Soma

Micah Gunnell often hides the word "soma" in the graphic novels.

The word soma appears frequently in comics illustrated by Micah Gunnell.

About

"Soma" is the Greek word for "body". It is used in anatomy to refer to cell bodies, such as the soma of neurons, and is the root of the words "somatic" and "psychosomatic". "Soma" is also the name of a hallucinegenic drink used ritualistically by early vedic and Persian cultures. The exact plant used is no longer known, but it has been hypothesized to be either a hallucinegenic mushroom or cannabis.

In a question-and-answer session on the Aspen Comics website forum, Micah declined to reveal what his reference to "soma" means.

Real-World References

• "Soma" is the name of a fictional drug in Aldous Huxley's Brave New World.
• "Soma" is the title of songs by The Strokes and Smashing Pumpkins.
• "Soma" is a brand-name of the drug carisoprodol, a muscle relaxant.

References by Graphic Novel

• 
  The word "soma" appears on Claire's sneaker.
  (Aftermath)
• 
  The word "soma" appears in the grafitti on the wall into which Claire crashes Brody's car.
  (Aftermath)
• 
  The word "soma" appears on the armed robber's license plate. Earlier references to the car mention a different plate number.
  (Control)