Line #21 ComicStrip/PVTMurphysLaw


1	A comic about life in the [[UsefulNotes/YanksWithTanks US Army]], starring Staff Sergeant Murphy and written/drawn by retired Master Sergeant Mark Baker. The title of the cartoon is both an ArtifactTitle and a ShoutOut to [[FinaglesLaw Murphy's Law]], and how it relates to life in the military. But despite the exaggerated humor each cartoon is actually a pointed look at how the real-life Army operates both officially and unofficially.
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3	Not to be confused with the Webcomic ''Webcomic/MurphysLaw'', although quite a bit of PVT Murphy's Law can be found online [[http://www.pvtmurphy.com here]].
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5	For several years, PVT Murphy's Law could be seen every week in the print version of the [[http://www.armytimes.com/ Army Times]] newspaper. However, following some controversy, the Army Times decided to drop the comic. Mr. Baker quit adding new pages to the webcomic sometime between 2010 and 2012. And the webcomic page went dark somewhere between 2013 and 2014. New comics started appearing again as of 2019 though.
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8	!!This webcomic includes examples of the following tropes:
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10	* TheAlcoholic: Implied to be quite a few of them in the Army. Every time Murphy's brigade rotates home from a deployment, a beer company executive can be seen [[CatapultNightmare bolting upright in bed]] because he [[Franchise/StarWars felt a disturbance in the force]] from the soldiers ''thinking so hard'' about how much they look forward to their first drink in months.
11	* ArtifactTitle: Private Murphy got promoted long ago, and several times since then. His promotion through the ranks is typically reflected in the titles of the printed collections of the comics.
12	* CatapultNightmare: Murphy has a dream in which his [[ItsRainingMen parachute]] fails to deploy.
13	* CrossOver: A brief one with ''Webcomic/AirForceBlues''.
14	* CurbStompBattle: As mentioned above, Murphy expects one when he's told he is going to be fighting against an Airman during a boxing tournament. Unfortunately, as the [[StereotypeFlip airman is an unexpectedly]] [[GiantMook huge brute]], it ''does'' turn out to be a CurbStompBattle, except Murphy's not doing the stompin'.
15	* DrillSergeantNasty: Several times. Notably a TakeThat was aimed at a RealLife DrillSergeantNasty who was demoted a single paygrade after being convicted of abusing his recruits.
16	* HonestJohnsDealership: A [[VisualPun literal]] [[AllDevouringBlackHoleLoanSharks loan shark]] at a car dealership is once shown asking Murphy about the length of his enlistment (presumably trying to gauge how much money Murphy could conceivably afford to pay for a car, so he can sell him the highest priced car in that range).
17	** [[TruthinTelevision Truth in television here]] most military bases are surrounded by similarly run used car dealers, stereo shops, etc., that exist only to prey on soldiers' wallets.
18	* ImportantHaircut: Murphy gets a buzz cut when he enters basic. And has to ''pay'' for it.
19	* ItsRainingMen: Murphy is a paratrooper, although the only times he ever uses this skill is during his training.
20	* LeeroyJenkins: [[http://www.pvtmurphy.com/Prints/LeroyJenkins.htm Murphy's battalion commander is implied to be one]].
21	* MildlyMilitary: Murphy himself at times, on one occasion, he states this as the reason he doesn't like visiting Air Force units.
22	* PinPullingTeeth: Murphy takes a grenade pin in his teeth and thinks, "This is how Creator/JohnWayne does it! ''[[BeatPanel beat]]'' The Duke must have had a hell of a dental plan!"
23	* [[PrisonsAreGymnasiums Battlefields Are Gymnasiums]]: One comic featured Murphy doing chin-ups on the barrel of a parked [[AwesomePersonnelCarrier Bradley IFV]]. He got yelled at for it by the vehicle's commander.
24	* RealLifeWritesThePlot: In one comic, Murphy is seen sitting on his cot, opening a Care Package, shouting "Mom sent commo!" While holding up a set of 2-way radios.
25	** When this one came out in 2004, radio comunications were a problem for troops stationed in Iraq.
26	* SecondLove: As far as the comic's representation of Murphy's love life goes, Murphy's wife Anna.
27	* SnipeHunt: [[http://www.pvtmurphy.com/Prints/B%20Co%20Supply.htm Murphy gets sent on one of these]] as a new arrival to his unit, told to fetch such items as "gird squares". Later on, after his promotion to sergeant, he assigns such a task to a newbie, [[http://www.pvtmurphy.com/Prints/PRC-E8.htm but it backfires]].
28	* SoldiersAtTheRear: There's a comic about "Fobbits"; in a visual pun, it's Bilbo in a flak vest and [=ACUs=] (and a bag of snacks from the [=FOB's PX=]).
29	* TakeThat: One aimed at Kid Rock, and also one aimed at a DrillSergeantNasty who was demoted for abusing his recruits. The latter featured the Drill Sergeant tumbling down a flight of stairs (labeled with the Army Core Values) and landing on his face.
30	* UnmovingPlaid: The cammo uniforms are done like this.
31	* VisualPun: Murphy depicted as an earthworm while trying to low-crawl (he gets told to low-crawl ''lower''), Murphy opening a care package from home, while surrounded by vultures wearing Army uniforms, a giant cockroach in charge of on-base housing, you get the general idea.

Context ComicStrip / PVTMurphysLaw