No Heroes
is a fantasy webcomic started in January 2015, written and drawn by Manuel Schumacher. It updates regularly every week on Sundays (with the exception of a few weeks around the end of every year, when the author posts some simple sketches instead of a full comic page).
It follows the two main characters Katharina (a human mage) and Shara (a byzarian ex-criminal), two young women who find each other travelling together by chance. While they initially don't like each other very much, they slowly grow closer together while facing dangers like bandits, wild beasts and the occasional cursed artifact. Over time more and more characters join the cast, including Halen, who is by now classified as a third main character by the comic's cast page.
The tone of the story varies between humorous and dramatic and focusses mostly on the main characters' struggle to deal with the physical and mental stress caused by all the usual and unusual fantasy stuff the setting throws at them. The comic has a continuous and long running plot, though, which gets bigger and more dramatic as the story evolves.
While most of the pages are safe for work, it does feature the occasional show of violence and blood, as well nudity and implied sexual acts. Oh and also a fair share of foul language (mostly from Shara).
The art style is mostly in black and white, enhanced by shades of grey and the occasional splash of color for accents. The comic started out being drawn "traditionally", but as of page 250 onwards it is all done fully digital.
No Heroes contains examples of:
- An Arm and a Leg: Shara looses the lower half of her right leg as a consequence of the events of chapter two, as it has to be amputated to save the rest of her body from the spider tree poison.
- Big Bad: Initially subverted, as there isn't really a villain, just the dangers of the wilds the both protagonists travel through. This changes later when people like Ki'i'Mar or Lady Violet enter the scene ...
- The Big Guy: Guard Captain Slania fills this role, both literally and figuratively, when she temporarily joins the main characters to rescue Book.
- Blatant Lies: Invoked in this early scene:Katharina: Oh by the way Shara, have you seen my hair circlet?Shara: The golden one?Katharina: Yes ... !Shara: (while the reader can see her holding it) Nope.
- Bow and Sword in Accord: Shara is quite adept both with her bow and in close combat with her sword.
- Campfire Character Exploration: The two main characters have multiple scenes where they talk and get to know each other better over a nice campfire. A good example can be found here, in the jungle during chapter five.
- The Heart: Halen very much fills this role, or at least tries to. He is always trying to be friends with everyone and has scenes comforting both Katharina and Shara, among others. See also the Nice Guy entry below.
- Nice Guy: As the cast page describes Halen: "If you are having a bad day he will find you and he will hug you."
- Odd Couple: The two main characters initially do not get along, at all. And it takes them quite a while to get over it.
- Katharina is magic user who comes from a wealthy home, has studied at the Mages' Guild, is interested in researching history and tries to be polite and avoid violence whenever possible
- Shara was born poor, has a history of crime and violence and a distinct dislike for any practitioner of magic. She also swears a lot (see below) and is quite confrontational.
- Sir Swearsalot: Shara has a much ruder way of expressing herself than most other characters (with plenty of f-bombs), especially contrasting with Katharina who starts out never saying anything worse than "crap".
- Training the Gift of Magic: In the setting of the comic magic ability is something that not everyone is born with (at least not to the same amount). You still need to hone and train that gift to be able to perform anything impressive or useful, like Katharina does.
