Line #18 Webcomic/Zortic


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.
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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.
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6	Can be found [[http://entireprizeenterprises.com/zortic/ here]].
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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.
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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...
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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.

Context Webcomic / Zortic