History ComicBook / PlagueDoctor

Unorthodox Police Major Grom and his rookie partner, Dmitry Dubin, have taken the case. Much to their dismay, they find that the citizens of the city have embraced the vigilante (whom they've nicknamed "The Citizen") and are using the popular social network Vmeste[[note]]Together[[/note]] as his tribune. Is it possible to stop a villain who has power, technology, and most of the city on his side?

* BaitAndSwitchGunshot: During the ride to the police station, [[spoiler:Razumovsky]] points out that Grom has no solid evidence tying him to the Plague Doctor's crimes or the many deaths at his mansion, adding that he will frame Grom for his own crimes. Igor replies that he's left him no choice; dragging [[spoiler:Sergey]] out of the car, he puts a gun to his head and pulls the trigger...[[spoiler: only to play Sergey's confession from earlier. The gun wasn't loaded; Igor only carried it so he could hide Yulia's recorder and use it to get Sergey's EngineeredPublicConfession]].

* TheBlackDeath: The arc's BigBad compares the crime, corruption, and societal decay in Saint Petersburg to the Black Death, and refers to himself as a Plague Doctor (and his crime spree as "purification"). His methodology also references the Black Plague, with the first victim being burned like a victim of Bubonic Plague (with a note left at the crime scene referencing the "Danse Macabre"), the second eaten by rats (a major catalyst of the Plague), the third being disemboweled (a medieval execution method), and the fourth stabbed crucifixion-style and burned at the future site of the London Mall (referencing both the role of the Church during the Plague and the 1666 London Fire[[note]]widely believed to have contributed to the Plague dying out[[/note]]).

** Averted with the Rainbow Orphanage fundraiser gala: Grom attends as an invited guest (he donated money to the cause six months earlier, which puts him on the guest list) after he's already been TakenOffTheCase. [[spoiler:Ironically, he ends up identifying the Plague Doctor at the event purely by accident after matching Razumovsky's body language to the Plague Doctor's]].

* UndressingTheUnconscious: In Issue #9, Igor awakens naked and bound in the basement [[spoiler: of Razumovsky's mansion]]. His captor explains that he needed to make sure Igor wasn't equipped with any hidden weapons or microphones (and, indeed, found Igor's service weapon). However, [[AmbiguouslyGay he]] also makes it clear that he thoroughly enjoyed the process, and compliments Igor's physique while stroking his body--stopping just shy of his crotch.

Unorthodox Police Major Grom and his rookie partner, Dmitry Dubin, have taken the case. Much to their dismay, they find that the citizens of the city have welcomed the vigilante (whom they've nicknamed "The Citizen") and are using the popular social network Vmeste[[note]]Together[[/note]] as his tribune. Is it possible to stop a villain who has power, technology, and most of the city on his side?

* AllAreEqualInDeath: The Plague Doctor's notes suggest that he espouses this philosophy, with allusions to the Danse Macabre. This is supported by his modus operandi: he targets wealthy and powerful individuals who are seemingly untouchable. This is ultimately revealed to be something of a smokescreen, as [[spoiler: Razumovsky only really cares about the sins of the wealthy and powerful inasmuch as they relate to his own criminal activities]].

* AmbiguousSituation: Was [[spoiler:Razumovsky]] [[PrisonRape sexually assaulted in prison]]? While [[WordOfGod the writers have stated]] that he wasn't assaulted (and that it isn't "that kind of story"), the evidence seems to suggest otherwise: [[spoiler:Sergey]] is roughly manhandled by a much larger prisoner, who looks at him with [[SayItWithHearts a heart symbol in his speech bubble]], calls him "pretty" and "sugar" and asks if he's been "claimed" yet (stating that he will personally be "first in line"); when [[spoiler:Sergey]]tries to fight him off, the prisoner gives him a beating and hauls him to his feet, proclaiming, "I'm not finished with you!" When next we see [[spoiler:Sergey]], he's disheveled and sports a bruised face, a split and bleeding lip, and rage-filled eyes. That Bird emerges after this -- and takes control for the first time -- seems to lend further credence to the theory.[[note]]Sexual trauma is one of the main causes of Dissociative Identity Disorder.[[/note]] [[spoiler: Sergey]], for his part, only gives a vague mention of enduring "hardships" behind bars, with no further details provided.

* {{Backstory}}: [[spoiler:Sergey]] provides his to Igor (and the readers) in Issue #8: [[spoiler:he grew up an orphan, and was a loner and an outcast, finding serenity and solace in the beauty of classical art (which, as we further learn in the Issue #10 story "Metamorphosis", caused him to be bullied by his peers and teachers alike). He also realized that he cared little for the hedonistic activities (drugs, sex, drinking) in which most people indulge. As such,]] he hates the common folk and those he deems "beneath" him -- particularly people who are a drain on society.

* BlackTieInfiltration: Igor Grom and Dima Dubin attend Deputy Mayor Kamenny's birthday jubilee, believing that The Citizen will crash the event. Much to their surprise, it turns out that Yulia has infiltrated the same event, as part of her investigation into Kamenny's alleged criminal activities.
** Averted with the Rainbow Orphanage gala: Grom attends as an invited guest (he donated money to the cause six months earlier, which puts him on the guest list) after he's already been TakenOffTheCase. [[spoiler:Ironically, he ends up identifying the Plague Doctor at the event purely by accident, after matching Razumovsky's body language to the Plague Doctor's]].
* BlondeBrunetteRedhead: Igor has dark brown hair, Dima has blonde hair, and Yulia has bright, apple-red hair.

* CompromisingCall: Dima's mother calls him on his cell phone just as he's trying to pass through the neo-nazi boxing club undetected -- [[FromBadToWorse right as Igor is in the middle of a bout with one of its members]]. As punishment, Dima is forced to fight a member of the club himself. Fortunately, he's a skilled martial artist, and easily defeats his opponent.
* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Albert Bekhtiev is a construction mogul, and one of the wealthiest men in Russia; he made his fortune building shopping malls on historical sites (which he acquires by [[BribingYourWayToVictory bribing public officials]]) and gentrifying low-income neighborhoods. The Plague Doctor claims to have murdered him for this. [[spoiler: It's later revealed that Sergey Razumovsky helped grease the wheels for Bekhtiev with his power and influence; Bekhtiev thanked him by selling him the land to build his mansion, and constructing the house — and the Garden of Sinners.]]

* DeathTrap: [[spoiler:Razumovsky]] kills the people he deems the "dregs" of society in the Garden of Sinners: a giant garden behind his mansion, laden with death traps. In order to escape, the prisoner -- while drugged with Premedol -- must survive both standard booby traps (such as pits full of spikes and bladed pendulums) and [[SecretTestOfCharacter tests of character]], proving that they are fit, intelligent, and aren't enslaved to the vices that plague most of society.

** The second key is in "Fatuitous" ("[[IdiotBall Stupidity]]"), an aquarium room where a ping pong ball lies at the bottom of a steel pipe; the prisoner must make the ball float to the surface by filling the pipe with liquid -- with a needle and catheter provided for the task. Grom realizes that [[spoiler: [[ExactWords Razumovsky said "liquid" rather than "blood"]], and instead breaks open one of the tubes supplying water to the fish tank. He successfully obtains the second key, but the tank breaks and floods the room with water]]. [[spoiler:Razumovsky]] explains with exasperation that it wasn't necessary to destroy the tank: there was a jug provided to scoop water out of a nearby pond (which Grom had ''just waded through'' minutes earlier).
* DefiantStrip: After Igor accuses him of being the Plague Doctor in front of all the attendees of the Rainbow Orphanage Gala, [[spoiler:Razumovsky]] confirms his suspicions by stripping down to the waist onstage, exposing the cross-shaped scar Igor gave him during their last fight. The ploy works: the Plague Doctor's supporters come to his aid and attack Igor.
* DistressedDude: In Issue #7, Igor is rendered unconscious by [[spoiler:Razumovsky]] [[TapOnTheHead hitting him on the head with a shovel]]. In the following issue, he wakes up naked in the basement [[spoiler:of Razumovsky's mansion]], where he's injected with a lethal dose of Promedol -- before being forced to navigate [[spoiler:Razumovsky's]] maze of [[DeathTrap death traps]].

* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: Was Igor's dream in Issue #6 a legitimate supernatural vision, or just a stress (and head injury)-induced nightmare? The dream does seem to correctly spell out [[spoiler: Razumovsky's]] motivations and his plans for St. Petersburg (which Grom didn't know previously), and other BUBBLE publications (as well as future issues of the series itself) verify the existence of the supernatural (as well as hinting that [[spoiler:Razumovky's dark side having possible supernatural origins)]]. However, Grom is highly detail-oriented, and already knew that [[spoiler:Razumovsky]] had a fixation with the Middle Ages (and that the Plague Doctor recently burned the "London City Mall"), so it's entirely possible that he made the connection on his own and inferred [[spoiler:Razumovsky's intentions]] whilst his mind was being refreshed in a deep sleep.

* AllAreEqualInDeath: The Plague Doctor's notes allude to this philosophy, which is backed up by him targeting the wealthy and powerful individuals who would otherwise be untouchable. This is ultimately revealed to be something of a smokescreen, as [[spoiler: Razumovsky doesn't really care much about the sins of the wealthy; he's actually killing the elites for their personal associations with him, rather than their sins against society]].
* AmbiguousSituation: Was [[spoiler:Razumovsky]] [[PrisonRape sexually assaulted in prison]]? While the writers have stated that he wasn't (and that it isn't "that kind of story"), the evidence seems to suggest otherwise: [[spoiler:Sergey]] is roughly manhandled by a much larger prisoner, who looks at him with [[SayItWithHearts a heart symbol in his speech bubble]], calls him "pretty" and "sugar" and asks if he's been "claimed" yet (stating that he will personally be "first in line"); when [[spoiler:Sergey]]tries to fight him off, the prisoner gives him a beating and hauls him to his feet, proclaiming, "I'm not finished with you!" When next we see [[spoiler:Sergey]], he's disheveled and sports a bruised face, a split and bleeding lip, and rage-filled eyes. That Bird emerges after this -- and takes control for the first time -- lends further credence to the theory.[[note]]Sexual trauma is one of the main causes of Dissociative Identity Disorder.[[/note]] However, "The Game" arc reveals that [[spoiler:Sergey's condition might not be DID, and there are hints that Bird existed ''long'' before Sergey's arrest, throwing this aspect of the theory into question]].

* BaitAndSwitchGunshot: During the ride to the police station, Razumovsky points out that Grom has no solid evidence tying him to the Plague Doctor's crimes or the many deaths at his mansion, adding that he will frame Grom for his own crimes. Igor replies that he's left him no choice; dragging Sergey out of the car, he puts a gun to his head and pulls the trigger...only to play Sergey's confession from earlier. The gun wasn't loaded; Igor only carried it so he could hide Yulia's recorder and use it to get Sergey's EngineeredPublicConfession.

** Averted with the Rainbow Orphanage gala: Grom attends as an invited guest (he donated money to the cause six months earlier, which puts him on the guest list) after he's already been TakenOffTheCase. Ironically, he ends up identifying the Plague Doctor at the event purely by accident, after [[spoiler: matching Razumovsky's body language to the Plague Doctor's]].

** [[spoiler: Razumovsky]] himself also qualifies, as he's [[spoiler:the founder and CEO of Vmeste]] and a deranged, elitist SerialKiller.

* DistressedDude: In Issue #7, Igor is rendered unconscious by [[spoiler:Razumovsky]] [[TapOnTheHead hitting him on the head with a shovel]]. In the following issue, he wakes up naked in the basement of Razumovsky's mansion, where he's injected with a lethal dose of Promedol -- before being forced to navigate Razumovsky's maze of [[DeathTrap death traps]].
* EngineeredPublicConfession: Razumovsky strip searches Grom, looking for a wire. All he finds is Grom's standard issue firearm, which he waves around while monologuing about his plans for St. Petersburg -- not realizing that the hidden microphone is actually inside in the barrel of the gun itself.

* EmbarrassingNickname: [[spoiler: Razumovsky]] dislikes the nickname that the public created for him, "The Citizen", and states that he finds it ridiculous.

* GullibleLemmings: Razumovsky says this verbatim during his MotiveRant, while talking about his followers.
* {{Hallucinations}}: Sergey warns Igor that he'll experience hallucinations from the Premedol. Indeed, he does, seeing the garden statues come to life and attack him (and innocent children) while reminding him of his personal and professional shortcomings.

* HypocriticalHumor: Igor Grom chides a couple of investigating officers for leaning against Kirill Gretchkin's burned car ("Don't lean on the material evidence, please!") immediately after he handles the note left at the scene of the crime with his bare hands -- the ''same'' hands he's also using to handle a shawarma.
* IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim: While Igor, Dima, and Yulia are escorting Sergey back to the police station, the latter begins gloating that Igor has no way of proving his guilt, and that he will frame Igor for his own crimes. Igor orders Dima to pull over, and he drags Sergey out of the car, putting his gun to the killer's head. Yulia and Dima are horrified, and remind him of his personal oath. [[spoiler: However, it turns out to be a fake out: Igor was actually just revealing the recording he made of Razumovsky. with the bug hidden in his (empty) firearm.]]

* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: Was Igor's dream in Issue #6 a legitimate supernatural vision, or just a stress (and head injury)-induced nightmare? The dream does seem to correctly spell out [[spoiler: Razumovsky's]] motivations and his plans for St. Petersburg (which Grom didn't know previously), and other BUBBLE publications (as well as future issues of the series itself) verify the existence of the supernatural (as well as hinting that [[spoiler:Razumovky's dark side has supernatural origins)]]. However, Grom is an excellent analyst, and already knew that [[spoiler:Razumovsky]] had a fixation with the Middle Ages (and that the Plague Doctor recently burned the "London City Mall"), so it's entirely possible that he made the connection on his own and inferred [[spoiler:Razumovsky's intentions]] whilst his mind was being refreshed in a deep sleep.

** In Issue #6, Igor bursts into the Deputy Mayor's office and loudly accuses him of being The Citizen. His logic is that each of The Citizen's victims had a personal connection to the man. It turns out he's wrong.

* TheBlackDeath: The arc's BigBad styles himself after a compares the crime, corruption, and societal decay in Saint Petersburg to the Black Death, and refers to his crime spree as "purification". His methodology also references the Black Plague, with the first victim being burned like a victim of Bubonic Plague (with a note left at the crime scene referencing the "Danse Macabre"), the second eaten by rats (a major catalyst of the Plague), the third being disemboweled (a medieval execution method), and the fourth stabbed crucifixion-style and burned at the future site of the London Mall (referencing both the role of the Church during the Plague and the 1666 London Fire[[note]]widely believed to have contributed to the Plague dying out[[/note]]).

* AllAreEqualInDeath: The Plague Doctor's notes allude to this philosophy, which is backed up by him targeting the wealthy and powerful individuals who would otherwise be untouchable. This is ultimately revealed to be something of a smokescreen, as [[spoiler: Razumovsky doesn't really care much about the sins of the wealthy; he's actually killing the elites for their personal associations with him rather than their sins against society]].
* AmbiguousSituation: Was Sergey Razumovsky [[PrisonRape sexually assaulted in prison]]? While the writers have stated that he wasn't (and that it isn't "that kind of story"), the evidence seems to suggest otherwise: Sergey is roughly manhandled by a much larger prisoner, who looks at him with [[SayItWithHearts a heart symbol in his speech bubble]], calls him "pretty" and "sugar", and asks if he's been "claimed" yet (stating that he will personally be "first in line"); when Sergey tries to fight him off, the prisoner gives him a beating and hauls him to his feet, proclaiming, "I'm not finished with you!" When next we see Sergey, he's disheveled and sporting a bruised face, a split, bleeding lip, and rage-filled eyes. That Bird emerges after this -- and takes control for the first time -- lends further credence to the theory.[[note]]Sexual trauma is one of the main causes of Dissociative Identity Disorder.[[/note]] However, "The Game" arc reveals that Sergey's condition might not be DID, and there are hints that Bird existed ''long'' before Sergey's arrest, throwing this aspect of the theory into question.

* ArtisticLicenseMedicine: Promedol does not cause hallucinations, even in high doses. The drug normally causes mild intoxication, with all the associated symptoms -- nausea, vomiting, dizziness, disorientation, euphoria -- none of which Igor experiences in the comic.
* {{Backstory}}: Sergey provides his to Igor (and the readers) in Issue #8: he grew up an orphan, and was a loner and an outcast, finding serenity and solace in the beauty of classical art (which, as we further learn in the Issue #10 story "Metamorphosis", caused him to be bullied by his peers and teachers alike). He also realized that he cared little for the hedonistic activities (drugs, sex, drinking) in which most people indulge. As such, he hates the common folk and those he deems "beneath" him -- particularly people who are a drain on society.
* BadPeopleAbuseAnimals: For the third test of character in the Garden of Sinners, the prisoner is seemingly forced to tear open live mice with their bare hands in order to retrieve the last key needed to access the antidote. The point of the exercise is to prove that the prisoner is inherently cruel. [[spoiler:Grom, who is ''not'' cruel, realizes that the key is actually hidden in a hole ''shaped'' like a mouse, and spares the animals.]]
* BaitAndSwitchGunshot: During the ride to the police station, Razumovsky points out that Grom has no solid evidence tying him to the Plague Doctor's crimes or the many deaths at his mansion, adding that he will frame Grom for his own crimes. Igor replies that he's left him no choice; dragging Sergey out of the car, he puts a gun to his head and pulls the trigger...only to play Sergey's confession from earlier. The gun wasn't loaded; Igor only carried it so he could hide Yulia's recorder, and get Sergey's EngineeredPublicConfession.
* BeenThereShapedHistory: The Bird (i.e. Razumovsky's evil side) claims to have been alive in the seventeenth century and caused the Great London Fire of 1666. He states that he did it to purge the city of the corrupt religious authorities and lawmen and give London society a "fresh start" -- and that he intends to do the same to Saint Petersburg. Whether this was ''actually'' the case [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane remains to be seen]].
* BlackTieInfiltration: Igor Grom and Dima Dubin attend Deputy Mayor Kamenny's birthday jubilee, believing that The Citizen will crash the event. Much to Grom's surprise, it turns out that Yulia has infiltrated the same event.
** Averted with the Rainbow Orphanage gala: Grom attends as an invited guest (he donated money to the cause six months earlier, which puts him on the guest list) after he's already been TakenOffTheCase. Ironically, he ends up identifying the Plague Doctor at the event purely by accident, after matching Razumovsky's body language to the Plague Doctor's.
* TheBlackDeath: Razumovsky compares the crime, corruption, and societal decay in Saint Petersburg to the Black Death, and his crime spree(s) as the "purification". His murders even reference the Black Plague, with the first victim being burned like a victim of Bubonic Plague (with a note left at the crime scene referencing the "Danse Macabre"), the second eaten by rats (a major catalyst of the Plague), the third being disemboweled (a medieval execution method), and the fourth stabbed crucifixion-style and burned at the future site of the London Mall (referencing both the role of the Church during the Plague and the 1666 London Fire[[note]]widely believed to have contributed to the Plague dying out[[/note]]).

* CensorShadow: After his clothes are removed by Razumovsky, Igor's nether regions are conveniently obscured by shadows as he navigates the Garden Of Sinners.
* CompromisingCall: Dima's mother calls him on his cell phone just as he's trying to pass through the neo-nazi boxing club undetected -- [[FromBadToWorse right as Igor is in the middle of a bout with one of its members]]. As punishment, Dima is forced to fight a member of the club himself. (Fortunately, he's a skilled martial artist, and easily defeats his opponent.)

** Razumovsky himself also qualifies, as he's the founder and CEO of Vmeste and a deranged, elitist SerialKiller.

** The first key is stored in "Avaritia" (Latin for "{{Greed}}"), an open room stocked with weapons and supplies; if a prisoner attempts to take any of the items along with the key, it triggers an explosion. Grom tries to take a handgun, but survives the explosion because of [[MadeOfIron his speed and strength]].
** The second key is in "Fatuitous" ("[[IdiotBall Stupidity]]"), an aquarium room where a ping pong ball lies at the bottom of a steel pipe; the prisoner must make the ball float to the surface by filling the pipe with liquid -- with a needle and catheter provided for the task. Grom realizes that [[ExactWords Razumovsky said "liquid" rather than "blood"]], and instead breaks open one of the tubes supplying water to the fish tank. He successfully obtains the second key, but the tank breaks and floods the room with water. [[Spoiler:Razumovsky]] explains in exasperation that it wasn't necessary to destroy the tank: there was a jug provided to scoop water out of a nearby pond (which Grom had ''just waded through'' minutes earlier).

* EarlyBirdCameo: Literally: The Bird, Sergey's evil [[SplitPersonality alter ego]], who doesn't emerge in full until "Metamorphosis" in Issue #10 (and is hinted to have inspired Sergey's evil actions) appears to Igor in a nightmare in Issue #6.

* {{Gorn}}: The third key in the Garden of Sinner is hidden in a room called "Crudelitas" ("[[CrueltyIsTheOnlyOption Cruelty]]"), which is dressed in red and adorned with pictures of violent imagery.
* GiveMeBackMyWallet: In her introductory scene, Yulia has her purse stolen by a passerby on a motorcycle. Grom chases him down and gets it back.

* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: Was Igor's dream in Issue #6 a legitimate supernatural vision, or just a stress (and head injury)-induced nightmare? The dream does seem to correctly spell out Razumovsky's motivations and his plans for St. Petersburg (which Grom didn't know previously), and other BUBBLE publications (as well as future issues of the series itself) verify the existence of the supernatural (as well as hinting that Razumovky's dark side has supernatural origins). However, Grom is an excellent analyst, and already knew that Razumovsky had a fixation with the Middle Ages (and that the Plague Doctor recently burned the "London City Mall"), so it's entirely possible that he made the connection on his own and inferred Razumovsky's intentions whilst his mind was being refreshed in a deep sleep.

** Grom himself is mistaken for The Citizen at the start of Issue #5, after Dima finds him in his trashed office, wearing a plague doctor mask and spouting menacing catchphrases. It turns out Igor was just trying to get inside the killer's head; Dima isn't amused.

** During the ''same event'', after the lights abruptly go out, and Igor sees a strange man advancing on the Deputy Mayor with a knife. He dive-bombs the man--only for him to reveal himself as a waiter carrying a cake server (which he was about to use on the deputy mayor's birthday cake).

* NakedPeopleTrappedOutside: Razumovsky strips his prisoners naked to deprive them of any potential weapons and tools before they're forced to navigate the Garden of Sinners.

* PieInTheFace: At Deputy Mayor Kamenny's birthday gala, Igor (believing The Citizen will make his move at the party) mistakes a waiter with a cake knife for an attacker and jumps the table to apprehend him, accidentally shoving Kamenny's face into his own birthday cake. Razumovsky still [[NeverLiveItDown laughs about it years later]].

* PresidentEvil: Discussed: Razumovsky's [[EvilPlan grand scheme]] is to provoke a StagedPopulistUprising, overthrow the current president, and rally his supporters on social media to vote for him en masse in the next election; once he's secured the office, he plans to use his authority to reshape society on a grand scale -- starting by rounding up society's riffraff and herding them into [[TheGulag prison camps]].
* PrisonRape: Played With in ''Metamorphosis'' (Issue #10). After Sergey is sent to prison, he's accosted by a huge, rough-looking inmate who looks at him appreciatively, calls him "sugar" and "pretty", says he "looks like a girl", and states that he'll be "first in line" to "claim" Sergey. When Seryozha tries to fight him off by biting his hand, the man beats him into submission and hauls him to his feet, exclaiming that he's not "through" with him; the next time we see Seryozha, he's glowering with rage and sporting a slightly bruised face and a split lip. While [[WordOfGod the writers stated that Sergey wasn't raped]], many readers didn't believe them based on the visual evidence. (Many also noted that The Bird emerges after this incident; sexual assault is one of the primary catalysts for Dissociative Identity Disorder.)

* SpreadWingsFrameShot: Razumovsky (appropriately enough) gets one as he begins monologuing to Grom, courtesy of his pet raven, Margo, casting a shadow on the wall behind him.
* TheSwarm: Between room one and room two, Razumovsky activates sprinklers that spray Igor with a substance that agitates his flock of crows. The birds attack the Major, who escapes by dipping in the decorative pool outside room three (which washes off the spray).
* UndressingTheUnconscious: In Issue #9, Igor awakens naked and bound in the basement of Razumovsky's mansion. Razumovsky explains that he needed to make sure Igor wasn't equipped with any hidden weapons or microphones (and, indeed, found Igor's service weapon). However, [[AmbiguouslyGay he]] also makes it clear that he thoroughly enjoyed the process, and compliments Igor's physique while stroking his body--stopping just shy of his crotch.

* TheBlackDeath: Razumovsky compares the crime, corruption, and societal decay in Saint Petersburg to the Black Death, and his crime spree(s) as the "purification". His murders even reference the Black Plague, with the first victim being burned like a victim of Bubonic Plague (with a note left at the crime scene referencing the "Danse Macabre"), the second eaten by rats (a major catalyst of the Plague), the third being disemboweled (a medieval execution method), and the fourth stabbed crucifixion-style and burned at the future site of the London Mall (referencing both the role of the Church during the Plague and the 1666 London Fire[[note]]widely believed to have contributed to the Plague dying out[[/note]].

In Saint Petersburg, the son of a city prosecutor is burned alive in his sports car; a DirtyCop is eaten by rats; and an unethical doctor is crucified and gutted in front of his clinic. The culprit: a mysterious, cold-blooded SerialKiller who hides under a [[PlagueDoctor plague doctor]]’s mask. He claims that Russia’s cultural capital is buried in “the plague of unlawfulness and injustice” -- and he's only too ready to start the process of purification.

Unorthodox Police Major Grom and his rookie partner, Dmitry Dubin, have taken the case. Much to their dismay, however, they find that the citizens of the city have welcomed the vigilante (whom they've nicknamed "The Citizen") with open arms, and are using the popular social network Vmeste[[note]] Together[[/note]] as his tribune. How does one stop a villain who has power, technology, and most of the city on his side?

* DeathTrap: Razumovsky kills the people he deems the "dregs" of society in the Garden of Sinners: a giant garden behind his mansion, laden with death traps. In order to escape, the prisoner -- while drugged with Premedol -- must survive both standard booby traps (such as pits full of spikes and bladed pendulums) and [[SecretTestOfCharacter tests of character]], proving that they are fit, intelligent, and aren't enslaved to the vices that plague most of society.

** The second key is in "Fatuitous" ("[[IdiotBall Stupidity]]"), an aquarium room where a ping pong ball lies at the bottom of a steel pipe; the prisoner must make the ball float to the surface by filling the pipe with liquid -- with a needle and catheter provided for the task. Grom realizes that [[ExactWords Razumovsky said "liquid" rather than "blood"]], and instead breaks open one of the tubes supplying water to the fish tank. He successfully obtains the second key, but the tank breaks and floods the room with water. Razumovsky explains in exasperation that it wasn't necessary to destroy the tank: there was a jug provided to scoop water out of a nearby pond (which Grom had ''just waded through'' minutes earlier).
* DistressedDude: In Issue #7, Igor is rendered unconscious by Razumovsky [[TapOnTheHead hitting him on the head with a shovel]]. In the following issue, he wakes up naked in the basement of Razumovsky's mansion, where he's injected with a lethal dose of Promedol -- before being forced to navigate Razumovsky's maze of [[DeathTrap death traps]].

* PlagueDoctor: The titular killer of the series (who is a medieval history aficionado) adopts this as his persona, wearing the mask of a plague doctor and referring to St. Petersburg as being consumed by a "plague" of crime and corruption (and his crime spree as the "purification"). His murders even reference the Black Plague, with the first victim being burned (like a victim of Bubonic Plague) with a note left at the scene referencing the "Danse Macabre", the second left to be eaten by rats (a major catalyst of the Plague), the third being stabbed crucifixion-style and burned at the future site of the London Mall (referencing the role of the Church in the Plague and one of the cities effected by it), and the fourth being ____.

In Saint Petersburg, the son of a city prosecutor is burned alive in his sports car; a DirtyCop is eaten by rats; and an unethical doctor is crucified. The culprit: a mysterious, cold-blooded SerialKiller who hides under a [[PlagueDoctor plague doctor]]’s mask. He claims that Russia’s cultural capital is buried in “the plague of unlawfulness and injustice” -- and he is only too ready to start the process of purification.

* UndressingTheUnconscious: In Issue #9, Igor awakens naked and bound in the basement of Razumovsky's mansion. Razumovsky explains that he needed to make sure Igor wasn't equipped with any hidden weapons or microphones (and, indeed, found Igor's service weapon). However, [[AmbiguouslyGay he]] also makes it clear that he thoroughly enjoyed the process, and compliments Igor's physique while stroking his body -- stopping just shy of his crotch.

** Ivan Sorokin beat a crowd of protesters and called them "rats"; he is tied up and left to be eaten by rats.
** Gennady Zil
** Albert Bekhtiev's construction firm evicts low-income families and buys up historical sites so they can build high-end retail establishments. He is stabbed and crucified at the construction site of the London Mall, his latest acquisition (which is then set on fire).

* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: Was Igor's dream in Issue #6 a legitimate supernatural vision, or just a stress (and head injury)-induced nightmare? The dream does seem to correctly spell out Razumovsky's motivations and his plans for St. Petersburg (which Grom didn't know previously), and other BUBBLE publications (as well as future issues of the series itself) verify the existence of the supernatural, as well as hint that Razumovky's dark side has supernatural origins. However, Grom is an excellent analyst, and already knew that Razumovsky had a fixation with the Middle Ages (and that the Plague Doctor recently burned the "London City Mall"), so it's entirely possible that he made the connection on his own and inferred Razumovsky's intentions whilst his mind was being refreshed in a deep sleep.

* CompromisingCall: Dima's mother calls him on his cell phone just as he's trying to pass through the neo-nazi boxing club undetected -- and right as Igor is in the middle of a bout with one of its members. As punishment, Dima is forced to fight a member of the club himself. (Fortunately, he's a skilled martial artist, and easily defeats his opponent.)

** Ivan Sorokin beat a crowd of protesters and called them "rats"; he is drugged, tied up,.and left to be eaten alive by rats;

* AmbiguousSituation: Was Sergey Razumovsky [[PrisonRape sexually assaulted in prison]]? While the writers have stated that he wasn't (and that it isn't "that kind of story"), the evidence seems to suggest otherwise: Sergey is roughly manhandled by a much larger prisoner, who looks at him with [[SayItWithHearts a heart symbol in his speech bubble]], calls him "pretty" and "sugar", and asks if he's been "claimed" yet (stating that he will personally be "first in line"); when Sergey tries to fight him off, the prisoner gives him a beating and hauls him to his feet, proclaiming, "I'm not finished with you!" When next we see Sergey, he's disheveled and sporting a bruised face, a split, bleeding lip, and rage-filled eyes. That Bird emerges after this, and takes control for the first time, lends further credence to the theory.[[note]]Sexual trauma is one of the main causes of Dissociative Identity Disorder.[[/note]] However, "The Game" arc reveals that Sergey's condition might not be DID, and there are hints that Bird existed ''long'' before Sergey's arrest, throwing this aspect of the theory into question.

* BeenThereShapedHistory: The Bird (i.e. Razumovsky's evil side) claims to have been alive in the seventeenth century and caused the Great London Fire of 1666. He states that he did it to purge the city of the corrupt religious authorities and lawmen and give London society a "fresh start" -- and that he intends to do the same to Saint Petersburg. Whether this was ''actually'' the case [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane.remains to be seen]].

* AmbiguousSituation: Was Sergey Razumovsky [[spoiler: [[PrisonRape sexually assaulted in prison]]]]? While the writers have stated that he wasn't (and that it isn't "that kind of story"), the evidence seems to suggest otherwise: [[spoiler: Sergey is roughly manhandled by a much larger prisoner, who looks at him with [[SayItWithHearts a heart symbol in his speech bubble]], calls him "pretty" and "sugar", and asks if he's been "claimed" yet (stating that he will personally be "first in line"); when Sergey tries to fight him off, the prisoner gives him a beating and hauls him to his feet, proclaiming, "I'm not finished with you!" When next we see Sergey, he's disheveled and sporting a bruised face, a split, bleeding lip, and rage-filled eyes. That Bird emerges after this, and takes control for the first time, lends further credence to the theory.[[note]]Sexual trauma is one of the main causes of Dissociative Identity Disorder.[[/note]]]] However, "The Game" arc reveals that Sergey[[spoiler:'s condition might not be DID, and there are hints that Bird existed ''long'' before Sergey's arrest]], throwing this aspect of the theory into question.

* BeenThereShapedHistory: The Bird (i.e. the force that inspires Razumovsky's evil side) claims to have been alive in the seventeenth century and caused the Great London Fire of 1666. He states that he did it to purge the city of the corrupt religious authorities and lawmen and give London society a "fresh start" -- and that he intends to do the same to Saint Petersburg.

* MistakenForMurderer: In Issue #6, Igor bursts into the Deputy Mayor's office and loudly accuses him of being The Citizen. His logic is that each of The Citizen's victims had a personal connection to the man. It turns out he's wrong.
* MistakenForRacist: Dubin trails Grom one evening and catches him exchanging information with a Neo-Nazi; later, he catches Grom engaging in bare knuckle boxing at an underground fighting ring run by the man. Much to Dubin's relief, it turns out that Igor had just agreed to a fight in exchange for information pertinent to the Plague Doctor case.

** Deconstructed in the final issue: Igor seemingly survives being injected with a lethal dose of Premedol[[spoiler:...but not under his own strength: he knew that Razumovsky was using the drug on his victims, and took the antidote in advance]].

* PayEvilUntoEvil: This appears to be the Plague Doctor's M.O., as he only targets people who have wronged society through their actions. This actually turns out to be a smokescreen to allow him to eliminate his accomplices.

In Saint Petersburg, the son of a city prosecutor is burned alive in his sports car; a DirtyCop is eaten alive by rats; and an unethical doctor is crucified. The culprit: a mysterious, cold-blooded SerialKiller hiding under a plague doctor’s mask. He claims that Russia’s cultural capital is buried in “the plague of unlawfulness and injustice” -- and its self-proclaimed savior is only too ready to start the process of purification.

Unorthodox Police Major Grom and his rookie partner Dmitry Dubin take on the case. Much to their dismay, however, they find that the citizens of the city welcome the vigilante (whom they've nicknamed "The Citizen") with open arms, and are using the popular social network Vmeste[[note]] Together[[/note]] as his tribune. How do you stop a villain who has power, technology, and most of the city on his side?

* AmbiguousSituation: Was Sergey Razumovsky [[PrisonRape sexually assaulted in prison]]? While the writers have stated that he wasn't (and that it isn't "that kind of story"), the evidence seems to suggest otherwise: Sergey is roughly manhandled by a much larger prisoner, who looks at him with [[SayItWithHearts a heart symbol in his speech bubble]], calls him "pretty" and "sugar", and asks if he's been "claimed" yet (stating that he will personally be "first in line"); when Sergey tries to fight him off, the prisoner gives him a beating and hauls him to his feet, proclaiming, "I'm not finished with you!" When next we see Sergey, he's disheveled and sports a bruised face, a split, bleeding lip, and rage-filled eyes... with [[SupernaturalGoldEyes golden undertones]]. That Bird emerges shortly after this, and takes control for the first time, lends further credence to the theory.[[note]]Sexual trauma is one of the main causes of Dissociative Identity Disorder.[[/note]] However, "The Game" arc reveals that Sergey's condition might not be DID, and there are hints that Bird existed ''long'' before Sergey's arrest, throwing this aspect of the theory into question.

* ArtisticLicenseMedicine: Promedol does not cause hallucinations, even in high doses. The drug normally causes mild intoxication, with all the usual symptoms (nausea, vomiting, dizziness, disorientation, euphoria) -- none of which Igor experiences in the comic.

** Ivan Sorokin beat a crowd of protesters and called them "rats"; he is drugged, tied up and left to be eaten alive by rats;

* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Albert Bekhtiev is a construction mogul, and one of the wealthiest men in Russia; he made his fortune building shopping malls on historical sites -- which he acquired by [[BribingYourWayToVictory bribing public officials]] -- and gentrifying low-income neighborhoods. The Plague Doctor claims to have murdered him for this. [[spoiler: It's later revealed that Sergey Razumovsky helped grease the wheels for Bekhtiev with his power and influence; Bekhtiev thanked him by selling him the land to build his mansion and constructing the house — and the Garden of Sinners.]]

** The first key is stored in "Avaritia" (Latin for "{{Greed}}", an open room stocked with weapons and supplies; if a prisoner attempts to take any of the items along with the key, it triggers an explosion. Grom tries to take a handgun, but survives the explosion because of [[MadeOfIron his speed and strength]].
** The second key is in "Fatuitous" ("[[IdiotBall Stupidity]]"), an aquarium room where a ping pong ball is hidden at the bottom of a steel pipe; the prisoner must make the ball float to the surface by filling the pipe with liquid -- with a needle and catheter provided for the task. Grom realizes that [[ExactWords Razumovsky said "liquid" rather than "blood"]], and instead breaks open one of the tubes supplying water to the fish tank. He successfully obtains the second key, but the tank breaks and floods the room with water. Razumovsky explains in exasperation that it wasn't necessary to destroy the tank: there was a jug provided to scoop water out of a nearby pond (which Grom had ''just waded through'' minutes earlier).

''Plague Doctor'' is a 10-issue story in Creator/BUBBLEComics' series ''ComicBook/MajorGrom''. It is the first story arc in the series (and the Major Grom [[Franchise/MajorGrom franchise]] as a whole).

Saint Petersburg is under attack by a cold-blooded SerialKiller hiding under a PlagueDoctor’s mask! Russia’s cultural capital is buried in “the plague of unlawfulness and injustice”, and its self-proclaimed savior is ready to start the process of purification. Unorthodox police detective Major Grom and his rookie partner, Dmitry Dubin, are on the case...but how do you stop a villain who has wealth, power, technology, and most of the city on his side?

The series inspired a 2021 [[Film/MajorGromPlagueDoctor film]] of the same name.

* DistressedDude: In Issue #7, Igor is rendered unconscious by Razumovsky [[TapOnTheHead hitting him on the head with a shovel]]. In the following issue, he wakes up naked in the basement of Razumovsky's mansion, is injected with a lethal dose of Promedol, and then forced to navigate Razumovsky's maze of [[DeathTrap death traps]].

* UndressingTheUnconscious: In Issue #9, Igor awakens naked and bound in the basement of Razumovsky's mansion. Razumovsky explains that he needed to make sure Igor wasn't equipped with any hidden weapons or microphones (and, indeed, that he found Igor's service weapon). However, [[AmbiguouslyGay he]] also makes it clear that he thoroughly enjoyed the process, and compliments Igor's physique while stroking his body -- stopping just shy of his crotch.

** Albert Bekhtiev's construction firm evicts low-income families; he's crucified at the construction site of the London Mall, his latest acquisition which is then set on fire.

* SplitPersonality: Razumovsky seemingly develops one in the epilogue.

!!Tropes relevant to Major Grom: Plague Doctoe include:

[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/f8119ade0bd58f221e412312116d4924.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:250: The danse macabre has begun...]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/f8119ade0bd58f221e412312116d4924.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350: The danse macabre has begun...]]

* BadPeopleAbuseAnimals: Here, the prisoner isn't in any physical danger; however, they must seemingly tear open live mice with their bare hands in order to retrieve the key (with Razumovsky explaining that the key is [[ExactWords "hidden inside of a mouse"]]). Igor pushes the animals aside and finds a mouse-shaped hole containing the key.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/major_thunder_tpb_1.jpg]]

''Plague Doctor'' is a 10-issue story in Creator/BUBBLEComics' series ''ComicBook/MajorGrom''. It is the first story arc in the series (and the Franchise/MajorGrom franchise as a whole).

* CompromisingCall: Dima's mother calls him on his cell phone just as he's attempting to pass through the neo-nazi boxing club undetected -- right as Igor is in the middle of a bout with one of the club members. As punishment, Dima's forced to fight a member of the club himself. (Fortunately, he's a skilled martial artist, and easily defeats his opponent.)

* DeathTrap: Razumovsky kills the people he deems the "dregs" of society in the "Garden of Sinners": a giant garden behind his mansion, laden with death traps. In order to escape, the prisoner must survive both standard booby traps (such as pits full of spikes and bladed pendulums) and [[SecretTestOfCharacter tests of character]], proving that they are fit, sober, and aren't enslaved to the vices that plague most of society.

** The third key is hidden in "Crudelitas" ("[[CrueltyIsTheOnlyOption Cruelty]]"), a room adorned with [[{{Gorn}} violent imagery]]. Here, the prisoner isn't in any physical danger; however, they must seemingly tear open live mice with their bare hands in order to retrieve the key (with Razumovsky explaining that the key is [[ExactWords "hidden inside of a mouse"]]). Igor pushes the animals aside and finds a mouse-shaped hole containing the key.

* IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim: While Igor, Dima, and Yulia are escorting Sergey back to the police station, the latter begins gloating that Igor has no way of proving his guilt, and that he will frame Igor for his crimes. Igor orders Dima to pull over, and he drags Sergey out of the car, putting his gun to the killer's head. Yulia and Dima are horrified, and remind him of his personal oath. [[spoiler: However, it turns out to be a fake out: Igor was actually just revealing the recording he made of Razumovsky. with the bug hidden in his (empty) firearm.]]

* HeKnowsTooMuch: The real impetus behind the Plague Doctor's murders:
[[spoiler: each of his victims was secretly accomplice in creating and operating the Garden of Sinners, and he doesn't want them to rat him out (or their crimes to lead the authorities back to him)]].
* IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim: While Igor, Dima, and Yulia are escorting Sergey back to the poice station, the latter begins gloating that Igor has no way of proving his guilt, and that he will frame Igor for his crimes. Igor orders Dima to pull over, and he drags Sergey out of the car, putting his gun to the killer's head. Yulia and Dima are horrified, and remind him of his personal oath. [[spoiler: However, it turns out to be a fake out: Igor was actually just revealing the recording he made of Razumovsky. with the bug hidden in his (empty) firearm.]]

** The second key is in "Fatuitous" ("[[IdiotBall Stupidity]]"), an aquarium room where a ping pong ball is hidden at the bottom of a steel pipe; the prisoner must make the ball float to the surface by filling the pipe with liquid -- with a needle and catheter provided for the task. Grom realizes that [[ExactWords Razumovsky said "liquid" rather than "blood"]], and instead breaks open one of the tubes feeding water into the fish tank. He successfully obtains the second key, but the tank breaks and floods the room with water. Razumovsky explains, with exasperation, that it wasn't necessary to destroy the tank: there was a jug provided to scoop water out of a nearby pond (which Grom had ''just waded through'' minutes earlier).
** The third key is hidden in "Crudelitas" ("[[CrueltyIsTheOnlyOption Cruelty]]"), a room adorned with [[{{Gorn}} violent imagery]]. Here, the prisoner isn't in any physical danger; however, they must seemingly tear open a mouse with their bare hands to reach the key.

** The first key is stored in "Avaritia" (Latin for "{{Greed}}", an open room stocked with weapons and supplies; if a prisoner attempts to take any of the items along with the key, it triggers an explosion. Grom tries to take the handgun, but survives the explosion because of [[MadeOfIron his speed and strength]].