Banished
, a.k.a Banished!, is a science fiction webcomic written by Ryan Smith and illustrated by a variety of different artists, which had its first page on January 16th, 2006.
The story focuses on Rak and Timbo, an alien and robot stuck on a backwater prison planet known as Strix 13. Rak, having been banished to Strix 13 for Accidental Murder, is desperate to escape from the desolate world and enlists the aid of Timbo to help him. Along the way the duo encounter monsters, adventure, and strange occurrences.
This webcomic provides examples of:
- Accidental Murder: Rak is held captive on Strix 13 due to this crime.
- Air-Vent Passageway: To escape from the Boscis base, Rak and Timbo follow a Mammazon out this way.
- Amazonian Beauty: The Mammazons. Hilariously, the thing Rak seems to find most terrifying about them is the thought that they'll try to make love to him.
- Apocalypse How: A class 2 happened to the Mammazons in the past. It's strongly implied that the society in question was ours.
- Bad Boss: Mut'la tries to murder Noammi for not catching Rak and Timbo.
- Beast Man: The Strix resemble worms and the Boscis resemble birds. Averted with most of the other species of alien.
- Bounty Hunter: Luger, who wants to claim the bounty on Rak's head.
- Cyber Cyclops: Fehr, a mysterious one-eyed robot that's following Rak and Timbo.
- Deadpan Snarker: Rak, which ends up getting him into a lot of trouble.
- The Don: Mut'la is a rare female example. She's unafraid to kill those who fail her.
- Fantastic Racism: This is such a problem in the galaxy that the main governing body of the inhabited galaxy fell apart due to be unable to keep the races together. One group of Boscis on an uninhabited, backwater Strix planet that is virtually unused is enough to nearly start a war.
- Faux Affably Evil: Mut'la acts like a friendly intellectual even as she tries to blow up a hospital just to punish Noammi for not catching Timbo.
- The Federation: The galaxy used to be united under one in the backstory. However, differences between species led to it being dissolved and most races just keep to themselves now outside of trade.
- I'm a Humanitarian: Though not humans, the Skrix tend to eat their own mates after sexual intercourse. Due to this, the Skrix government has banned natural reproduction and the Skrix now reproduce solely through artificial insemenation.
- Implacable Man: Fehr. Every attempt to fight him ends with him beating his enemies within half an inch of their lives.
- Kick the Dog: Rak tries to sell Timbo to get the mob off his back. Timbo actually takes this very well, much to Rak's annoyance.
- Last of His Kind: Timbo is the first and only robot seen in the galaxy for long time. Pretty much everyone assumes that there are no robots left in the galaxy. They're wrong...
- MacGyvering: Rak does it often. It dosen't end well sometimes.
- "No. Just… No" Reaction:
Timbo has this reaction when he learns the specifics of the aphrodisiac black market Rak used to run: Specifically that he drained his bile through a catheter and sold it as a drug. - Older Than They Look: Rak is apparently over 73 years old. This seems to be considered young by Canter standards.
- Orcus on His Throne: The mysterious robots that seem to be behind everything more or less serve this role.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: Sergeant Gavol, a Boisterous Bruiser Large Ham who's constantly shouting, is teamed with the Corporal, a quiet and reserved Nice Guy who rarely talks.
- Telepathy: Noammi has mind-reading and oracle-like abilities. Problem is, she can't really control it and it hurts. Her helmet blocks out other people's thoughts.
- There Is No Kill Like Overkill: Mut'la tries to blow up a hospital to kill the injured and defenseless Noammi.
- Unrobotic Reveal: Timbo isn't exactly a robot...
- Villainous Crush: Krma'kt clearly has a crush on Noammi. It's decidedly one-sided.
- Villainous Rescue: Fehr saves Timbo from being kidnapped by one of the Arctide gangsters.
- Villain Team-Up: At the end of Book 2, Chapter 2 Luger and Noammi are working together to track down Rak and Timbo.
- Wrong Genre Savvy: Rak seems to think that he's a hero while Timbo thinks that the comic's universe functions off Black-and-White Morality. Both seem convinced that they're in a standard adventure story.
- You Have Failed Me: Mut'la tries to have Noammi assassinated for failing to capture Timbo.
