theoretically) must be available in “the future,” whatever that may be. (F’rinstance, I notice this guy Ash (if I’ve gotten the name right) is wearing glasses—Lasix surgery, or something better, should be available, one might think.)
      
      It’s fun, but it can also be an exercise in futility. Lots of so-called advances in technology aren’t embraced in a culture in thoroughnes, and again-so-called obsolete technology still exists and is used.
      
      (As I mentioned, vinyl has made something of a comeback, though for how long I can’t say. I don’t play my vinyl records anymore and haven’t bought any new ones…I buy CDs, but less than before, and I do sporadic downloading of songs from iTunes…and, to pull another example out of my hat, in my entire life I’ve seen and heard just one working Edison cylinder phonograph machine.)
    - madsniper
      
      As for Lasik, there’s a lot of danger in getting hit in the face for someone who’s had the surgery. I guess the cornea can come loose or something. Not a risk GECOW would want to take with its soldiers. Better to wear goggles or contacts. See, we can explain anything away.
    - Robert Nowall
      
      One reason I never gave up glasses and went for it was worry about its long-term effectiveness. Now, more than ten years on, all the people I know who had it done are back wearing glasses again…
    - madsniper
      
      Oh man that’s crazy!
    - NaomiInTeal
      
      well you can get your unique vision problems corrected but presbyopia is still a thing. like my eyes are 20/20 now thanks to said surgery but they’re still going to age eventually. i simply had enough time in between to make it worth it. but glasses are more of a personal preference item. they’re cool looking. and you decide how to sculpt your own image/whether you’re more or less comfortable with contacts or lasers or constantly having something on your face.
    - Adriano
      
      I also sometime wonder about that ahah
  - ktfcoyote
    
    OMG! Slan! I adore that book! I highly recommend it to everyone! BTW, have you read the sequel, Slan Hunter? A.E.VanVogt and Kevin J. Anderson. Written from VanVogt’s extensive notes, it is true to the style and flavor of the original. Forwarded by VanVogt’s wife, Lydia, it is legitimate and very much worth reading.
    - Robert Nowall
      
      Heard about it, don’t think I ever saw a copy. (I favor reading books, not really having “taken” to Nook or Kindle.) My copy of “Slan” must be about thirty-five years old—and well worth reading despite my comments above.
    - ktfcoyote
      
      You’re in luck, then! Slan Hunter is only available in dead tree version, though it’s hard to find. I had to settle for digital for Slan though.
      Next question: havecyou read or watched Toward The Terra?
    - Robert Nowall
      
      Nope. I’ve seen some anime, but that hadn’t crossed my screen. Sounds like it lifted some concepts (and names) straight from “Slan”—y’know, Van Vogt got some sort of settlement from the producers of “Alien” for stealing concepts from his “Black Destroyer,” so I don’t know what happened with this.
      
      Ever read the “Null-A” books or the “Weapon Shop” stories?
    - ktfcoyote
      
      Keiko Takemiya lifted quite a bit from Slan. Toward the Terra is what sent me hunting for the book. The original manga(comic) can be found in english on scanlation sites. The original animated movie is, sadly, not to be found. The story was remade as a television series a few years back. I got it subtitled from a friend who torrents. I love all 3 iterations of the tale. Soldier Blue was my first anime crush.
      I haven’t read any other VanVogt but I am always looking for recommendations!
Verence

Wren carries one to Ashton, isn’t he?

Also, it’s quite easy to explain. All modern devices are expensive to produce and require very complex factories. The only way for them to become profitable is to be produced in very large quantities/
When the humanity population dropped to a few millions, and they had to survive in a hostile environment, they just didn’t have spare resources to continue developing iPhone 17. So they temporarily switched back to cheap and easy to produce tech from previous generations. That’s why all phones and computers there look so 90s.
- madsniper
  
  Yeah, that CD Wren has is the one I’m referring to as “vaguely important.”
- madsniper
  
  Absolutely! There is some high end tech in the States just starting to be produced, but it’s all in the experimental stage and being made in very limited quantities. Only available for the rich.
  - Robert Nowall
    
    See? You can come up with a reason for something no matter what the origins…

Pons Asinorum

Wait a minute… I recognize these hair and eyes – They’re Lohaun’s! :O
Given his and Lohaun’s age (from the characters page) he can easily be her son.
Or they have nothing to do with each other and it’s yet another false fan theory as always BUT WHO CARES WE HAVE A NEW FAN THEORY!!!

Verence

It’s not new, I said it long ago.

7 years ago, at Wren’s age, Ashton was also brought to the States by Lohaun. I think that he’s Wren’s brother (more or less, maybe he was the previous version of the same GECOW experiment), and Lohaun is their mother (or at least her DNA was used in these experiments).

Wrendragon

Hmm, looks like Ashton might be a telepath.

madsniper

Those are just thought bubbles. Sorry for the confusion!
- Wrendragon
  
  Awww, that’s too bad!
  - anonim
    
    May be Hunter is telepath?

safyrejet

I was gonna comment last page, but thought I’d wait until the moving site settles down. I love that lady’s hair. How her braided hair is green. That’s a neat way to accent your hair with a braid hair band. I’m kinda hoping her mutant/alien powers might be hair related now.

madsniper

You’ve made me realize that that’s too much hair to be in that braid for the way it’s connecting to her head… Anime hair is GO!

Agent Nevada

i may take a note from Holmes book, not his series mind you, and point out that that is a look of recognition and shock. I sense a familial connection… or at least a connection to the lab.

Stig Hemmer

Hmm. So she *shouldn’t* be showing that mark. If that is true she is being rather sloppy.

madsniper

Or is she?!
- Derkins
  
  what does it meeeaann?!
  - madsniper
    
    What does any of this mean!?!

Derkins

that would be a badass cosplay accessory, tho.

madsniper

I totally have one that’s a pretty good match. XD Not curly enough though.
- Sean Long
  
  … also not prehensile enough …
  - madsniper
    
    This is true!
- Derkins
  
  ;O; *gasp* WANT! AND NEED PICTURES.

ktfcoyote

Am I the only one who literally heard ‘bum bum BUUUM!’ in their head? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

madsniper

All I can see from panel 5 is Dramatic Chipmunk.