Life has a way of creating interesting tales. Many of which are brought about through the tragedy of the dead...
Boneheads is a Massive Multiplayer Crossover Webcomic series by artist Atomi-Cat, staring several skeletal characters from various sources of media. The Boneheads are all skeletons who hang out with each other, frequently at a bar owned by Manny Calavera. The comics are episodic, often featuring some random bit of humor or a more serious character interaction.
A list of the Boneheads:
- Manny Calavera from Grim Fandango
- Manolo Sanchez from The Book of Life
- Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas
- Lewis Pepper from Mystery Skulls Animated
- Sir Daniel Fortesque from MediEvil
- Brook from One Piece
- Sans and Papyrus from Undertale
Art featuring the Boneheads can be seen on Atomi-Cat's Tumblr page Here.
Boneheads provides examples of:
- Alas, Poor Yorick: Putting on a performance, Lewis, Brook, and Jack hold their own heads to recite Shakespearean quotations. Though they recite the "To be or not to be" soliloque rather than "Alas, poor Yorick".
- Dark and Troubled Past: One of the comics is a countdown of everyone's dark pasts. Manny's (unrevealed) past leaving him with a debt to repay, Lewis murdered by his friend, Manolo Driven to Suicide to be with his beloved, Sir Daniel dying to the first arrow of war, and Jack... can never find clothes that fit him.Lewis: Oh, you're SO abused.
Jack: I'd like to see all the funny looks YOU get for asking for a size -4. - Dem Bones: The unifying feature of the main characters; Everyone's a skeleton of some kind.
- Didn't Think This Through: In one comic, Manolo sets up The Swear Jar, in which anyone who swears has to put money in. When asked what happens if the jar is full, he responds, "Um... I'm not sure. I guess the money could be used for whatever." Cue everyone else swearing like sailors to get the jar filled up as quickly as possible.
- Dirty Old Man: Even in the land of the dead, Eighty-Eight-year-old Brook is still going to ask women if he can see their panties. It's because of this bad behavior that Jack lied to Brook about the existence of Sally or why he doesn't want to bring him to Halloween Town.
- Ear Worm: Lewis starts pestering Jack by singing "Spooky Scary Skeletons" to his irritation. In retaliation, Jack starts playing "Let It Go" on his phone. Lewis panics since he only just got that song out of his head before making a run for it.
- Flaming Hair: Lewis' burning pompadour. More than once it's been the source of a gag, from accidentally setting Manolo's hair on fire to being transferred to Sir Daniel.
- Intelligible Unintelligible: Sir Daniel speaks in his usual muffled voice for lack of a bottom jaw, but a translation of what he's saying is often set next to his speech bubble.
- Losing Your Head: A common trick for skeletons in this setting. Lewis, Jack, and Brook quote Hamlet with their skulls in one skit. This talent takes Sans and Papyrus completely by surprise since they can't just take off their heads.
- Mood Whiplash: One comic starts out with typical funny Bonehead antics where Papyrus accidentally knocks Brook's head off and is shocked the latter can "survive" that. Then we cut to Sans having a panic attack, as the sight of a decapitated skeleton brings back memories of Papyrus's death in the Genocide Route.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Papyrus has a complete Freak Out when he knocks Brook's head off with a weighted ball, convinced he had killed him by accident until Jack and Brook calm him down.
- Only Sane Man: Manny has his skull on the straightest of everyone in the afterlife. He's usually the one to do the mature thing to correct a current problem.
- Poor Communication Kills: Lewis doesn't like sharing his past with the others. He'll dodge questions and change the subject constantly. This means that no one knows what might upset him. The rest of the Boneheads are left confused as to why Brook's conversation so angered Lewis. They think it might have to do with Brook's Skull Joke, but in truth it was because he was talking about caves(like the one Lewis was murdered in).
- Pungeon Master: Brook is ever fond of his Skull Jokes. And then you have the more versatile Sans coming along.
- Sir Swears-a-Lot: Normally everyone is pretty clean with their language, but when Manolo sets up The Swear Jar and they get to choose how to spend the money, all of the other Boneheads turn into sailors.Manny: F*** it, I'm in.
Brook: Yohohoho! Count me the f*** in, too!
Jack: Oh s***, would you look at that? Guess I have to put money in, too.
Daniel: F*** YAH!!
Lewis: (Oh for f***'s sake...) - The Swear Jar: Manolo sets up a swear jar for the bar because he doesn't approve of foul language. When asked what to do with the money once the jar fills, Manolo admits they could do whatever with it. All of the Boneheads start swearing and break out the cash. They donate the money to Papyrus.Manolo: THIS IS NOT AN EXCUSE FOR YOU ALL TO SWEAR MORE!!
- Skeletal Musician: Four of the Boneheads can sing, and two among the singers can play instruments. The Boneheads often perform at random and it's been asked whether or not the group will form a proper band.
- Trauma Button: Two of the Boneheads have a bad reaction to seemingly innocent moments.
- Lewis attacks Brook because he was telling a story about a cave. Lewis was murdered in a cave.
- Seeing Brook with his head popped off makes Sans see an image of Chara killing Papyrus.
