History Webcomic / ATaleOfFiction

* ReverseMole: [[spoiler: High Secretary Benn]] turns out to have been a RISE ally all along.

* LampshadeHanging: Self-conscious humor is a constant source of punchlines, most obviously featured in [[http://www.taleoffiction.com/chapter-5-episode-41/ Sneaky's confusion]] about [[MrExposition Fuzzes Entry]] in chapter 5.

* MorphicResonance: Sneakys eyes retain their black, abysmal look after all kinds of shapeshifting.

The comic oscillates between gag strips, often based off real-life experiences of the comic's authors or their friends, and an over-arching storyline dealing with the aforementioned DUF. Major questions still abound about the circumstances surrounding their rule, how they gained power and what happened to the former ruler, the mysterious King.

A Tale Of Fiction has a large amount of background material on the world and other goodies available on the site via Vauxhall's "Dragbook", including an in-universe news feed, an ambiguously DUF-critical [[http://www.taleoffiction.com/dragbook/browser/im-not-fiction/ web-column]] (updated roughly twice a month) and an [[ShowWithinAShow in-universe webcomic]] called "Bison and the Boar Boys" (originally updated every Tue/Thu/Sat, but often subject to {{Schedule Slip}}, now on indefinite hiatus).

* BilingualBonus: In a way. A lot of the jokes are funnier if you speak fluent German, as the authors'... [[IntentionalEngrishForFunny unven grasp]] of [[BlindIdiotTranslation English]] occasionally backfires on them, with interesting results.

* DistressedDude: [[spoiler:Harper and Vauxhall]] get a turn as this, as does [[spoiler:Baruch Caan]], although his isn't over yet...

* HolidayNonUpdate: Once so far, for "happy Jollidays".

* InterfaceScrew: [[http://www.taleoffiction.com/chapter-13-episode-35/ This.]]

* InformedAttribute: Special Agent Colibeuf is stated to have a strong moral concept [sic], but we haven't seen any evidence of that as yet.

* MythArc: Presumably, finding out the fate of the mysterious King and defeating the DUF.

* IdentityAmnesia: Sneaky. [[CaptainObvious Presumably a plot point.]]

* BilingualBonus: In a way. A lot of the jokes are funnier if you speak fluent German, as the authors'... [[GoodBadTranslation uneven]] [[IntentionalEngrishForFunny grasp]] of [[BlindIdiotTranslation English]] occasionally backfires on them, with interesting results.

** Also, possibly, [[EpilepticTrees Vauxhall's "education" of Sneaky in the more... graphic forms of human intimacy.]]

** [[http://www.taleoffiction.com/chapter-2-episode-4/ This]] strip seems to be a ShoutOut to VideoGame/MetalGear.
*** Confirmed by WordOfGod.

*** There are quite a few {{Shout Out}}s to friends of the authors in the comic generally.

* WriteWhoYouKnow: Especially prominent in Harper in the more comic arcs.

** [[http://www.taleoffiction.com/chapter-2-episode-4/ This]] strip seems to be a ShoutOut to Franchise/MetalGear.

->''After all, you didn’t even bother to name your particular species; we defined the whole bunch of you as being NOT-human, so you must be a what, monster? That makes sense. After all, you are digging the mines, I am writing – as in, putting words together, making stuff up, naming things.''

** The regularly used curse expression "frakk" seems to be a ShoutOut to the FutureSlang of [[Series/BattlestarGalacticaReimagined Battlestar Galactica]]'' (although in Galactica the spelling would be with one 'k' only)

** Gidders and Fuzz remind us of a [[StarWars certain other human mercenary with a flying machine and his furry sidekick...]]

* ItGotWorse: Harper and Vauxhall have not been having a good few days. From a normal life and the occasional chance meeting with a hot neighbour (at least for Harper) to being actively hunted by the DUF and [[spoiler:captured to be interrogated by special agents]]. Ouch.

* KnightOfCerebus: [[CompleteMonster Special Agent Nitz]], who turns up and quickly increases the violence in the strip by a factor of 10.

** [[http://www.taleoffiction.com/chapter-2-episode-4/ This]] strip seems to be a ShoutOut to MetalGear.

* ArtEvolution: The art style becomes more detailed and sharp as the series progresses, although [[YourMileageMayVary some might say that the less detailed art in the first comics highlights Sneaky's confusion.]]

* BilingualBonus: In a way. A lot of the jokes are funnier if you speak fluent German, as the authors'... [[GoodBadTranslation uneven]] [[IntentionalEngrishForFunny grasp]] of [[BlindIdiotTranslation English]] occasionally backfires on them, with [[YourMileageMayVary interesting]] results.

An English-language webcomic written and drawn by German students Felix Schittig and Kilian Wilde and updated on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. [[http://www.taleoffiction.com/ ''A Tale of Fiction'']] is the continuing story of the adventures of [[ChickMagnet Harper]], his roommate [[PlayfulHacker Vauxhall]] (or '[[OnlyKnownByTheirNickname Room]]'), and a {{shapeshifting}} [[strike:monster]] unhuman [[IdentityAmnesia they've]] [[InSeriesNickname named]] [[MeaningfulName 'Sneaky']] and their [[LaResistance fight]] against the [[TheEmpire Department of Unethical Fiction (or DUF)'s]] [[VillainWorld government]] of Fictionaria.

A Tale Of Fiction has a large amount of background material on the world and other goodies available on the site via Vauxhall's "Dragbook", including an in-universe news feed, an ambiguously DUF-critical [[http://www.taleoffiction.com/dragbook/browser/im-not-fiction/ web-column]] (updated roughly twice a month) and an [[ShowWithinAShow in-universe webcomic]] called "Bison and the Boar Boys" (theoretically updated every Tue/Thu/Sat, but often subject to {{Schedule Slip}}).

* DistressedDude: [[spoiler:Harper and Vauxhall]] are shaping up to be this in the current arc (as of Chapter 5).

** The regularly used curse expression "frakk" seems to be a ShoutOut to the FutureSlang of [[Series/BattlestarGalacticaReimagined Battlestar Galactica]]'' (although in Galactica the spelling would do with one 'k' only)