Elmer

**Elmer** is a comic book.

## Summary

In 1979, an unexplained phenomenon causes the sky to flash white. Afterward, every chicken around the world develops instantaneous intelligence on par with humans and are able to speak clearly.

In 2003, second-generation intelligent chicken Jake Gallo is struggling to fit into a society he does not believe respects him. When his father, Elmer, falls ill, Jake returns to his childhood home in the remote countryside. He reunites with his mother Helen, his brother Frankie, his sister May, and his parents' human neighbor and friend, Ben. Elmer, who is in a coma, does not wake up, and Jake does not get to say goodbye. Per Elmer's request, Helen gives his diary to Jake.

Jake glances through it and realizes it is a record of events after chickens gained human intelligence, beginning with Elmer's memories of the first day. He reads a random section in which Elmer and his brother Joseph were attacked by Ben. Jake confronts Ben and accuses him of only pretending to be his parents' friend. Ben becomes angry and tells Jake that it was a different time, and that he would not understand. Ben reveals that there were a few chickens who became intelligent prior to 1979, and that he met one at the poultry where he worked. Ben recognized that the chicken was aware, but he beat it to death with a brick out of fear. This filled him with guilt, so when all chickens gained awareness he protected the three he could, Elmer, Helen, and Joseph. Ben suggests Jake read the whole diary from beginning and offers to add context if he can.

Elmer recounts the initial violent backlash by humanity and how Ben hid the three of them from groups out to kill chickens. This is followed by retaliation against humans by chickens, chicken-rights groups, and eventually recognition of chickens as humans by the United Nations. During this time, Elmer becomes a syndicated columnist in a newspaper and writes about chicken-related topics, both light-hearted and serious. The peace between humans and chickens is disrupted in the late 1980s by an outbreak of bird flu. Millions of healthy chickens are killed by humans to prevent the spread of the disease, and Ben hides Elmer and Helen again. When others come for them, Ben intervenes and is accidentally shot protecting Elmer. Once the flu is contained, humanity expresses regret for its rash actions and Elmer writes a scathing editorial about the panic. His journal entries become less frequent after he and Helen have children.

While he reads the diary over the course of several months, Jake is confronted by his siblings about his own view of humans. He spends time with his sister's human fiancee and visits the set of a film in which his brother stars. Jake is introduced to a human actress whom he finds attractive. As he reaches the end of his father's diary, there is an entry detailing a time Jake was attacked by some human boys as a child. Jake, who had repressed the memory, discusses it with his mother. He learns the attack was stopped by members of Gallus Rex, an anti-human chicken group. Their actions colored Jake's perception, and Elmer recorded his concerns about their effect on Jake in his diary.

Jake turns his father's diary into a successful book and begins dating the actress he met on the movie set.