1 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zortic_covers.png]] |
2 | ''Zortic'' is a ScienceFiction {{webcomic}} by Mark Mekkes. The comic focuses on the adventures of Zortic, a LittleGreenMan who's a huge FanBoy for Earth pop culture; through winning a trivia contest, he finds himself the owner and captain of a spaceship. Along with [[OnlySaneMan saner and wiser]] female companion Zoie and [[TheStoic Zen-like]] mechanic Splink, they set out across the galaxy where they engage in [[AffectionateParody affectionate parodies]], send-ups, and spoofs of all kinds of Earth sci-fi and pop-culture material. |
3 | |
4 | The original run of the comic, now known as ''Classic Zortic'', ran from 2000 to 2008, updating usually three times a week; it ran to over 1200 comics. In September 2008, ''Zortic'' underwent a ContinuityReboot, becoming ''The New Adventures of Zortic'', otherwise known as ''Z2''. It updates weekly on Saturdays and has reached over 200 strips. |
5 | |
6 | Can be found [[http://entireprizeenterprises.com/zortic/ here]]. |
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8 | ---- |
9 | !!Both series contain examples of the following tropes: |
10 | * AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: Even within the same species. |
11 | * ArtEvolution: The art style improves noticeably over the course of the strip. |
12 | %%* ArtificialGravity |
13 | %%* CatchPhrase: "Shut up, Splink!" |
14 | * FlyingSaucer / CoolShip: The ''Entire Prize''. It actually [[ShownTheirWork bears a resemblance]] to some UsefulNotes/{{NASA}} lifting body designs. |
15 | %%* GameShowAppearance: How Zortic wins his spaceship. |
16 | * GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe: Zoie is a Purple-Skinned Space Babe]. |
17 | * HalfHumanHybrid: [[spoiler:Zoie, apparently.]] |
18 | * KlingonsLoveShakespeare: Both Zortic and Zoie are fans of Earth pop culture. |
19 | %%* LeaningOnTheFourthWall |
20 | %%* LittleGreenMan: Zortic. |
21 | * MeaningfulName: The ship is called the "entire prize" because Zortic won it in a game show. |
22 | ** In ''Classic'', he intended to win enough money to pay off his student loans. He got a ship instead, and incredulously asks "That's the entire prize!?". |
23 | ** In the reboot, part of the prize was a date with Zoie (a celebrity this time around), who is miffed at being a prize in a contest. She angrily tells Zortic the ship's the "entire prize" and he liked it. |
24 | %%* OnlySaneWoman: Zoie |
25 | * PointyEars: Most of the aliens have these. |
26 | * RobeAndWizardHat: A robe and OneWayVisor in this case. Splink is [[LimitedWardrobe always seen]] in a comfortable, long robe that hides his legs and feet completely and has ''never'' been seen without his visor, which doubles as an ExpressiveMask. [[spoiler:While his eyes have never been seen in canon, omake scenes hint that the goggles hide EyeScream, although he says it's prosthetics and makeup.]] |
27 | * SpiritAdvisor: |
28 | -->'''Splink:''' I'll be joining you as your native guide, spiritual advisor and on-board mechanic. |
29 | -->'''Zoie:''' Spiritual advisor? |
30 | -->'''Splink:''' Hey, I didn't say I was a ''good'' mechanic. |
31 | * {{Stripperiffic}}: Zoie occasionally finds herself in outfits like this to "fit in" on planets. It ''doesn't'' make her happy. |
32 | |
33 | ---- |
34 | !!''Classic Zortic'' contains examples of the following tropes: |
35 | %%* AccidentalMarriage: [[spoiler:Splink and Kris.]] |
36 | %%* AIIsACrapshoot: Otto the Autopilot, {{expy}} of [[Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey HAL]]. [[spoiler:And, later, Film/BladeRunner.]] |
37 | * ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Zortic's father is jailed by the Knastie Empire for trespassing, espionage, and body odor. |
38 | * BlandNameProduct: Burger Thing. |
39 | * BrainUploading: When Zortic retrieves his mother from Hell, she doesn't have a body to return to, so she [[Series/MyMotherTheCar inhabits the ship]]. |
40 | * ChekhovsArmoury: Splink clearly relishes the chance to play [[Film/JamesBond Q]]. |
41 | * {{Conscription}}: Being drafted into the Sector Guard for a year is apparently considered [[DisproportionateRetribution appropriate punishment]] for space racing in a restricted zone. |
42 | * {{Crossover}}: Most prominently with ''Webcomic/{{Melonpool}}'', although the comic takes part in some mega-crossover events as well. |
43 | %%* DamselInDistress: ''Don't'' call Zoie this. |
44 | * EvilKnockoff: [[spoiler:Otto!Splink.]] |
45 | * FingerlessHands: The three main members of the cast have these; other aliens sometimes do, but it varies. |
46 | * FlyingCar: The ''Entire Prize'''s ground probe. |
47 | * HandsomeLech: The captain of the Space Guard Cutter ''Cavalry''. |
48 | * HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:Red Bimbo]] |
49 | * HeroicBSOD: Zoie's reaction to [[spoiler:learing she'd been trapped in Splink's head]]. |
50 | %%* HumanPopsicle: Captain Brut. |
51 | * ImADoctorNotAPlaceholder: Inverted |
52 | -->'''Splink:''' I'm a mechanic, not a doctor! |
53 | * IronicEcho: [[http://entireprizeenterprises.com/classiczortic/2000/04/07/origins-4/ Zortic]] and [[http://entireprizeenterprises.com/classiczortic/2000/04/17/origins-8/ Zoie]] take out the trash. |
54 | * LadyLand: Homeworld of SpacePirate [[PirateGirl Girl]] Captain [[UnfortunateNames Red Bimbo]]. |
55 | -->'''Captain Bimbo:''' On Amazonia, "Bimbo" means "ingenous warrior"! |
56 | * LampshadeHanging: The artist depicts the characters' hands without individual fingers. This leads to a gag about them only having one huge finger and a thumb. |
57 | * LoanShark: ''Student'' Loan Shark. [[TheMafia The gangster]] Jabba...[[{{Expy}} er]], Chubby the Lump. |
58 | * LongLostRelative: Splink turns out to be the half-brother of Ralph Zinobop of ''Webcomic/{{Melonpool}}''. |
59 | ** [[spoiler:And then there's Zoie's mother: Red Bimbo.]] |
60 | --->'''Splink:''' Boy, talk about a gene pool that needs some chlorine. |
61 | * PlayboyBunny: Zoie finds herself dressed like this (much to her annoyance) when a tribe of "fake primitives" decides to sacrifice her to [[WesternAnimation/TheGreatGrapeApe the]] [[Film/KingKong Mugwump]]. |
62 | * RidiculouslyHumanRobot: [[spoiler:Ottoette.]] |
63 | * RingOfPower: Chubby gets tricked into putting on the [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings One Ring]] - which was coated in Crazy Glue. |
64 | * RoyalBlood: [[spoiler:Splink turns out to be the heir to the throne of Planet Zinobop. He renounces the claim, much to Ralph's relief.]] |
65 | * SecurityCling: The bad special effects of ''Series/LostInSpace'' are scary! |
66 | * SharedUniverse: Technically, as a result of ''Webcomic/{{Melonpool}}'''s [[CrossOver continuity]], Zortic's adventures take place in the Webcomic/{{Walkyverse}}. |
67 | * SnakePit: One of Captain Bimbo's fiendish traps. |
68 | * SpeaksInBinary: Splink can do this, although it [[ForgottenPhlebotinum was only used once]]. |
69 | * TempleOfDoom: An ''Franchise/IndianaJones'' parody happens, of course, complete with the required death-traps! |
70 | * ToHellAndBack: Zortic beats the devil in a game show quiz to rescue [[spoiler:Zoie's soul after a space station explosion]]. |
71 | * VillainBall: Captain Brut takes firm hold. |
72 | * WeUsedToBeFriends: Inverted; the cast met in nursery school, and hated each other. 20 years later, give-or-take, they're fast friends. |
73 | * WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Splink's goat is seen when he boards the ''Entire Prize'' for the first time, but is never seen again. |
74 | * WholePlotReference: One arc has the crew [[Literature/TheDivineComedy rescue Zoe from hell]]; another has [[Literature/StarshipOperators the ship taken over by a reality show]]. Yet another does ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''. |
75 | ** Actually it would be easier to count the arcs that were ''not'' this... |
76 | |
77 | ---- |
78 | !!''The New Adventures of Zortic'' contains examples of the following tropes: |
79 | * DarkerAndEdgier: A moderate case, but the adventures tend to be more realistic and more than one quirky antagonist becomes a full-scale villain. There is also Zortic's love of Star Trek being explained as being its escape from his parents' constant arguing... |
80 | * RelatedDifferentlyInTheAdaptation: Red is Zoie’s great-great-mother, who was frozen for two hundred years, rather than her mother. |
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