Skin Horse

Infobox webcomic|
title = Skin Horse
author = Shaenon K. Garrity, Jeffrey Channing Wells
url = http://www.skin-horse.com
status = 7 times a week
began = 2007-12-31
ended =
genre = Comedy, Science Fiction
ratings =

"Skin Horse" is a webcomic written by Shaenon K. Garrity and Jeffrey Channing Wells, and drawn by Shaenon K. Garrity. The storylines center around the misadventures of the staff of a little-known government agency working on "Project Skin Horse". The strip started on December 31, 2007 and updates every day of the week (although the Sunday updates are non-canon and consists of fan art, sketches, and background). Skin Horse is part of Webcomics Nation where it is a free-to-read webcomic.

About the strip

The basic premise of the story is that an as-yet unnamed secret government agency is responsible for "Project Skin Horse", a program for rescuing and resettling non-human sapient beings created by mad scientists. For example, in the " [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=25110 Cowardly Lion] " story arc, a lion augmented with human intelligence was roaming loose in a zoo. The Skin Horse field operatives had the responsibility to subdue, transport, and resettle the lion in a [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=26143#strip5 sanctuary for sapient large cats] . The rescued sapient beings are referred to as "clients".

With the exception of the character named Tip, the employees of this agency are themselves rescued former clients.

Unlike Shaenon's earlier comic, Narbonic, mad scientists do not play a central role in this story. Rather, the "results" of mad science are front-and-center: the monstrous creations intended to propel their creators to world domination.

Although the strip was initially conceived by and is drawn by Shaenon, she and Jeffery share the writing responsibilities - brainstorming by passing ideas back and forth, with some scripts written by Shaenon and others by Jeffref|writing .

Allusions

One notable aspect of the strip is the number of literary references. Besides the comic's title reference (described below), the many of the character names, visual styles, and/or personality traits are taken from L. Frank Baum's Oz books. Quotes from Shakespeare and Baum, while not necessary to following the story line, enrich the reader's experience. The nature of the plot provides a natural platform to study prejudice and stereotyping, but can also produce unexpected explorations into politics, democracy, and individual v.s. group behavior (see [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=26254 Borrowers] story arc). These heavier topics are treated with a light hand and a warm wit.

Some specific references:

* The title, "Skin Horse" is a direct reference to a character in the 1922 children's book The Velveteen Rabbit, written by Margery Williams and illustrated by William Nicholson. The comic's intro page contains a quote from the book: "'Real isn't how you are made,' said the Skin Horse, 'It's a thing that happens to you ... Then you become Real.'" This prepares the reader for frequent encounters with fully sapient beings that we do not normally think of as sapient (see #Major characters).

* The characters Tip, Unity, and Moustachio are inspired by the characters Tip, Patchwork Girl, and Tic Toc in L. Frank Baum's Oz books. A nice quote from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz can be found in the " [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=32483#strip3 I Can Fly] " story arc.

* Some aspects of the story arc " [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=32477 I Can Fly] " are inspired by the premise of "The Matrix (series)".

Major characters

More detailed descriptions of the major characters are available from the writers on the Skin Horse's web site [http://skin-horse.com/cast.html cast page] .

Tip

A cross-dressing male psychologist who works for Project Skin Horse, Tip (Dennis Wilkin) is the only fully-human employee of Project Skin Horse. He is a well-meaning but somewhat incompetent team member whose successes are are often accidental.

weetheart

Full name: "Captain's Fancy Valentine Sweetheart", Sweetheart is a genetically modified dog, created by a mad scientist to help take over the world, but now working for Project Skin Horse as a field operative. Like most non-human characters in the story, Sweetheart is a thinking, talking, sapient being with human-level intelligence. In many story arcs, she is the most clear-thinking and rational team member.

Unity

Unity is a "necrotic" being - dead tissue animated through a secret military process - who is a field operative for Project Skin horse and is also Sweetheart's best friend. Unity was developed to be a bioweapon, but proved to be too hard to control and was therefore moved to Project Skin Horse, usually assisting Sweetheart. Unity is good-natured, likes guns, and is inclined to use unnecessary violence to achieve her goals.

Minor characters

Each story arc typically introduces new characters, sometimes one or two, other times [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=26254 very many] . This section describes those characters who show up in more than one story arc or have some other special significance.

Gavotte

The administrative leader of Project Skin Horse, Gavotte is in fact a collective being, consisting of a swarm of bees which thinks with a single (female) mind. Most of the other agency employees are nervous being around her.

Moustachio

A 19th century wind-up automaton with a clockwork brain, Moustachio is the receptionist for the Project Skin Horse office. He has a limited long-term memory and needs wax cylinders from cold storage to remember his earlier days. He thinks and speaks like a 19th century gentleman and has very little regard for (or knowledge of) new technology.

Konstantin

Russian black ops agent who joined the American police force after "very accidental and surprising death of Yeltsin." After his [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=25841#strip5 introduction] in the " [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=25110 Cowardly Lion] " story arc, he [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=32019#strip6 briefly reappears] in the " [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=29598 Wild Things] " story arc.

Criticism and honors

* Skin Horse won the "Outstanding Small Press" award at the 2008 [http://www.stumptowncomics.com/ Stumptown Comics Fest] .

References

# [http://skin-horse.com/about.html About Skin Horse]

External links and other information

* [http://www.skin-horse.com/ Skin Horse home page]
* [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/ Archives]