Minimonsters

Monsters are real.
They exist.
Vampires, werewolves, witches, mummys and other night creatures... All of them are real.
But... Chsssst! It's a secret.
They're cities that officially don't exist. They don't appear in any human map. They're inaccessible places, protected by impregnable mountains, laberintic forests, terrible rivers and ancient magic. But they're beings that can get there... and live there. Beings that have something in common: they want to live peacefully, far away from humans, that plague that spreads across the entire planet.
That beings are... Monsters! And they populate these cities throughout the world: Miedópolis, La Nuit Noir, Aaaah! City, Monsterland, Bloodgrad, Forever Halloween, Maldiciünd...
But we are interested in another city. Maybe is not one of the biggest, since only live there fifty monster families. Maybe is not one of the most famous, since even in some monster maps doesn't appear. But as you get to know it... Sure it'll become your favourite! It's Villa Susto... where they reach the adventures of the Mini Monsters. Who are the Mini Monsters? If you want to know... keep reading.

Minimonsters is a comic book series created by the Spanish author David Ramirez. It was published monthly in the Spanish magazine ¡Dibus! between years 2000-2015.

The following series include:

  • El Veneno de Porcelana (2003)
  • El Perfeccionator (2006)
  • Historias Para no Dormir (2007)
  • El Gran Partido de Calabacesto (2012)
  • Cazador de Monstruos (2018)
  • Fábulas Extrañas y Extras Fabulosos (2018)

All of them have been collected in one album, "Todo Minimonsters", released in 2018.

The plot takes in a small town called Villa Susto, where they live monsters who want to be far from humans. Victor Von Piro (A high-class vampire and main protagonist) moves to Villa Susto, much to his changrin. There he meets his new friends, the Frank’s Gang: Frank Einstein Jr. (The genius Frankenstein leader), Lupo (A narcoleptic werewolf), Momses (A sports-obsessed mummy), Gus (A cute, but fearful ghost) and Piruja (A very amorous witch). Together, they will live a lot of misadventures involving them and the rest of the people in Villa Susto.

To search more works from David Ramirez, see his other comic series, Dinokid.

Now has a Character Page

Tropes used in Minimonsters include:

Victor: Stop complaining and kneel... AT THE BEETLE GOD!
Rattus Sapiens: The Beetle God GOES IN UNDERWEAR?!

Frank: *After Momses accidentally breaks his invention* Thanks for finding it, Momses... *facepalm*

    • And in the same story:

Gus: Frank, you're a g-genius!
Skin: Emm... You should wait until he finishes talking, dude.
Gus: Y-Yeah, hehehe...
*Frank explains his invention*
Gus: Have you finished?
Frank: ...Yes.
Gus: Frank, you're a g-genius!
Skin: *facepalm*

    • And then there's Mr. Abra.
  • Fictional Sport: Calabacesto (Pumpkinball). It’s the main theme of the fourth album.
  • Flanderization: Frank being a (sort of) Gadgeteer Genius was merely alluded in the first album. From the second album onwards, this has become Frank's main character trait. And that is a good thing, actually. Same with Lupo's constant sleepiness, among others.
  • Foil: Many examples.
  • Foreshadowing: In the second album, there are subtle and not-so-subtle hints that Henrietta and Miss Hit are the same person. In particular, there's Miss Hit telling Frank she and Henrietta are "inseparable", and more importantly, their handwriting is exactly the same. The last one is what makes Frank discover The Reveal.
    • That said, this isn't so much foreshadowing as a case of Dramatic Irony, since while the readers can easily pinpoint the reveal, the tension come from the fact the main characters don't.
    • The cover of the fourth album foreshadows the fact Frank scores the winning goal for his team.
  • The Friend Nobody Likes: Victor is this to the Frank's gang (Except Piruja), only admitted because of pity. Frank even tells him this to his face.
    • Piruja was portrayed as this in the first album, with the others only hanging out with her due to her clinginess. By the second album onwards, though, she's shown to be a cherished friend to them.
    • Fridge Brilliance on the above: It could be possible the gang became much more accepting of her because, unlike Victor, she's a Nice Girl despite her clinginess, making her a way more tolerable member in comparison. The fact she's now only clingy to Victor also helps.
    • Mienai is this to the Morty's Gang. Since Mienai is portrayed as the least awful member, this only highlights the other members as being Jerkasses.
  • Gadgeteer Genius: Frank is considered this, but he’s more of a Bungling Inventor because his inventions totally lack common sense and have a tendency to fail.
  • Getting Crap Past the Radar: Dear God.
  • Hair of Gold: Frank is blonde, and he’s a very nice person. Most of the time.
  • Hair-Trigger Temper: Victor's main trait besides his narcissism.
  • Hate Sink: Quasim. Since the true antagonists (and recurring jerks) have some kind of quality that prevents them from becoming truly hated, he very much serves to take the reader's wrath. He does have Pet the Dog moments, though.
  • Heroic Self-Deprecation: Despite seeming otherwise, it turns out Frank's opinion of himself is total crap.
    • How much? We have this exchange in the second album:

Frank: A girl? Why is she crying?
Henrietta: Is a horrible monster!
Frank: *saddened* ...for me.

Victor: What a coward!
Lupo: Look who's talking.

  • Inferiority Superiority Complex: Frank, Miss Hit and Flan Hellsing all show this trope to varying degrees. This is also implied with Victor.
  • Intelligible Unintelligible: Momses talks in mummy, and only his closest friends and family can understand him. Lupo and Frank usually translate what he says to the other people.
  • Ironic Name: Piruja’s black cat, “Buena Suerte”, which means “good luck” in Spanish. Riiiight.
  • Jerkass: This comic is filled by jerks, with some ones showing better traits under that exterior and others... well... don't. Morty and Quasim are definitely the worst.
  • Karma Houdini: Quasim, due to his intimidating nature, doesn't get much comeuppance for his awful actions, especially in the first album. The second album, however, gives him some well-deserved punishment.
    • In the second album, Guillotine mentions her boyfriend Morty skips school constantly, getting away with it due to him being the son of the school's principal.
    • Zigzagged with Morty in the fourth album. On one hand, he got away with hiring Arrmando el Arraña and making an entire family sick, even joining the dinner at the end of the fourth album. On the other hand, he lost the match (thus the opportunity of getting Frank's brains), and got a vicious Humiliation Conga as a result of his own actions.
  • Kick the Dog: Victor does this frequently, and always pays for it.
    • More seriously, Miss Hit rejecting Frank cruelly via letter, pretending to be her good self Henrietta, sending him into an Heroic BSOD.
    • Quasim's bullying of Gus and Lupo's siblings definitely qualifies.
    • As does Nieve stealing Lupo's younger sister Lupe's doll. This is more noticeable when it's shown Lupo and his family are very poor. No wonder Lupo got mad at her.
    • Morty does this constantly in the fourth album.
  • Kick the Son of a Bitch: Lupo constantly trolls, mocks and snarks at Victor. Since Victor is a spoiled jerk, this comes across as hilarious and well-deserved (especially if Victor insulted him first).
    • In the second album, Miss Hit punching Quasim and knocking him out twice. Sure, she's eviler, but he was an unlikable bastard who had it a long time coming (especially considering he was a Karma Houdini in the first album).
    • Quasim himself has a moment in the first album when he punches Rattus Sapiens down the sewers, bringing him back to a normal rat.
    • In the fourth, Robert Louis punishing Morty's Gang for cheating in an over-the-top way.
    • In the fifth album, Frank explains to Momses he's repairing an invention to save Victor from his disastrous new invention. Once hearing this, Momses happily breaks it, clearly wanting Victor to suffer. While Frank doesn't deserve that, Victor definitely does, especially considering his betrayal in the previous album (which explains why Frank didn't get angry at Momses from doing so).
  • Kick Them While They Are Down: In the second album, Frank has an emotional breakdown over Henrietta's perceived rejection of him. Cue Morty's Gang laughing and mocking him for this. Thank God Lupo and Momses were there to defend and comfort him.
  • The Klutz: Momses. He doesn't have Buena Suerte’s "luck", but he’s extremely clumsy due to his physical strength.

Victor: *after Momses destroys Frank’s invention* AAAAH! WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS GUY?!
Frank: *facepalm* That’s what's called the mummy’s curse…

  • Laser-Guided Karma: In the fourth album, Morty’s dirty tricks to win the match take a toll on him and his band. They got beaten by Henrietta’s father; their rivals won the match, Morty lost his tickets to Miedópolis and he ends up with a thermometer in his ass. All of this is well-deserved, at least for Morty.
    • Victor is an epic target of this trope.
    • In later chapters, this ends up happening to Lupo, of all people. He has spent most of the series trolling Victor in a classic Kick the Son of a Bitch scenario. Once he encounters Nieve, he gets a taste of this with Nieve screwing him over with his Sticky Fingers.
    • Nieve herself gets her karma when she has to deal with the others' crazy shenanigans.
  • Like an Old Married Couple: Piruja teases both Lupo and Nieve with this.

Piruja: *giggles* Guys, you argue like Victor and me, so coupl-y.
Lupo and Nieve: *blushing* No way!

  • Love At First Sight: This is how Piruja fell for Victor. This is also true with Frank's crush on Henrietta.
  • Love Hurts: The main reason why Frank wants to create the Perfeccionator, alongside his self-esteem issues.
  • Meaningful Name: All characters have names that are based of famous monsters or mystical creatures. It's very common the use of the portmanteau.
  • My God What Have I Done?: Frank has this reaction when he discovers his latest invention is used to kill the girl he loves. It's really depressing.
  • Nice Guy: There's a lot, usually to contrast with the Jerkass characters.
  • Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Mr. Abra falls onto this trope a lot, although he's far from the only one who does this.
  • Not So Different: The comic's spotlight trio, Victor, Frank and Piruja, are wildly different from one another, yet they have some things in common. Both have to deal with Amazingly Embarrassing Parents (who are well-intentioned, but still), and they have very dysfunctional pets as their companions.
  • Odd Friendship: Victor and Frank, constantly picking each other. Also Lupo and Momses, but they get along much better than the other two. Basically, all the members in Frank's Gang, really.
    • Piruja and Guillotine. Very little in common, yet they're best friends.
  • Oh Crap: Has a lot of moments, recurring or not:
    • Victor usually does this, particularly with Frank's inventions and Piruja’s stalking demeanor.
    • Also, in the end of the first album, the Frank's gang after accidentally drinking the poison. They end up with a big case of diarrhea.
    • Morty's face expresses this perfectly in the fourth album when Frank shoots and scores the winning goal.
    • Henrietta has one when she realizes she has to sit with Billy.
  • OOC Is Serious Business: Just to show how severe Frank's Heroic BSOD is in the second album, when Gus tells him Victor plans to replace him as leader of the gang, Frank just tells him a simple "ok", upsetting Gus greatly. He recovers soon after, though.
  • Pet the Dog: Guillotine trying to help Piruja in conquering Victor (with underhanded methods, but still), shows her Hidden Heart of Gold behind her bitchiness.
    • Victor gets a huge one at the end of the second album, by joining Frank, Lupo and Piruja in confronting Miss Hit and save everyone. Considering he has spent the entire album being a prickly coward, and how lowly he thinks about the people in Villa Susto, this surprisingly selfless act may be the greatest example of this trope in the comic.
    • He got an earlier one in the first album, showing clear concern for his family.
    • Morty is pretty much The Sociopath, but he treats his girlfriend Guillotine well, and is genuinely worried when one of his pet worms disappears.
  • Potty Emergency: The first album ends with one of these for the Frank's Gang.
    • In the third album's longer story, Frank suffers one. As to how it ends... well, see below.
    • In the All Just a Dream story, Henrietta makes Lupo experience one of this to expel Victor, since he accidentally ate him when he was transformed into a sandwich (don't ask). He falls asleep in the middle of it.
  • Potty Failure: Frank has one in one of the third album's stories. Given what he was looking at, you'd probably piss yourself too.
    • One of these gives "birth" to Frank's pet Caca Einstein. Yeah...
    • Lupo invokes this to get out of Nieve's ice prison.
  • Puppy Love: All the minimonster romances by default.
  • Red Oni, Blue Oni: As a group, The Frank's gang (Blue) towards Morty's gang (Red).
  • Rotating Protagonist: Although Victor is the lead character, the story focuses on other characters as well.
  • Sadist Show
  • Screams Like a Little Girl: When Victor and Gus have to face a giant monster, Gus is terrified and Victor tells him to stop screaming like a little girl, since he can stop him (due to his new abilities). However, he fails to do this and the monster defends himself with a giant rock. Cue Oh Crap.

Gus: V-Victor, can we scream l-like little girls now?
Victor: *running away* YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!!!!

Lupo: Frank, help me! When I try to remember, I see everything black!
*Lupo’s memories appear, with him sleeping in all of them.*
Frank: Could it be you remember the inside of your eyelids?
Lupo: It will be that!

Victor: Take that, Frank! I'm the Minimonster everybody wants to be with.
Frank: Quasim included.

  • Stepford Smiler: Frank is revealed to be a Type A, putting a happy mask to cope with his task as a leader and hide the fact that he has huge self-esteem issues due to his physical appearance. He gets better, though.
  • Stepford Snarker: Lupo, being incredibly snarky and dealing with a very poor family at the same time.
    • Frank gets snarkier when he has to deal with his family.
  • Straw Loser: Victor thought there wasn't a gang worse than Frank's. Then he meets Morty's Gang, who makes Frank's Gang look awesome by comparison. He lampshades this himself:

Victor: This gang... is more pathetic than Frank's...

Victor: Didn't you want to help me? Then show it now!
Frank: Deal with it alone, smarty!
Victor: Bobblehead!
Frank: Snot!

  • Walking Disaster Area: Buena Suerte’s causes great accidents when he’s around. The only thing that could stop his disastrous luck is being inside Lupo’s stomach.
  • Welcome Back, Traitor: Victor in the fourth album, albeit reluctantly.
  • Wham! Episode: "El Perfeccionator" can be considered this.
  • Wham! Line: In the second album, we have this, which sets a notable Mood Whiplash and things become Serious Business (This doesn't quit the comedic elements totally, though).

Frank: She came to see me... That means she cares! I wonder when I could see her again...
*Henrietta slowly transforms into Miss Hit*
Miss Hit: If everything goes well... never.

  • With Friends Like These...: Victor has this relationship with Frank's Gang. And everyone else, really.
    • Even worse is the entire Morty's Gang. Why they're able to stay together is a complete mystery.


    This article is issued from Allthetropes. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.