Distillum is a webcomic series created by Sarah "Pickles" Dill, and it can be found here
or on Pickles' deviantArt.
For as long as he can remember, Rob Gallo has always had a strange ability to find lost things, a "kind of clairvoyance" as the narrator, Rob's roommate Jamie Cris, points out.
One night, when Jamie drags Rob out to the bar, they bump into a young woman (or rather, she bumps into them) on their way there. When leaving, they see the woman's purse on the ground, and, finding her in a bind, save her life.
Sometime later, they meet something really odd, which is quickly dispelled by Sidney, a mysterious woman with a bad temper, currently showing very clearly, because Kavitha should have died that night, and saving her has royally messed up the timestream. Which is why Sidney recruits the trio to help her fix the time anomalies that continue to crop up.
This webcomic provides examples of:
- Aerith and Bob: Kavitha, though she has a Hindi name.
- Art Evolution: The art from chapter 1 is quite a bit different than the art in chapter 4.
- All There in the Manual: Extra facts about the characters, such as birthdays, are mostly found either on Pickles' deviantART or in the Cast page on her website.
- Anti-Hero: Sidney ain't nice. She is responsible for policing the anomalies and does it with zeal, hence the "hero" part.
- Big Brother Instinct: Go on, try and threaten Rob (or Kavitha). Jamie will stand in his defense.
- Butch Lesbian: Rough-and-though Sidney states in chapter 4 that she's "not into dudes".
- Crash-Into Hello: How Kavitha meets Jamie and Rob.
- Cats Are Magic: They can tell the anomalies and act disturbed.
- Deadpan Snarker: Oh, Jamie. Sidney, too.
- Disappeared Dad: Implied in chapter 4 for Rob.
- Elegant Classical Musician: Rob and his cello.
- Face Palm: Sidney, on learning Rob and Jamie saved Kavitha's life.
- Foil: Jamie to Rob and Sidney to Kavitha. Sidney is also Rob's.
- Foreshadowing: Shortly after Rob saves Kavitha from the bullet, there's a minor Art Shift and shhhhh sound. Also, Nina hissing at Kavitha. Lampshaded in the artist comments about Rob's dad.
- Four-Temperament Ensemble: With Rob as the Phlegmatic, Jamie as the Sanguine, Kavitha as Melancholic, and Sidney as the Choleric.
- Genre Savvy: Jamie, sometimes Sidney displays this.
- Good is Not Nice: Saving the world is a responsible job. No place for incompetents, as Sidney is quick to demonstrate.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: Jamie and Rob.
- I See Dead People: Part of Distillum power set. Sidney says they're just "echoes".
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Sidney, at least according to Rose.
- Ms. Exposition: Sidney.
- The Narrator: Jamie.
- The Nicknamer: Sidney never calls anyone by their real name. Jamie, for instance, has been called "blondie" and "cowboy", Rob "you", and she refers to Kavitha scornfully as "the anomaly" on a few occasions. Likewise, her grandmother is called Mamee, even in the tags.
- No OSHA Compliance: The abandoned shed Kavitha was held in.
- One-Word Title:
- Paper Talisman: Used by Distillum to dispel anomalies. Sidney has an entire shed wallpapered with these.
- Psychic Powers: Rob and Sidney. They are powerful psychometrists and experience some sort of peek into each other's memories while touching. Distillum may also have precognition, but this always bites them in the rear.
- Randomly Gifted: According to the diagram being a Distillum works this way.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: Jamie and Sidney are both Red, while Kavitha and Rob display Blue traits.
- Sherlock Scan: Mamee deduces Rob plays either guitar or cello by the look of his fingers and neck. He's suitably impressed.
- Shout-Out: In the fake ending, we have Ten and the TARDIS, Bill & Ted, Marty McFly, and a Stargate. Sidney was not amused.
- In chapter 4, Jamie irritably informs Sidney that she's not Mr. Miyagi.
- Sword and Sorcerer: Distillum tend to have Pamvani, or bodyguards/assistants, giving them the Glacier and Glass Cannon sort of dynamic. Jamie's growing into the role rapidly.
- Supernatural Martial Arts: Sidney teaches one to the protagonists.Sidney: That's what tai-chi is derived from.
- The Team Normal: Jamie. Sid's training is giving him an edge, though.
- Timey-Wimey Ball: Well, now it is. Good Job Breaking It Hero !
- Title Drop: In Chapter 4.
