At least thats how I see things if I’m looking at the pattern right. Not quite my thing but I do like the art and dialogue regardless.

It’s not because it’s longform comic and people got attached, it’s that there was less “rub” between the eater and the eaten for a few pages that kept the more squeamish suspects distracted and/or, uh, horny I suppose, leaving them to focus on Lyle’s lament.

I think I understand what’s going on. If it was exactly this, then people would’ve been this upset earlier. I think it’s just the fact the focus lingered on Lyle alone in the stomach for a bit without other characters to contrast him.