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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. 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.

It can be found at GoComics.


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.
  • 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.
  • Idiot Hero: Rip isn't actually stupid, but his adrenaline junkie nature often overrides everything else.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

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