History ComicBook / Providence

* YoungerThanTheyLook: Willard, who looks 30 aged 6 and a half.

* MysteriousBacker: Robert Black is often likened by the people he meets as a "Herald" and it's implied that his arrival into LovecraftCountry is part of a big plan. Suydam is especially deliberate when he sends a letter to Boggs telling the latter about Robert's arrival and the time he stumbled into Suydam's basement by accident. Elspeth Wade and Hezekiah Massey also recognize Robert as a special herald, and Wade states that they among others wanted to make an "impression" on him. [[spoiler:Robert finally works out the true nature of the conspiracy when he finds out that Lovecraft's father and grandfather were members of the Liber Stella Sapiente, and Lovecraft is the Redeemer with himself as the herald]].

* HillbillyHorrors: Deconstructed, subverted and played straight: The fish-people of Salem resent how the townfolk and in general tourists see them as hicks because they are mixed-raced, with the narrative comparing their prejudice to be similar to anti-semitism.

* GilliganCut: Elspeth invites Black to her lodging, as he feels he's going a little crazy. He promises he "won't pour out all his problems". One panel later he's babbling about everything on his heart.

** [[spoiler: Officer O'Brien's fate is subtly revealed by that his black coat is still in Pitman's house, and the ghoul mentions encountering another redhead dressed in black.]]

* AffablyEvil: So far almost all the supposedly evil and unsavory characters from Lovecraft's stories that Robert Black has crossed paths with, have been nothing but polite, friendly, and helpful with his book project. Even Hector North is a charming flirt, despite apparently intending to kill him. The only exceptions are Willard Wheatley, who is rude and begrudging, and Edgar Wade, who is such a colossal jerk that he's disliked by Garland Wheatley and Tobit Boggs.
** Even the ghouls can be charming and kind in their own macabre way, despite eating people. King George compliments Robert's red hair, pities him for falling foul of the Wades, and is sad that Robert isn't happy. So he tries to cheer him up by telling him that even unhappy people are enjoyed once they are dead, when the ghouls eat their bodies.

* HillbillyHorrors: Deconstructed, subverted and played straight:
** The fish-people of Salem resent how the townfolk and in general tourists see them as hicks because they are mixed-raced, with the narrative comparing their prejudice to be similar to anti-semitism.
** Garland Wheatley and his family also resent how the people of Athol and the Stella Saps (as he and Boggs call the Order) are treated as low-down hicks. So, what does Garland Wheatley do to prove that he and his family are not low-down hicks who are unworthy of the knowledge of cosmic force, he proceeds [[spoiler:to summon Yog-Sothoth and impregnate his daughter with abominations for twins]]: