A comic by Hans Rickheit and Krissy Dorn set in a world resembling 1950s America, but populated by sapient squirrels.
Delia, an underappreciated mechanical genius, picks up a radio signal coming from outer space. After presenting her findings to Professor Tak they start working together to decipher the signal and build a device that it seems to describe.
But is the signal their world's salvation? Or its destruction?
The original webcomic was taken down when the print edition
was published in 2022, but the artists started reposting one page a day in January 2024 here and on The Duck. A sequel, Delia on the Moon, started October 2024.
Contains examples of:
- Anyone Can Die: All the named characters but Delia and Toby are dead by the end of the comic.
- Cult: Tak's club of wealthy financiers start to turn into a cult, especially when the channeling aspect of transmission comes into play. This makes Delia uneasy to say the least.
- First Contact: At first looking like simple radio contact with another planet, but things get more complicated fast.
- Giant Foot of Stomping: How the machine kills Professor Tak and Clarissa.
- Half-Dressed Cartoon Animal: Few characters wear anything below the waist, regardless of gender.
- Humans Are the Real Monsters: The signal comes from a civilization of human Planet Looters who trick other worlds into building the implements of their own destruction.
- Humongous Mecha: The machine assembles itself into one, and starts destroying the city.
- The Men in Black: On page 90 a pair of squirrels in black trenchcoats and fedoras investigate, accusing Delia of working with "the commies" but implying they know something more about it.
- Science Is Bad: Tak's son Theodore is a beatnik who gives puppet shows about the evils of progress without conscience, Delia gives him a lecture about how he's benefited from science in response.
- Upside-Down Blueprints: When showing the blueprints she compiled to Professor Tak, Delia realizes she laid it out upside-down at first.
- Willing Channeler: The device turns out to open a voice channel when a squirrel touches it, the signal's voice speaking through them. Tak's financiers/followers take turns acting as "mediums." The most talented (and fanatical) being a miss Clarissa Plunkwell.