Does Rich Burlew read TvTropes?

[Mr. Versipellis]

Does anyone know if he does? Because it seems he's taken every fantasy "trope" and either parodied it or "lampshaded" it. OOTS also seems to be the Wiki's favourite thing since Mystery Science Theatre.

[Optimystik]

I can't think of a single webcomic author who hasn't by now.

(A single good one, at any rate)

[Querzis]

I can't think of a single webcomic author who hasn't by now.

Hell, I cant think of a single person I know who hasn't by now. And yes, that actually include my grandparents.

[Asta Kask]

But it should be stressed that the tropes are listed there because they are classics... not the other way around.

[truemane]

Exactly. Like the infamous 'I don't want to fight in the shade did he or dind't he see the trailer for 300' debate, these things existed before the internet decided to keep track of them. We had pron back then too. Just nowhere near as much of it.

Look at Bored of the Rings for an earlier, non-internet-fueled take on fantasy parody.

[Lecan]

But it should be stressed that the tropes are listed there because they are classics... not the other way around.

Because it bears repeating. I don't know if the site tracks literature, but you can find themes and similiar situations in such works as Shakespeare, Greek writings and probably even caveman paintings.

[SaintRidley]

Because it bears repeating. I don't know if the site tracks literature, but you can find themes and similiar situations in such works as Shakespeare, Greek writings and probably even caveman paintings.

It already has that covered.

[hamishspence]

I don't know if the site tracks literature, but you can find themes and similiar situations in such works as Shakespeare, Greek writings and probably even caveman paintings.

There is an index: The Oldest Ones In The Book- which divides tropes by age:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...tOnesInTheBook

[Morty]

Because it bears repeating. I don't know if the site tracks literature, but you can find themes and similiar situations in such works as Shakespeare, Greek writings and probably even caveman paintings.

What also bears repeating is that common themes in fiction, fantasy or otherwise, exist indepedently of this site and one doesn't have to read it in order to be aware of them, use them, subvert them and so on.

[talkamancer]

There is an index: The Oldest Ones In The Book- which divides tropes by age:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...tOnesInTheBook

And there goes another evening I had planned to be productive !

[hamishspence]

true- the important bit is when names tend to be used.

V's "I blame Cerebus" as a hint to Cerebus Syndrome, or the lampshading scene.

Though in a few cases, the tropes were named after OoTS usages, even if OoTS wasn't the first to use those particular ones, the OoTS names for them, have become the standard.

Color-coded for Your Convenience
Start Of Darkness
Your Approval Fills Me With Shame

And others.

[NerfTW]

Does anyone know if he does? Because it seems he's taken every fantasy "trope" and either parodied it or "lampshaded" it. OOTS also seems to be the Wiki's favourite thing since Mystery Science Theatre.

Gosh, I wonder if he also reads the dictionary. He seems to use a lot of words from that as well!


Or encyclopedias!


Maybe he uses a lot of "tropes" because THEY'RE TROPES BECAUSE THEY'RE COMMON. If you list everything in existence, you can't express shock that people reference something from the list.

[Acrux]

But, but...It's on the INTERNET! I know the INTERNET!

[Turkish Delight]

Blatantly. Very blatantly. In fact, I'd guess OotS is one of the most TV Tropes-savvy Web Comics in existence, openly referencing exact trope names.

[Kurald Galain]

I don't know if the site tracks literature, but you can find themes and similiar situations in such works as Shakespeare, Greek writings and probably even caveman paintings.

Yes, it does. In fact, one of the Prime Rules Of Tropes is that "Shakespeare Did It First".

(except where Ovid did...)

[Daefos]

Blatantly. Very blatantly. In fact, I'd guess OotS is one of the most TV Tropes-savvy Web Comics in existence, openly referencing exact trope names.

Or, rather, used the same terms as TVTropes did.

I honestly can't recall OotS using any "exact trope names" that don't predate TVTropes' usage of them.

[Turkish Delight]

Or, rather, used the same terms as TVTropes did.

I honestly can't recall OotS using any "exact trope names" that don't predate TVTropes' usage of them.

Lampshade Hanging.

[gooddragon1]

There is an index: The Oldest Ones In The Book- which divides tropes by age:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...tOnesInTheBook

You actually linked to it... why would you do that?!? Now this thread will be sucked into the singularity you've unleashed!

[FabuVinny]

He does know his cliches so I'm sure there would be little difference if he hadn't ever been to TV Tropes.

But he was definately well aware of it by the point where he lampshaded lampshade hanging.

[ThePhantasm]

Maybe he does and that's why updates are sometimes slow... dun dun dun tssch!

On a more serious note, I think the question itself is irrelevant. Most people know the tropes anyways just from watching TV, reading, etc. Its part of the air we breathe, so to speak. I highly doubt that he surfs the tropes looking for ideas or anything ridiculous like that.... plus, as he has said, the strip has been plotted out for a long time in his mind.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Lampshade Hanging.

Which was a common studio/writing term long, long before TVTropes made a page about it, as the article itself says.

There aren't really any exclusive or original ideas on TVTropes. That's kind of the point.

[Vargtass]

Which was a common studio/writing term long, long before TVTropes made a page about it, as the article itself says.

There aren't really any exclusive or original ideas on TVTropes. That's kind of the point.

Nerd-o-Rama, could I sig your conclusion, please?

[Kish]

Has he been there at some point in his life? Probably.

Did he then decide never to go there again because he thought it might negatively influence his work, and actually stick to that decision? I wouldn't be surprised.

Does the site directly influence the comic? I doubt it.

[Conuly]

Rich might or might not read TvTropes. It's irrelevant whether he does or doesn't - sooner or later, EVERY interaction, characterization, or plot twist has an entry over there. That's why they're called tropes.

TvTropes reads OotS, though, and how!

[Spiky]

Is there a trope covering the discussion of tropes, yet? Cause there should be. And it should definitely include a note about questioning whether the author uses the thread or the trope websites to create his comic.

[derfenrirwolv]

There aren't really any exclusive or original ideas on TVTropes. That's kind of the point.

There aren't any really exclusive or original ideas. Thats kind of the point of Tv tropes.

[Turkish Delight]

Which was a common studio/writing term long, long before TVTropes made a page about it, as the article itself says.

There aren't really any exclusive or original ideas on TVTropes. That's kind of the point.

There are, however, terms which are used and/or were popularized primarily by TV Tropes. In the case of Lampshade Hanging, read the trope page again:

This practice is also known as "hanging a clock on it", "hanging a lantern on it", or "spotlighting it". In the film industry it's sometimes called "hanging a red flag" on something, after the screenwriting adage, "To hang a red flag on something takes the curse off of it," meaning that to lampshade something decreases the negative effects it might otherwise have. We went with this title because it's the one used in the Mutant Enemy bullpen.

The discussion page also includes lots of talk about how so many people have always heard it as, 'hang a lantern on it.'

So in other words, an industry trick with a whole bunch of different generic terms flying around for it is brought up in comic, and by some freak accident of history it happens to land on the exact one that TV Tropes uses all over the place, and by some freak accident of history again the creator of the comic expects that exact phrase for that exact phenomenon to be so widely known and understood that his readers will find it amusing without having to go reading up about obscure terms used in the entertainment industry. What a coincidence!

*sigh*

Listen, if for some reason you really hate the thought that Rich Burlow reads and acknowledges TV Tropes, and that the various references of exact trope names...and even direct reference of the previously rather obscure word 'trope'...are just astonishing accidents of various sorts, then well, suit yourself. I'm not going to find a way to nail down every possible loophole or stretched alternate explanation for why the comic seems so trope-savvy...and by trope-savvy, I mean the tropes as they are described on TV Tropes. I'm sorry, but while a wildly elaborate scheme to dupe a hero into unwittingly serving the scheme of a villain is old hat, the term 'Xanatos Gambit' to describe it and all it's permutations is not. If you see terms like that thrown around, then no matter how old the trope is in concept, you can wager safe money the writer is a Troper.

For my part, I'm somewhat puzzled at the amount of resistance I'm getting on what has struck me as really, really obvious fact for a long time. Rich Burlow reads, and does not hate, TV Tropes. Is this honestly in immense dispute?

[Maximum Zersk]

Me thinks it's cause people forget that Tropes Are Not Bad.

[Turkish Delight]

Me thinks it's cause people forget that Tropes Are Not Bad.

Possibly so. You'd almost think the guy is being accused of something terrible by the responses here.

I personally mark it as a point in a Web Comic author's favor if they read and enjoy TV Tropes. I mean, I guess there's some sort of weird honor in picking up all your tropes purely by pop culture osmosis (?), or whatever, but a TV Tropes reference is entertaining for me precisely because of how obscenely addictive the site is. It's not a bad reflection on someone to be well versed in something popular or interested in the tools of their own trade.

[B. Dandelion]

It's not just the specific pop culture references, it's the entire concept of "deconstruction." OOTS is a massive deconstruction of quite a few genres. TVTropes dot org attempts to deconstruct the entire storytelling process. They are derivative of the same thing, OOTS is not derivative of TVTropes.

When I hear Mutant Enemy I immediately think "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" -- which is one of the sources the Giant's specifically mentioned having drawn from, so it's hardly a stretch of coincidence for him to use the term "lampshade hanging" from them.

I personally love TVTropes and actually found OOTS through them, BTW.