Line #15 ComicBook/Cardboard


1	[[quoteright:333:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/doug_tennapels_cardboard.jpg]]
2	''Cardboard'' is a graphic novel from Creator/DougTenNapel (creator of ''VideoGame/EarthwormJim'' and ''VideoGame/TheNeverhood'') and published as a part of Scholastic's Graphix imprint.
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4	The story starts with Mike, a carpenter who's been out of work for a while. He wants to give his son, Cam, a cool birthday present, but all he can afford is a 78-cent cardboard box from a mysterious old man with a lazy eye named Gideon. Mike and Cam make the most of the lame birthday present by cutting and pasting the box into the shape of a cardboard boxer – who magically comes to life. The worst present in the history of birthdays quickly becomes the coolest birthday present in the history of the universe.
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6	When their nuisance of a neighbor Marcus finds out about the cardboard boxer, he steals some of the magic cardboard to make his own monsters. It's a foregone conclusion that his creations turn on him. With cardboard creatures rampaging all over the neighborhood, Mike, Cam, and Bill the cardboard boxer must step in to save the day.
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8	----
9	!!This book provides examples of:
10	* AttackOfThe50FootWhatever: [[spoiler:The giant Cardboard Marcus in the cardboard monsters' world.]]
11	* BecomeARealBoy: Bill the Boxer wants to be human. [[spoiler:It's implied that he got his wish in the end.]]
12	* BiggerOnTheInside: The cardboard monsters somehow manage to build an entire world inside Marcus's house.
13	* BrickJoke: Early in the book, Mike snarks that Marcus should get a haircut. [[spoiler:At the end, after losing his house to cardboard monsters, we see Marcus got that haircut after all.]]
14	* CoolShades: Pink Eye has these to hide his, well, pink eyes.
15	* CreatorThumbprint: No cats, and not many blatantly Christian elements (although you will find some Christian messages if you look closely), but we've got monsters galore, a speechless final page and plenty of "reverse silhouette" panels.
16	* DeadpanSnarker: Mike has his moments.
17	-->'''Marcus:''' Hey, planet killer! Get a hybrid!\
18	'''Mike:''' Right after you get a haircut!
19	* EldritchLocation: [[spoiler:The cardboard monsters dig up Marcus' house and create their own world underground.]]
20	* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Bill]] uses the [[spoiler:cloud bomb]] to destroy the cardboard monsters at the end, knowing it will kill him too.
21	* KillItWithWater: [[LogicalWeakness The cardboard creatures are susceptible to water.]]
22	* MaybeEverAfter: [[spoiler:Mike with his neighbor Tina by the end.]]
23	* MissingMom: Cam's mom and Mike's wife, Carol, died before the story begins.
24	* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: [[spoiler: The pilot of the UFO that made the magic cardboard was an alien wizard who had an inhuman grasp of quantum particle science. And was also religious.]]
25	* NosyNeighbor: Marcus.
26	* RuleOfCool: The boxing match between Bill and the Death Boxer doesn't have much to do with the plot, but it's cool.
27	* RunningGag: Mike sure gets punched in the jaw a lot.
28	* ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules: After Mike explains how he doesn't even have money for a birthday dinner for Cam, his boss, Mr. Machousky, tries to give Mike some money from his own wallet to help out, but Mike turns the offer down for this trope.
29	-->'''Mr. Machousky:''' Well, you're in luck! I've got a heart and you're breakin' it right now! Don't tell anyone...but I think I can float you a little something 'til things turn around for you. I know you're good for it.\
30	'''Mike:''' Thanks, boss, but I came in for a job, not a handout.
31	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Marcus's henchman Pink Eye quotes this before bolting for the door.
32	* ShoutOut:
33	** Wouldn't be the first time Doug [=TenNapel=] has a character called [[VideoGame/TheNeverhood Bill]].
34	** Bill the Boxer can be seen reading a book called [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan The Wrath of Khan]].
35	* SorcerersApprenticePlot: Marcus steals Cam's cardbord maker and uses it to make a whole army of cardboard monsters, crowning himself king over them. However, the monsters quickly get tired of working for Marcus and [[spoiler:make a cardboard copy of him, making the cardboard Marcus king.]]
36	* WizardsFromOuterSpace: According to Old Man Gideon, [[spoiler:the magic cardboard aparently came from the parts of an alien ship that merged into the walls of the cardboard shipping boxes. Said alien ship was piloted by a alien wizard who was a particle physicist experimenting on subatomic space travel.]] It's ambiguous if this is actually true or if Gideon was just making it up.
37	* WhatTheHellHero: Cam calls Mike out for trying to leave Bill to fend for himself.
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Context ComicBook / Cardboard