Line #47 ComicBook/SinisterDexter


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6	[[quoteright:588:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sinister_dexter_fan_casting_poster_49350_large.jpg]]
7	[[caption-width-right:588:''You Pay. They Slay.'']]
8
9	''Sinister Dexter'' is a comic series in the British comics anthology ''ComicBook/TwoThousandAD'', created by Creator/DanAbnett and David Millgate. It first appeared in ''2000 AD Winter Special'' #7 (December, 1995).
10
11	Set in the near future, it features the exploits of gun sharks (hitmen) Finnigan "Finny" Sinister and Ramone "Ray" Dexter in the city of Downlode, sprawled across Central Europe. Occasional stories have taken place in other cities, or off planet. Despite its violent nature, the series is often presented with a decidedly tongue-in-cheek tone, often focusing on the ludicrousness of the situations the titular duo find themselves in in order to take out a target, as well as the extremely colourful characters that they encounter along the way.
12	----
13	!!This comic provides examples of:
14
15	* AbnormalAmmo: Sinister's Minigun is capable of firing normal and [[ComicBook/JudgeDredd Hi-Ex]] rounds.
16	* AnyoneCanDie: A given in a series set in a crime-infested hellhole, whose protagonists kill people for a living. Many supporting characters introduced over the years have met their ends, but this trope didn't really come into force until [[spoiler:the shocking death of Demi Octavo]]. Hell, there was even a period where it seemed like this had been applied to [[spoiler:''Ray and Finny themselves'', although, thankfully, this wasn't really the case: Ray was just hospitalised, while Finny changed his identity and escaped off-planet]].
17	* ArmCannon: Kal Cutter's weapon of choice is a poly-alloy prosthetic hand that transforms into a [[StealthPun handgun]] with optional silencer at command.
18	* BadassInANiceSuit: Ray is a total fashion plate, and LOVES nice suits.
19	* BadassNormal: Sinister. Many characters are [[HollywoodCyborg cyborgs]] or [[GeneticEngineeringIsTheNewNuke genetically enhanced]]. Even Dexter has a Headcase installed, allowing him to have ImprobableAimingSkills and watch tv at the same time. Finny simply relies on his trusty HandCannon.
20	* BlackComedy: ''Loads'', with the strip's approach to its subject matter - professional killing - often veering between ridiculously badass and just plain ridiculous, often within the same story.
21	* BlandNameProduct:
22	** Dexter's original Headcase is actually a Sony product, but when it's destroyed, he replaces it with a Fony model, which actually turns out to be superior to the old one.
23	** A coffee chain called Barstucks tries to run the duo's favourite coffee shop out of business so they pay the place a little visit. The end of the story notes that, for some reason, despite its worldwide mass appeal, Barstucks never does catch on in Downlode.
24	* CaptainErsatz: [[WordOfGod Abnett has stated]] he based the duo on Creator/JohnTravolta and Creator/SamuelLJackson's characters in ''Film/PulpFiction''.
25	* ComicBookFantasyCasting:
26	** On the [[http://www.2000ad.org/functions/cover.php?choice=1693&Comic=2000ad cover of prog 1693]], artist Mark Harrison based his version of the duo on actors Creator/JamieFoxx and Creator/TonyCurran.
27	** One story sees the duo travel to London to take out two [[LondonGangster Cockney gangsters]] whose appearances are based on Creator/MichaelCaine and Creator/BobHoskins.
28	** One story outright parodied this trope with Creator/BruceWillis as Sinister, Creator/EddieMurphy as Dexter, and Creator/ScarlettJohansson as Demi Octavo.
29	* ConsummateProfessional: Finny and Ray pride themselves on their professionalism, and don't let anything get in the way of executing a contract they've accepted. [[spoiler:When a contract is placed on "Holy" Moses Tanenbaum, who the boys were working for at the time, he immediately assembles a hit squad to take them out, telling his disbelieving subordinates that their professionalism and reputations will ''demand'' that they accept the contract, despite his being their boss and the biggest mafia lord in Downlode. And he's absolutely ''right'']].
30	** Kal Cutter is forced to learn this the hard way while being mentored by the duo. [[spoiler:When Finny and Ray go to accept a contract from a client at a nightclub, Kal meets a pretty girl there, and is then horrified to discover that ''she's'' the target. He tries to run with her, with Finny and Ray in pursuit. Eventually, they're cornered, and the duo explain to Kal that being a gunshark means that, above all else, you ''always'' finish the job, and can't allow emotion or questions of morals enter into it, even if you believe the target may be innocent. A reluctant Kal takes their words to heart, and shoots the target himself. Or so he makes it seem, as he actually fakes her death]].
31	* CoolCar: Dexter's Edsel is admired by many characters and serves the duo well for its speed and durability. It's stated to be a modern replica.
32	* CoolShades: Finny's rarely seen without a pair of sunglasses. Which type is, of course, DependingOnTheArtist, though he is often depicted with round teashades.
33	* CreepyChild: Polly Alloy, an exceptionally-lethal, poly-metal killer synthetic whose default appearance is an AdorablyPrecociousChild (with BigAnimeEyes to boot!).
34	* CulturalCrossReference: In "The Why-Shaped Cut," Polly Alloy dresses as ''Franchise/SailorMoon''.
35	* DashingHispanic: Ray, a well-dressed ex-matador ladykiller who could be the hero of a telenovela if he wasn't a ruthless, brutally-efficient killer.
36	* {{Determinator}}: If the duo accepts a contract on your life, that's it. '''You're dead'''. And '''no''' amount of cybernetically-enhanced henchmen, gun-laden killer robots, or state-of-the-art security systems will save you from them.
37	* DisposingOfABody:
38	** Kal discovers, much to his chagrin, that his first solo contract requires him to clean up the scene of the hit and get rid of the bodies of both the target and his minders.
39	--->'''Finnegan Sinister:''' Of course ye'll need a shovel, so ye will.
40	** A one shot story has Ray and Finny dump the corpse of their latest hit onto a massive pile of corpses off a quiet offramp of the highway. They note that they need to look for a spot for dumping bodies.
41	* DisproportionateRetribution: After Finny has his poetry published and becomes an overnight literary sensation, he suddenly finds himself targeted by a group of random thugs trying to kill him. Why? Are they other bullet sharks out to settle a score? Hired goons working for a vengeful mob boss? Nope; turns out, they're ''literary critics'' who hate Finny's poetry and instant success, although it's later revealed that [[spoiler:they actually work for Finny's publisher, who's trying to have him knocked off in order to drum up sales.]]
42	* EeriePaleSkinnedBrunette: Well, ''redhead'', but Sinister is often drawn with extremely pale white skin. Artist Simon Davis was ''very'' fond of this trope, and applied it to many supporting characters (most notably Demi and Billi Octavo) as well.
43	* ExecutiveMeddling: Parodied in universe in one strip that is essentially a parody trailer for a ''Sinister Dexter'' movie. The movie appears to cast vactors (virtual actors) as the main characters. Finny and Ray are disgusted to find that Creator/BruceWillis has been cast as Sinister and Creator/EddieMurphy has been cast as Dexter (Each even using lines from ''Film/DieHard'' and ''Film/BeverlyHillsCop'' as {{Pre Ass Kicking One Liner}}s). While Finny expresses some joy at Creator/ScarlettJohansson being cast as Demi Octavo, they both walk out of the theatre once the trailer is over, expressing disgust at having sold the movie rights to their own life stories.
44	* {{Expy}}: From his design to his position as the city's most powerful crime lord, it's easy to see "Holy" Moses Tanenbaum as one for ComicBook/TheKingpin.
45	* FightingIrish: Sinister is an Irish, redheaded ProfessionalKiller with a penchant for a drink order known as a Piston Broke and a HandCannon as a preferred firearm.
46	* GlasgowGrin: Tom Carney's version of Sinister is drawn with one of these.
47	* GunsAkimbo: Dexter's pair of Rugers. After the events of [[spoiler: ''Malone'']], when Finny returns to Downlode and thinks [[spoiler: that Dexter is dead]], he briefly takes up the same type of pistols in tribute.
48	* HandCannon: Finny's minigun, which is a misnomer. It resembles a shotgun (DependingOnTheArtist) but is just a really huge handgun.
49	* HiddenDepths: Finny is a poet in his spare time. He's even been published.
50	* HitmanWithAHeart: Finny and Ray may be the best {{Professional Killer}}s in the 'Lode, but they're always willing to do favours for friends. If ItsPersonal with them, be prepared to be whacked badly. This happens quite often.
51	* InspectorJavert: Tracy Weld, the new transfer to Downlode PD, starts off as this, determined to bring Ray and Finny in for their many murders. It isn't until much later that she sees the point of view of her partner, Rocky Rhodes, and realizes that they're not as bad as she thinks (and certainly not as bad as most of the targets they whack). This ultimately leads her into starting a relationship with Ray.
52	* LightningBruiser: Ray, whose hand-to-hand skills are legendary due to his incredible speed, which he honed as a youth learning to fight ''10-foot-tall genetically-engineered bulls''.
53	* MeaningfulName: In Latin the words ''sinister'' and ''dexter'' mean "on the left side" and "on the right side", respectively.
54	* MegaCity: Downlode. It's not quite clear how big the city is, but it certainly seems to sprawl from parts of Spain all the way into Eastern Europe. For a while the series' blurb at the front of the comic described Downlode as "''sprawling across Central Europe like a hit and run victim''".
55	* MrFanservice: Ray is an incredibly handsome and dashing Latino, and quite a few strips haven't hesitated to show this off. Out of the titular protagonists, he's the one most likely to get a ShirtlessScene.
56	* MsFanservice: Demi Octavo, although the degree to which she's presented as this is, as usual, DependingOnTheArtist.
57	** The duo have also had dealings with many beautiful women over the course of the series, most of whom are presented this way.
58	* OffhandBackhand: When fighting off Reminders in "Job Jobbed", Ray takes out one of them by firing behind him with his off hand. His Headcase likely allows this to be done with ease, thanks to its electronic targeting capabilities.
59	* PrettyInMink: Carmen Hosanna wears a long, white fur coat.
60	* ProfessionalKiller: Downlode has such a large criminal element that hitmen have several different categories:
61	** Gun Sharks, like Finny and Ray, are the most sought after and respected of hitmen with the skills and experience to match.
62	** Bullet Monkeys are more generic {{Mook}} types, hired in numbers to ZergRush a target.
63	** Reminders are a special case, being hired by someone who knows they'll wind up on the wrong end of a hit to avenge their own deaths.
64	* PunnyName: Almost everybody. Not just people, the entire ''world'' seems to run off of this. An example in one episode was an Italian restaurant with an American Civil War theme called ''[[{{Pun}} Spaggestisburg.]]'' This gets lampshaded, as one character doesn't get the connection between Italian food and UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar.
65	* RedOniBlueOni: Fiery Sinister is definitely the red to the more level-headed blue Dexter.
66	* ScoundrelCode: Both played straight and averted over the course of the series. Finny and Ray (as well as many other gunsharks) have a pretty rigid code that defines how they operate: they don't kill innocents (unless attacked) or cops, they don't get in the way of others' contracts, and they honor their agreements, regardless of who they make them with. Of course, that doesn't mean that ''everyone'' in Downlode is quite so honorable, leading to more than one occasion where the duo has had to deal with someone willing to break the rules.
67	* SharpDressedMan: Ray, as mentioned above. Especially contrasted to Finny, who's often dressed in more garish or over-the-top ensembles.
68	* SeanConneryIsAboutToShootYou: Used on the covers of progs [[http://www.2000ad.org/functions/cover.php?choice=981&Comic=2000ad 981]], [[http://www.2000ad.org/functions/cover.php?choice=1064&Comic=2000ad 1064]] (which was also used as the cover for the first collection), [[http://www.2000ad.org/functions/cover.php?choice=1134&Comic=2000ad 1134]], [[http://www.2000ad.org/functions/cover.php?choice=1153&Comic=2000ad 1153]], [[http://www.2000ad.org/functions/cover.php?choice=1346&Comic=2000ad 1346]] and [[http://www.2000ad.org/functions/cover.php?choice=1665&Comic=2000ad 1665]], as well as [[https://d1466nnw0ex81e.cloudfront.net/n_iv/600/1695113.jpg issue 2]] of their IDW series.
69	* ShoutOut: Artist Simon Davis was quite fond of doing this with his covers, referencing the posters for ''Film/TheUsualSuspects'' ([[http://www.2000ad.org/functions/cover.php?choice=1030&Comic=2000ad prog 1030]]), ''Film/{{Heat}}'' ([[http://www.2000ad.org/functions/cover.php?choice=1055&Comic=2000ad prog 1055]]), ''Film/Scarface1983'' ([[http://www.2000ad.org/functions/cover.php?choice=1105&Comic=2000ad prog 1105]]) and ''Series/CharliesAngels'' ([[http://www.2000ad.org/functions/cover.php?choice=1319&Comic=2000ad prog 1319]]).
70	* TeensAreMonsters: Zig-zagged with Billi Octavo. She decides early on that she wants to be a Gunshark, so Demi has her shadow Ray and Finny so as to get a sense of how brutal the Gunshark life really is. It doesn't work, ultimately making her ''even more'' determined to see her dream through, even stealing Ray's fact-totem so that she can accept a job. Which she completely and utterly bungles, forcing Ray and Finny to go into damage control mode to keep the heat off her back until she's able to solve the problem with her hacking abilities, ultimately making her realise that being the support to those who have the gun in their hand is ''far'' less risky than wielding the gun herself.
71	* TooDumbToLive: In ''Dunce Macabre'', Kal reckons a man that they have just chased out into oncoming traffic is the dumbest mark that has ever had a price on his head. Finny and Ray proceed to tell him about some of the stupidest hits they ever performed, including a man who hid in a wardrobe (He was told he needed armour and thought they said "armoire"), a man who jumped out the window onto some live power cables and a man who filled in the form incorrectly, inadvertedly paying to have ''himself'' killed.
72	** Given Ray and Finny's reputation as two of the greatest gunsharks ''who ever lived'', many of the mooks they face down - especially those who ''recognize'' the duo - certainly qualify.
73	* UglyGuyHotWife: The enormously-obese "Holy" Moses Tanenbaum, and his stunning TrophyWife Demi Octavo. Seems like Demi encourages this trope, as it's revealed that she had an affair with famous [[SerkisFolk vactor]] Max Vactor, who, without the CGI, is a nerdy, nebbish, dweeby guy that she was head over heels in love with.
74	* UndyingLoyalty: The titular duo will go through hell and high water for each other, although [[spoiler:there was a period where they split following Demi's death, which thankfully didn't last too long]].
75	* ValleyGirl: Billi Octavo, although a lot of it centres around her overuse of the word "Rilly".
76	* WhamEpisode:
77	** Prog 1138: [[spoiler:Demi Octavo is murdered at her wedding]].
78	** Prog 1139: [[spoiler:Ray and Finny call it quits on their partnership in the aftermath of Demi's death]].
79	** Prog 1468: [[spoiler:Ray is shot and seemingly killed by his lover, Tracy Weld. And, to top it off, it's revealed at the end that The Mover is a seemingly-resurrected "Holy" Moses Tanenbaum]].
80	* WretchedHive: No two ways about it, Downlode would be an absolutely ''horrible'' place to live. We're talking about a city where crime is so rampant and inherent to the fabric of society that contract killing isn't just done openly, but regarded as a career on the same level as any other blue collar job, gangsters and gunsharks alike are basically treated as minor celebrities and the police generally allow it because the bad guys mostly just kill ''each other'', making their jobs a lot easier. Gunfights in the streets are even so common that insurance policies don't even ''cover'' them anymore, as it's expected that another one will certainly take place in the very near future.
81	* {{Yakuza}}: The {{Cyberpunk}} variant, who control Mangapore and who Finny and Ray run afoul of.

Context ComicBook / SinisterDexter