Comic Shorts

"We do what we can, because we're bored."

—The Comic Shorts Slogan

Comic Shorts is a webcomic, originally hosted on Freewebs before switching to Comic Fury for its more efficient layout.

The story takes place in the universe of Comicshortsia, an Alternate Universe comprised of things that have been somehow displaced from other universes. These things can range from missing socks or writing utensils to living creatures and sentient lifeforms to entire planets and even more than one star system. Because the infinite different universes within the Multiverse are at varying stages of technological and cultural development, Schizo-Tech abounds and culture clashes happen quite frequently in Comicshortsia.

The comics follow the adventures of Zanshlou, Leko, and Label Buddy, who are a ninja, robot, and idiot respectively. Other characters include a 1920s gangster named The New Yorker, a thief named Tailii, a hot space marine chick named Sammy, an evil superintelligent clone of Label Buddy, a Shadowy Figure, an evil demon/ninja named Villain, and many more.

Currently, two series are available on the site, separated by Comic Fury's chapter system, with the original series moved to a separate site due to its length.

Essentially, a massive collection of random (mis)adventures, inside jokes, total nonsense, and violence against Label Buddy. There are several multi-part episodes, with the later ones attempting to have a somewhat more serious story. This was abandoned after a long delay between episodes, and ended with an admission from the author that he lost track of what was even going on.

A remake/reboot/reworking of the original series featuring improved artwork, the removal of certain superfluous characters, and more of the same old jokes it was "known for." There may or may not be plans to reduce the amount of physical injuries inflicted on Label Buddy.

A currently ongoing Sprite Comic about the Comic Shorts characters going on an adventure IN SPACE. It is noticeably more story-focused than the Original Series.

Note: Due to the occasional shuffling around of filler comics in the archive, links to specific episodes may not be accurate for very long. Please refer to episodes by number, without directly linking to them. Original Series episodes may be linked to, as no changes will be made to the archive.

Tropes used in Comic Shorts include:

All series provide examples of:

  • Absurdly Sharp Blade: Zanshlou and Tailii's swords.
    • Subverted with Leko's Laser Blade. It was the intended effect when he made it, but due to design flaws it is really only a little more effective than a regular sword. He mostly keeps it because it looks cooler.
  • Abandoned Info Page: The original site had one. Upon switching to Comic Fury, it has become considerably less abandoned, though progress with it has been slow.
  • Action Girls: Sammy, Tailii and Ace.
  • Animesque: Most of the hand-drawn comics have slight traces of it, but OS episode 24 is deliberately drawn in an exaggerated style.
    • OS Episode 73 is drawn in the normal style, but in right-to-left format.
  • All There in the Manual: The authors have set up a Wiki to keep track of backstory details as they develop it. Because of this, a lot of said details have yet to appear in the comic itself, and some may be removed entirely.
  • Art Evolution: Both series. Compare OS episodes 5 and 95, and SV episodes 2 and 29.
  • Author Avatar: Zanshlou and Leko.
  • Breaking the Fourth Wall: The actual authors show up in comics from time to time, in addition to the aforementioned avatars.
    • They were main characters in SV before being abruptly Put on a Bus in Episode 26 to cut back on the Loads and Loads of Characters.
    • The first page of CSR features the demolition of a wall with a large "4th" on it.
  • Butt Monkey: Label Buddy.
  • Dope Slap: Tailii attempts one on Leko, forgetting that his head is plated with inch-thick titanium.
  • Disproportionate Retribution: Ninety-nine percent of Label Buddy’s deaths are the result of one of the other characters (most often Dragon Master) being even the slightest bit annoyed with him.
    • In OS Episode 25, he is brutally hospitalized for eating a pineapple to which Dragon Master had laid claim. He is later thrown in jail for it, while still in a full body cast.
    • A short-lived character named Gex was “banished” from the series because his real-life counterpart belittled the entertainment value of role-playing games like Kingdom Hearts. Appropriately, he is judged by Mickey Mouse and sent to Hell to be tortured by Sephiroth for all eternity.
  • Embarrassing Tattoo: Tailii is implied to have one.
  • Mad Scientist Laboratory / Elaborate Underground Base: Leko's lab.
  • Mega Corp: Lysander Edison Laboratories and Nexus Innovators.
  • Red Eyes, Take Warning: Leko's eyes have been known to turn red when he is sufficiently angry.
  • Schizo-Tech: Justified, since all the inhabitants of the CS universe are from different universes, which were at various time periods and stages of technological development.
  • Shout-Out: More than a person with a life could attempt to point out.
  • The Smart Guy: Leko and Dark Buddy.
  • They Would Cut You Up: Leko's blueprints and other associated research data were lost when the Lysander Edison facility was accidentally teleported into Comicshortsia, and the only way they can make up for lost time is to reverse engineer the only existing prototype. Fortunately, Comicshortsia has Sentient Mechanical Protection laws that prohibit Ridiculously-Human Robots from being reclaimed as property against his will.
  • Too Dumb to Live: Label Buddy. Literally. In fact, his stupidity is such that neither Heaven nor Hell want to put up with him, so they simply return him to the world of the living whenever he is killed. Label Buddy is actually too dumb to die.
  • Unsound Effect: Most often used as a Shout-Out to Homestar Runner's Teen Girl Squad. SHOUT OUT'D!

Original Series

  • Art Shift: In Issue 6, Dragon Master imagines what life would be like as a video game character. He becomes a video game sprite in his thought bubbles.
    • This plot is repeated in Issue 10, with Label Buddy and Leko showing up in sprite form as well.
    • The sprite characters show up again in Issue 16.
  • Journal Comic: Though not necessarily accurately depicting them, many episodes are based on or inspired by actual events.
  • Lucky Bastard: Dragon Master passes a test with an A+. A test that he forgot to study for, and the rest of the class all failed. How?

DM:Guessed on every answer.
Teacher: How the hell!?
DM: Exactly.

Spriteoverse

  • A.I. Is a Crapshoot: The ship's main computer turns evil and becomes the main villain for the first story arc.
  • Attack Its Weak Point: Tailii disables LE-37 in Episode 37 by getting in a slice at his unarmored ankle.
  • Calling Your Attacks: Tailii has a tendency to do this.
  • Combat Pragmatist: Inverted by 37 during his fight with Zan in Episode 49. He simply defends himself and stalls for time because his victory depends on the ship they're on reaching its destination. Unfortunately for him, Zan decides play the trope pretty much straight.
  • Cyber Cyclops: The ship's Main Computer.
  • Electric Torture: LE-37's interrogation of Label Buddy under the Main Computer's orders in Episode 32.
  • Exposition Diagram: Leko uses one in Episode 30 to explain several possible ways to deal with the situation. He cuts off Tailii's attempt to ask where the board came from.
  • Face Heel Turn: LE-37.
  • Fusion Dance: After a massive glitch, The Main Computer ends up fusing with Lavos.
  • Hostage Situation: Attempted by LE-37 with Label Buddy. It doesn't go well.
  • Let's Split Up, Gang!: The characters split into several groups to simultaneously attempt various methods of thwarting the Main Computer's plan.
  • Mistaken for Badass: In SV Episode 29 The Main Computer erroneously believes Label Buddy to be a stealth master.
  • Red Eyes, Take Warning: The Main Computer in SV is represented by a gigantic eye that is green when it is operating properly, but turns red during critical malfunctions.
  • Sprite Comic
  • Talk to the Fist: 37 is shot right in the middle of his rant about The New Yorker's apparently inferior weaponry in SV Episode 37.
  • The Alleged Car: The ship Leko and RL Leko buy in for $20.00. Even after extensive repairs, it is prone to inconvenient breakdowns.
  • You Will Be Assimilated: MC/Lavos absorbs Sammy to gain her AI permissions, and thus complete control of the ship.


Reproduction

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