Sweet and Sour Grapes (webcomic)



Sweet and Sour Grapes (found here) is a Fantasy/Science Fiction webcomic by Diana Stoneman.

In the future, civilization has crumbled, and parts of the world have given way to a strange jungle. This jungle has the strange power to mutate humans into strange anthropomorphic creatures called yahakre. Only natives of the jungle, such as the girl Lae, are immune to this effect.

Since pilgrimages into the jungle are common despite this risk, Lae works as a guide for such pilgrims, regardless of who they are. Yet Lae has a secret of her own - she can see ghosts. Enter Silas, a centuries-old spirit of a young man from the "ancient" civilization. The two, despite some initial problems, quickly forge an unlikely friendship (and maybe something more).

But the politics of the kingdoms outside the jungle intrude with new arrivals, forcing Lae to consider doing something she's never done before - leaving the jungle.

This webcomic provides examples of:

 * After the End: Centuries have passed since most "ancient" civilizations have fallen.
 * Anime Hair: Lae, Silas, and Gyan. Justified in the case of the last of those, as he's a ghost who can change his physical appearance at will.
 * Baleful Polymorph: Stay too long in the jungle, and this might happen. It's random, so just because you stayed without transforming before doesn't make you immune.
 * Booby Trap: Lae's specialty is setting these up, from falling logs to vine nets.
 * Boy Meets Ghoul: It's pretty clear Lae has feelings for Silas. (See Suspiciously Specific Denial.)
 * But Your Wings Are Beautiful: Nulu's grandmother (who is blind) tries to cheer Nulu up by pointing out how pretty her ears must be.
 * Can Not Tell a Lie: Mediums are forced to always be honest.
 * Cursed With Awesome: As Nulu finds out, being a yahakre does have certain advantages (like claws).
 * Demonic Possession: Silas inadvertently discovers ghosts can do this to people holding their anchor.
 * Don't Call Me Sir: Prince Kagagi (or as he prefers, just Kaga).
 * Face Palm: Silas's reaction to finding out how little of "ancient" science Lae knows.
 * Frickin Laser Beams: Silas has Lae build a hodgepodge laser pistol out of spare parts from the ruins of his old lab.
 * Haunted Fetter: Here, they are called anchors, and every ghost has one that they are forced to stay near. Silas's is his old pocketwatch.
 * How Do I Shot Web: Despite being a ghost for centuries, Silas at first still has little knowledge of his abilities as such.
 * Human Popsicle: Silas's people attempted to survive by collectively doing this.
 * I See Dead People: Lae, being a medium, can do this. It's implied that Silas's sister was also a medium.
 * Jacob Marley Apparel: Subverted. Ghosts, with sufficient willpower, can appear however they want. Silas didn't know this though, so he'd been "wearing" the same outfit for centuries.
 * Our Ghosts Are Different: Silas and the other ghosts play by fairly standard rules. The only notable difference is that apparently plants such as trees can become ghosts too.
 * Painful Transformation: Becoming a yahakre is not pleasant. Both cases shown so far passed out as a result.
 * Petting Zoo People: The yahakre.
 * Precognition: Another power of mediums. Currently comes with a nasty side effect of making Lae pass out whenever it occurs.
 * Ragnarok Proofing: Lampshaded. Silas is surprised to see how well preserved the ruins of his home city are.
 * Running Gag: Vidya tossing Gyan's anchor down into the jungle, sending him plummeting after it.
 * Scavenger World: Played very straight. For example, the fireworks used to put on a show for the prince are made by Lae from scavenged gunpowder.
 * Scenery Porn: The chapter title pages indulge in this.
 * Suspiciously Specific Denial: "He's intelligent, supportive...thoughtful, handsome...not that I care how a ghost looks."
 * You Gotta Have Blue Hair: Nulu has purple hair. After her transformation, her fur is the same color.