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| 2 | %% Image restored per Image Pickin thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16997113020.51682600 |
| 3 | %% Please don't change or remove without starting a new thread. |
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| 5 | [[quoteright:288:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yhst-34640480252896_2097_21059429.jpg]] |
| 6 | |
| 7 | ''[[http://www.penny-arcade.com/ Penny Arcade]]'' is a {{Gaming Webcomic|s}}, created by Mike "Gabe" Krahulik (art) and Jerry "Tycho" Holkins (writing) and updating on a Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule. From its humble beginnings in late 1998, the comic has inspired countless imitators and grown into a veritable household name; the franchise has its own convention ([[http://www.paxsite.com/ PAX]]) and charity ([[http://www.childsplaycharity.org/ Child's Play]]), as well as several commissions. |
| 8 | |
| 9 | Although most of the comics are connected to VideoGames in some manner, it is not exclusively a gaming comic; much of the humor is drawn from [[LifeEmbellished real-life experience]], as well as character interaction, both with the authors' alter-egos and with their friends. |
| 10 | |
| 11 | The series has spun off multiple other projects, including: |
| 12 | * PAX, formerly the Penny Arcade Expo, a convention featuring gaming of all kinds. There are now four (previously five) [=PAXes=] yearly: two general ones in the U.S. (West, formerly Prime as it was the original PAX event, and East),[[note]]The former third general U.S. PAX, South, was held from 2016 to 2020, but was canceled in 2021 due to the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic and a lack of growth.[[/note]] one in Australia, and an "Unplugged" one with a focus on tabletop games. There's also PAX Dev for game developers. |
| 13 | * MediaNotes/{{ChildsPlay|Charity}}, a charity that seeks to fight negative gamer stereotypes by providing gaming equipment to children's hospitals. |
| 14 | * Episodic video game ''VideoGame/PennyArcadeAdventures: On The Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness''. |
| 15 | * Various video series, including ''Penny Arcade: The Series'', a documentary shot in the PA offices, ''DLC [=PodShow=]'', which shows Mike drawing the comics featured in the podcasts; ''Livescream'', which shows the office cowards playing scary games; ''You're Gonna Love It'', which is where employees show terrible games to each other; ''Play Date'', where employees show each other their favorite titles; and ''First 15'', which show Gabe and Tycho playing through the - you guessed it - first fifteen minutes of a game neither has played before. ("PATV" as the various web series were called, shut down in 2013, although Mike, Jerry and associates now regularly stream on Twitch.) |
| 16 | * ''Literature/SongOfTheSorcelator''/''Epic Legends Of The Hierarchs''. This one's complicated, but the gist is that Jerry set up a FanficMagnet and told the internet to go to town with StylisticSuck. And then he threw a fake FandomRivalry into the mix.[[invoked]] |
| 17 | * ''Podcast/AcquisitionsIncorporated'', a ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' podcast/video series that's a collaboration between ''PA'' and Creator/WizardsOfTheCoast; with additional players such as Scott Kurtz of ''Webcomic/PvP'', Creator/WilWheaton, Morgan Webb of ''Series/XPlay'' and fantasy writer Creator/PatrickRothfuss. Now [[AscendedFan officially part of the Forgotten Realms canon]]. |
| 18 | * Reality talent search web series entitled ''WebVideo/StripSearch''. |
| 19 | * Tabletop game ''TabletopGame/EyrewoodAdventures'', spinning out of some of the strip's fantasy stories. |
| 20 | * ''Webcomic/TheTrenches'', a webcomic about video game quality assurance testers, originally created in collaboration with Scott Kurtz of ''Webcomic/PvP''. First announced to be on a hiatus in 2016, but links to it were removed from the Penny Arcade site in 2022 and the site domain [[OrphanedSeries expired]] in 2023. |
| 21 | * ''The Penny Arcade Report'', a section of the PA site for "serious" game industry news, reviews, and commentary which ran 2012-2013. |
| 22 | * ''Lexcalibur'', a series of children's books containing fantasy-themed poetry written by Jerry with accompanying illustrations by Mike. As of 2022, two volumes out of a planned trilogy have been released. |
| 23 | |
| 24 | Krahulik and Holkins were chosen for ''Magazine/TimeMagazine'''s list of Top 100 Influential People for their 2010 issue under the "Artists" category. |
| 25 | |
| 26 | Tycho has starred along with [[WebAnimation/HomestarRunner Strong Bad]], [[VideoGame/TeamFortress2 The Heavy]], and [[VideoGame/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice Max]] in a poker game named ''VideoGame/PokerNightAtTheInventory'', and the Fruit Fucker 2000 appeared (renamed Juice Bot) in the Steam version of ''VideoGame/MondayNightCombat''. [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/01/05 The Merch]] is now an unlockable pet in the game ''VideoGame/FireFall.'' |
| 27 | |
| 28 | The Cardboard Tube Samurai was available as a promotional Survivor for Creator/{{CMON}}'s ''TabletopGame/{{Zombicide}}'' for backing the Website/{{Kickstarter}} campaign or attending the PAX convention. Gabe and Tycho also appear as Kickstarter exclusive players for CMON's ''TabletopGame/{{Kaosball}}''. |
| 29 | ---- |
| 30 | !!This webcomic provides examples of: |
| 31 | |
| 32 | %%[[quoteright:288:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yhst-34640480252896_2097_21059429.jpg]] |
| 33 | %%[[caption-width-right:288:Yeah, it's kinda like that.]] |
| 34 | |
| 35 | * AbusiveParents: Tycho's [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2003/01/13/ childhood]] [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/07/04/ was]] [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/01/17/ often]] a [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/06/23/ living hell]]. |
| 36 | * AccidentalMisnaming: Scott Kurtz of ''Webcomic/PvP'', portrayed as TheRival in some strips, is invariably called "[[CountryMatters Steve Kuntz]]" by Gabe and Tycho. |
| 37 | * AccidentalTruth: In [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2012/02/29 "Stewardship"]] Scott Kurtz comes to the guys with a list of topics to avoid while writing ''[=PvP=]'' in his absence. As it happens, they had considered doing exactly that. |
| 38 | * AcronymAndAbbreviationOverload: The E3 2004 comic, where Gabe and Tycho argue over [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/05/17/les-disapointments which is better]]: |
| 39 | -->'''Gabe:''' The [[Platform/PlaystationPortable PSP]] is a POS!\ |
| 40 | '''Tycho:''' It's got [[VideoGame/MetalGearAcid MGS]]!\ |
| 41 | '''Gabe:''' It's still BS!\ |
| 42 | '''Tycho:''' How about the [[Platform/NintendoDS DS]]?\ |
| 43 | '''Gabe:''' FYI, I'm keeping my [[Platform/GameBoyAdvance SP]].\ |
| 44 | '''Tycho:''' OK. |
| 45 | * AdjectiveAnimalAlehouse: the Silver Unicorn in [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2012/12/07/the-vault-of-winter-part-one The Vault Of Winter, Part One]] |
| 46 | * AerithAndBob: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/12/12 Or so Gabe has been led to believe.]] |
| 47 | * AfterTheEnd: [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2015/05/04/gavinophilia We trusted the cloud, and it's made fools of us all!]] |
| 48 | * AmbulanceChaser: Spencer Halpin in [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/01/05 this strip]]. |
| 49 | * TheAnnotatedEdition: The printed collections have text commentary. |
| 50 | * AnswerCut: Annarchy decides that E3 is "[[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/05/30/ an elaborate scheme to suppress rational thought]]" and wonders what kind of "pea-brained monkey man it's supposed to appeal to." Enter Gabe. |
| 51 | ** In [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/04/06 this strip]], when Tycho asks why Gabe only wore his pants backwards once, it cuts to a flashback of Gabe in high school, [[PottyFailure with his pants soaked in pee]]. |
| 52 | ** [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2012/01/18 "What could he possibly be doing that is more important than what I want him to be doing right now?"]] |
| 53 | * AnthropomorphicTypography: The comic has a talking period, correcting trolls and addressing fan outrage. [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/6/13/ And this.]] |
| 54 | * ArtEvolution: Jokingly used when referencing [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/09/08/ ancient history]]. The [[LongRunners ten years of practice]] really shows. |
| 55 | ** And note that that first panel was based on the style ''years'' after the first actual panel. |
| 56 | ** Art timelines for [[http://penny-arcade.com/2011/11/18/jonathan-gabriel-an-art-retrospective Gabe]] and [[http://penny-arcade.com/2011/11/18/tycho-brahe-an-art-retrospective Tycho]]. |
| 57 | ** Later poked at [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2017/04/21/evolution again]] in a [[SelfDeprecation self-deprecating]] manner. |
| 58 | * ArtShift: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/02/03 Another art shift used here.]] |
| 59 | * ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: From the [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/2008/08/20/ rejection letter]] the duo supposedly received from Golf Digest for Bogey Golf, their series of golf comics: |
| 60 | --> Your "Bogey Golf" submission glorified many themes one does not readily associate with the game, such as incest, murder, rape, bestiality, religious intolerance, or crab fishing. |
| 61 | * AuthorAppeal: |
| 62 | ** Gabe seems to like drawing [[EldritchAbomination weird, disgusting-looking alien creatures]]. |
| 63 | ** Tycho loves SesquipedalianLoquaciousness. |
| 64 | * AuthorAvatar: Retroactively so -- Tycho and Gabe were not originally meant to represent the creators, but too many readers assumed that they did and eventually Jerry and Mike just went with that. Jerry's [[TheRant posts]] sometimes mention that while Tycho draws from Jerry and Gabe from Mike, their characters are distinct from their creators and the real story is redistributed to the appropriate character. For instance, he was the one that wanted to give away [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/03/28/ free waffles at their convention booth]], but it wasn't something Tycho would do, so their roles were switched for the comic. |
| 65 | ** The dissimilarities between Mike/Jerry and Gabe/Tycho were later played for laughs in [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2012/04/02 "Perhaps Too Real"]], where Tycho and Gabe art redrawn for the iPad Retina display end up [[GrossUpCloseUp looking like Jerry and Mike]]. |
| 66 | ** Later brought up to heighten the joke in [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2013/10/28 "Parabolic"]]. |
| 67 | * AwesomeMcCoolName: Mike named his ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' wizard "[[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/06/15/ Jim Darkmagic]]" (of the New Hampshire Darkmagics). |
| 68 | ** Immediately called out by Scott Kurtz, who demands, "Why don't you call yourself Chet ''[=AwesomeLaser=]''?" |
| 69 | *** Scott Kurtz later gave this a ShoutOut in [[Webcomic/PvP his own strip]]. |
| 70 | ** The group also suggested "Jim Fellmagic," "Fell [=DarkJim=]," "Jim Felldark," "Fell Darkevil," and "Ominous Darkfell Magic-Bad." |
| 71 | ** Also, [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/05/04/ Doctor Raven Darktalon Blood]]. |
| 72 | * AWizardDidIt: Used to explain [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/11/02 "reverse necromancy"]]. As well as [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/01/18 where babies come from]]. |
| 73 | ** Alluded to when Gabe comes to Tycho with the problem that he's painted himself into a corner with his D&D campaign. Tycho's solution is to say "A Wizard Did Something", and when Gabe tries to clarify a specific question, to say it louder. |
| 74 | * AwkwardlyGayDream: |
| 75 | -->'''Tycho''': Are you having another one of your ComicBook/SpiderMan dreams? [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/03/29 Oh god... I'm not ''in'' it, am I?]] |
| 76 | * BadassAdorable: Annarchy in [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/08/14/ Armadeaddon]], and doubly so in ''VideoGame/PennyArcadeAdventures'', where she plays a GadgeteerGenius. |
| 77 | * BadassBoast: Mike Krahulik gets one while talking about [[http://penny-arcade.com/resources/an-update1.html Ocean Marketing.]] |
| 78 | ---> I will personally burn everything I’ve made to the fucking ground if I think I can catch them in the flames. |
| 79 | * BadassSanta: In the 2012 Christmas strips featuring ''Podcast/AcquisitionsIncorporated''. [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2012/12/17 Ho-ho-holy crap!]] [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/2012/12/19 And they gave him stats.]] |
| 80 | * BaffledByOwnBiology: Gabe [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/04/16/exertiones exercises so little]] that when he gets ''VideoGame/WiiFit'', he doesn't recognize his own sweat. |
| 81 | -->''"It's like my body is ''crying''. Am I about to die?"'' |
| 82 | * BestialityIsDepraved: There is a RunningGag with Tycho having sex with all sorts of animals, including giraffes. It squicks out Gabe whenever it comes up. |
| 83 | ** Specifically, animals with long, slender (sexy) necks. |
| 84 | * BigNo: Too late, Gabe [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/04/11/ realizes the awful truth]] in "[[HeWhoFightsMonsters He Who Fights With Nerds]]". More gruesome examples are [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/01/30/ here]] and [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/05/06/ here.]] |
| 85 | * BindleStick: Gabe has one [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/03/08/ here.]] |
| 86 | * BerserkButton: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/10/24/ For the love of God, don't insult ''Jesse's Girl''.]] [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2002/06/19/ Or mention those claw shrimps.]] Or imply that TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}} and VideoGame/{{Warcraft}} [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/04/10 are the same thing near Tycho.]] |
| 87 | ** Real-life example: Mike Krahulik detests bullies. So much so that [[http://penny-arcade.com/resources/just-wow1.html he publicly named and shamed a horrid PR spokesman]] after he [[{{Jerkass}} belittled]], [[SmugSnake mocked]] and ''[[MoralEventHorizon threatened]]'' a customer after providing terrible service. Said spokesman's career is in tatters now. |
| 88 | * BlackComedy: |
| 89 | ** Used [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2001/04/02/ here]] and [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2001/02/28/ here, kinda.]] |
| 90 | ** [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]]: "Damn, son! That be that [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/12/07/ gallows]] humor!" |
| 91 | * BlackComedyRape: |
| 92 | ** The [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/08/11/ dickwolves strip]] and [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/08/13/ the strips that followed it]]. |
| 93 | ** The dickwolves are amateurs when compared to the [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2003/11/19/ customer service droid]]. |
| 94 | ** And between the droid and the dickwolves, [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/01/07 Velociraptors]]. |
| 95 | ** [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/05/12 Airport security is very strict]] |
| 96 | * BlandNameProduct: Most products are named and mocked, but in [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/10/18 two]] [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2003/05/07/ strips]] they were under a non-disclosure agreement, and decided to illustrate how silly the whole [=NDA=] thing is. There have been store and restaurant names such as [=GameShop=], Taco Hole, and Wang's Chinese Restaurant, though Tycho once did refer to Barnes & Noble by its real name. |
| 97 | * BlatantLies: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2001/08/03/ "Gabe, sometimes in order to hurt someone very badly, you have to tell that person terrible lies."]] |
| 98 | * BloodySmile: In the commentary of one strip around when '' VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'' was first released and the fandom was at its peak, Tycho said that the game was "smiling, but it has blood on its mouth" to metaphorically describe how its tone came across to him: a [[TakeThat hostile satire]] that presents itself as an AffectionateParody of {{Role Playing Games}} while simultaneously [[HolierThanThou denouncing them as evil]]. In other words, what the game uses as a love letter to games that came before, he saw as a ComplimentBackfire. |
| 99 | * BoldInflation: Frequently, both in the comic and news posts, usually in places where one might naturally emphasize a word when speaking aloud. The tendency was lampshaded in one post where Tycho admits he "might have a problem with italics". |
| 100 | * {{Bookends}}: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/02/19/ a textbook example of this trope.]] |
| 101 | * BottomOfTheBarrelJoke: [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/01/04/best-punchlines-of-2009 Best Punchlines of 2009]] (that weren't actual punchlines that previously appeared in the comic), which consists of three unconnected panels - an alien that looks like a sperm except the head looks like a testicle which is holding a gun with a barrel that looks like a butt plug declared that the "Scrotuum" have returned, Gabe telling a cult member he joined the cult because of [[DoubleEntendre "All the unprotected sects"]], and Tycho with his [[GroinAttack groin bloody]] and concealed by {{Pixellation}} yelling "MY DIIIIIIIIIICK". |
| 102 | * {{Bowdlerize}}: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/08/11/ Gears of Conflict Resolution]] |
| 103 | ** As mentioned earlier, the Fruit Fucker was renamed "Juice Bot" when appearing in ''Monday Night Combat''. Also, in ''Poker Night at the Inventory'', the Fruit Fucker appears on an unlockable table, but it is referred to as "Fruit Friend" (and even if you have the swearing uncensored, it ''still'' appears as "Fruit Friend"). |
| 104 | * BoyfriendBlockingDad: Anne's parents [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/07/06/ say]] she can't date boys until she's married. [[LogicBomb Wait, what?]] She also brings out the Overprotective Uncle in [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/02/13/ Tycho]]. |
| 105 | ** [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/07/15/ Though she doesn't take it]] [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/07/18/ very well...]] |
| 106 | * BreakingTheFourthWall: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2013/10/28 Parabolic]], a comic where Gabe and Tycho argue over VideoGame/TheStanleyParable, ends with [[spoiler:the real life versions of themselves commenting over how ''[[StealthPun real]]'' it was getting]]. |
| 107 | * BribingYourWayToVictory: Somewhere between this trope and RevenueEnhancingDevices is the [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/04/25/ Visa Crucible (for Everquest II).]] |
| 108 | ** Gabe cannot resist this in "premium content" model games such as ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'', often leading to him walking around in top-tier gear days into a game. |
| 109 | ** Mike states that he ''used'' to do this, but as he's gotten older, the experience has increasingly soured for him, and for the most part, he plays games to enjoy them instead. |
| 110 | * BrickJoke: Most people forgot about the Pac-Man watch, what with it not being mentioned for years. Then came the announcement that [[spoiler:it's a ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' Spy unlock through ''Poker Night at the Inventory''.]] |
| 111 | * BringMyBrownPants: |
| 112 | ** [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/10/26 Happens to Gabe upon being scared by Tycho while playing]] ''VideoGame/{{FEAR}}''. He then tries to deny the fact that he pissed himself. |
| 113 | --> '''Gabe''': What, this? This isn't pee. You startled me, I spilled my... drink, is all. |
| 114 | --> '''Tycho''': So you didn't wet your pants. You were just drinking ''piss''. |
| 115 | --> '''Gabe''': Yes, that's right. ''[[VerbalBackspace No.]]'' |
| 116 | ** Taken to an extremet [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2016/12/07 here]] when Tycho plays ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil7Biohazard'' in VR. |
| 117 | * BullyingADragon: Anyone who tries to push around Jerry and Mike. ''Penny Arcade'' has a '''huge''' following, and most of them are very internet-savvy. Do not attempt to threaten or bully its creators or their friends. You will be destroyed. [[http://penny-arcade.com/2011/12/26 Ocean Marketing]] and Jack Thompson found this out the hard way. |
| 118 | * CallBack: |
| 119 | ** The [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/07/14/ comic from July 14th, 2010]] has Tycho use the made-up racial slur "chuwero", first mentioned [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/11/10/ three and a half years ago]]. He will also use it on occasion in ''VideoGame/PokerNightAtTheInventory''. |
| 120 | ** [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2000/05/17 Tycho invented]] [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/06/13/ a hippo.]] |
| 121 | ** In [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/11/02 this comic]], Gabe ends up choking Tycho over ''[[VideoGame/SoulCalibur Soul Calibur III]]''. Around [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/08/01 three years later]], Gabe designs a device to let him choke other ''Soul Calibur IV'' players over the internet. |
| 122 | * TheCameo: ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime''[='=]s Finn and Jake appear on a poster in one strip. Derpy Hooves, from ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' appears in a few convention request strips. |
| 123 | * CelebrityParadox: [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2024/03/25/venerable-and-inscrutable A few strips]] feature Mike and Jerry while still referencing Gabe and Tycho as characters that exist alongside them. |
| 124 | * CharacterBlog: The corresponding blogs on the strips. More prevalent a few years ago, when the two would often argue on the front page, something that almost never happens anymore. |
| 125 | * CharacterizationMarchesOn: When the strip started, Tycho and Gabe were more or less interchangeable, with Tycho serving slightly as a StraightMan to Gabe's enthusiasm. As the strip moved on, they experienced wildly different development, with Tycho evolving into his current sexually depraved intellectual persona, while Gabe became dumber, more unhinged and randomly violent. |
| 126 | * CheckPlease: [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/03/25 This strip]]. |
| 127 | * ChestBurster / PuppeteerParasite: The [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/05/04/ Broodax]], [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/05/07/ in]] [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/06/06/ spades]]. |
| 128 | * ChristmasSpecial: Oh so [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/12/17/ subverted]]. |
| 129 | ** [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/12/19/ Combined with]] TheMerch. |
| 130 | * ClandestineCover: Penny Arcade released a collected book titled "The Splendid Magic of Penny Arcade: The 11 1/2 Anniversary Edition"; removing the dust jacket changes the title to "Almost 12 Years of Bullshit". Amusingly, the title change can be seen as representing the cover art, which shows Gabe enthusiastically riding a unicorn under a rainbow, while Tycho sits on the back looking annoyed. |
| 131 | * ClickbaitGag: [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2021/06/14/loki This strip]] has Tycho worried that ''Series/Loki2021'' worried that while the show is definitely great, there'll be some very WildMassGuessing clickbait-y articles along the lines of "[[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext Could Loki Finally MCU Marvel Infinity Stones Tesseract Space Stone?]]" Gabe wonders if [[AIIsACrapshoot an algorithm is writing it for other algorthims]] or if a human is human actually typed out the article. Tycho finds both ideas equally horrifying. |
| 132 | * CloserToEarth: Tycho and Gabe's wives Brenna and Kara come across this way, more for providing an outside perspective on their geeky madness than just being more grounded. |
| 133 | * TheCloudcuckoolanderWasRight: In a joke about him being egotistical, [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2002/08/14 Gabe thinks]] his birthday is an internationally recognised festival celebrated by everyone. [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/09/26 Turns out]] '''[[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/09/22 that it is]]'''. |
| 134 | * ComplainingAboutThingsYouHaventPaidFor: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/2002/03/20/ This]] newspost reveals that this is how Gabe feels about winning ''Nocturne'' in a competition. "Even when he gets your game for ''free'', it would appear that you still owe him." |
| 135 | * ConRecap: In the filler strips. |
| 136 | * ConfusingMultipleNegatives: It doesn't ''[[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/08/07/ not]]'' work. |
| 137 | * ContemplateOurNavels: In-universe; [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/07/12/ what is delicious]][sic] |
| 138 | * ContinuityNod: Fairly odd for a webcomic that features the main characters dying horrible deaths on a regular basis, but one [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/04/30/ comic]] introduced us to the idea that Tycho can't deal with the sun. More than six years later, Tycho is again seen trying to [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/06/30/ protect himself]] (although he only uses the helmet). And [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/09/07 once more]]. |
| 139 | ** The zombie that [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/1999/08/18/ "borrowed" Tycho's shirt]] has a small cameo in the [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/08/25/ Armadeaddon arc]]. |
| 140 | ** Tycho's penchant for [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/12/10/ rolling natural 20s]] is used to [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/08/23/ finish the Armadeaddon]]. |
| 141 | ** ''Extremely'' subtle, but you'll notice that the two children sitting in [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/06/17/ the middle]] are wearing shirts depicting [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/01/05/ the Merch and Fleshreaper]]. |
| 142 | * ContrivedCoincidence: Tycho buys a Zune, Microsoft's ill-fated answer to the iPod, based on the selling point that you can trade songs with other Zune users, yet he's the only one who has one. [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/01/03 He eventually runs into another Zune user]]... ''Creator/BillGates''. |
| 143 | * CoolUncle: Tycho to Anne, who in turn takes more after him than her [[AmazinglyEmbarrassingParents Amazingly Embarrassing]], [[FantasyForbiddingFather Fantasy-Forbidding Parents]]. |
| 144 | * CosmicHorror: The recurring concept and species known as the Deepcrow. |
| 145 | ** The nameless entity that possesses Tycho after his nightmares about Hell in the late 90's, which occasionally manifests itself during moments of rage, most memorably [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/04/10 here]] |
| 146 | * {{Crossover}}: Telltale's ''Poker Night at the Inventory'', sure it's typical for them to crossover a [[VideoGame/TeamFortress2 Video Game]] seeing that it's a gamer webcomic, but its really unlikely for them to crossover a [[WebAnimation/HomestarRunner Web Original]] and a [[ComicBook/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice Comic Book]]. |
| 147 | * CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Gabe. Not only is he the Cardboard Tube Samurai - whose skills may carry over in some form to his civilian persona - but he has received a blood transfusion from Spider-Man, and may be Darth Vader's son. Taking all this into account, Gabe may have the potential to be a web-slinging force-adept with the ability to slice things to shreds with a perfectly round tube, to say nothing of the potential synergy between spider-sense and force awareness. He's also the Beta Whisperer. |
| 148 | * CrowdSong: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/11/14/ This]]. |
| 149 | * DadaAd: The Series/{{Seinfeld}} Windows Vista ads, as seen [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/09/15 here]]. |
| 150 | * DadaComics: Twisp & Catsby. |
| 151 | * MediaNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks: Parodied with a [[http://art.penny-arcade.com/photos/1027441488_BeU8W-XL.jpg Dark Age-style Comic Jumper]] [[http://art.penny-arcade.com/photos/1027441465_hQRcZ-X2.jpg comic]] done by Gabe, and the subsequent Rob Liefeld pose contest for an Xbox with the Dark Age-style Comic Jumper, which Rob Liefeld even entered but lost due to using photoshop and [[http://penny-arcade.smugmug.com/photos/1029606622_iNZQe-M.jpg this one]] won the contest for being 'disturbing and confusing' just like a real Liefeld artwork. |
| 152 | * DarkAgeOfSupernames: Parodied with Doctor Raven Darktalon Blood. |
| 153 | * DeathIsCheap: Both Tycho and Gabe have died a number of times in the comic's run. They're still doing fine. |
| 154 | * DeliveryStork: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2014/07/23/the-talk-by-abby-howard The Talk, By Abby Howard]] offers a... ''unique'' spin on this. |
| 155 | * DespairEventHorizon: Tycho is on the edge of one [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/01/28 when looking up whether "Lord of the God-Kings" is a real book]]. If it is, he's going to kill himself and possibly others too. |
| 156 | * DigitalPiracyIsEvil: From the rant for [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/2009/10/26/ October 26th 2009]]; |
| 157 | -->It is not a mischaracterization to say that conversations with the hardcore PC community about software theft follow these tenets:\ |
| 158 | - There is no piracy.\ |
| 159 | - To the extent that piracy exists, which it doesn't, it's your fault.\ |
| 160 | - If you try to protect your game, we'll steal it as a matter of principle.\ |
| 161 | [[SarcasmMode It's like, who wouldn't want to bend over backward in their service?]] You need to know it, because nobody else is going to tell you: you guys sound like Goddamned subway vagrants. |
| 162 | ** Also [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/06/15/ here]] and [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/06/24/ here]] |
| 163 | ** [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/02/19/ "A Cyclical Argument With A Literal Strawman"]] The sad thing is that [[TheWarOnStraw the strawman]] [[TruthInTelevision isn't really much of an exaggeration at all]]. They are using ''actual arguments frequently made by pirates''. |
| 164 | * DisappointedInYou: In [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2018/09/07/childish-gambito this strip]] describing Gambit mode of ''VideoGame/{{Destiny}}'', this line is dropped. |
| 165 | --> If you drop ten motes, a dad will call you - not necessarily your dad - and will say that he and your mother are disappointed in you. But also not, like... surprised. |
| 166 | * DontExplainTheJoke: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/03/15/ This strip.]] |
| 167 | ** This ''[[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/07/07/paint-the-line-part-six Paint the Line]]'' comic actually has a footnote for those lacking in table tennis knowledge. |
| 168 | * DoubleEntendre: [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2016/02/03/speculative-diction Gabe tricks Tycho]]. |
| 169 | * DisproportionateRetribution: [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/01/28 "I'm getting into my car, and I'm driving to Barnes and Noble. If that is the name of a real book, I'm going to kill myself. Others may die also. I'm going to play this thing by ear."]] |
| 170 | ** [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/08/31 In a fit of rage, Gabe resorts to public crucifixtions to deter scalpers at PAX]] |
| 171 | * DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: In a ShoutOut to ''Series/{{Dateline}}'', Tycho is confronted by Chris Hansen over [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/08/29/to-catch-a-predator-rapture his intentions]] towards a [[Videogame/{{Bioshock}} little sister]]. |
| 172 | * DrivenToSuicide: |
| 173 | ** [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2014/02/26 Apparently one shouldn't read the entirety of Gabe's thoughts for two years put down to writing]]. |
| 174 | ** Gabe and Tycho [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2022/06/08/on-the-tl drive off a cliff]] Film/ThelmaAndLouise-style after a discussion of the various freemium currencies in Diablo Immortal. |
| 175 | * DumbassHasAPoint: In one strip Tycho is pointing out that Gabe is playing a cell phone game where he matches cakes, commenting that the production values of said games must be terrible. Gabe shoots back that he'll have [[CrackIsCheaper 50 games to Tycho's 1]] and they'll see who has more fun after that. |
| 176 | * EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The presence of some of the PA staff such as Batjew and Safety Monkey in some of the early 2000's strips, as well as them having their own posts on the front page, something which hasnt been seen in years. |
| 177 | * DualWielding: With [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/07/09 Ping-pong paddles.]] |
| 178 | * ElmuhFuddSyndwome: [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/10/03 This strip]] invokes it for laughs. Subverted since Gabe does not actually have Elmer Fudd Syndrome. |
| 179 | * EpicFail: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/11/15/ Gabe and Tycho use Kinect.]] |
| 180 | * EvenEvilHasStandards: Gabe and Tycho may do horrible things to other people and one another, but [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/08/16/ they do in fact have limits.]] |
| 181 | ** Another example [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/09/13/ here.]] |
| 182 | * EvenNerdsHaveStandards: Gabe [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2014/05/23/nipping does not approve]] of his son {{LARP}}ing. Tycho, on the other hand... |
| 183 | * ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: Tycho's explanation of a [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/06/22/ Mind Flayer.]] |
| 184 | ** There's also the comic called "[[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/02/09/ Emerging From Hideous Cocoons]]" where Gabe and Tycho, well, emerge from hideous cocoons. |
| 185 | * {{Expy}}: L. H. Franzibald appears to be some unholy combination of [[Webcomic/CtrlAltDel Tim Buckley]] and either Creator/LRonHubbard (creator of Scientology) or Creator/RASalvatore (creator of Drizz't)-- mostly Tim (and yes it's based on an outfit he wore, sunglasses and all). |
| 186 | * EscalatingPunchline: [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/06/16 Nintendo's 2010 E3 announcement]]... |
| 187 | --> '''Reggie Fils-Aime:''' "'''''New''''' [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword Zelda]], '''''New''''' [[VideoGame/GoldenEyeWii GoldenEye]], '''''New''''' [[VideoGame/KirbysReturnToDreamLand Kirby]], '''''New''''' [[VideoGame/MetroidOtherM Metroid]], '''''New''''' [[VideoGame/KidIcarusUprising Kid Icarus]], '''''New''''' [[Platform/Nintendo3DS 3D shit]], no glasses, SantaClaus is real, he's in our booth, and he's '''''giving out fucking handjobs.''''' Nintendo, bitches! '''''We out.'''''" |
| 188 | * EyeScream: |
| 189 | ** [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/03/14/ THIS IS INCREDIBLE]] |
| 190 | ** Also, [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/03/28/ this.]] |
| 191 | ** And [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2003/08/15/ this.]] |
| 192 | ** [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2002/02/25 Jesus FUCK my EYE CHRIST!]] |
| 193 | ** [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/01/04 In the first panel.]] |
| 194 | ** [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2013/05/01 Gabe]] tries to get a "reverse Lasik" procedure done (that is, using lasers to make his eyesight ''worse'', so he can wear NerdGlasses.) It goes about as well as you'd expect. |
| 195 | * FantasticRacism: Their "SpinOff" series ''Automata'' is set in a 1920s [[FilmNoir noirish]] universe where racism is saved for robots rather than other humans. |
| 196 | ** It's also the subject of [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2012/09/03 this strip.]] |
| 197 | * FillerStrip: The Sketchbook-like updates that happen when the two are at various conventions. |
| 198 | * {{Fingore}}: Gabe once [[RealLifeWritesThePlot legit]] cut his thumb clear to the bone without even realizing it. In [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/03/30/ the accompanying strip]], Tycho was less than concerned. |
| 199 | * FlatEarthAtheist: Tycho knows that Gabe often hangs out with Jesus (literally; they play video games), but is an atheist. |
| 200 | ** Lampshaded by Gabe in TheRant [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/news/post/2010/12/24/my-take-on-the-comic here.]] |
| 201 | * ForcedTutorial: [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/10/05/my-friend-totoriol Before you can skip the tutorial, you must complete the Tutorial Skipping Tutorial]]. |
| 202 | * FourthWallPortrait: Gabe and Tycho look almost nothing like their real-life alter egos. In "[[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2012/04/02 Perhaps Too Real]]", Gabe tried to update the strip with a more detailed look, resulting in grotesque caricatures of Mike and Jerry. |
| 203 | * TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou: their "Error 500" message is as follows: |
| 204 | -->[[AC:Thanks a lot.]]\ |
| 205 | [[AC:You broke our website somehow. We are angry.]]\ |
| 206 | [[AC:[[ParanoiaFuel An obliterator-class huntroid has been dispatched]].]] |
| 207 | * FourFingeredHands: The norm, though [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/01/05 subverted]] in one strip specifically for an extended pinky. |
| 208 | * FreudianTrio: Notably absent. Tycho typically fills the Superego role and Gabe is pure Id, but there is no Ego. The two are constantly fighting, and nobody cares enough to moderate. Their former roommate, Jim, was explained as filling the role before his death (canonically predating the comic's entire run). |
| 209 | * FridgeBrilliance: [[invoked]] Parodied [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2001/11/28/ here]], for a TakeThat at Franchise/{{Halo}}. |
| 210 | * FunnyBackgroundEvent: Inverted [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/01/21/ here]] where the event is in the foreground. |
| 211 | ** [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/08/07/ Here.]] |
| 212 | * FunWithAcronyms: [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2012/05/28 While presenting dynamic story-telling]] in ''VideoGame/GhostReconFutureSoldier'', with the '''V'''ariable '''A'''utomated '''G'''lobal '''I'''ntrigue '''N'''arrative '''A'''gent. |
| 213 | ** For Gabe's "Gamers Against Exercise" initiative, he had [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/05/18 T-shirts printed out]]. This one may not be so quick to catch on, though.[[note]]Hint:Read the acronym as one word, not letter by letter.[[/note]] |
| 214 | * GadgeteerGenius: Their cat, apparently. Earlier strips had Tycho and Gabe with some extremely futuristic device, with no explanation other than "The cat helped". |
| 215 | * GaggingOnYourWords: Gabe in [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/03/09/ this]] strip. |
| 216 | * TheGameComeToLife: [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/08/a-brief-index-of-difficulty Ninja Gaiden's Hard Mode]]. |
| 217 | * GilliganCut: One covering [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/09/08/ twelve years]] and an ArtShift. |
| 218 | * GirlOnGirlIsHot: Heavily implied [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/08/29 here]]. Also touched on in the legendary "carrot cake soup" blog post, where Jerry describes the unholy concoction's flavor as "the taste of watching girls make out." |
| 219 | * GlowingEyesOfDoom: Often seen when the characters, especially Tycho, are angry. [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/08/24/ Here's]] just one of many examples. |
| 220 | * GodwinsLaw: Tycho [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/10/12 runs afoul of this.]] |
| 221 | * {{Gonk}}: |
| 222 | ** A somewhat more [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2012/04/02 "realistic" drawing of the authors]], though exaggerated [[RuleOfFunny for comedic effect]]. |
| 223 | ** A possible side-effect of [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/10/03/the-affwiction raccoon AIDS]]. |
| 224 | * GotMeDoingIt: Due to Gabe playing so much ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemptionII'', Tycho confronts him about [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2018/11/05/inflection his new patois]]. Gabe doesn't care, making Tycho speak the same way during a fit of anger. |
| 225 | * GoYeHeroesGoAndDie: The motto of the Lookouts in the eponymous strip is "May We Die In The Forest". |
| 226 | * GroinAttack: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/06/16/ Here]], [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/07/15/ here]], [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/01/04/ here]] and [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/08/13/ here]]. |
| 227 | ** [[SchmuckBait Click OK]] [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2001/06/18 to be kicked in the beanbag.]] |
| 228 | * GrossUpCloseUp: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/05/18/ Gabe's mouth is not a pretty sight]]. |
| 229 | * GuestStrip: Rare enough to stand out; [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/09/09/ one example]] (necessary because of Gabe's swine flu) was done by [[ComicStrip/FoxTrot Bill Amend]]. |
| 230 | ** And then mercilessly lampshaded by one guest artist ''himself'' by [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/09/21/ coming up with the same idea]] for the strip subject [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/09/11/ as one of the previous guests]]. |
| 231 | * HandyFeet: Gabe is pointed out to have monkey-like feet in one strip. |
| 232 | * HappyEndingMassage: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/11/19/ This strip]]. |
| 233 | * HeelFaceDoorSlam: [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/10/19/ here]]. |
| 234 | * HellIsThatNoise: The VideoGame/{{Patapon}} soundtrack apparently. |
| 235 | * HeroicBSOD: Tycho goes into one when he sees an ad for "[[XtremeKoolLetterz Gamez N Flix]]", the mutilation of language reducing him to a catatonic state. |
| 236 | * HeterosexualLifePartners: Tycho and Gabe, because they seem to spend a ''lot'' more time with each other than with their wives and children, and their periodic forays into sexual experimentation never seem to lead them together. |
| 237 | ** In fact, whenever one of them is stripped down to his skivvies or less, the other is outright disgusted. |
| 238 | ** Seems to apply to the series creators, too. In case we needed any confirmation, Jerry described Mike in a news post as "He's not my friend; he's more like my ''arm''". He does jokingly make fun of this trope in one newspost where he mentions that "he and Jerry are not together, and only ''rarely'' have sex. |
| 239 | * [[HeWhoFightsMonsters He Who Fights Nerds]]: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/04/11/ "Look at yourself. Look at what you've become."]] |
| 240 | * HilariouslyAbusiveChildhood: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2003/01/13/ Tycho is]] [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/01/17/ occasionally]] [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/06/23/ mentioned]] to [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/06/30/ have had]] one. |
| 241 | * HoldYourHippogriffs: Gabe gets pissed off at one of Franchise/StarWarsLegends's [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/07/23/ worst examples]]. |
| 242 | * {{Homage}}: The entire "[[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2000/08/30/will-she-complete-the-training Will She Complete the Training?]]" strip is a direct homage to the ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' scene where Luke asks Yoda to train him. Kara (Luke) asks Gabe (Yoda) to give her a crash course in ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}'' (Jedi training) before she faces her brothers (Darth Vader) online later, with Tycho appearing as a bodiless spirit (Obi-wan) to counsel them but messing up his lines. The title is a GenderFlipped paraphrase of a scene quote as well. |
| 243 | * HowTheCharacterStoleChristmas |
| 244 | * ICallItVera: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/08/09/ EB Games management in Penny Arcade is]] BADASS! |
| 245 | * IChooseToStay: In the strip [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2013/02/01/we-can-help ''We Can Help'']], the ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' movie ends with the nerd deciding that he belongs in Azeroth instead of the real world. Cue emotional goodbye. |
| 246 | * IKnowMortalKombat: Parodied [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2000/01/19/ here]] and [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/02/21/ here]]. |
| 247 | ** [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2002/12/11/ As well as here.]] |
| 248 | ** [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/04/20/ And then hilariously averted here.]] |
| 249 | * ILikeThoseOdds: [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/07/09 "This ain't really fair now, is it? I mean... there's only two of them."]] |
| 250 | * IllKillYou: [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2016/03/09/membrane How Gabe reacts to Tycho unboxing his new phone.]] |
| 251 | * ImagineSpot: In just the last panel of "[[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/1999/11/03/rawhide Rawhide]]", Gabe imagines the developers of ''VideoGame/DukeNukemForever'' [[note]](possibly the most notoriously stuck-in-DevelopmentHell game ever)[[/note]] playing cowboy rather than working on the game, complete with thought bubble. |
| 252 | * ImpossibleItemDrop: Spoofed in [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2002/12/06/ this comic]]. |
| 253 | * ImprobableWeaponUser: Cardboard Tube Samurai |
| 254 | * InformedObscenity: One [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/07/22/ strip]] showed Microsoft using the Precog-system from ''Film/MinorityReport'' to predict words that are ''about'' to become profanities. The word that gets pulled down is 'Ham Doctor'. |
| 255 | * InkblotTest: In [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2003/08/29 this strip]], a psychiatrist tells Raikoh from ''VideoGame/OtogiMythOfDemons'' that he has an obsession with demons after he sees them in every inkblot… and the water cooler. |
| 256 | * InterspeciesRomance: Sexy, sexy [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/01/18/ giraffes]]. Also, [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/12/30/ jellyfish]], [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/10/20/ birds]] and [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/09/19/ aliens]]. |
| 257 | -->'''[[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/08/09/ Tycho]]''': How do you know this super hot ostrich is from ''my'' subconscious? |
| 258 | * {{Irony}}: The team hates game piracy, but both the real and comic Tycho openly admit to torrenting TV shows. [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/10/06/ And yes, they're self-aware]]. |
| 259 | * [[JesusWasWayCool Jesus Is Way Cool]]: And also "[[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/08/04/ fucking metal]]". He likes hanging out and playing video games, brings great food to Thanksgiving dinner, and buys christmas presents for his friends. |
| 260 | * JustOneMoreLevel: ''[[VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft World Of Warcrack]]'' [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/01/23/ reclaims Gabe]] as [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/12/31/ he knew it would]]. (Eventually Tycho succumbed as well.) |
| 261 | ** Gabe [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/2010/09/17/ has been lost]] to ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'': |
| 262 | --->'''Tycho:''' He's well and truly gone; the Gabriel we knew is dead. He [[DugTooDeep delved too deep]] and was remade in the hot veins of the Earth. I have heard him suggest that the game is crack, but it's more like [[ItemCrafting all of the ingredients and equipment]] that you need to make crack, which I'd say is worse. It's like: give a man some crack, and he'll... but if you teach him to make crack, and then... [[{{Dissimile}} There must be a saying that explains all this, surely]]. |
| 263 | * JustSoStory: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/09/03/ What the tooth fairy does with teeth.]] |
| 264 | * KillerRabbit: "[[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2003/11/12 The Omega Hare]]" has this in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'' with one turning Gabe's galka partner into mush in a GoryDiscretionShot. |
| 265 | --> Hume: "Did you help him?" |
| 266 | --> Gabe: "No. It turns out it was the king of all rabbits, indeed of all rabbit-kind. Their lord. The single template from which all other rabbits were wrought." |
| 267 | * KillItWithFire: Effectively the MO of the Gabe's ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' wizard Jim Darkmagic (of the New Hampshire Darkmagics) in [[Podcast/AcquisitionsIncorporated their podcast]] on the Creator/WizardsOfTheCoast website. Scorching Burst was used to set fire to everything from goblins to zombies to vampires to berserkers to priests to Binwin Bronzebottom, the party's Dwarven Fighter. |
| 268 | * KillItWithIce: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/10/07/ Right here.]] |
| 269 | * LastNameBasis: Gabe's first name is Johnathan, but this is of course rarely used. |
| 270 | * LateToThePunchline: Gabe finally learns [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2017/11/24/retrofuturism where]] the “Arrow to the knee” meme came from. |
| 271 | * LeastRhymableWord: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/09/13/ Acquiesce]]. |
| 272 | * LeaveTheCameraRunning: The guys have described their pacing as a comic adaptation of this idea; many strips have punchlines in the second panel, and the frame will simply stay on the characters a little too long. The third panel will either be a OneTwoPunchline, OverlyLongGag, or ReactionShot. |
| 273 | * LessEmbarrassingTerm: Doubly subverted in [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/08/27 this strip]] where Gabe takes offence to his belt-mounted carrying bag being called a fanny pack, but then calling the second bag he's wearing a fanny pack. |
| 274 | * LifeEmbellished: Gabe and Tycho are not quite the same as Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins, but the comic characters' opinions and lifestyle closely mirror the authors'. Comics are often written about real events and conversations, and real people appear in the comic, including the authors' families - often depicted even closer to how they are in real life than the main duo. {{Lampshaded}} in "[[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2002/01/16/its-a-problem It's a Problem]]" when the comic version of Mike's real wife Kara, who is presumed married to Gabe in-universe, calls Tycho "Jerry" and Gabe "Mike" prompting Tycho to correct her. |
| 275 | * LimitedWardrobe: Gabe wears his VideoGame/PacMan T-shirt over a darker yellow long-sleeve, and Tycho sports a two-tone blue sweatshirt, at nearly all times. |
| 276 | * LiterallyPrizedPossession: Early strips had a RunningGag where Tyco and Gabe would steal a Pacman watch from one another (which served as shorthand for which of them needed to get even with the other this time). |
| 277 | * LongRunners: [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/1998/11/18/the-sin-of-long-load-times The very first comic was submitted]] on November 18, 1998 and the comic continues to this day, with virtually no ScheduleSlip. |
| 278 | * LoomingSilhouetteOfRage: Found [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/03/03/ here]], along with a ShadowDiscretionShot. |
| 279 | * LovecraftLite: Several EldritchAbomination like beings exists and are taken lightly. |
| 280 | ** [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/05/16 An Orkin employee taming a Deep Crow.]] |
| 281 | * LowCountGag: Tycho and his nemesis L.H. Franzibald are guests at a convention. Upon entering the hall for their panel, Franzibald notes to Tycho, "I see all your fan turned up." And there is, indeed, a solitary "furnie" on one side of the room. |
| 282 | * LukeNounverber: Jim Darkmagic (of the New Hampshire Darkmagics) |
| 283 | * MerchandiseDriven: {{Lampshaded}}. See TheMerch, above. |
| 284 | * MercyKill: As seen in The Unhorse. |
| 285 | -->'''Game:''' First select the pistol, and then, select your horse. |
| 286 | ** Gabe pulls this on [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic]] in "A Ring And A Prayer" by shooting him in the head, at the latter's own request. |
| 287 | * MermaidProblem: Addressed quite directly [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/09/29/ here]]. |
| 288 | * {{MST}}: [[AdvertisingTropes Ad]]''[[IncrediblyLamePun monishments]]'', found [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/07/26/ here]]. |
| 289 | * MultipleChoiceFormLetter: Tycho writes [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/03/16 one comic]] this way as he wants to write a comic about the PAX East convention before he attends. Subverted when the first two blanks have been filled in with incredibly generic things virtually guaranteed to occur, then double-subverted when the last panel describes something no one could have predicted. (There really was a grown-ass man cosplaying as Chun-Li at PAX East 2011.) |
| 290 | * MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/02/21 The first part]] of the story arc ''Ripped From Today's Headlines'' has Tycho accidentally killing his wife when trying out a move from ''VideoGame/SplinterCell'', and feeling bad for it. |
| 291 | --> '''Tycho''': Oh my god. Oh my god. Please don't leave me! |
| 292 | * NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tycho_Brahe Tycho Brahe]]. |
| 293 | * NerfArm: The Cardboard Tube Samurai, which has spawned more than a few instances of the deadly tube showing up in some games. |
| 294 | * NeverSayThatAgain: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/04/10/i-hope-you-like-text/ Gabe evoked this response from Tycho.]] |
| 295 | * NightmareFetishist: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/09/19/ Tycho is one.]] Apparently this trait extends to his real-life persona... |
| 296 | ** [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/04/01/ Another example]]. |
| 297 | * NinjaLog: Though it is uncertain if [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/02/16/ Gabe]] can ''choose'' what he leaves behind or if "[[http://www.penny-arcade.com/2009/02/16/ the log [is] an inextricable part of the process]]". |
| 298 | * NoSell: The main character from Sand has survived every attempt to execute him so far apparently without feeling any pain or taking any damage at all. |
| 299 | * NonIndicativeName: See SpeciesSurname below. |
| 300 | * NonLethalWarfare: ''Really'' weird, considering how often they do {{Sugar Apocalypse}}s. |
| 301 | * NoMedicationForMe: Tycho spends a week off Lexapro, and [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2012/01/09 is impressed with what he produced]]. There was the downside of "wrestling with demons of the mind" though. He [[http://penny-arcade.com/2012/01/09 contemplates this idea]], in TheRant before rejecting it as misinformed. And even if the peaks are still attractive, they don't compensate for the troughs. |
| 302 | * NoOSHACompliance: Seen [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2003/10/22/ here]]. |
| 303 | * NotWhatItLooksLike: Tycho jokingly asks if the stains on Gabe's pants are semen. Gabe rebuffs him him by saying these are his painting pants, for an autobiography... which he's painting entirely [[SubvertedTrope in his own semen]]. |
| 304 | * OddCouple: The bread and butter shtick of the comic. Tycho mocks Gabe's ignorance, Gabe derides Tycho's pretensions. Rinse and repeat. |
| 305 | -->'''Tycho''': [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/03/25/ Let me just ask you this]]: do you think that "cloud rendering" is something that happens in the sky?\ |
| 306 | '''Gabe''': Yes.\ |
| 307 | '''Tycho''': Alright. CheckPlease. |
| 308 | * OhCrap: Gabe tries out ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' and realises he's gotten into something very addictive: |
| 309 | -->'''Gabe:''' I guess you punch trees? Which creates... wood? [[ItemCrafting Which I can turn into sticks? And then I turn the]] ''[[ItemCrafting sticks]]'' [[ItemCrafting into]] ... Oh no. ''Oh no.'' I'm in some real fucking trouble here. |
| 310 | ** [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/11/08/ Insulting someone bigger, stronger, and younger than you are is not a good move.]] |
| 311 | * OlderThanTheyLook: Tycho and Gabe continue to look and generally act like slacker twenty-somethings well into their forties. Semi-justified in that they're simultaneously [[AuthorAvatar Author Avatars]] whose lives mirror the creators' and independent entities who operate on cartoon logic, so while physically they're NotAllowedToGrowOld, mentally they've grown into middle-aged men. |
| 312 | * OnlineAlias: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/01/31/ Annarchy]] is of the "hacker" variety. Many {{MMORPG}} strips use the "XtremeKoolLetterz and numbers" variety. |
| 313 | * OriginalPositionFallacy: Tycho gives a [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/08/15/our-connected-world public service announcement]] about letting children explore the internet and accepting they may encounter things they are not ready for. He immediately transforms in rage when his son cheerfully tells him that he met a friend online who has "[[PaedoHunt a peepee too]]." |
| 314 | * OurMonstersAreDifferent: Parodied with the works of L. H. Franzibald, where there are "Hermaphroditic Androgynite" Witchaloks and "Half-wolf, half android" Wolfoids. |
| 315 | * OutGambitted: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/08/31/ A hilarious example.]] |
| 316 | * OutOfFocus: Div. He still hangs around, and still occasionally gets lines, but the strip doesnt have much use for an alcoholic, obsolete piece of home entertainment hardware anymore. |
| 317 | * OverlyNarrowSuperlative: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2000/11/29/ Here]], ''VideoGame/{{Kolibri}}'' is described as "arguably the finest hummingbird-based shooter available for the 32X". This becomes something of a RunningGag during the early 2000's. |
| 318 | * PalsWithJesus: Quite literally. Jesus seems to swing by the house frequently and gets along well with Gabe. He's polite to Tycho, but apparently the writer's nonstop blasphemy and questionable morality has already doomed him to Hell. |
| 319 | * ThePasswordIsAlwaysSwordfish: When Gabe's ''VideoGame/GuildWars2'' account is [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2012/09/26 hacked]], Tycho asks if he used the password "password" again. |
| 320 | -->'''Gabe:''' No. Jeez! I put in a ''four'' instead of an A. High security. See? Four isn't even a letter. |
| 321 | * PerfectlyCromulentWord: Killographic, used also in RealLife, and stuponfuicous. Such words are often used by Tycho when he writes the news posts that accompany comics. |
| 322 | * PerverseSexualLust: Displayed with [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/10/02/ "Polygonous Polygamy"]]. |
| 323 | * PlagiarismInFiction: PlayedForLaughs with one of Gabe's later ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' games, which is simply ''TabletopGame/{{Dragonlance}}''. Not even the campaign setting--the novels. |
| 324 | -->'''Tycho:''' So you're just running Dragonlance? Are you switching it up at all?\ |
| 325 | '''Gabe:''' No way. Actually, I'm just reading directly from the book. Every couple of pages I ask them to roll some dice. Then I just nod and keep reading. |
| 326 | * PlayTheGameSkipTheStory: [[invoked]]{{Discussed}}; one subject that's used for gags every now and then is that Gabe doesn't care about game stories, and just wants to get on with playing. Examples include [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/10/07 here]], [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/11/21 here]], [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2019/07/24 here]], [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2021/06/28 here]], [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2021/07/26 here]], and [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2022/03/11 here]]. |
| 327 | * PokeThePoodle: [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2003/12/03 Tycho, here.]] |
| 328 | * PottyFailure: The result of Gabe wearing his pants backwards like Kris Kross. (see AnswerCut, listed above) |
| 329 | * ThePowerOfHate: Gabe tells Tycho, "I wish I could hate you to death." And then his nose starts bleeding. |
| 330 | * PregnantBadass: Gabe's wife Kara, as least according to [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/2004/08/23/ this post]] by [[UnreliableNarrator Tycho]]: |
| 331 | -->I'm given to understand that she has the equivalent of SuperStrength in this "trimester" or whatever it is called, and has the capacity to deal aggravated damage. Gabriel informed me yesterday that she lifted a car over her head, and threw that car at another car and then climbed up an office building. After a spectacle like that, your discourse tends to bear the proper reverence. |
| 332 | * ProductPlacement: Surprisingly averted. It's a positively massive webcomic, with thousands of readers and big-name advertisers. Yet, if they mention a game in a positive light, they're playing it and having fun. In fact, some companies don't advertise there, simply because the mention of their game in ''Penny Arcade'' is publicity enough. |
| 333 | * PurpleProse: Sometimes, Tycho's newsposts fly off into a world of imagination and word-crafting. |
| 334 | * PuttingTheBandBackTogether: Tycho and Gabe (and Ben) [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/04/22/ after falling out]], and the {{Troperiffic}} faux-movie example from "[[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/06/25/ Paint The Line]]": |
| 335 | -->'''G-man:''' You're a hard man to find, Mr. Brahe.\ |
| 336 | '''Tycho:''' Not hard enough. |
| 337 | * RaceLift: Parodied [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/06/24/ here]] |
| 338 | * TheRant: One for each of the duo. |
| 339 | * RealLifeWritesThePlot: Where half of the stories and humor come from, one example being the July 1st, 2013 strip where Gabe insists on building a retro video game arcade in his and Tycho's garage. In real life, Mike Krahulik had been doing just that in his garage. |
| 340 | * RedEyesTakeWarning: |
| 341 | ** The [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/03/21/ Deepcrow]] and some of the [[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} Warhammer]] [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/07/14/ characters]]. |
| 342 | ** Whenever Tycho is pissed or evil enough (or both), his normally brown eyes get a nice red glow. |
| 343 | ** In [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/05/25/mercurial this strip]], Gabe (as well as Cole) gets a pair while he's repeatedly resurrecting and murdering a helpless civilian in ''VideoGame/InFamous''. |
| 344 | * RefugeInAudacity: Some of their more out-there content falls under this. |
| 345 | * RelationshipValues: [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2021/06/28/anime This strip]] has Gabe playing ''VideoGame/ScarletNexus'' and liking the combat but wanting to skip the "anime romance bullshit" until Tycho tells him he gets new powers based on this trope. |
| 346 | * RetconningTheWiki: |
| 347 | ** Tycho and Gabe. Gabe does that for fun, Tycho out of grudge. |
| 348 | ** There's also a strip where [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/12/16/ Skeletor can be seen vandalizing]] the ''[[Franchise/MastersOfTheUniverse He-Man]]'' page on wikipedia. |
| 349 | * TheRival: Scott Kurtz of ''Webcomic/PvP''. In reality he has collaborated with the boys many times, but in the strip he inevitably gets dubbed '[[AccidentalMisnaming Steve Kuntz]]' and MisBlamed for anything controversial. Scott briefly worked out of the PA offices, although he and PA have now gone their separate ways. |
| 350 | * RobotBuddy: Div, subverted. Although if you wanna get technical, Div isn't really a robot so much as he is a personification. |
| 351 | ** The Fruit Fucker is arguably a different kind of subversion. |
| 352 | * [[invoked]]RootingForTheEmpire: Tycho [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2012/03/02 in this strip]] towards the zombies of ''Series/TheWalkingDead''. |
| 353 | * RuleOfCool: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/06/19/ Why does Penny Arcade think you should get]] ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}''? |
| 354 | * RuleThirtyFour: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/12/30/ For the New Year]], the guys have resolved to quit bizarre Internet porn (Tycho... coldturkeys.com?) and quit jacking off to the jellyfishes in the local aquarium (Gabe). |
| 355 | ** [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/09/19/ In The Love Nest of Har'akki]] |
| 356 | * RuleSixtyThree: [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2014/06/13/to-p-or-not-to-p To P Or Not To P]] turns Gabe and Tycho into female versions of themselves. |
| 357 | * RunningGag: |
| 358 | ** How many times have they killed each other and stolen that VideoGame/PacMan watch from the corpse? [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2013/08/07 Even the wildlife has gotten in on it.]] |
| 359 | ** The repeated jokes that Gabe is secretly gay, ([[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2002/05/06/ especially for]] [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/03/29/ Spider-Man)]] |
| 360 | ** Their comic counterparts' obsession with penises. [[HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday But not in a gay way.]] |
| 361 | ** Punctuation. |
| 362 | ** Stem cell research. |
| 363 | ** Comic!Gabe's [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/01/09/ obsession with ponies.]] |
| 364 | ** Comic!Gabe's OCD in relation to ''Franchise/StarWars'' trivia. |
| 365 | ** Their aversion to exercise and/or healthy living. |
| 366 | ** Franchise/{{Pokemon}} as disposable living weapons. |
| 367 | ** Gabe as a [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2013/10/18 physically and emotionally abusive]] Pokemon trainer. |
| 368 | ** Comic!Tycho's [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/01/18/0/ weird]] [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/10/06/ fetishes]]: |
| 369 | ** Comic!Gabe's [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/01/23/ cybering adventures.]] |
| 370 | ** Reporter [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/03/15/ Randy Pinkwood.]] |
| 371 | * SarcasticConfession: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/12/14/ "He's absolutely right. I'm constantly going to the store to buy things I hate."]] |
| 372 | ** Bearing in mind that it is, to a greater or lesser extent, his job to do so. Comic!Tycho was speaking to a penchant for doing so of his own volition, independent of any sort of obligation. |
| 373 | * SecondLawMyAss: The Fruit Fucker, and Div. |
| 374 | * SecretSanta: Organized by Div... except that the only name in the hat is Div. |
| 375 | * SeductiveMummy: Parodied via a scene from ''Literature/TheTwilightSaga'' when [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/10/12/a-premonition the characters predict]] what would follow up the vampire craze. |
| 376 | * SelfDeprecation: Pretty often, both in the comic and Tycho's missives, notably when Tycho explains the nature of StylisticSuck. |
| 377 | -->'''Tycho''': "Making something that is bad on purpose - and not bad inadvertently, which is my usual process - is a whole-body thrill." |
| 378 | ** Tycho and Gabe teach schoolkids how to make comic strips: |
| 379 | --> '''Boy:''' Miss, what's a cartoonists? \ |
| 380 | '''Teacher:''' Cartoonists are society's waste products. |
| 381 | * SeriousBusiness: [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/06/25/ Ping-pong]]. |
| 382 | ** Leaches into real life, as Penny Arcade Company frequently hosts ping-pong tournaments at their offices against game developers and reviewers. This has led to some instances of calling out that have backfired. [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/02/16/ Especially with regards to SOE.]] |
| 383 | ** Also, ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}'' games. One of the strips has Gabe mentioning having a glass eye as the result of a ''Warcraft 2'' game that got out of hand. |
| 384 | * ShadowDiscretionShot: Found [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/03/03/ here]], along with a LoomingSilhouetteOfRage. |
| 385 | * ShellShockedVeteran: Frank. |
| 386 | * ShoehornedFirstLetter: In [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/06/11/ this comic]] about VideoGame/{{Kirby}}. |
| 387 | -->'''General:''' We call it the [[FunWithAcronyms Kinetic Ingestion Regulator Bio-Yorganism]].\ |
| 388 | '''Meta Knight''': Yorganism?\ |
| 389 | '''General:''' Y is kind of a tricky letter. |
| 390 | * SingleIssueLandlord: The premise of "That's so locust!" |
| 391 | * SingleMaltVision. A variant. Gabe starts seeing multiples of things not because he's drunk, but because '''he cut his hand open.''' |
| 392 | * SlasherSmile: [[http://penny-arcade.com/resources/real-talk.html Gabe gets a horrifying one]][[labelnote:note]] Based off [[WesternAnimation/HowTheGrinchStoleChristmas The Grinch's[[/labelnote]]]] when the comic's popularity happens to cause trouble for [[{{Jerkass}} Ocean]] [[SmallNameBigEgo Marketing]]. |
| 393 | * SliceOfLife: As the guys have started having families, these sort of strips have started to happen occasionally. [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/09/03/ An example.]] |
| 394 | * SnapBack: Quite frequently, what with the NegativeContinuity. |
| 395 | * SnarkyNonhumanSidekick: Div. |
| 396 | * SophisticatedAsHell: Some days, it's some of the most erudite commentary on videogame culture out there. Other days, it's a series of [[BackToThePenisWell knob gags]]. That's not even when it's "[[http://penny-arcade.com/2011/12/23 Semen Week]]". This is basically Terry Holkins' stock and trade, as all of the non-comic blog posts are written so much in this style that it's easy to imagine them in Tycho's voice. |
| 397 | ** Tycho. For a man with that big of a vocabulary, he sure does love using the F word. For example, "[[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/12/15/ Things, Part Two]]". |
| 398 | ** In "The Verdict": "On the charge of manslaughter, we the jury find the defendant, Jonathan Gabriel, not guilty. Furthermore, the jury believes the deceased totally had it coming to him, on the account of the bogus shit he said about 'Jesse's Girl'." |
| 399 | ** All of "[[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/03/12/ The Case Of Texas vs. CryoLord]]". |
| 400 | * SoLongAndThanksForAllTheGear: Referenced in [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/12/02/ this]] strip |
| 401 | * ElSpanishO: In [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2001/09/07/ "The Ruse"]], Gabe tries to use this as part of a PaperThinDisguise. It almost works on the clerk. And somehow works on Tycho. |
| 402 | * SpeciesSurname: You'd think that Catsby was the dapper cat, yes, and thus the demon Twisp? [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/04/07/ Subverted]]. |
| 403 | * SpinOff: By now, ''Penny Arcade'' has spun off a bunch of side projects. Some were jokes from the strip that took on lives of their own, others were the creators taking the chance to do something different: |
| 404 | ** ''The Cardboard Tube Samurai'', one of the oldest, got started when Gabe started waving a cardboard tube around like a katana, pretending he was a samurai. The character now gets pulled out whenever the creators feel like telling a serious samurai tale, never mind that the thing's made of cardboard. |
| 405 | ** ''Twisp and Catsby'' was a StylisticSuck DadaComic mocking ItsNotSupposedToWinOscars. ("I'd bet you'd '''love''' to criticize that, wouldn't you, you Critics! But you can't." "It's not '''for''' you.") Ironically, fans loved them. |
| 406 | ** ''[[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/06/25 Paint the Line]]'', an Eighties UsefulNotes/ColdWar ''Ping-Pong'' story. |
| 407 | ** They eventually put together a event week where the strips were pitches for new projects, and the fans voted on what they'd focus on first: ''[[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/06/10 Lookouts]]'', ''[[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/06/12 Automata]]'', and ''[[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/06/15 Jim Darkmagic]]''. |
| 408 | ** They've since presented another round of potential spinoffs like ''[[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/10/27/ Sand]]'' and ''[[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/11/01/ Queen of Bells]]''. One, ''[[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/10/29/ The New Kid]]'', was optioned for a movie. |
| 409 | * SpringtimeForHitler: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/24/ Twisp and Catsby]], which Gabe and Tycho intended to be so horrible that nobody would enjoy it. They became immensely popular instead, much to the creators' disbelief, and remain a favorite when they want to do something surrealistic. |
| 410 | ** One of the appearances of the Victorian duo was a children's book written for one of their kids, in fact. |
| 411 | * StagingAnIntervention: In one comic ([[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/08/01 "Just When I Get Out"]]), Tycho assumes that his "friends" are staging an intervention. He makes an emotional confession of his drinking problem and of thinking that nobody cared, and is grateful and optimistic now that they're rallying around him. Actually, they're there to pressure him into something else, and explicitly don't care about his problem. |
| 412 | * StealthPun: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/05/17/ This strip]]. It's a riff on the show "Hoarders," and they're members of the Horde. |
| 413 | * StylisticSuck: L. H. Franzibald. |
| 414 | ** The "solo comics" from when they supposedly fell out with each other: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/04/18/ Tycho's]] is erudite but very poorly drawn; [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/04/20/ Gabe's]] is well-drawn but is just three unconnected panels of terrible things happening to Tycho. |
| 415 | ** Gabe's writing has improved to the point of having a NinjaPirateZombieRobot by the time [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/11/07/ Tycho joins the writer's strike]]. |
| 416 | ** Tycho's own words on [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/2009/01/23/ the matter of this trope]]: |
| 417 | --->Making something that is bad on purpose - and not bad inadvertently, which is my usual process - is [[EvilFeelsGood a whole-body thrill]]. It goes hard against every natural instinct to write this way. It has the [[EvilTastesGood delicious and irresistible texture]] of ''sin''. |
| 418 | * SuperhumanTransfusion: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/12/29/ After a car accident on a snowy mountain pass]]: |
| 419 | --> '''Gabe''': "Check it out! ComicBook/SpiderMan gave me his blood! I got a blood transfusion from Spider-Man!" |
| 420 | * SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: From [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/2010/06/14/ this post by Tycho]]: |
| 421 | -->It's like when you download something off [=BitTorrent=] - something legal!!! - and the client begins by creating an entire empty file to contain the wholly legitimate, fully licensed content you are grabbing from an authorized source. |
| 422 | ** Neither [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2012/06/11 Gabe]] nor [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/01/18 Tycho]] like bestiality. |
| 423 | * SwappedRoles: [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/03/23 For the]] RuleOfFunny. Gabe plays the StraightMan while Tycho does a faux CloudCuckooLander impression, but they immediately revert back by the third panel. |
| 424 | * TakeThat: Among the usual ones to specific video games, most biting uses are usually towards the likes of Jack Thompson and [[Webcomic/CtrlAltDel Tim Buckley]]. |
| 425 | -->'''Tycho:''' I think Tim Buckley is the antichrist, and I think that miscarriage storyline was the first horseman of the Apocalypse. |
| 426 | ** Earlier than that, they created rampant plagiarist and egotistical hack author L. H. Franzibald as a facsimile of him. (examples: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/05/24/ 1]], [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/05/26/ 2]]) |
| 427 | ** "For Jack Thompson, because Jack Thompson won't." |
| 428 | ** But subverted here - [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/09/24/ "I don't know what the fuck you're talking about."]] |
| 429 | ** [[http://radoff.com/blog/2011/03/14/pax-booth-babe-controversy/ PAX 2011 was criticized]] for allowing VideoGame/DukeNukemForever booth babes (who were playing, more or less, actual women from the game), on the grounds that it was demeaning and objectifying. PAX 2012 was criticized for [[http://www.destructoid.com/two-fun-people-were-asked-to-leave-pax-east-225430.phtml asking a scantily-clad official cosplayer of Juliet Starling, the main character of]] ''VideoGame/LollipopChainsaw'', [[http://www.destructoid.com/two-fun-people-were-asked-to-leave-pax-east-225430.phtml to tone down her outfit]], on the grounds that the organizers were threatened by female sexuality or were "anti-fun" or were hypocritical because they allowed scantily-clad cosplayers. [[http://penny-arcade.com/2012/04/09/my-big-pax-post Mike's response was not positive.]] |
| 430 | --->How about all of you that hate me get together and have your own conference. I need you to decide if half naked girls are empowered or exploited because I’m doing my fucking best here and [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption it’s apparently always wrong]]. [[MovingTheGoalposts I swear to God I don’t understand how I’m supposed to know if I’m promoting the patriarchy or criminalizing the female body.]] |
| 431 | ** Interestingly, the commentary for the print version of a 2000 strip insulting Daily Radar suggests a lampshading on the petty and somewhat ineffective nature of this trope. |
| 432 | --->Take that, gaming website! We certainly showed you not to, well, do the jobs that you get paid to do, I guess. Anyway, you were ''shown''! |
| 433 | ** Tycho is [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/04/14/gabriels-primary-concern not impressed]] with the Republican party. |
| 434 | ** Tycho [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2017/11/22/impetus claims]] that there is no better sign of quality than [[AntiAdvice Polygon not liking something]]. |
| 435 | * TheTalk: Unsurprisingly, [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/01/18/ Gabe screws it up]]. |
| 436 | --> '''Tycho''': You told him a wizard did it? \ |
| 437 | '''Gabe''': I don't know! I panicked! |
| 438 | ** Tycho got a [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/01/17/ particularly painful subversion]] of TheTalk. |
| 439 | --> '''Tycho:''' My mom told me my body was rotting because God had abandoned me. |
| 440 | ** [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2014/07/21/the-talk-by-mike-krahulik When his son attempts to get the truth out of him, Gabe promptly attempts to get around it.]] The [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2014/07/23/the-talk-by-abby-howard next]] [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2014/07/25/the-talk-by-scott-kurtz several]] [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2014/07/28/the-talk-by-bill-amend guest]] [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2014/07/30/the-talk-by-tavis-maiden1 comics]] are other authors' characters [[HilarityEnsues giving the kid their version of The Talk.]] |
| 441 | * TearsOfBlood: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/09/09/ In response to]] [[CoolAndUnusualPunishment a slideshow]]. |
| 442 | * TheyChangedItNowItSucks: In-universe; Gabe [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/08/23/ disapproves of]] ''[[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons D&D Essentials]]'': |
| 443 | -->'''Tycho:''' There was always one thing missing from your tabletop journey: a new version to revile, and an old version for you to cling to like a drowning man.\ |
| 444 | '''Gabe:''' I don't know what you're talking about, but D&D sucks now. I'm going to go online and argue about it.\ |
| 445 | '''Tycho:''' Godspeed. ''Brother''. |
| 446 | * ToiletHumor: Quite a few strips, but [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/04/06 here]] [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/03/04 are]] [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/05/20 some]] [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/04/23 of the]] [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/03/11 most]] [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/07/19 notable]] [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/06/23 examples]]. |
| 447 | ** Also, in [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2001/08/17 this strip]], Tycho appears to be sitting on the toilet. |
| 448 | * TooDumbToLive: Geez, Tycho. Did you have to use a sharp knife to cut a banana? |
| 449 | ** Real life example: Ocean Marketing (or, rather, one person [[SmallNameBigEgo too high up the chain for his own good]]) picked a fight with ''Penny Arcade'' for the loyalty of the gamer population, was crushed like a bug and briefly [[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/paul-christoforo-ocean-marketing-emails became the laughing-stock of gaming media]]. |
| 450 | * TooMuchInformation: A common complaint in the strip. [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2013/02/11 To boot...]] |
| 451 | * TotalPartyKill: In the comic, this seems to be Tycho's main goal as a GameMaster, and he advises Gabe and other DM's on ways to achieve it. Averted with the real Jerry as a DM, since if all the players are dead there's no audience for his intricately devised puzzles and lore poetry. |
| 452 | * TotemPoleTrench: Naturally, they [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2016/01/25/a-near-thing take it to a dark place.]] |
| 453 | --> "[Gabe's] the devil. No, he's like a devil perched up on the shoulders of another devil, wearing an overcoat so as to '''appear''' as a single, larger devil. \ |
| 454 | It's a classic bit, and ordinarily it would be harmless. But in this case, it has terrifying ramifications." |
| 455 | * {{Troll}}: Gabe has a disturbing tendency to this, even if he condemns this behavior on other people. The worst part is, he can be like this IRL too, to the point Tycho has to stop him from delivering YourMom insults to kids. |
| 456 | --> '''Tycho:''' "[[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/06/14/manwidth Gabriel, one day the assholes of the world will come together, and they will build a statue of you.]]" |
| 457 | * TrueCompanions: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/2011/02/21/ Gabriel is not my friend, he's more like my arm.]] |
| 458 | * TrueMeaningOfChristmas: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2003/12/12/ It's not actually that complicated.]] |
| 459 | --> '''Jesus:''' "Christmas is like my birthday, only instead of buying presents for me, you buy them for all your friends." |
| 460 | * TrustMeImAnX: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/10/09/ "It's okay, I'm a dentist."]] |
| 461 | * TwoGamersOnACouch: The UrExample. However, as the comic goes on they're rarely sitting on the couch unless they're actually talking about the game in front of them. Instead, they'll be shopping, raking leaves, [[BreadEggsMilkSquick lying in prison beds, dumping a body,]] [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/02/09/ emerging from hideous cocoons]]... |
| 462 | * UnexpectedlyRealisticGameplay: There was a strip where Gabriel experienced this problem with ''VideoGame/TombRaider2013'', trying to figure out a way to get across a gap when Tycho suggests simply jumping over, which works, to which he responds "I don't think this is a puzzle room". |
| 463 | * UnexplainedRecovery: Brenna returned almost a year after Tycho accidentally killed her with no explanation. |
| 464 | * TheVillainSucksSong: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/06/26/ Open Mic Night]]. |
| 465 | * VirtualDangerDenial: As [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/06/25 this]] strip shows, there was initially some reluctance to deal with RealMoneyTrade related scams, thanks to a perception that the goods weren't "real" anyway. |
| 466 | * VomitIndiscretionShot: Combined with OverlyLongGag in [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/11/03 this strip]] about Gabe having motion sickness when playing ''VideoGame/MirrorsEdge''... 's ''tutorial''. |
| 467 | * WallOfText: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/04/10/ I Hope You Like Text]]. The comic strip is a ShoutOut to ''Franchise/BackToTheFuture''. |
| 468 | * WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: The basis of the ''Automata'' storyline |
| 469 | * WhenIWasYourAge: [[http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2013/10/16 Gabe rants]] about the AntiFrustrationFeatures incorporated into ''VideoGame/PokemonXAndY'', such as getting the [[RollerbladeGood rollerblades]] before the first gym, and the new [[LeakedExperience Exp Share]]. |
| 470 | * WildMassGuessing: Combined with IntercontinuityCrossover [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/01/11/ here]]. |
| 471 | * WithFriendsLikeThese: Gabe and Tycho. |
| 472 | * AWizardDidIt: Discussed [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2001/06/22/magic-its-whats-for-dinner here]] by Creator/ScottMcCloud. |
| 473 | * XDaysSince: [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/03/19/bedrock-concepts/ here]]. |
| 474 | * JustForFun/XMeetsY: InUniverse. [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2017/03/24/hells-kitchen How Gabe plays his Link whenever he sees Bokoblins with a cooking pot]] has Tycho refer to him as a combination of Franchise/JohnWick and Creator/GordonRamsay. Gabe would watch that movie. |
| 475 | * XtremeKoolLetterz: Tycho [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/02/04/ does not like these.]] |
| 476 | * YourMom: When [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2015/09/09/fronting Tycho comments on Gabe's playing style,]] |
| 477 | -->'''Tycho:''' I feel like there's a disconnect between the shit talking and, you know... ''{{VideoGame/Armello}}'s'' general aesthetic. \ |
| 478 | '''Gabe:''' Oh yeah? I feel like there's a disconnect between your mom and my '''''dick.''''' ...Hmm. [[LameComeback That one needed a little more time in the oven]]. |
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