Cobwebs
Dreamer
Hello! I'm working on a webcomic that involves a planet similar to Earth that has two intelligent species on it: Humans and my original species, Ishi. However, I've run into the idea that the humans would not necessarily be called humans, due to the fact that this is not Earth and the psychology that the name generates when reading in a fantasy situation.
After some thought I came to realize that the implications of calling the species that is like us "Human" means that the "Humans" here are, well. Us. They're human. They're an intelligent species, you can relate. On the downside, it implies the Ishi are of either lesser or alien space- when in the lore the two species have been on this planet and developed at the same rate as each other. Both are bipedal and intelligent, with developed civilization and cultures that (mostly) match each other step for step in the way of growth- if you minus the political shifts, that is. By referring to one as human and the other as Ishi, it effectively alienates the Ishi and sets up the idea to the reader that they're "different."
A lot of fantasy writings, comics, or shows neglect the full development of a world and end up with your same basic human race in some alternate Earth. My planet here (for now, the placeholder name is Atlas) is sort of the same size and climate, but has 3 moons and a different time frame. Different continents- it is a different world! Wouldn't make sense for there to be Earth humans on this planet, etc etc.
My question here is how do you go about navigating a fantasy world while leaving all Earthly, familiar aspects behind without alienating the audience in the process? I plan on renaming the "human" race into something that isn't immediately recognizable, perhaps make a couple of minor differences here and there to solidify them in the world.
Kind of a general discussion about this as well, I'm curious to see how people feel about the psychological effects about using humans vs. "humans" in other settings.
After some thought I came to realize that the implications of calling the species that is like us "Human" means that the "Humans" here are, well. Us. They're human. They're an intelligent species, you can relate. On the downside, it implies the Ishi are of either lesser or alien space- when in the lore the two species have been on this planet and developed at the same rate as each other. Both are bipedal and intelligent, with developed civilization and cultures that (mostly) match each other step for step in the way of growth- if you minus the political shifts, that is. By referring to one as human and the other as Ishi, it effectively alienates the Ishi and sets up the idea to the reader that they're "different."
A lot of fantasy writings, comics, or shows neglect the full development of a world and end up with your same basic human race in some alternate Earth. My planet here (for now, the placeholder name is Atlas) is sort of the same size and climate, but has 3 moons and a different time frame. Different continents- it is a different world! Wouldn't make sense for there to be Earth humans on this planet, etc etc.
My question here is how do you go about navigating a fantasy world while leaving all Earthly, familiar aspects behind without alienating the audience in the process? I plan on renaming the "human" race into something that isn't immediately recognizable, perhaps make a couple of minor differences here and there to solidify them in the world.
Kind of a general discussion about this as well, I'm curious to see how people feel about the psychological effects about using humans vs. "humans" in other settings.