The Space Marines of the Warhammer universe, along with many other human and humanoid characters, are produced or enhanced by genetic engineering. Gene-technology can make superhumanly heroic soldiers out of ordinary boys, and create godlike beings from advanced genetic manipulations. But sometimes, more often than they would like to admit, this technology goes wrong and what was supposed to be a super-soldier turns into a monster. This is sometimes called euphemistically the "flesh change" in which a subject's body degenerates into a chaotic mass of jumbled tissue and monstrous growths, or animalistic chimera features such as twisted horns or claws or scales or spines. The worst part of this sudden explosion of degeneration is that the subject retains his consciousness throughout the change and knows what is happening to him. Sometimes the change can be reversed, or at least contained, but other times, euthanasia is the only recourse. The Warhammer universe is not a pleasant place and things like peace, faith, beauty, and serenity are always presented only to be destroyed as the grim story unfolds.
Ink and marker on sketchbook page, 4" x 3 1/2", January 8-9, 2013.
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