Line #30 Literature/Barkwire


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/barkwire1.PNG]]
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3	[[http://www.somethingawful.com/series/barkwirecom/ ''Barkwire.com'']] is a series of articles by Josh "Livestock" Boruff posted on Website/SomethingAwful beginning in 2008. The series tells the surreal story of a small town that is home to a "seedy canine underworld" and a dedicated (not to say fanatic) community of human observers. The narrative is framed as an oddly specific social network/review site, complete with its own system of rating ("?/5 bones") and likes ("Pet This Dog"). Each post is formatted as a profile page for one of the town's colorful assortment of dogs, with plot lines playing out in the reviews section, populated by an equally colorful cast of human fans.
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5	Occasionally, the format will change to feature the personal blog of [[FanBoy the most vocal of the humans]], who goes by the handle [=BiGDOG=].
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7	----
8	!!Barkwire.com contains examples of:
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10	* ComicalOverreacting: Frequently, notably in the case of Rusty, a poorly-groomed and slightly strange dog:
11	-->''A WALKING JUSTIFICATION FOR EUTHANASIA''
12	* CrazySurvivalist: Regular contributor [=RandyF=], who posts all his reviews as psuedo-military reports and has expressed suspicion of stray dogs as possible agents of the New World Order.
13	* DarkAndTroubledPast: Noir
14	-->''This dog has buried more secrets than bones. She's been running from the past so long she doesn't even know how to stop. Whatever's got a hold on her won't let go.''
15	* {{Fratbro}}: The late Clumpy, a hard-drinking party dog.
16	* GreaterScopeVillain: El Cráneo Negro, [[spoiler: after the death of Vermin.]]
17	%%* HeroicDog: Auspice
18	* MindScrew: In universe, the performance art of resident canine artiste Satire.
19	* MobWar: A major component of the ongoing plot.
20	* OnlySaneMan: [=ConfusedGuy=], who seems to have stumbled across the site by accident:
21	-->''Ummm... This is a dog, guys.''
22	* PoliceAreUseless: Several reviewers bemoan the conspicuous absence of Animal Control during the events of the story.
23	* PurpleProse: The trademark style of reviewer [=KHunter=].
24	* RedShirt: Barkwire junior editor Ron Christianson never returned after being sent to review an [[BearsAreBadNews unusually large and unfriendly]] dog named Scar.
25	%%* RetiredBadass: Trotter.
26	%%* ScrapbookStory
27	* SeriousBusiness: Talking about dogs is SeriousBusiness.
28	* ShipperOnDeck: Dogs' relationship statuses are listed in their profiles, and reviewers often have strong opinions on the subject.
29	* StayingAlive: The pound tried to put Vermin to sleep, but it just didn't take.
30	* TattooedCrook: Doublewide, a member of Vermin's gang, who runs a protection racket for local fast food joints.
31	* ThinkOfTheChildren: A frequent refrain from reviewer Angie.
32	* TokenReligiousTeammate: Angie wants to respect these dogs as God's creations, but is frequently appalled by their behavior.
33	* UnreliableNarrator / ThroughTheEyesOfMadness: It's not entirely clear how much of the dogs' personalities and social lives are imagined by the reviewers. [[spoiler: On the other hand, the events of the "dog war" may lead the audience to believe that there was more to these reports than might be expected.]]

Context Literature / Barkwire