A cartoonist sits down at his desk to create a new {{webcomic}}. But what exactly will it be about? Who will the characters be? Will it be a simple gag-a-day strip or a greater dramatic work that speaks deeply to the human condition? And is Jackson Ferrell really [[PlayingGod qualified]] to handle an entire fictional world?

''[[http://thesketchy.com Sketch Comedy]]'' is a {{metafiction}}al, NoFourthWall webcomic about a cartoonist's interactions with his characters and the comic world he creates. Said characters include:
* '''[[AuthorAvatar The strip's creator]]''', prone to deranged abuses of power and bouts of self-consciousness about his comic.
* '''Howard''', the comic's resident wizard, called into being to provide it with a central character. Promptly wandered off in search of a sandwich.
* '''Karen''', a carryover from Jackson's previous strip ''Webcomic/{{Pungirls}}''. StraightMan and a bit of a worrywart.
* '''Becky''', Karen's carefree, enthusiastic roommate, and also a carryover from Pungirls!.
* '''[[CaptainErsatz Independent Music James]]''': He's not a [[Webcomic/DieselSweeties hipster]], he's an ''elitist''. James is the critical voice the world needs--if only he could get the world to listen.
* '''Teri''', James' snarky friend who enjoys teasing him about everything he takes seriously ([[NoSenseOfHumor which is everything]]). Prone to flights of [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Cloudcuckoolandishness]].
* 17th-century French philosopher '''René Descartes'''

Generally [[{{Absurdism}} absurdist]] in tone, whether it's running on RuleOfFunny and playing with discontinuity or getting serious with ongoing plotlines and CharacterDevelopment. Just what the heck the author is trying to do here is an ongoing question for all of the characters.

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!!Oh no, trope examples:
* AuthorAppeal:
** {{Webcomics}}: Just look at the Webcomics section of the strip's [[ShoutOut/SketchComedy Shout Outs page]].
** Website/TVTropes: Specific tropes get name-dropped on a regular basis.
** ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}''
* BeatPanel: Beaten to [[http://thesketchy.com/ic/tag/beat-panel absolute death]].
* CaptainErsatz: Independent Music James began as a quasi-parody of [[Webcomic/DieselSweeties Indie Rock Pete]], but developed into more of an angry critic than hipster. They're both music snobs, but for different reasons.
* CentipedesDilemma / WritersBlock: When faced with the boundless potential of creating a new webcomic, Jackson Ferrell can't decide what strip to draw.
* CerebusSyndrome: Played with. Relentlessly.
* GeniusBruiser: professional wide receiver [[http://thesketchy.com/ic/2011/02/01/ubiquitus-moss Ubiquitus Moss]].
* MediumAwareness: Fricking ''everyone''.
* NoFourthWall
* OminousPipeOrgan: Parodied with [[http://thesketchy.com/ic/tag/dramatic-organ organ cuts]].
* RageAgainstTheAuthor: Howard and the cartoonist [[http://thesketchy.com/ic/2011/05/20/hey refuse to play nice]].
* SketchComedy: Well, duh.
* StylisticSuck: Rene Descartes' comic strip "[[http://thesketchy.com/ic/2011/12/19/descartes-week-1 School of Thought]]."
* Administrivia/TropesAreTools: invoked by Becky [[http://thesketchy.com/ic/2011/01/21/tropes-are-not-bad-2 here]].
* WallOfText: [[http://thesketchy.com/ic/2012/11/29/oh-great-another-hot-tub-comic parodied]] (getting in a jab at ''ComicBook/CerebusTheAardvark'' in the same breath, no less).
* WhoWritesThisCrap: Karen predominantly, but at one point or another pretty much every member of the cast gets in on the complaining.

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