The Master List of Webcomic Cliches

Joel Fagin · Post by **Joel Fagin** » Mon May 24, 2004 3:33 am

No criticism is meant to anyone, implied or otherwise. I don't mean to suggest any of this is bad, merely used a great deal.

So, just for fun...

- The guy who can create any form of sci-fi technology (lasers, teleporters, etc).

- Universities.

- Talking pets (where "pet" means "anything about the size of a rabbit, give or take")

- Megaman and Final Fantasy sprites. I mean, sheesh, what's wrong with Phantasy Star? Monty Mole? Anything?

- Fourth wall (lack of).

- Manga.

Keep going...

- Joel Fagin

Mr Ekshin · Post by **Mr Ekshin** » Mon May 24, 2004 3:43 am

What's the fourth wall?

If I were a plumber, and doing a job, would it be considered wrong for me to talk about plumbing, or for that matter, myself - as a plumber?

I am the fourth wall. Everyone else is incidental.

Van Douchebag · Post by **Van Douchebag** » Mon May 24, 2004 4:31 am

- Lesbianism
- The big dumb guy who means well
- The nerd that by all rights should not have a date but woman literally fall over
- An evil villain that acts like a buffoon
- Celebrity cameos

Oh wait - I was supposed to read cliches? I was reading White Hydra's plot devices.

Warren · Post by **Warren** » Mon May 24, 2004 5:39 am

Big-breasted ladies with loose morals.

Who like nerds.

And anything "goth".

Asarea · Post by **Asarea** » Mon May 24, 2004 5:45 am

Naked furrys instead of a good story. *duck'n'run*

Van Douchebag · Post by **Van Douchebag** » Mon May 24, 2004 5:49 am

Asarea wrote:Naked furrys instead of a good story. *duck'n'run*

Congratz! You just gave me an idea for my next "The Sunday Filler" comic.

War · Post by **War** » Mon May 24, 2004 6:22 am

Like "Megatokyo".

McDuffies · Post by **McDuffies** » Mon May 24, 2004 7:09 am

We could put list later on HNTRAC...

-"At least it can't get any worse" followed by something worse (yes, I got peevee on that)
-Wacky college roommates.
-Smart and reasonable but very bad tempered female character.

Alschroeder · Post by **Alschroeder** » Mon May 24, 2004 7:51 am

Gaming references.
Amorous robots.
Parodies of superheroes.
Parallel dimensions and a multiverse taken as a matter of fact, even as a "given".
Fanboy references to Trek, Star Wars, or Buffy.
---Al

Warren · Post by **Warren** » Mon May 24, 2004 7:54 am

alschroeder wrote:Fanboy references to Trek, Star Wars, or Buffy.
---Al

What about "Charmed?"

Alschroeder · Post by **Alschroeder** » Mon May 24, 2004 8:05 am

Warren wrote:
alschroeder wrote:Fanboy references to Trek, Star Wars, or Buffy.
---Al
What about "Charmed?"

Since I've never watched it, I wouldn't recognize such a reference, so Charmed's okay...*Grin*
---Al

Rkolter · Post by **Rkolter** » Mon May 24, 2004 8:06 am

or "Angel"...

How about: self-depreciating humor about how bad your art is.

Soap Soaperson · Post by **Soap Soaperson** » Mon May 24, 2004 8:21 am

Joel Fagin wrote:Manga.

I FEEL CLICHE!!!

Anyway...

-Young girl/boy DESTINED to be a princess/prince that saves the world and gets a gooey romance with some hot person

-The token fanservice character

-ELVES!! BLOODY ELVES!! *runs away screaming*

Alschroeder · Post by **Alschroeder** » Mon May 24, 2004 8:32 am

Soap Soaperson wrote:-ELVES!! BLOODY ELVES!! *runs away screaming*

Oh, yeah. Elves. Definitely.--Al

Phalanx · Post by **Phalanx** » Mon May 24, 2004 8:35 am

alschroeder wrote:
Soap Soaperson wrote:-ELVES!! BLOODY ELVES!! *runs away screaming*
Oh, yeah. Elves. Definitely.--Al

Or any of their pointy eared variants.

Hank · Post by **Hank** » Mon May 24, 2004 8:51 am

Seems like Jesus pops up quite a bit.

RPin · Post by **RPin** » Mon May 24, 2004 8:53 am

Whoa. I just comitted a lot of these mistakes.

As a matter of fact, the only thing I can consider original about my comic is the approach. Hadn't I start telling the story from the middle, it'd just be another guy-who-likes-girl-but-hasn't-the-guts-to-tell-her.

Anyways... Here's my contribution:

The PBFDV plot (Peasant Boy From Destroyed Village).

Rkolter · Post by **Rkolter** » Mon May 24, 2004 8:58 am

Hank wrote:Seems like Jesus pops up quite a bit.

... in Ghastly's comic.

I'm going to hell...

Ghastly · Post by **Ghastly** » Mon May 24, 2004 9:09 am

I can't believe nobody mentioned the Number One webcomic cliche...

ROOM MATES

Accordiong to the laws of the webcomic universe it would seem that it is completely impossible for anyone to have an apartment on their own.

GateCrosser · Post by **GateCrosser** » Mon May 24, 2004 9:15 am

RPin wrote:Whoa. I just comitted a lot of these mistakes.

As a matter of fact, the only thing I can consider original about my comic is the approach. Hadn't I start telling the story from the middle, it'd just be another guy-who-likes-girl-but-hasn't-the-guts-to-tell-her.

Feh, there's not THAT much wrong with cliches. The problem is when you have a cliche and you don't make it your own. It's the same thing with steriotypes - it's OK to have a minor character who's a big-breasted-woman-who-falls-for-the-nerdy-types. The problem is when you have the main character of your comic be a steriotype and STICK TO IT. The point of a story is that something changes.

There's nothing wrong with Alex and Ilia.

On topic:
Computer game players who become heroes or otherwise extremely important to the fate of the <insert here>

Comic Genesis Forums

The Master List of Webcomic Cliches

The Master List of Webcomic Cliches

Re: The Master List of Webcomic Cliches

Re: The Master List of Webcomic Cliches

Re: The Master List of Webcomic Cliches

Re: The Master List of Webcomic Cliches

Re: The Master List of Webcomic Cliches