∇
troperville

∇
tools

∇
toys

SubpagesComicStrip
Main
Sandbox
Webcomic
YMMV

main index

Narrative

Genre

Media

Topical Tropes

Other Categories

random

Subpages:

source

history

This page describes a Work. There may be reviews.

0 reviews

Webcomic: Rip Haywire

The adventure comic strip is back!... With a twist!

Rip Haywire is an Affectionate Parody of old school Adventure comic strips created by Dan Thompson. It started as a webcomic before being published as a newspaper comic in 2009.

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.

It can be found online: http://riphaywire.com/

Rip Haywire provides examples of the following tropes:

Action Hero
Alliterative Name: Cobra Carson.
Art Evolution
- When the comic first started, the artwork is 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◊.
Awesome McCoolname
Badass Grandpa: Rip's father Dutch.
Bold Inflation
Captain Obvious: Parodied.
Casual Danger Dialog
Catch Phrase
- "Sweet Molly McX Y!" and any variant of this (alliteration sometimes included).
- "The name's Haywire."
Cheated Angle: Cobra's black hair is nearly always behind her head, no matter the angle, effectively framing it.
Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: Cobra.
Cliff Hanger: Certain strips end this way. Then again, this is a serial comic strip.
Comic Book Adaptation: Rip Haywire and the Curse of Tangaroa, which is actually a graphic novel.
Cool Old Guy: Both Dutch and Mac Cactus.
Corrupt Corporate Executive: Dr. Pain, the leader of evil terrorist group SKULL, who then turns out to be Rip's mother.
Cowardly Sidekick: TNT
Cultured Warrior: Rip Haywire overlaps this with Cultured Badass.
Dating Catwoman: Rip and Cobra.
Deadpan Snarker: TNT has his moments.
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.
Evil Matriarch / Never Mess with Granny: Dr. Pain
Eyes Always Shut: Rip, most of the time.
Face Palm: A lot of them.
Gentleman Adventurer: Rip.
Happily Adopted: R.J.
Hold Your Hippogriffs: R.J. or TNT saying "Holy ^cats!cow/crap!" in a few instances.
Idiot Hero: Rip, only a bit.
In Harm's Way
- Rip himself.
- Cobra too, but she prefers to do it for the rewards instead of the justice.
Jerkass: Cobra. However, she has a soft side.
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".
Luke, I Am Your Father: Dr. Pain, to Rip.
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.
Monster of the Week: Several of them.
Nebulous Evil Organisation: SKULL
Nervous Wreck: TNT
The Nicknamer: Some of the characters, including Rip himself.
No Name Given: R.J. started out this way, before he was adopted by Rip and Cobra.
Non-Standard Character Design: Certain characters, especially TNT.
Only Known by Initials: R.J. (Rip Jr.)
Parental Abandonment: Rip, initially, before he found his mother Dr. Pain and later his father Dutch.
The Patriarch: Dutch
Person as Verb: Rip sometimes uses his own last (or full) name this way, usually during some combat scenes.
Pop Cultured Badass: Rip, to a lesser extent.
Product Placement: In dialogue, almost.
Reasonable Authority Figure: Mac Cactus
Reference Overdosed
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.
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.
Shout Out: A lot of them.
Signature Move: Rip's Megaton Punch.
Snarky Non-Human Sidekick: TNT, though he falls more into Cowardly Sidekick territory.
Soft Glass
Story Arcs: Several, to the point where it's almost a Myth Arc.
Talking Animal: TNT again.
Tie-In Graphic Novel: Rip Haywire and the Curse of Tangaroa.
Walking the Earth
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.
X Meets Y: Indiana Jones meets Mission: Impossible meets The Bourne Identity...in a newspaper comic!