Rip Haywire is an Affectionate Parody of old school Adventure comic strips created by Dan Thompson. Originally published online by Viper Comics, it has since entered the newspaper syndication sector.
Rip is a self-styled soldier of fortune who travels around the world battling assorted villains. Joining Rip are his talking collie, TNT, his ex-girlfriend Cobra and a Tagalong Kid named R.J.
Rip Haywire provides examples of:
- Alliterative Name: Cobra Carson.
- Art Evolution:
- When the comic first started, the artwork was even more stylized, even though it almost remained the same. Rip's Lantern Jaw of Justice noticeably changed in later strips, plus TNT's appearance changes from time to time (especially the fact he originally had black ears). The strip was also originally just a three-panel strip, but has expanded to four panels by the end of its first year.
- Also, compare the current syndicated strip to the early Viper Comics version◊.
- Betty and Veronica: Breezy (a redhead) made her debut in recent strips as the Betty to Cobra's Veronica for Rip's Archie.
- Blonde, Brunette, Redhead: Rip's in-comic love interests: Vetenarian Fawn Forrester (blonde), mercenary Cobra Carson (brunette) and helicopter pilot Breezy Easy (redhead).
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: When Breezy reveals she and Rip got married in Vegas, Rip winks at the reader as he says they did it on a Sunday - where the audience wouldn't have seen it, since Sundays were running pages from the "Curse of Tangaroa" graphic novel.
- Bullying a Dragon: Ranch foreman Rodeo Jones picking a fight with Rip, in order to impress Cobra. He broke his hand on Rip's jaw.
- Captain Obvious: Parodied; a temporary character says such things as "Sharks!" "It blew up!" and "Why do I keep on shouting the Obvious!"
- Catchphrase:
- "Sweet Molly McX Y!" and any variant of this (alliteration sometimes included).
- "The name's Haywire."
- Celibate Hero: Rip swears off love after seeing a bad breakup reduce a fellow mercenary to a shell of his former self. His subsequent suppression of his feelings for Breezy nearly gets them both killed.
- Cheated Angle: Cobra's black hair is nearly always behind her head, no matter the angle, effectively framing it.
- Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: Another of the strip's running gags is the number of times Cobra betrays Rip to chase treasure.
- Comic-Book Adaptation: Rip Haywire and the Curse of Tangaroa, which is actually a graphic novel.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: Dr. Pain, the leader of evil terrorist group SKULL, who then turns out to be Rip's mother.
- Cowardly Sidekick: TNT, who is near-constant panic mode, but despite being an abject coward, he's always by Rip's side. However, he's more Hot-Blooded in the original webcomics.
- Dating Catwoman: Rip's a do-gooder adventurer, Cobra's an avaricious career criminal with no plans on going straight.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: In the (now out-of-print) 2007 Viper Comics online version as well as the first submission for syndication, the comics are more different than what they are today. Rip was originally a cargo pilot who looks more like Steve Canyon but with a big, bulbous nose, while TNT was initially a hot-blooded wolf dog with a No Indoor Voice (but was later changed into a wimpy Pomeranian and then a parrot) and Cobra was originally called "Reno". Also, the art in this version looks a little more abstract.
- Eyes Always Shut: Rip, most of the time.
- Hold Your Hippogriffs: R.J. or TNT saying "Holy cats! " in a few instances.
- Idiot Hero: Rip isn't actually stupid, but his adrenaline junkie nature often overrides everything else.
- Lantern Jaw of Justice: Rip. Dan Thompson said this is a Shout-Out to Dick Tracy.
- Last-Name Basis: Most villains often refer to Rip by his last name. Everyone else just calls him "Rip".
- Love Makes You Dumb: Rodeo constantly picking fights with Rip to try and impress Cobra, despite nearly always ending up getting one-punched by Rip.
- Love Triangle: Rip, Cobra and Breezy. Rip and Breezy eventually get married.
- Mad Libs Catchphrase: "Sweet [Name] (Mc)_____!" and "Zip it, [nickname]!"
- Meaningful Name: Cobra, whose venomous personality and snake-like haircut live up to her name.
- Megaton Punch:
- Rip's trademark attack.
- Cobra also gets her kicks, especially towards Rip.
- Nebulous Evil Organisation: SKULL. Also an example of Names to Run Away from Really Fast.
- Nervous Wreck: TNT became this in the newspaper version.
- The Nicknamer: Some of the characters, including Rip himself.
- No Indoor Voice: TNT was rather loud-mouthed in the original webcomics.
- No Name Given: R.J. started out this way, before he was adopted by Rip and Cobra.
- Non-Standard Character Design: TNT in particular looks more visually cartoony than the realistically designed characters. It should be noted that his design was derived from Dan Thompson’s natural art style. Plus, there are some others who may come across as Gonks in their design.
- Noodle Incident: "The last time I played matchmaker was in mercenary school. It nearly collapsed a foreign government."
- Parental Abandonment: Rip, initially, before he found his mother Dr. Pain and later his father Dutch.
- Person as Verb: Rip sometimes uses his own last (or full) name this way, usually during some combat scenes.
- Relationship Upgrade: At first, Rip and Cobra have a tremendous love/hate relationship. But three years later, they eventually get married, despite continuing to bicker sometimes.
- Retraux: Looks like it was drawn around the 1940s-1960s.
- Running Gag:
- A character (especially Rip) calling another character a pop culture character/mascot/celebrity name, doubling as The Nicknamer.
- Cobra betraying Rip for the money.
- Share Phrase: "Zip it, (insert nickname here)", even though it's more of a Borrowed Catchphrase. Also, "Talk!" when confronting someone else, usually an enemy.
- The Sheriff: Mac Cactus becomes one later in the strip.
- Signature Move: Rip's Megaton Punch.
- Snarky Non-Human Sidekick: TNT, though he falls more into Cowardly Sidekick territory.
- Talking Animal: TNT again.
- Tie-In Novel: Rip Haywire and the Curse of Tangaroa, actually a graphic novel.
- Undercover as Lovers: Rip and Breezy (and TNT) hide out in the suburbs as a newlywed couple. We find out later they actually did get married.
- Written Sound Effect: Recent comics use "KA-FIST!", "KA-CRASHIES!", "KA-PUNCH!", "KA-FLARE!", "KA-CAR!", and stuff like that, especially with Rip's fist noises. Most of them are Unsound Effects.