History Webcomic / Flipside

* Brickjoke: Literally, in the intermission strips, which often have variations on Bernadette throwing a brick at Maytag. later the brick got thrown at other characters that stole the show, and once it was a Toaster instead. Bernadette claimed she was out of bricks

* ItWasHisSled: Maytag and Bernardette are a couple. Readers will catch on fairly early in the story, but an arc chapters later confirms it as if it was the most unexpected left turn in the universe! An online comic reviewing podcast pointed out this scene as one of the comic's story flaws.

** BrainwashedAndCrazy: An effect caused by the "Xibulba" collar.

* FunctionalMagic.
** WordsCanBreakMyBones. Basically how all magic works, except purely mental.
*** UtilityMagic. There are spells for everything from regrowing limbs, to raising the dead (though the author says the circumstances of death are important, brain death or similar is impossible to raise), to very mundane activities, like keeping clothing clean and such. This is lampshaded in one scene, where two of the wizards are doing things like chopping wood with their hands, and setting fires.
*** For that matter, UtilityBelt magic. Spells can be packaged and prepared in advance by another caster, so even someone without magic, like Maytag can use them.
* AuthorAppeal: It seems that the author has a dismemberment fetish. First Maytag [[spoiler:cuts off her own finger]]. Then later she [[spoiler:gets her arm ''eaten off'']]. And the villain is a scar-covered girl who can [[HealingFactor regenerate any severed limb]], which means that her limbs are ''frequently'' severed during battle. He lampshades it in [[http://www.flipsidecomics.com/comic.php?i=664 this intermission comic]].

* MagicAIsMagicA: The intermission segments expand on the world's formalized rules for sorcery and spellcasting, which are ''mostly'' followed.

* TheReveal: [[spoiler: Maytag, or Veranda Kingfisher, is not a shy girl girl who becomes confident only with her jester costume on. Actually, she's an EmotionlessGirl, or close to it, and the shy girl/jester sides are part of an attempt to get others to like her.]]

* FirstKiss: Regina and Lucient in Book 0.
* ShipTease: Book 0 ship teases Maytag and Regina.

* AliensMadeThemDoIt: In ''Chapter 21: Bed and Breakfast'', Bernadette and Maytag are lured into a pool whose water is enchanted with a lust spell, which Glyph attempts to take advantage of. Maytag, being somewhat more in touch with her libido, figures it out and snaps out of it. ''Chapter 23: Silhouette'' reveals that this may have been a SecretTestOfCharacter for Maytag, but the character saying this [[UnreliableNarrator is not entirely trustworthy]]; Glyph wasn't really himself either.

!Tropes related with both Book Zero and the main comic:

* [[AntiMagic Antimagic]]: Supposedly the power of the sword Bernadette has. (She doesn't really know how to use it though)

** UtilityMagic. There are spells for everything from regrowing limbs, to raising the dead (though the author says the circumstances of death are important, brain death or similar is impossible to raise), to very mundane activities, like keeping clothing clean and such. This is lampshaded in one scene, where two of the wizards are doing things like chopping wood with their hands, and setting fires.

* Functional Magic.

* [[spoiler:MagicFeather: Maytag's costume.]]
* TheNudifier: Confringo.

The comic it's about three characters and their quests:

!This webcomic shows examples of:

* BigDamnHeroes
* DidTheyOrDidntThey: Regina and Lucient.

* {{Fanservice}}: Plenty.

* FirstKiss: Regina and Lucient in Book 0.
* HeroicBSOD

* PowerLevels: Mages are ranked by how many of the three seals they've broken. [[RankInflation Rumors exist of a fourth seal.]]
* ThePowerOfFriendship
* RelationshipReveal: Maytag and [[spoiler:Bernadette]]

* ShipTease
** The first six chapters of the webcomic version focus on Crest, who is being strung along by Maytag as some sort of demented sociology project. It doesn't help that Maytag is an GoodBadGirl who would happily hop into the sack with him and anyone else who asked, but has a little problem holding her back: [[spoiler: she's in a monogamous relationship with Bern.]] The ShipTease is not purely on the reader's part, as poor Crest can attest to.
** Book 0 ship teases Maytag and Regina.

* Bernadette, a LadyOfWar and Maytag's long-time companion and friend. She is a master of the Split Rose DualWielding technique, which focuses entirely on parrying and counterattacking your opponent.

* DidTheyOrDidntThey -- Regina and Lucient.
* DoubleStandard -- The ongoing relationship drama between Maytag and [[spoiler:Bernadette]] is based on both a straight use and {{subversion}} of this, as while Maytag wants her lover to accept her GoodBadGirl act, she ends up compromising her own nature in order to please her monogamous and conservative partner. Thus, it's also an apparent subversion of the stock BeYourself {{Aesop}}: sometimes it's ''worth'' giving up your freedom for the person you love... maybe. It has yet to be seen whether their relationship can survive this conflict in the long term.
* DualWielding -- Bernadette
* EmotionBomb -- The "Fear Demon" conjured by Bloody Mary -- from her [[{{Squick}} vomit]].
* {{Expy}} -- Danzig is one of [[JoJosBizarreAdventure Josuke Higashikata]], or possibly of Araki characters in general. He even shouts "ORA! ORA! ORA!" when attacking.
* {{Fanservice}} -- Plenty.
** And Maytag sometimes borderlines MsFanservice.
* FantasticAesop -- It's still possible [[ThePowerOfFriendship to be friends]] with someone while they are [[spoiler:[[{{Squick}} eating your arm]]]].
* FauxHorrific -- Melter's "disturbing" images in [[http://www.flipsidecomics.com/comic.php?i=1053 Intermission 19]].
* FirstKiss -- Regina and Lucient in Book 0.
* GoodBadGirl -- Maytag
* GoodScarsEvilScars -- Bernadette has a scar on her cheek.
* HealingFactor -- Bloody Mary

* HonorBeforeReason -- Bernadette's RefusalOfTheCall and The Knights' shunning of all thing magical - despite the clear disadvantage this puts them at.
* HorrorHunger -- Bloody Mary's Bloodlust curse, which...
** ImAHumanitarian -- requires her to consume human flesh.
* InnocentFanserviceGirl -- Maytag, a rare combination of this and GoodBadGirl, whose Innocence expands from "no nudity taboo" to "no sexuality taboo". [[http://www.flipsidecomics.com/comic.php?i=836 Best summed up here.]]
* InsufferableGenius -- Suspiria
* JerkAss -- Moss, though not without [[BlessedWithSuck justification]].
* KilledOffForReal -- [[spoiler:Kin]].
* KnightsTemplar -- The Knights Of La-Shoar, though they are slightly subverted in that their reaction to being directly proven wrong is "ok then" or at least "maybe we were mistaken".
* LateArrivalSpoiler -- Surprisingly averted, given the prominence that [[spoiler:Bernadette and Maytag's relationship has within the story]], as Foulke is ''extremely'' careful never to mention it in the chapter summaries or book jackets.
* LifeOrLimbDecision -- Maytag [[spoiler:willingly sacrifices her arm]] to give herself time to talk Bloody Mary out of killing her.
* LoveableRogue -- Maytag
* MagicAIsMagicA -- The intermission segments expand on the world's formalized rules for sorcery and spellcasting, which are ''mostly'' followed.
* TheManBehindTheMan -- The Thin Man.
* ManicPixieDreamGirl -- Maytag really enjoys playing this role, most prominently for Regina and Crest.
* ManipulativeBastard -- Maytag
* MarshmallowHell -- Maytag once pushes Crest's face to her chest when trying to get him to open up.
* MasterOfIllusion -- Fata Morgana
* MundaneUtility: Suspiria does this a lot. The very first thing we see her doing is using a magic forcefield umbrella.
* NewOldFlame -- In Chapter 30, Bernadette encounters a former lover. It is revealed that the failure of this relationship is the reason she is so neurotic about monogamy.
* NighInvulnerable: Bloody Mary -- at least her vital organs, anyway. The rest of her can [[HealingFactor regenerate]].
* NoOneCouldSurviveThat -- Suspiria falls victim to this with respect to Bloody Mary in a truly epic example of GenreBlindness. Or maybe it's because she's an InsufferableGenius. Or both...
* TheNudifier -- Voulger's sword "Thread-Reaper", [[http://www.flipsidecomics.com/comic.php?i=103 here]] ('''{{NSFW}}''', obviously).
* {{Omake}} -- the "Intermission" segments. In later chapters these are done in {{Yonkoma}} style.
* OvershadowedByAwesome -- Crest
* PinballProtagonist -- Crest
* PowerLevels -- Mages are ranked by how many of the three seals they've broken. [[RankInflation Rumors exist of a fourth seal.]]
* PowerOfFriendship
* RapeAsBackstory -- Umber, according to the Interviews.
* RapeAsDrama -- Maytag is not above submitting to rape, if it's the only way to save the ones she loves. She states outright that her attitude to sexuality makes rape much less traumatic to her than to the average person.
* RefusalOfTheCall -- Bernadette choosing to [[spoiler:come out of the closet]] rather that join the Knights.
* RelationshipReveal -- Maytag and [[spoiler:Bernadette]]
* {{Retool}} -- The current story is a sequel of sorts to the (less well drawn) original story, which has been collected on the site as "Book 0".
* ScarpiaUltimatum -- Moss pulls this on Maytag in "Silhouette". Subverted when he doesn't follow through.
* SelectiveObliviousness -- Maytag's lack of, and complete inability to understand, modesty.
* SexyJester -- Maytag

* SkunkStripe -- Bernadette
* StalkerWithACrush -- [[spoiler: Crest.]] His stated goal for going with the party is to wait until Maytag and [[spoiler: Bern]] have a fight and steal her away for himself. Granted, this was before he was [[DemotedToExtra demoted]].
* ShowingOffTheNewBody -- Maytag's first action while [[http://flipside.keenspot.com/comic/book0/fs12pg13.html possessing Regina]] was [[ManIFeelLikeAWoman groping herself]].
* TheSlenderManMythos -- The BigBad is known only as "The Thin Man". How closely he follows the rest of the Mythos is unknown.
* TalkingIsAFreeAction -- One sometimes wonders if one of Maytag's magical powers is to get people to stop fighting as long as her mouth keeps moving. This is also done a lot in the second fight scene between Bloody Mary and Bernadette.
* TalkingTheMonsterToDeath -- Maytag's MO is to be so bluntly matter of fact about her ability to defeat you that you hesitate... often fatally.
* TalkingYourWayOut -- Maytag, after being captured by Bloody Mary.
* TooCleverByHalf -- More than once, Suspiria's massive overconfidence in her own abilities has been painfully undercut by her corresponding lack of practical experience (specifically, a tendency to overextend herself and run out of [[{{Mana}} juice]] before the job is done).
* VirginityMakesYouStupid -- Regina, in Book 0; then [[DoubleSubversion double subverted]] in the "Silhouette" chapter.
* TheWorfEffect -- Poor Bernadette just does not do well against spellcasters and magically-enhanced fighters despite being invincible against any normal swordsman.
* YouGottaHaveBlueHair -- Suspiria and her magic hair in particular. The character's have also mentioned one person as having pink hair.
* YuriGenre -- [[spoiler:Maytag and Bernadette]].

The comic it's about three characters:

* BlessedWithSuck -- Moss' curse that allows him to see everyone's weaknesses has left him a bitter misanthrope.
* BlitheSpirit -- Maytag, though she doesn't practice what she preaches anymore (although she would prefer to).
* BrainwashedAndCrazy -- Seems to be caused by the "Xibulba" collar.
* BrokenBird -- Maytag's entire character is an apparent {{subversion}} of this; despite her [[TraumaCongaLine traumatic past]], she's so much of a BlitheSpirit as to nearly be TheUnfettered. There are hints of a darker side underneath, however.
* CallingTheOldManOut -- Crest telling Orransong exactly why he quit the Knights.
* ClothesMakeTheSuperman -- It's not clear whether the effect is [[MagicFeather psychological]] or supernatural, but Maytag's often absurd self-confidence is directly tied to her jester outfit.
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass -- Gylph, a [[LoveableSexManiac pervent]] {{Butt Monkey}}..... but he's still a member of the Phalanx, and the first to wound Moss' uncle.
* DemotedToExtra -- Crest's declining importance to the story as time goes on. It's gotten so bad that in recent chapters, other characters seem to be ''[[http://www.flipsidecomics.com/comic.php?i=782 actively ignoring his existence]]''.
** It should be noted that Maytag and Bernadette were ''always'' the protagonists, and Crest just got a bit of a spotlight at the start of the new set of comics.
** He seems to be getting some page time again with [[spoiler: Suspiria shelling out for Phalanx-standard for him]]

It's about a young man named Crest, a skilled rogue and the son of a famous knight. In an effort to raise enough money to pay for an operation to restore his mother's eyesight, he falls into the dangerous world of underground gambling. When he is caught using sleight of hand at a high stakes poker game, his life as he knew it would change...

Actually, [[UnreliableNarrator I lied]].

It's really about Maytag, a [[GoodBadGirl nymphomaniac]] in a jester costume who is an expert on all things related to sex and sexuality. She's also athletic, a master of potion use, [[WiseBeyondTheirYears wise beyond her years]] and has placed [[DungeonsAndDragons all her skill points]] into [[TalkingTheMonsterToDeath Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate and Sense Motive]]. Her only weakness is that her incredible confidence comes from the [[ClothesMakeTheSuperman jester suit that she wears]], and without it [[BroughtDownToNormal she reverts to a shy, timid shadow of her former self]].

To a lesser extent, it's also about Bernadette, LawfulGood LadyOfWar and Maytag's long-time companion and friend. She is a master of the Split Rose DualWielding technique, which focuses entirely on parrying and counterattacking your opponent.

Together, the [[strike:two]] [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg three]] of them take on the challenges of a world ruled almost entirely by sorcerers, where dark magic and abuses of power run rampant. Their greatest obstacle, however, may end up being their conflicting natures.

'''This webcomic has examples of:'''

* AliensMadeThemDoIt -- In the "Bed and Breakfast" chapter, Bernadette and Maytag are lured into a pool whose water is enchanted with a lust spell, which Glyph attempts to take advantage of. Fortunately Maytag, being somewhat more in touch with her libido, figures it out and snaps out of it. The "Silhouette" chapter reveals that this may have been a SecretTestOfCharacter for Maytag, but the character saying this [[UnreliableNarrator is not entirely trustworthy]]; Glyph wasn't really himself either.
* AnArmAndALeg -- Maytag allows Bloody Mary to [[spoiler:''chew her arm off from the wrist up'' (she'd already eaten the hand)]] in a play for time.
* AnythingThatMoves -- Maytag deconstructs this trope; she starts out the series an unabashed hedonist but gets less and less willing to take sexual risks as the consequences of her actions threaten her relationship with [[spoiler: Bernadette]].
* ArtifactOfDoom -- The Xibulba collar grants you a large collection of powers along with bringing out your basic instincts, and not in a good way. In [[spoiler:Voulger's]] case, it makes him a homicidal rapist. In [[spoiler:Derricks']] case, he turns into a revenge-obssessed psychopath. In an [[{{Omake}} intermission segment]], its possible effects on the other characters (including the author) are PlayedForLaughs.
* AuthorAppeal -- First Maytag [[spoiler:cuts off her own finger]]. Then later she [[spoiler:gets her arm ''eaten off'']]. And the villain is a scar-covered girl who can [[HealingFactor regenerate any severed limb]], which means that her limbs are ''frequently'' severed during battle. Does the author have a dismemberment fetish or something?!
** He then lampshades it in [[http://www.flipsidecomics.com/comic.php?i=664 this intermission comic.]]
* BagOfHolding -- Maytag has a "Dimensional Bag".
* BarehandedBladeBlock -- Bloody Mary catches a blade with her ''teeth''.
* BigBad -- "The Thin Man", at least so far.

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