It's illegal as hell, mind you, but theoretically speaking, GM humans are completely conceivable.

Naturally, the theme of tampering with our genes has inspired countless modern science-fiction stories, from Bioshock to Orphan Black. But as IDW Publishing's new comic book series BOY-1 demonstrates, there is always room for fresh material about the ever-evolving world of human genetics.

Written by HS Tak and featuring artwork by Amancay Nahuelpan, the series is a moody rumination about identity in the age of GM humans. It launches next Wednesday, August 12, and has already been getting some preliminary buzz praising its expansive world-building and ambitious premise.

I talked to Tak about what inspired BOY-1, where he thinks genetic technology is headed in the future, and of course, the perils of opening a series with a monologue. Read on.