Line #83 Webcomic/ParanormalMysterySquad


1	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/PMS_Pic_4694.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:250:Katie, Charlotte and Stephanie]]
3
4	''[[http://www.paranormalmysterysquad.com Paranormal Mystery Squad]]'' is a manga created by Adam Arnold with art by [=ComiPa=] (Vol 1), Ian Chang (Vol 2) and Micheal Shelfer (Vol 3) and licensed by Creator/SevenSeasEntertainment. It, and its sister manga, ''Webcomic/VampireCheerleaders'', are hosted by Pixie Trix Comix (also host of ''Webcomic/MenageA3'', ''Webcomic/MagickChicks'' and ''Webcomic/EerieCuties'').
5
6	The Paranormal Mystery Squad is a group of three young women who hunt ‘cryptids’, i.e. monsters.
7
8	The print (and e-book) versions of Volumes 1 & 2 are sold as the second half of the ''Vampire Cheerleaders'' books. Volume 3 marks the seemingly permanent merger with ''Vampire Cheerleaders'' opening with one big crossover.
9
10	Now has a [[Characters/ParanormalMysterySquad character page.]]
11
12	----
13	!!Tropes:
14
15	* AllMythsAreTrue: In addition to classics like vampires and werewolves, there are such things as Native American [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deer_Woman Deer Women]], Phoenixes, {{Chupacabra}} and [[spoiler: what appears to be Mothman]].
16	* AllWomenAreLustful: On [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/wheres_the_beef this strip]]
17	** Lita also show signs of this
18	* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Steph sees her teen sister as this to a degree.
19	* BarbieDollAnatomy: Played straight in the online and e-book editions of Volume 2, but averted in the hard copy edition, at least above the waist.
20	* BreakingTheBonds: [[spoiler:By pissed off wolfed up Katie.]]
21	* CassandraTruth: Despite raising some valid points about how vampires could be disguising themselves as highschoolers, JC and Char continue to dismiss Steph's suspicions.
22	* ColossusClimb: [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/executive_order Against K'aannl'ngua]]
23	* ConvectionSchmonvection: Charlotte is rescued virtually unharmed from a fully engulfed wicker man.
24	** [[spoiler: Katie's tail isn't so lucky]]
25	* {{Crossover}}: See Shared Universe.
26	* CuteMonsterGirl: Katie. The Deer Woman at the beginning of Volume 1 wasn't bad looking either.
27	* [[CuteWitch Cute Wiccan]]: Charlotte.
28	* DarkIsNotEvil: The Paranormal Mystery Squad consists of a {{Goth}}, [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Werewolf]], [[CuteWitch Wiccan]] and {{Dhampyr}} and they have a bat as the TeamPet.
29	* DescriptionCut: At a very public trial, the judge gives the Squad 2,000 hours of community service as punishment for various crimes. He then asks if Steph if she has anything else to say, and she clicks off the TV, since it was actually a recording of the trial.
30	-->'''J.C.:''' I can't believe you ''said'' that.
31	-->'''Steph:''' He deserved it.
32	-->'''J.C.:''' Yeah, but he ''doubled'' our hours!
33	* DevilInPlainSight: The Vampires of Bakertown High, who masquerade as the school's cheerleading team and student council.
34	* {{Dhampyr}}: J.C. Summerfield
35	* DistressedDamsel: Katie gets kidnapped by Theo and has her chained to a bed so that [[NearRapeExperience he can have his way with her]]. [[spoiler:[[SubvertedTrope Subverted:]] She manages to defend herself and knock him out by the time the rescue arrives.]]
36	* EldritchAbomination: [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/the_great_one_comes this guy]]
37	* EyeScream:[[spoiler: [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/it_just_got_real Stephanie stabbed one of K'AAN'NGUA's Eyes]]]]
38	* FakeKillScare: [[spoiler: [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/leonard_dies Leonard Dies]]! At least, [[WhatTheHellHero Steph clearly is having a good time]].]] Oh, well.
39	* FanConvention: The Squad has to do community service in the form of an appearce at ''[=ParaCon=]'', which are full of people who consider the crew as evil hunters.
40	* FantasticRacism: Steph's attitude towards all 'cryptids'. Then her sister became one. Even more "off" due to [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/treasure_it_always_-_guest_strip two]] [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/sensory_overload crossovers]] with [[Webcomic/EerieCuties Layla]]. Layla evidently managed to miss the whole TV fame of her old friend ''and'' "kill all cryptids" video on Website/YouTube, but for her obliviousness is in character. She had to talk about it with [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/my_dark_passenger oh so polite]] Maria, though.
41	* FunWithAcronyms: [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/no_guys_allowed It is no accident that they are known as ‘’PMS’’.]]
42	* GagPenis: Used to test if [[spoiler:[[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/wheres_the_beef certain]] feelings [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/wheres_the_beef still cause Katie to change into her werewolf form.]]]]
43	* {{Goth}}: Stephanie.
44	* HauledBeforeASenateSubcommittee: At the beginning of Volume 2.
45	* HeWhoFightsMonsters: Stephanie appears to be well on her way down this road at the beginning. She gets better.
46	* IdiotHair: Katie has one sticking up in the back. Reflects here tendancy to act without thinking.
47	* IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight: Just short of a fight with [[spoiler:[[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/fight_it Katie as she goes through her first change.]]]]
48	* {{Irony}}: Steph starts out hating cryptids and ends up literally embracing them [[spoiler: as the HiveQueen of the moth men.]]
49	* {{Jerkass}}: Steph whose always so quick to point out someones flaws.
50	* MarkOfTheSupernatural: Charlotte has a less noticeable version with [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/one_blue_one_green one blue eye and one green eye]]. There are hints that this is a hallmark of her magical affinity.
51	* MercyKill: How Steph views slaying monsters that were born human. [[spoiler:She initially plans to do this with her sister, but is talked down by JC and Charlotte.]]
52	* [[AnimalWrongsGroup Monster Wrongs Group]]: Steph finds herself butting heads with PETM (People for the Ethical Treatment of Monsters), who demand that ‘cryptids’ be captured alive and unharmed.
53	** A notable subversion (especially when compared to PETA) is that PETM are well aware cryptids are dangerous and even have standard issue tasers. As Summerfield put it, they're naive, not stupid.
54	** O'Keefe takes the entire thing to ridiculous extremes, such as refusing to let the army bomb an "innocent cryptid" who mind-controlled half the county (there are good reasons not to drop a bomb on a bunch of people, but ''that isn't one of them'') and later [[spoiler:gets the president to declare a {{Kaiju}} that's about to destroy the city and possibly the world an endangered species, forbidding the military from attacking. Well, the Squad is forbidden too, but they ignore it]].
55	* NearRapeExperience: The reason Mr. Campbell summoned the team to his farm not to investigate, but [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/here_for_only_one_reason to be breeding stock for his son.]] [[spoiler:The climax of volume one begins when the son kidnaps Katie in order to try again.]]
56	* NoPeriodsPeriod: Averted. Katie seems to delight and using her teenaged PMS as an excuse to [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/fine_whatever_pout ignore diplomacy]] (and [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/one_blue_one_green propriety]]).
57	** It later becomes a plot point [[spoiler: as the now [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent werewolf]] Katie ends up being in heat as a result.]]
58	* ObstructiveBureaucrat: O'Keefe has the President order Briggs to stand down his forces because it would violate Congressional law to attack K'aannl'ngua, an endangered Cryptid species. [[CavalryRefusal The military then pulls out, allowing the demon to wreck Las Vegas.]]
59	* OffWithHisHead: Steph is [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/i_am_not_a_waitress quite]] [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/this_ends_now effective]] with that sword.
60	* OhCrap: Everyone's reaction to Mr. Campbell going openly hostile, but especially [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/eww_gross Katie when Theo changes.]]
61	** A more comic version when the sea monster Steph just speared swam off rapidly. [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/the_perfect_hunter "Oh Frak...!"]] [[UnsoundEffect Yank!]]
62	** Said just before [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/abandon_monster Abandon Monster!]]
63	* TheOneGuy J.C. Summerfeild
64	* ParentalAbandonment: Stephanie and Katie’s parents were killed about a year before the story starts (and after Steph’s appearance in Aoi House).
65	* ParanormalInvestigation
66	* SpitTake: Recently during the VC/PMS crossover, Katie has one over TheReveal that [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/a_little_office_pool O'Keefe is a lesbian.]]
67	* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: [[spoiler:The general put in charge the incident in Volume 2 comes off sympathetic to the PMS crew, and most definitely does not like O'Keefe's presence and interference.]]
68	** [[spoiler:When they kill the {{Kaiju}} rampaging around Vegas (which O'Keefe got named an endangered species), he gets them issued a full pardon, and the 4,000 hours of community service fully commuted]].
69	* SharedUniverse:
70	** With ''Manga/AoiHouse'' and ''Webcomic/VampireCheerleaders'', with Stephenie being introduced in Aoi House, and there being cameos between VC and PMS. With PMS being hosted on the same site as Eerie Cuties and Magick Chicks, there is some talk of seeing if a link is plausible between them.
71	** A couple of [[http://www.eeriecuties.com/strips-ec/lingonberries_-_guest_strip guest]] [[http://www.eeriecuties.com/strips-ec/treasure_it_always_-_guest_strip comics]] by Adam for ''Eerie Cuties'' were set in a flashback focusing on Layla and Steph as kids. Turns out it was Layla that gave Steph her hairpin saying that they (her and Steph's hairpins) come in pairs. The two strips close with Steph in the present day wondering what Layla was up to at the moment. [[WordOfGod As far as Adam is concerned]], the comics are canon for Paranormal Mystery Squad.
72	** Which, coupled with the latest comics (as of this writing), where Nina, Layla, Blair and their mother Maria make an appearance, pretty much confirms that Eerie Cuties, Magick Chicks [[note]] by extension, since it shares the same universe as Eerie Cuties.[[/note]], ''Aoi House'', ''Paranormal Mystery Squad'' and ''Vampire Cheerleaders'' all share the same universe.
73	** All of the main cast of ''Webcomic/VampireCheerleaders'' have made at least one appearance. Lori and Lesly [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/epilogue_1 here]], Heather [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/bathroom_encounter here,]] and finally Suki and Zoey [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/halloween_bashing here.]]
74	** Volume 2 of VC had some references to events that were happening, or about to happen, in PMS. [[WordOfGod Adam]] has stated that Volume 3 will have a full scale crossover.
75	* [[HeWhoFightsMonsters She Who Fights Monsters]]: Steph’s hatred of cryptids has some unfortunate levels.
76	* ShoutOut: All of Charlotte's spell incantations are pop-culture references. No one knows why (not even her).
77	** Stephanie makes ''Film/{{Ghostbusters 1984}}'' [[https://web.archive.org/web/20121222052847/http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/a_2946-c_addendum_form jokes]] (too bad the lawyer had NoSenseOfHumor) and her ringtone is the movie theme.
78	** [[WordOfGod Adam]] [[http://www.pixietrixcomix.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=72&t=11795&p=341179#p341179 freely admits]] that [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/ginger_snaps this page]] was an extended ShoutOut to ''Film/GingerSnaps''.
79	** Steph chose to use a jian (Chinese 'fencing' sword) due to being a fan of ''VideoGame/SoulCalibur''.
80	** [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/be_seeing_you Be seeing]] [[Series/ThePrisoner1967 you]].
81	** [[Franchise/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy What the]] [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/a_secondary_pattern belgium was that]]
82	** [[Film/PlanetOfTheApes1968 Get yer stinkin' paws off my sister,]] [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/katie_needs_you you damn dirty wolf!]]
83	** [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/black_lingerie You don't buy]] [[BlackBraAndPanties black lingerie]] [[Film/TenThingsIHateAboutYou unless you want somebody to see it.]]
84	** From [[http://www.vampirecheerleaders.net/strips-vc/snap_out_of_it this page]], it's probably safe to say that Steph's seen ''Series/RedDwarf''.
85	* ThemeNaming: Many Franchise/{{Batman}} (and the wider Franchise/{{DCU}}) references are made in the [[http://www.pixietrixcomix.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2531 names for the various characters]].
86	* TheUnfairSex: Steph as per most of her jerkass tendencies, for example she blames the whole [[spoiler: Katie turning into a werewolf]] on J.C. when really Katie had wandered off on her own. J.C, despite being a nice guy, thankfully isn't a doormat and more then willing to call her out on this.
87	* TrashTheSet[=/=]ThrowItIn: the final arc "Vampire Cheerleaders In Space and Time" starts out as a bizarre fusion of the two comics with ''Literature/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' and TheMothmanProphecies and quickly snowballs into a gloriously gonzo space opera with [ShoutOut Shout Outs] to every urban legend or paranormal story imaginable. By the time they're done they've gleefully trashed the settings of both comics to the point where nothing less than a full ContinuityReboot could restore them.
88	* UnusualEuphemism: You were "double-clicking your mouse," weren't you?
89	* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: "Cryptoslaughter" has only recently been made ''illegal'', and appears to remain a civil offense.
90	* WholeCostumeReference: After being defeated by Lita in Volume 2, Char finds herself dressed up as ComicBook/{{Zatanna}}, [[http://www.pixietrixcomix.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=72&t=12368&p=367964#p367952 Steph as Alice from the Resident Evil: Extinction and Katie as Claire from Resident Evil: Afterlife.]]
91	* VanHelsingHateCrime: Steph who believes ''all'' cryptids are evil roughly stemming what happened to her parents. [[spoiler: Things gets complicated when her sister is turned into a werewolf and the newest member of their team is revealed to be a Dhampyr]].

Context Webcomic / ParanormalMysterySquad