The best of friends.
Nerd & Jock is a webcomic written and illustrated by Finnish comic artist Marko Rassina.
The story follows the aforementioned protagonists, Nerd and Jock, two close friends who live together in the same house. Despite embodying the stereotypes that come with being... well, a nerd and a jock, they manage to form a close friendship that plays off of each other's respective strengths and flaws: Nerd assists Jock with his intelligence, while Jock motivates Nerd to become stronger.
The webcomic can be read here
, Tapas and on Webtoon.
Nerd & Jock contains examples of:
- Amusing Injuries: Jock has accidentally subjected Nerd to a couple of these painlessly, such as flattening him with a massage or stretching his arms so he can reach the high bar.
- Bait-and-Switch: The staple of the humor for the series in the early years is that it plays off of Nerd and Jocks' odd friendship. The setup was always that Jock would act threatening or otherwise make a stereotypically masculine move towards Nerd, but the reveal would be that the Jock would actually need Nerds' help in some way. More recent strips play with expectations in different ways instead (Nerd getting a miniature rock as a Halloween treat, and out pops a miniature Dwayne Johnson, Zenetreus The Eternal being summoned by Stalker Girl for fashion advice).
- Blind Without 'Em: Nerd tries taking off his glasses to "unleash his true power", but all that happens is he can't see.
- Bigger Than Jesus: In episode 123, Olga claims Jock and Nerd's unboxing channel will be this soon enough. Jock replies that he already is this, assuming this was referencing physical size, followed by a cutaway to Jesus working out in Heaven, saying "Not for long, my child."
- Book Dumb: Jock struggles with school, but is an insightful and surprisingly philosophical person when the situation calls for it. He's at his most insightful when it comes to working out.
- Chick Magnet: Nerd becomes one when Jock gives him a makeover.
- Clothing Damage: In Episode 69, Nerd flexes and his shirt explodes, showing how much he's progressed with exercise. Jock warns against doing this too often, so as not to ruin all his shirts.
- Comically Missing the Point: When Jock finds Stalker Girl about to sacrifice Nerd to an eldritch being, the first thing he notices is the Stalker Shrine full of photos of him (and he doesn't even realize it's a stalker shrine).
- Dumb Muscle: Subverted with Jock, who appears as a simple-minded bodybuilder when next to the intelligent Nerd, but is capable of introspective and thoughtful moments that imply a deeper personality. He's even aware of the trope, too, and wishes he was smart as Nerd since physical strength can only get someone so far.
- Easily Forgiven: Both Jock and Nerd forgive Stalker Girl for trying to sacrifice Nerd to an eldritch being so she could have Jock all to herself.
- Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette: Olga the Stalker Girl. She has a creepy demeanor, her skin is paler than Jock and Nerds' skin, and she has black hair longer than she is tall, with a few stray strands sticking out for extra eerieness.
- Every Scar Has a Story: Subverted. Jock is telling Nerd the story of why he's afraid of cats, but it turns out what traumatized him was the cat farting on him, not clawing him. He just wanted to show off his scar.
- Eye Pop:
- Nerd does this when Jock gives him a Smack on the Back for luck. Jock does the same when he sees Stalker Girl putting on a spiked glove to slap his back.
- Happens again when Nerd somehow manages to turn a grape into a butterfly.
- Future Badass: According to Episode 52, both Nerd and Jock will become these in order to fight the M87* black hole.
- Geek Physiques: Nerd is very skinny and short next to the hulking, muscular jock, which he's trying to subvert by taking up weightlifting and exercising. Jock supports him wholeheartedly.
- Genre Mashup: Nerd and Jock's band is yodeling metal.
- Given Name Reveal: Episode 81 reveals Stalker Girl's real name is Olga.
- A God Am I: When Jock gets an A+ on a test, he lets it go to his head a bit.
- I Got a Rock: Nerd gets one on Halloween. It turns out to be a miniature Dwayne Johnson, though.
- Irisless Eye Mask Of Mystery: Nerdman and Jockboy's costumes have these (though the only thing they get to do is rescue a Cat Up a Tree).
- Jerk Jock: Subverted with Jock. Part of the comic's Running Gag is that whenever it looks like Jock is going to torment Nerd, it turns out he's actually doing something nice for him instead. Examples include putting a statue of Nerd in Nerd's locker, approaching him for help on a math problem, borrowing his money to get lunch for both of them, and giving him a "swirlie" (ice cream).
- Kids Prefer Boxes: Jock can be childish sometimes (though in that comic Nerd is comparing him to a cat).
- "Kiss the Cook" Apron: Jock wears a "Kiss the Jock" apron when grilling in Episode 3.
- Kung-Fu Jesus: He's not quite there yet, but He's working on it.
- Limited Wardrobe: Nerd and Jock are almost always seen in their orange sweater and red t-shirt, respectively.
- Lovable Jock: Jock is one of the most lovable examples in fiction. He shares a close friendship with Nerd and is generally very supportive of him, even helping him with exercising and weightlifting.
- Mistaken for Gay: At one point, Stalker Girl says that Nerd is getting in the way of her and Jock's love. Jock gets confused, then Nerd explains to him that the comments make it obvious what she's referring to.
- Mistaken for Undead: Jock is convinced that Stalker Girl is a ghost or a vampire, or possibly even a werewolf.
- Mundane Utility: Nerd has a beastly computer that's powerful enough to run any game at 4K, 60fps, and in VR, but uses it to play Solitaire.
- My God, You Are Serious!: Jock claims that he wears his blue cap all the time because it's his Power Limiter for his "real power". Nerd doesn't believe him and takes off the cap, resulting in Jock revealing his true form as a Physical God.
- Nerd: The aforementioned Nerd is a nerd, being a very intelligent and adorable-looking kid who is also an Otaku who collects action figures and watches anime. He's also quite scrawny and physically weak, something he occasionally mulls over, which is why he took up weight-lifting. Fortunately, Jock has his back.
- Nerd Glasses: Nerd constantly wears a pair of these.
- Never Bareheaded: Jock is never seen without his blue cap, just as Nerd is never seen without his glasses (though he has good reasons not to be). This gets discussed in Episode 44, where Nerd thinks he's covering a bald spot, but Jock says the cap is his Power Limiter. Nerd doesn't believe it and takes off Jock's cap despite the latter's protests, and discovers that Jock wasn't kidding, as he becomes a godlike being when the cap's off.
- Not a Morning Person: While Nerd wakes up at 5:30 and has a whole routine, Jock sleeps in until just before noon and wakes up still groggy.
- Older Than They Look: Nerd looks like a 10-year-old, but is shown to go to the same school as Jock goes to. One of the alternative universes they see has him look more like his age.
- Paper-Thin Disguise: Thinking something will go wrong during Jock and Olga's date, Nerd poses as a waiter by putting on an apron and a mustache he ripped off from another restaurant patron. Jock falls for the disguise completely, while Olga sees right through it but thinks it's cute that Nerd cares so much, and that it's cuter that Jock is "playing along".
- Physical God: Arguably, Jock's true form. Nerd discovers that if his blue cap is off, he transforms into a muscular, godlike being with a Third Eye on his forehead, radiating arcs of power from his mere presence.
- Product Placement: Episode 63 is sponsored by Huion, and features the boys using a Huion tablet to draw.
- Please Subscribe to Our Channel: Used at the end [1] to distract from the literal pandora's box they just opened.
- Puff of Logic: Nerd's glasses stay on unconsciously due to the comic's lack of visible ears. If he thinks about how they stay on, they fall off. Jock uses some chewing gum to act as a workaround for that.
- Schmuck Bait: A door that says "Do not enter" and "Do not touch anything".
- Secret Handshake: Seen in Episode 97.
- Self-Parody: Jock's comic "Ned and Jack", about a geek and an athlete.
- Shout-Out:
- In Episode 4, Nerd has an Attack on Titan poster in his room.
- In Episode 17, Jock has just finished reading The Egyptian and wants to discuss it with Nerd.
- The song Nerd and Jock sing while cleaning up their house in Episode 35 is "Wannabe".
- In Episode 36, Nerd says he's watching The Walking Dead, but his screen shows The Simpsons.
- In Episode 39, when both of them are sick, the TV is playing the theme song for Sailor Moon.
- In Episode 41, one of the multiverses shows their alternate universe equivalents as
Rick and Morty (though surprisingly Jock is Rick). Nerd says "I guess only people with superior intelligence can understand these fellows." Another universe shows them as the Millennium Falcon and an X-Wing. - In Episode 55, when Nerd discovers Stalker Girl's Stalker Shrine, he says "Holy dramatic sound effect playing in my head!"
- Stalker Girl has done the Sorting Hat quiz a dozen times and was only sorted into Slytherin 2/3 of the time.
- In Episode 70, Jock and Nerd dress as Thor and Loki, respectively.
- Jock plays Thomas the Tank Engine in their D&D game.
- Jock's Imagine Spot of "Jockhalla" evokes Video Game/Doom.
- Jason shows up to Jock and Nerd's campfire in Episode 99.
- In Episode 111, Nerd dresses as Pinhead for Halloween, while Stalker Girl goes as Sadako.
- In Episode 4
- Smack on the Back: Episodes 80 and 81 focus on this trope. Episode 80, Jock gives a big one to Nerd to get his spirits up for the test, and Nerd tries to reciprocate but isn't strong enough to make a back-slap with any real impact. Nerd gets an A+, but Jock gets an F. Episode 81, to encourage Jock on the re-test, Nerd hires Olga the Stalker Girl to perform the slap, as she's the slapping champion of the school, probably due to her slapping with a spiked glove.
- Spider-Sense: Jock can sense when Nerd is feeling down.
- Spontaneous Mustache: Played with. Jock pulls a long beard and mustache out of Nerd's face, somehow.
- Stalker with a Crush: Stalker Girl, a goth woman who is obsessed with Jock but hates Nerd. She has a Stalker Shrine too. Xarhuul, the eldritch being Stalker Girl worships, has a similar crush on Nerd.
- Strangely Specific Horoscope: Episode 121 has Nerd checking out his horoscope while he's alone due to Jock being on a date with Olga. His horoscope reads "Today something catastrophic will happen to your friend Jock!" Nerd brushes this off saying there must be plenty of Jocks in the world, only to continue reading the horoscope and it having a photo of Jock as well as his phone number, full name, blood type, shoe size and favourite farm animal. This was enough to spring Nerd into action, despite not believing in horoscopes.
- Stringy-Haired Ghost Girl: Olga the Stalker Girl evokes this trope's imagery, but this trope is subverted as she is alive (though Jock isn't completely sure about that).
- Squashed Flat: Jock once accidentally flattened Nerd while giving him a massage.
- Use Your Head: When Nerd tells Jock to do this on a test, he takes it literally and smashes his head through the desk. Somehow this gets him an A.
- Visual Pun:
- There's a "monster" under Jock's bed.
- When Jock uses Nerd as practice for cutting hair, he goes too far evening it out and shaves his friend bald, after which he finds out Nerd is an actual egghead.
- There's a "monster" under Jock's bed.
- What Are Records?: Jock is unfamiliar with printed media, despite using it in school.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Jock is afraid of cats, as revealed in Episode 61
- Yaoi Fangirl: After the Stalker Girl becomes friends with Nerd and Jock, Stalker Girl starts writing Nerd X Jock fanfiction. Jock is confused because he thought that she hated Nerd, but she explains that the world of fanfiction is "complicated".
