Line #86 Characters/SomethingPositive


1	--> ''When I started S*P, all the characters were meant to represent a friend everyone had. Davan's the hard-to-like friend who, while trying, WILL be there for you. Aubrey's the friend who tests your limits. [=PeeJee=] is the friend who acts tougher than she probably is and cares a little too much. Scotty's the friend you lose and you never understand why.''
2	--> Randy Milholland
3
4	[[foldercontrol]]
5
6	[[folder:Core Cast]]
7	!!Davan [=MacIntire=]
8	The main character and AuthorAvatar, representing Milholland when he was a younger man. Davan is snide, sarcastic and takes most of life with an uncaring, unsympathetic nature, which often gets him into trouble. Still, he cares deeply for his friends and family, despite his cynical nature.
9	--> '''Randy's own words on the subject:''' "Near the end of the first year. I realized quickly I didn't want this comic to be autobiography. Even when it started, Davan wasn't who I was then - he was who I'd been a few years before and, I should add, someone I didn't like (I find it funny when detractors claim Davan is who I think people should be and is "cool" - it proves they've never spoken to me or done a bit of research. Davan's an asshole and a lot of the misery he's gone through, he brought on himself)."
10	----
11
12	* AffectionateNickname: "Monkey Butter", for Aubrey.
13	* AntiRoleModel: When Milholland learned that there were readers that wanted to name their children after Davan, appalled, he stated that Davan is not a character is certainly not a role model for any children, or even adults, to follow.
14	* AuthorAvatar: From a time in Randy's life when he was especially cynical and dreary.
15	* BerserkButton: Never sass Mister Peppermint around Davan.
16	* BetterAsFriends: Decided this about himself and [=PeeJee=] and reveals it to her long after the fact.
17	* ComedicSociopathy: He makes fun of all his closest friends. Notably, when Mike is surprised that Davan is acting friendly instead of "making fun of me like you usually do", Davan points out that if he and the others ''wouldn't'' make fun of him if they didn't like him.
18	* CosmicPlaything: Earlier in the strip, to the point that [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/advantage-pt-6/ God himself was eagerly awaiting Davan's reaction]] to a new bit of shit thrown his way.
19	-->'''Angel''': Lord, I know you like watching shit happen to that guy, but, you see, there's this war about to happen, and the prayers are really backing up.\
20	'''God''': Shhh! You're gonna make me miss the look of complete horrific realization and that's the best part!
21	* DeadpanSnarker: His chronic, over-arching trait, and one that bothered many people, including then-girlfriends Eva and Celie.
22	* TheEeyore: To the point that [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/friendly-notes/ Nancy even calls him this]], but also [[DeconstructedTrope deconstructed.]] The constant negativity he gives off has had a ''very'' bad affect on his life, often in his relationships with women. It's also shown that he doesn't handle positive behavior from others well, either annoying him or leaving him confused.
23	* FatalFlaw: His negativity. Davan embraces the inherent cynicism of the world he lives a little ''too'' much for even his own friends, notorious cynics in their own right, to be comfortable with and he can barely function when met with genuine positivity.
24	** This is actually the biggest problem he has in his relationships with other women as the ones that are willing to give him a chance are ultimately driven off by his pessimistic behavior. The only working relationships he has had have been with women that are a bit off in their own ways.
25	* FreudianExcuse: [[PlayingWithATrope Played with.]] The large amount of misfortune that has happened to his family definitely feeds into Davan's cynical outlook on life, but isn't clearly defined as the cause of it.
26	* HappilyMarried: [[spoiler: With Vanessa. Randy has confirmed he'll stay this way for the foreseeable future, at least [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/admissions-iii/ partially]] [[TakeThatCritics out of spite]].]]
27	* [[HardDrinkingPartyGirl Hard Drinking Party Guy]]: Back in the early days of the strip, he was much worse. He has stated that his combined German, Irish and Native America heritage makes it literally impossible for him to allow alcohol to be wasted.
28	* IgnoredEnemy: Ollie Pompey, the badly abused nephew of the late (and horrifyingly nasty) theatre director Avogadro Pompey, really, ''really'' hates Davan, to the point of wanting to destroy him. Davan hadn't realized this, and mostly found it pathetic when he found out.
29	* InformedDeformity: Women in the strip used to react as if he was the ugliest human being alive, despite him being drawn in a rather ordinary fashion. This plays into his status as the AuthorAvatar--Randy himself doesn't like his appearance. Similarly, he was alleged to have a CarpetOfVirility in [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/free-to-a-good-home-pt-2/ this strip]], but his naked scenes haven't depicted it.
30	* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: When perfect-girlfriend Branwen gets a dream job offer, Davan tells her to take it.
31	* {{Jerkass}}: Randy specifically calls him out on a lot of it. Eventually evolves into a JerkWithAHeartOfGold.
32	* KavorkaMan: For an ugly dude, Davan has slept with upwards of six or seven hot women since the strip began in 2001.
33	* LawOfInversePaternity: Played with; Davan didn't want to be Rory's father, but was at least willing to step up if he was, unlike the other candidate. Davan wound up becoming his ParentalSubstitute even after finding out he wasn't the dad, and admits that in retrospect he wishes he had been the father after all.
34	* LikeBrotherAndSister: With Aubrey.
35	* LimitedWardrobe: He can wear various things, but he generally wears work shirts from his father's old job in a helicopter factory.
36	* LookingForLoveInAllTheWrongPlaces: A recurring trend is for Davan to meet up with women who inevitably turn out insane. At least Branwen and Vanessa are ''comedically'' nuts.
37	%% * NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished
38	* ParentalSubstitute: To Rory, to the point where Rory actually calls Davan his dad, and Davan happily accepts the title.
39	* PlatonicLifePartners: With [=PeeJee=].
40	* StrongFamilyResemblance: Davan clearly takes after his dad.
41	* {{Troll}}: Especially when working together with Jason.
42	* VitriolicBestBuds: Pretty much the nature of the comic. They all prank and tease each other mercilessly.
43	* WriteWhatYouKnow: Davan used to work for [=MedicAid=], doing the same work Randy did before his webcomic really took off- billing poor people for ambulance fees.
44
45	!!Penelope Jennifer "[=PeeJee=]" Shou
46	A Canadian girl who moved down to Boston to meet up with some online friends, [=PeeJee=] is a devoted pal to the others. She's much like Aubrey, but far more emotional and liable to feel sympathy, or the need to cry. Randy has stated that she represents "those friends who aren't quite as tough as they seem". One of her key early traits was a huge crush on gay cast member Jhim. Despite the vitriolic nature of most of the characters, they openly felt sorry for her.
47	----
48
49	* CollectorOfTheStrange: Her new hobby is looking for the most fucked up sites possible, having filled up four external hard drives worth of 'em.
50	-->Vanessa: I have seen suicidal notes less depressing than this.
51	-->[=PeeJee=]: Oh, really? Are there any suicide notes that mention cool sites involving Russian amputee mail order brides?
52	-->Vanessa: I dunno. Are there?
53	-->[=PeeJee=]: ...Yes. Sixty-three. They're on hard drive two.
54	* KaleidoscopeHair: For a long time, [=PeeJee=] would have constantly changing hair, until Randy got tired of changing it.
55	* KnightInSourArmor: She has a deep idealism about the world and a secret yearning for romance, but it's buried under a ''lot'' of snark.
56	* TheNotLoveInterest: To Davan, something he decided long after the fact, and to Mike, on the grounds that it was a one-sided infatuation and Mike had blown any chance at something deeper.
57	* PlatonicLifePartners: With Davan, and...
58	* VitriolicBestBuds: With Aubrey. Everyone else is [[ComedicSociopathy fair game]], though largely in the earlier days.
59	* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: [=PeeJee=] has a fear of puppets, and breaks Aubrey's hand with a hammer when Aubrey sneaks up behind her with a handpuppet.
60	* YaoiFangirl: In earlier strips, her obsession with gay men was a running gag. Sometimes she lusted after men she knew were gay; other times she just ran smack into the wall marked IncompatibleOrientation.
61
62	!!Aubrey Chorde
63	Davan's best friend from childhood, and completely platonic. She's the devious schemer of the group, and rarely gets overly-sympathetic or mushy. She's based off of Randy's own best friend from childhood, anime voice actress Creator/ClarineHarp.
64	----
65
66	* AffectionateNickname: "Woogie", for Davan.
67	* BenevolentBoss: As seen below, she's very well-liked by her employees at Nerdrotica, to the point that [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/mermay/ one she'd given a dream gig to]] said "I just hope, one day, I find a special someone who gets me as well as you do." For the [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/special-treatment/ less reasonable employees]], [[BadBoss however]]...
68	* DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale: She & [=PeeJee=] got away with this ''a lot'' in the early days, often as the [[ComedicSociopathy punchline]] to a comic strip.
69	* HappilyMarried: To Jason.
70	* HiddenHeartOfGold: She definitely [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/just-a-brief-moment/ doesn't want her kind moments to be publicized]].
71	* {{Jerkass}}: One of the most malicious and sadistic cast members.
72	** JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Though she does have a kind side when it comes to her friends, especially [[LikeBrotherAndSister Davan]].
73	* LikeBrotherAndSister: With Davan, whom she grew up with.
74	* MamaBear: Brutally crushes the hand of a MonsterClown who attempts to threaten [=PamJee=].
75	--> '''Aubrey:''' Touch my child again and you will learn that eating solid food is a privilege I can and ''WILL'' revoke.
76	* NightmareFetishist: Do not share disturbing ideas with Aubrey, unless you are actively looking to provide her with potential business endeavors.
77	* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Curiously enough, she runs a tight ship over at Nerdrotica, her combination tech support/phone sex company. Her early sadistic antics do not translate over to her employees, who at worst suffer harmless pranks or demeaning (but necessary) job details.
78	* RelationshipUpgrade: Eventually marries (and adopts a child with) Jason.
79	* VitriolicBestBuds: Possibly the nastiest of the whole crew.
80	* WriteWhoYouKnow: Anime voiceover actress Creator/ClarineHarp, herself one of Randy's friends from childhood in Texas.
81
82	!!Jason Chorde (né Pratchett)
83	A jovial fat guy who was an early acting friend of the gang, and stuck around in all later arcs. Probably the smartest of the gang, and most manipulative. He's the most committed to his schemes (such as the catgirl webcomic).
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85
86	* AbusiveParents: Of the emotional variety, and to the point that he and his mother regret not inviting his father to his sister's wedding, [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/wedding-bells-pt-4/ as they could have punched him right in the jaw]] if they had.
87	* BigScrewedUpFamily: Setting aside his horrible relationship with his father, Jason also has circus workers (clowns, specifically) in his family tree. When his daugher [=PamJee=] discovered this, [[TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior she was positively]] ''[[TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior giddy]]''.
88	* GagPenis: Women have [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/dial-a-aubrey-pt-4/ recoiled in fear of it.]]
89	* GirlOnGirlIsHot: At one point Aubrey and [=PeeJee=] tease him with the possibility of a threesome, though only to mess with him.
90	* HappilyMarried: To Aubrey.
91	* KavorkaMan: Despite his obesity, he has a mathematical program designed for easy short-term dating success (ie. hook-ups).
92	* {{Pornomancer}}: He was a ''major'' ladykiller in the earlier strips, with [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/fine-print-foreplay/ one particular encounter]] where he promised - via contract! - a minimum of two orgasms for the woman he was hooking up with.
93	* RelationshipUpgrade: Eventually marries (and adopts a child with) Aubrey.
94	* TookTheWifesName: He changed his surname to Chorde when he married Aubrey because of his hatred of his father.
95	* {{Troll}}: Especially when working together with Davan.
96	** And given his delight at being given their own parking space for parent-teacher conferences, this appears to be his approach to parenting.
97	* WriteWhoYouKnow: Jason is based off of one of Randy's friends from his acting days in Boston, who still runs part of his website.
98	[[/folder]]
99
100	[[folder:Davan's Family]]
101
102	!!Fred [=MacIntire=]
103	Davan's cranky, sarcastic father. It's fairly clear which parent Davan takes after. [[spoiler:Passed away shortly after Halloween 2020]].
104	----
105
106	* CommanderContrarian: He has a streak of this [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/shots-pt-1/ when it comes to Davan]].
107	* CoolOldGuy
108	* DisabilityAsAnExcuseForJerkassery:
109	** As a young boy, he was admitted to a hospital for an ear infection, where he was antagonized at every turn by a boy in a wheelchair. Eventually, Fred and his friends team up to scare him and teach him a lesson... [[spoiler: whereupon it is revealed that the boy is in the hospital for a heart condition, and the shock of the scare [[AccidentalMurder ends up killing him]].]]
110	** Not that he feels the need to make excuses, but Fred ''relishes'' being diagnosed with Alzheimer's because of the opportunities it allows him to fuck with people.
111	* GrumpyOldMan: Must be where Davan gets it, 'cuz the boy ''damn'' sure didn't get it from Faye.
112	%%* KnightInSourArmor
113	* ScrewPolitenessImASenior: Quite a few examples, but this one stands out; His response to a "Hell House"[[note]]a fundamentalist soapboxing masquerading as a haunted house [[/note]] telling him he has to "choose Jesus" if he wants to leave is to sit down in the middle of the floor.
114	* SecondLove: Faye was his. We don't know much about his first wife.
115
116	!!Faye [=MacIntire=]
117	Davan's loving and devout mother. While less sarcastic than Fred, she has a bitingly sharp wit. [[spoiler:Passed away in 2006]].
118
119	* BewareTheNiceOnes: Faye is easily the most openly gentle and sweet member of the [=MacIntire=] family, but if pushed, she turns out to have the sharpest tongue of all of them.
120	* RomancingTheWidow: Gender-inverted. She and Fred fell in love and married, despite her having to put up with bigotry [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/more-than-heaven-pt-4/ from neighbors]] and even [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/more-than-heaven-pt-3/ his family members]] for marrying a widower.
121	* SouthernBelle: An example of the modern subtype.
122
123	!!Dahlia [=MacIntire=]
124	Davan's older sister. She was partially paralyzed in a car accident about 10 years before the start of the series (she uses either a walker or a wheelchair, depending on the situation).
125	----
126
127	* ActionGirl: She was very athletic before the crash, on the volleyball and basketball teams.
128	* BerserkButton: She hates being treated as InspirationallyDisadvantaged.
129	%%* DeadpanSnarker / DisabledSnarker
130	* DisabilityAsAnExcuseForJerkassery: This is her on a bad day. It's only exacerbated by the people who think that [[DisabledMeansHelpless "disabled" = "incapable"]].
131	* DisabledMeansHelpless: This constantly happens to her, because of her disability. Examples include a new neighbor [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/the-sound-of-standing-up-pt-2/ sees she has a walker]] and starts talking to her slowly and a date calls her "inspirational" for [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/the-sound-of-standing-up-pt-3/ "choosing"]] to live. This pisses her off.
132	* StrongFamilyResemblance: Looks pretty much like her younger brother, Davan.
133	* SuperWheelchair: She attaches a cowcatcher for shopping during the Christmas rush.
134
135	!!Monette [=MacIntire=] (formerly Donnelly)
136	Initially a recurring annoyance, the idiotic Monette would foolishly attempt to become a lesbian, despite her sucking "a whole mess of dick", according to Davan. Eventually, she randomly moved to Texas to hang out with Davan's parents, and ended up getting ''adopted'' by them, becoming a family member. She eventually realized she was bisexual and hooked up with her girlfriend Lisa, and moved to West Hollywood to appear in a bad UPN sitcom.
137	----
138
139	* CharacterDevelopment: From comedic ButtMonkey slut character to a worthy cast member with her own foibles and rare flashes of insight.
140	* DeadpanSnarker: Develops shades of this as time goes on, possibly from exposure to Davan's parents. In fact, one of her first reveals of this side causes Dahlia to respond, "Welcome to the family."
141	* TheDitz: Especially at first.
142	* HappilyAdopted: Into the [=MacIntires=].
143	* HilariouslyAbusiveChildhood: While the consequences of her terribly neglectful father have been played a bit more seriously, [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/make-room-for-daddy/ the exaggerated level of this neglect]] has been used for BlackComedy.
144	* ObfuscatingStupidity: PlayedForLaughs [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/thanksgrieving-pt-3/ when her biological father insults her intelligence]].
145	* ReallyGetsAround: To the point that she once got drunk and had sex with a ''[[BestialityIsDepraved koala]]'', and actually had Lisa wear a koala mask for her first actual lesbian experience.
146	* SincerestFormOfFlattery: When Monette gets the chance to write for her TV show, she [[{{WriteWhoYouKnow}} creates a character that is a clear Expy of Davan]]- to the point of using some of Davan's own lines.
147	* TooDumbToLive: How she started out, to the point that she actually tried teaching a spider how to write "[[Literature/CharlottesWeb Some Pig]]" in an effort [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/texas-state-fair-pt-3/ to save a pig from slaughter]], only to get bit for her trouble.
148	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Her pregnancy ended with an off-camera stillbirth. [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/rings-pt-5/ The strip that indicated this]] was fairly subtle, however, so "What happened to Monette's baby?" started as a serious question and then became a fandom in-joke.
149
150	!!Vanessa Cubbins
151	Davan's girlfriend upon his move back to Texas, later becoming his wife. She's a quirky, short bisexual girl who is a lot more innocent than the usual S*P character, making her quite unique to this world.
152	----
153
154	* BunnyEarsLawyer: Once she got a taste of that kaiju power, there was no going back; there'll be days where she just walks around in a kaiju outfit like someone wearing a t-shirt and jeans.
155	* {{CloudCuckoolander}}: Her mind goes to weird places sometimes, which she is self-conscious of: She ends her first date with Davan by telling him she's going to go inside to "unleash all the clumsy and crazy I've been holding in all evening", and after prefacing it by making sure she won't "scare [him] away with [her] crazy", she likens her love for Davan to a small lizard that has found the perfect sunning rock; He makes her "lizard-happy".
156	* CovertPervert: She's bisexual, and just as dirty-minded as everyone else; This tends to be easily forgotten due to just how damn cute she is.
157	* TheCutie: Endearingly awkward, petite, nerdy, and cute as a button; Occasionally dresses up as a giant monster... Which is to say she's exactly the same size, but now wearing an adorable monster costume.
158	* FlirtyStepsiblings: Inverted; her first heterosexual romance was with an acquaintance who would later become her stepbrother. Awkwardness ensued.
159	* HappilyMarried: With Davan.
160
161	!!Rory Sawyer
162	The son of Davan's childhood friend, Donna. Initially believed to be Davan's son, a paternity test revealed another man to be the father. However, Davan has happily taken up the role of surrogate father.
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164
165	* BrutalHonesty: Like Davan, he's not one to [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/playing-it-safe/ mince words when annoyed.]]
166	* ComingOutStory: In an arc beginning in 2018.
167	* DeadpanSnarker: He's picked up some of this from Davan, though he clearly gets it from his mother, as well.
168	* TransparentCloset: He's [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/just-curious/ not]] [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/daydreaming/ especially]] good at hiding his orientation prior to coming out.
169	[[/folder]]
170
171	[[folder: Family of the Core Cast]]
172	!!Choo-Choo Bear
173	Davan's "pudding cat". An amorphous [[BlobMonster pink blob]] of fur and petty spite.
174	----
175
176	* AdorableAbomination: At ''best''.
177	* BlobMonster: His silly putty-like consistency was originally assumed to be the result of old age plus a whole catalog of medical issues. It's since been retconned as being a whole new species of cat, though we see only one other 'pudding cat' outside of Choo-Choo Bear and his various offspring.
178	%%* CatsAreMean
179	* ADogNamedCat: A cat named Choo-Choo ''Bear''.
180	* EldritchAbomination: [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/i-can-yell-too/ And not afraid to exploit it.]]
181	* {{Hammerspace}}: Various things can be found in the depths of Choo-Choo's body; dead dogs, cash and jewellery being only a few examples. It got to the point that Davan simply started using him as a storage unit- and by all accounts, Choo-Choo actually finds it quite pleasurable.
182
183	!!Pamela Jocelyn "PamJee" Chorde
184	The adopted daughter of Aubrey and Jason, named in honour of PeeJee. She has taken after the both of them, creating a [[CreepyChild mischievous terror]] of a child.
185	----
186
187	* CreepyChild: [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/in-the-corn/ Ever so much.]] Pamjee is essentially a distillation of her parents- Aubrey's violent tendencies and Jason's passion for theatrics- and she is capable of combining them horribly effectively.
188	* FromTheMouthsOfBabes: Given her parents, she is rather more worldly than most children her age.
189	* HappilyAdopted: She lampshades this when a bully at school tries to use it for mockery.
190	* LittleMissSnarker: Pretty much a given, seeing who her parents are.
191	* TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior: One of her biggest traits, and [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/growing/ the older she gets, the more creative she gets]]
192	-->'''Aubrey''': Pamjee, I'm gonna need you to not break your father.\
193	'''Pamjee''': But it's a new type of fear I'm mastering! "[[AlwaysAChildToParent My child is growing up and I can't stop it]]" might be my favorite flavor.
194	* WiseBeyondTheirYears: In her kinder moments.
195
196	!!Hugh
197	Peejee's current boyfriend and a puppeteer. He [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/open-hands/ first appears]] as he opens a children's theatre next to Peejee's bar. Despite her phobia of puppets, they quickly hit it off and began dating.
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199
200	* BlackHumor: He is [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/in-the-blood/ quickly revealed]] to [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/thanksgiving-plans/ share]] Peejee's dark sense of humour, furthering their compatability.
201	* FamilyBusiness: His parents and grandparents were puppeteers, and he continues the family business.
202	* GentlemanSnarker: Is informally polite and well educated, and [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/unsolicited/ it shows in his wit.]]
203	* HandPuppet: Owns and builds a wide variety of these, to Peejee's discomfort.
204	* MrFanservice: A very handsome and well-built man who, when Peejee meets him, is shirtless. She [[EatingTheEyeCandy is quite impressed.]]
205	* ShirtlessScene: As he is in the midst of painting a building, he is introduced this way. Peejee [[FemaleGaze takes notice]].
206
207	[[/folder]]
208
209	[[folder: Friends of the Core Cast]]
210	!!Kharisma Valetti
211	An early recurring antagonist, Kharisma was a high-and-mighty actress with a love for money, and a hatred for the ugly little people (like Davan). After doing many horrible things to many people, she met with a few PetTheDog moments by giving Davan some much needed advice about quitting his job. Then she got into a murder pact with Avagodro Pompey, got arrested, got broken out of jail, and now she's on the run with a possibly-real psychic manifestation of annoyance called Fluffmodeus.
212	----
213
214	* ActionSurvivor: Extremely bad, typically illegal, and occasionally lethal things end up happening around Kharisma, with or without her knowledge. A large part of her CharacterDevelopment is evolving from a [[AlphaBitch repulsive]], flighty, [[GoldDigger gold-digging]] brat into a scarred, street-tough, half-mad ex-con.
215	* AssholeVictim: Horrible things happening to a horrible person.
216	* TheBrainlessBeauty: Pre-CharacterDevelopment, Kharisma was by her own admission "a cheerleader in high school who specialized in seducing nerds", a mindset that carried into her adult life.
217	* CharacterDevelopment: Went from a stupid RichBitch to a more sympathetic (but possibly insane) fugitive, and has settled into a life doing sketchy odd jobs under the name Nancy in a vague rural location.
218	* TheChewToy: Said sketchy odd jobs include freelance collections agent/legbreaker and babysitter for stupid druggies. This is after getting framed for a murder she was going to commit anyway but didn't have a chance to, scorching her own face with an AerosolFlamethrower, spending time in jail, and finding out that the benefactor that helped her out of prison was an anti-stuffed-animal-cruelty vigilante.
219	* HiddenDepths: An early 2020 storyline reveals that she had ParentalNeglect while growing up, and Fluffmodeus is bewildered by her [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/old-familiar-feeling/ feeling nostalgic for them]].
220	-->'''Kharisma''': Because it's the only family I ever knew. (''Fluff's eyes get closer to her arm'') What are you doing?\
221	'''Fluff''': Hugging you. I feel too sad to have a body right now.
222	* ImaginaryFriend: Fluffmodeus, aka "The Little Blue Thing". Whether it is just a manifestation of Kharisma's fear and woefully underdeveloped survival instincts, or a separate and ill-meaning entity who only shows itself to Kharisma has been a matter left deliberately ambiguous.
223	* InsistentTerminology: No, Kharisma, the police aren't going to lift the murder charges just because at the time Avogadro died you were merely ''"trying"'' to kill him "with his blessing". Enjoy prison.
224	** Fluffmodeus meanwhile has a somewhat sinister habit of always calling Kharisma "''New'' Friend".
225	* LaserGuidedKarma: ''Look up''. Nearly every bad thing that has happened to Kharisma has been a direct result of her own poor judgement, before prison anyway.
226	* OlderThanTheyLook: Casually mentions being "almost fifty" in 2021, the only visual indicator of which is some lighter hair around her temples. Her makeup for hiding her facial scars likely helps.
227	** This also means she was in her thirties during her early appearances, where she looked identical to the main cast who were in their mid-twenties.
228	* PetTheDog: A rare few times: Notably, she gave Aubrey the idea for Nerdrotica, her combination tech support/phone sex company, and beseeched Davan to quit his horribly medical billing job, telling him "I wouldn't wish it on the worst person in the world. Or you, either."
229	* RichBitch: Though only due to aggressive [[GoldDigger gold-digging]]. Prior to her stint in prison, Kharisma's only marketable skill was identifying the most successful (and receptive) man in the room and bedding him.
230	* SleepingWithTheBoss: Kharisma makes no secret that she'll sleep with anyone for advancement (and is later fired without ceremony when the boss' fetish goes from redheads to blondes).
231	* TookALevelInBadass: Kharisma's skill at seduction and gold-digging didn't translate very well to life in prison, forcing her to drop the spoiled brat routine and [[HADToBeSharp sharpen up lest she get killed]]. Now that she's on the run and doing various extra-legal things to provide for herself (including leg-breaking and drug-running), "Nancy" is almost a [[DiscardAndDraw completely different character]].
232	* WriteWhoYouKnow: Early Kharisma material was derived from a woman who was friends with Randy until she saw a picture of him and declared him not attractive enough to stay her friend.
233
234	!!Mike Dowden
235	An antagonistic, whiny nerd, Mike was and whiny, always insisted on being right, and made "friends" with girls in hopes of seducing them. Basically, he was Randy's version of a lot of needy, misogynistic geeks who chase after women. Eventually he made real efforts to change, found a girl, had a baby... and then broke down again, chasing some friends off. Usually, if the plot requires some regular character to [[StrawCharacter be wrong]], it'll be Mike. He's still sometimes sympathetic, but he's usually the universe's ButtMonkey.
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237
238	* ButtMonkey: The strip's biggest recurring example. He gets a ''lot'' of beatings.
239	* CharacterDevelopment: Has gotten much better over the years, to the point where he could currently be considered one of the ''nicest'' characters in the strip. Is now a legitimate superhero (of the "real superheroes" variety).
240	** In a realistic inversion/back to straight playing of this trope, Mike briefly regressed to his original jerkish persona (due to being under a great deal of stress) before recovering and getting back on track.
241	* TheChewToy: ...let's say his first day as the Pythagorean were ''not'' kind to him.
242	* CosmicPlaything: A couple of strips have shown God actively plotting to fuck with him.
243	-->'''Mike''': Somewhere there's a genie with his middle fingers permanently up at me.
244	* TheFriendNobodyLikes: How he's introduced; it's not clear at first why anyone would hang out with a {{Jerkass}} like him, though he eventually grows out of it.
245	* HeroWithBadPublicity: [[AvertedTrope Averted]]. Turns out there's a whole bunch of folks in town doing the "dress in a superhero costume and do community service" gig, but the Pythagorean is one of the first to gain ''positive'' recognition as something other than "some geek in a cape"...
246	** HumbleHero: ...which makes the Pythagorean something of a minor celebrity, a fact Mike was completely unaware of until a group of other "capes" help him escape a shady blogger bent on publicly unmasking him.
247	* JerkassHasAPoint: One of the major signs of Mike's improvement involved this - [=PeeJee=] was becoming increasingly angry at work because her boss' new girlfriend was blatantly and unapologetically racist (particularly towards Asians like [=PeeJee=]). Aubrey called a meeting to reveal a plan to mollify [=PeeJee=], and Mike objected due to it not solving the underlying problem. For one, it showed Mike showing genuine concern for another person with no ulterior motive. For another, the rest of the cast agreed with his main point, and went ahead with their plan only because it would be a useful distraction.
248	* MistakenForGay: His Pythagorean costume is an all-purple affair with a large rainbow triangle on the forehead. Mike insists it's a mathematical reference, but his friends are understandably concerned other people might not get it, with his wife likening it to a giant "I cordially invite you to fuck with me" sign.
249	* {{Munchkin}}: A bad habit that makes playing with him almost untenable; If he can't play his ridiculously overpowered amalgamation of stats, feats, and equipment that almost resembles a character if you squint a bit, he'll pout and complain the whole time.
250	* NiceGuysFinishLast: Subverted heavily — a major point of Milholland's (and Davan's) is that a lot of supposed "Nice Guys" are actually self-involved, self-pitying jerks like Mike, who are actually quite selfish, and only after most girls because of their looks (something they hypocritically accuse the girls of doing with the "jerks" they go out with). And that said "Nice Guys" often pretend to be girls' friends just to potentially seduce them later, while pining over them like stalkers, none of which is "nice" behavior at all.
251	** However, after his CharacterDevelopment he now has a girlfriend, a baby, and the respect of his friends (well, as close to respect as Davan, Aubrey, ''et al'' can actually express) for his superhero career.
252	* NoodleIncident: [[TabletopGame/{{GURPS}} Steve Jackson]] has a restraining order against him.
253	* NonPoweredCostumedHero: One day he decided he wanted to affect a positive change on his community, specifically by becoming a superhero. His daily heroics as Pythagorean include helping people with their groceries, finding lost pets and generally just being a nice guy and he is well loved by the community at large for it.
254	* ObliviousToLove: His total lack of self esteem and inexperience with any kind of flirting, despite being ''married'' makes him unable to tell that the multiple women (and at least one man) who gave him their phone numbers were hitting on him.
255	* StrawLoser: Initially he was written into scenes only to do and say all the wrong things, but he improved with time and effort. Now he can carry entire storylines without any of the main cast, and his misfortunes come across as sympathetic instead of karmic.
256	* TookALevelInBadass: The eventual result of his superhero career, much to everyone's astonishment (particularly his own).
257	* WriteWhoYouKnow: Mike is an amalgamation of two people Randy knew -- both misogynistic whiny geeks. One person got better from that phase, while another got worse. Luckily for Mike, he seems to be following the example of the one who got better.
258
259	!!Jhim Midgett
260	Ironically, Jhim, the only recurring gay male character, is the Straight Man of the group, often rejecting the bizarre habits and statements of the others. He tended to get dragged into whatever crazy thing the rest of the gang was doing. He left Boston after a couple years of the strip after several failed relationships (one to a heavily-closeted man with a wife and son), and only returned when Davan left, making him a ''very'' rarely-recurring character. He's proven to be a bit of an EnsembleDarkhorse, being one of the most-requested characters for the "Old Familiar Faces" arcs.
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262
263	* ObliviousToLove: He never caught on that [=PeeJee=] [[IncompatibleOrientation had a crush on him]], and would say stuff like [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/treated-pt-2/ this]] rather routinely.
264	* OutOfFocus: He used to be one of the main cast, and now more than a year often goes by between appearances.
265	* ShipperOnDeck: For Davan/[=PeeJee=].
266	* StraightGay: He's far less camp than most of the people he hangs out with, despite stereotypical interests like ballet and theatre. That said, his Superhero persona is "[[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/snappy-heroes/ Jim Dandy]]", a fact Davan is delighted to point out.
267	* StraightMan: (ha ha). If he's in the room with any of the main cast, he's typically the one to take the mess they're in seriously and provide the set-up line for their snark.
268	* WriteWhoYouKnow: Based off of a real-life person of the same name, and a friend of Randy's.
269
270	!!Mr. Sanderson
271	A rich investor that meets Davan after the implosion of a play he invested in, later hiring Davan partially out of pity and because he was impressed by Davan's character. He's rich, snide, an enthusiast of drugs and alcohol, and somehow still manages to be one of the most decent people in the cast.
272
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274
275	* TheAlcoholic: His primary hobby besides "produce plays of dubious quality" seems to be "drinking expensive alcohol".
276	* BenevolentBoss: Treats Davan more like a colleague than an employee and goes out of his way to ''try'' and help Davan have some fun in his life. Davan actually dislikes this, partly due to not handling positivity in any form well and partly because Sanderson's good intentions have a way of backfiring on Davan.
277	* CheaterGetsCheatedOn: One strip has him being shocked that he found his mistress cheating on him with his wife's lover in his (the boss) own bed.
278	* EccentricMillionaire: Rarely if ever are profits or losses mentioned in conjunction with the plays he produces, and yet his fortune endures, so either the plays are successful or he's got money to burn.
279	%%* DeadpanSnarker
280	* HappilyMarried: To his wife, in an [[{{Polyamory}} open marriage]] that seems to also involve prostitutes who sometimes break his heart by having affairs with his wife's boyfriends.
281	* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: He's willing to listen to Davan's advice and shows him a fair deal of respect and leeway; A far cry from [[BadBoss Davan's boss at his Medicaid job]].
282	* UnclePennybags: Very wealthy, and very generous with that wealth.
283	[[/folder]]
284
285	[[folder: Other Characters]]
286	!!Avagadro Pompey
287	A repulsive, yet prolific, theater producer. Racist, sexist and many other things ending with 'ist', Avagadro exemplifies the worst sort of thespian. [[spoiler:Eventually dies of cancer, despite Kharisma's attempts to kill him.]]
288
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290	* BadBoss: So much this. He introduces himself to the actors under his direction by declaring himself their genetic superior, using only their first names for evidence.
291	* CreepyUncle: Poor Ollie can't catch a break; if it isn't his dad's (alleged) physical beatings, it's Uncle Avagadro's sexual abuse.
292	* TooKinkyToTorture: After his death and damnation, he keeps complaining that Hell is nothing like the travel guides suggest. Said travel guides are ''Bibles''.
293
294	!!Pepito Sanchezberg
295	Avagadro's personal dwarf sex slave, who manages to escape and live with the main cast for a while. After Avagadro dies, he inherits his former employer's estate and lives it up- before being ripped apart by a horde of rabid catgirls at a con.
296
297	* SuddenlyBilingual: Inverted. For the longest time after Pepito was introduced, he only ever spoke (poorly translated) Spanish. However, after finding his way back to Boston, he accidentally reveals that he can speak English too; much to Davan's chagrin.
298

Context Characters / SomethingPositive