History ComicBook / AnyasGhost

* ShoutOut: [[WesternAnimation/CorpseBride A girl named Emily who comes back from the dead involved in a love triangle]] and a [[SweetValleyHigh popular blonde girl named Elizabeth...]]where have we seen this before...

* EveryoneHatesMathematics: Siobhan refers to economics class as 'naptime,' and Anya herself was nodding off during it.

* KirkSummation / ShutUpHannibal: Anya's last argument with [[spoiler: Emily.]]
* LoveMakesYouCrazy / LoveMakesYouEvil: [[spoiler: Emily's]] excuse for burning a couple alive.
* LoveMartyr: [[spoiler:Elizabeth. See AlphaBitch.]]
* MacGuffin: The finger bone, which Emily is attached to.
* [[ManipulativeBastard Manipulative Bitch]]: [[spoiler: Emily's EvilAllAlong [[TheReveal reveal.]] ]]

* NiceGuy: Sean. [[spoiler:[[YourCheatingHeart Subverted]] at Matt's party.]]

* OrdinaryHighschoolStudent: Anya, Siobhan and their classmates. [[spoiler: Evidently, Emily wants '''[[{{Determinator}} very badly]]''' to be one.]]

* ProphetEyes: Emily, due to being dead.
* SelfDisposingVillain: [[spoiler: How Emily originally died. After burning the couple, she fled from authorities and fell in the hole, killing herself in the process.]]
* SheCleansUpNicely: Emily convinces Anya to dress up and go to Sean's party. This is the result, although Anya wonders if she doesn't look a little "loose-woman-y".

* UnfinishedBusiness: [[spoiler: A rather selfish example of this trope.]]
* UnreliableNarrator: [[spoiler:Emily.]]

* VitriolicBestBuds: Siobhan is Anya's best (human) friend... She just has a funny way of showing it.
** Anya's got a funny way of showing it too.

* {{Yandere}}: Arguably subverted. [[spoiler: Emily didn't 'help' Anya for her sake, she did it because she wanted to ''make'' Anya live the life she couldn't have.]]
** [[spoiler: Its revealed that Emily also played this trope straight. She [[KillItWithFire burnt down the house]] of the boy she liked while he and his [[MurderTheHypotenuse girlfriend]] were inside. [[WomanScorned All because he rejected her feelings for him.]]]]
* YouCanBarelyStand: Almost said word-for-word when [[spoiler: Emily crawls out of the well, bones and all, to try and [[TakingYouWithMe drag Anya down with her.]] But it's obvious it's taking all she has just to move her remains. Her apparent weakness and anguish make this scene a bit of a TearJerker.]]
* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: [[spoiler:Emily.]]

* AlphaBitch: [[spoiler:Deconstructed with Elizabeth. If you are familiar with high school tropes you'll think she'll be one, however she doesn't have the mean-spirited personality that typically defines them. Case in point, when Anya falls in gym class, Elizabeth doesn't laugh at her, and actually asks if she's alright. It soon becomes obvious that Anya is the nasty one and [[{{GreenEyedMonster}} she and the other girls are jealous of Elizabeth]], for being pretty, athletic, intelligent, dating the hunky jock Sean, and being all around "perfect". However, when we get to the party we find out [[YourCheatingHeart Sean likes to sleep around with other girls]] and Elizabeth not only knows about it, she ''goes along with it.''. Why? [[DestructiveRomance She only feels good about herself if she and Sean are together and desperately wants to keep him in her life.]] All her positive traits mean very little to her and it only shows she probably has little to no self esteem. This also drives home the theme that everyone has problems.]]
* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: The other kids picking on Dima. It's only seen for one panel, but it's enough to drive the message home.
** Anya likewise was like this in the past. It's a main reason why she's how she is now.

* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Sasha.

* BastardBoyfriend: [[spoiler:Sean turns out to be this when it's revealed that he makes out (possibly even sleeps) with other girls at parties for fun, even when [[LoveMartyr Elizabeth]] knows about it AND KEEPS WATCH WHILE HE'S DOING IT.]]
* BeneathTheMask: Elizabeth. See above.
* BitchInSheepsClothing: [[spoiler: We're led to believe at first that Emily is just a timid but friendly ghost who only wants to be free from the hole her remains are in, akin to Casper. But once she manages to get Anya to got to Sean's party, the facade slowly starts to crumble and we begin to see how she ''really'' is.]]

* ComingOfAgeStory: For Anya.
* ControlFreak: ''[[spoiler: "Highschool's pretty fun, but imagine how great college will be! Not that you'll be needing any more boy help pretty soon! How young do people get married nowadays? ...Well, we'll just have to find that out then, won't we?"]]''

* DisproportionateRetribution: [[spoiler: Emily [[IfICantHaveYou killed two people]] because [[AllLoveIsUnrequited one of them wouldn't return her affections]].]] [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] by Anya:

* DreamSequence / ImagineSpot:

* EveryoneHatesMathematics: Siobhan refers to economics class as 'naptime'.
* EvilAllAlong: [[spoiler: Emily.]]
* EvilCounterpart / NotSoDifferent - [[spoiler:Emily]] is the evil counterpart to Anya. [[spoiler:She starts out mellowed out pretty well after ninety years sitting in a well to think about what she's done, but when Anya teaches her her own high school lifestyle she reawakens the beast, and the beast turns out to possess exaggerated versions of all of Anya's negative traits: Emily is obsessive over boys (but unlike Anya, she is a {{Yandere}}), sees existing girlfrends of 'mark' boys as not human individuals who deserve respect as such - but just competition (but unlike Anya, she is inclined to murder them), lies and manipulates (but not just about her last name, she lies about her entire past). The mirroring is even physical: she dons Anya's hairdo and starts smoking "ghost cigarettes", presumably a mimicing of Anya's bad habit. In the end, we even get an explicit [[NotSoDifferent You're Just Like Me speech]] from Emily - and Anya partially concedes the point, stating that she is enough like her to at least understand her.]]

* GenreSavvy - Siobhan: ''"Sean from the basketball team? Dude, he's the kind of guy you're supposed to get a crush on in a bad teen movie".''

** As well as [[spoiler: when Anya refuses to aid her.]]
* JacobMarleyApparel: Emily explicitly expresses the wish to upgrade her turn-of-the-century jumper, but she's apparently stuck with it. [[spoiler: Played with later as she learns to change her poofy hair into a more modern style, {{Foreshadowing}} her shift out of the 'innocent victim' persona.]]

-->'''Siobhan:''' Are you sure he wasn't just talking to your breasts?
* AlphaBitch: [[spoiler:[[AvertedTrope Averted]] and [[DeconstructedTrope deconstructed]] with Elizabeth. If you are familiar with high school tropes you'll think she'll be one, however she doesn't have the mean-spirited personality that typically defines them. Case in point, when Anya falls in gym class, Elizabeth doesn't laugh at her, and actually asks if she's alright. It soon becomes obvious that Anya is the nasty one and [[{{GreenEyedMonster}} she and the other girls are jealous of Elizabeth]], for being pretty, athletic, intelligent, dating the hunky jock Sean, and being all around "perfect". However, when we get to the party we find out [[YourCheatingHeart Sean likes to sleep around with other girls]] and Elizabeth not only knows about it, she ''goes along with it.''. Why? [[DestructiveRomance She only feels good about herself if she and Sean are together and desperately wants to keep him in her life.]] All her positive traits mean very little to her and it only shows she probably has little to no self esteem. This also drives home the theme that everyone has problems.]]

* AntiHero: Anya is a Type III/IV. She's definitely no angel: [[spoiler:Who lies about her last name and ethnicity, conspires to steal the boyfriend of a girl who has never wronged her whilst playing nice to said girl, ditches her one friend the moment she finds another friend who acts subservient to her, and seriously believes that nerds and minorities have themselves to thank for being picked on? Why, our heroine of course]].
** She does show moral backbone when push comes to shove, though. [[spoiler:She can't go through with having sex with Sean, out of pity for Elizabeth; apologizes to Siobhan when meeting up with her later; comforts Dima when he asks her how she manages to survive high school so well; and in the end stops lying about being Russian]].

* ClingyJealousGirl

* DeadToBeginWith

* FogFeet

* GhostlyGoals: Emily [[spoiler: claims to be]] a type 1.
* GlowingEyelightsOfUndeath
* [[spoiler: GoIntoTheLight]]
* GymClassHell

* HeelRealization: Arguably from Anya in the last third of the story.

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Anya herself. See AntiHero above.

* MacGuffin: The finger bone.

* NoodlePeople
* NonHumanSidekick

* ProphetEyes: Emily.

* SheCleansUpNicely: Emily convinces Anya to dress up and go to Sean's party. This is the result.
* [[ShownTheirWork Shown Her Work]]: Vera Brosgol knows how to investigate old newspapers using microfilm, and she will make damn sure you do too when you've read this. With four pages, and a diagram. (Oh, and by the way, Anya's right: it will hurt your eyes. Don't do this for too long wearing contacts; and if you tend to have seizures, don't look at the screen while fast-forwarding or rewinding).

* SmokingIsCool

** Anya's mom makes ''syrdiki'' cheese dumpling/pancakes for breakfast. They're never referred to as anything but сы́рники, making them look unpronounceable.

* [[ShownTheirWork Shown Her Work]]: Vera Brosgol knows how to investigate old newspapers using microfilm, and she will make damn sure you do too when you've read this. With four pages, and a diagram. (Oh, and by the way, Anya's right: it will hurt your eyes. Don't do this for too long wearing contacts).

* [[ShownTheirWork Shown her work]] - Vera Brosgol knows how to investigate old newspapers using microfilm, and she will make damn sure you do too when you've read this. With four pages, and a diagram. (Oh, and by the way, Anya's right: it will hurt your eyes. Don't do this for too long wearing contacts).

--> ''Dima:'' We're looking for a murder [[spoiler: by a person named Emily Reilly, right?]]

** [[spoiler: Its revealed that Emily also played this trope straight. She [[{{KillItWithFire}} burnt down the house]] of the boy she liked while he and his [[{{MurdertheHypotenuse}} girlfriend,]] were inside. [[{{WomanScorned}} All because he rejected her feelings for him.]]]]

* ZettaiRyouiki: In her school uniform, Anya's stockings are between Grade B and Grade A.

* BitchInSheepsClothing: [[spoiler: Were led to believe at first that Emily is just timid but friendly ghost who only wants to be free from the hole her remains are in akin to Casper. But once she manages to get Anya to got to Sean's party. The facade slowly starts to crumble and we begin to see how she ''really'' is.]]

* AnAesop: As mentioned above; everyone has problems. Even the person or couple you envy for being "perfect", [[BeneathTheMask could in reality be worse off than you are.]]

* AnAesop: As mentioned above; everyone has problems. Even the person or couple you envy for being "perfect", [[BeneathTheMask could have worse issues than you have.]]

* DisproportionateRetribution:
-->'''Anya:''' "[[LampshadeHanging I don't think murder is an appropriate reaction to disappointment]]."

* EvilAllAlong

* JerkassHasAPoint: [[spoiler: While Anya admits that's she's no different from Emily in some similar traits, she's right to point out Emily more then had her chance when she was alive and her dilemma was from her own rash actions and failing to come to grasp the consequences.]]

* BitchInSheepsClothing: [[spoiler: Were led to believe at first that Emily is just timid but friendly ghost who only wants to be free from the hole her remains are in akin to Casper. But once she manages to get Anya to got to Sean's party. The facade slowly starts to crumble and we begin to she how she ''really'' is.]]

* BeneathTheMask: Elizabeth. See above.

* FaceHeelTurn

* IfICantHaveYou: [[spoiler: Emily's]] decision after catching her crush with another girl.

* ProductPlacement: A boy throws a can of Crush soda down the well where Anya is trapped, which alerts her to call for help.

* SelfDisposingVillain: A sad variation. After Anya [[spoiler: talks Emily out of her stubborn rage, Emily's skeleton falls apart and she evaporates in order to 'move on'.]]

* UnfinishedBusiness

* WhoDunnitToMe

* YouCanBarelyStand: Almost said word-for-word when [[spoiler: Emily crawls out of the well, bones and all, to try and [[TakingYouWithMe drag Anya down with her.]] Her obvious weakness and anguish make this scene a bit of a TearJerker.]]

** Avoided with little churchboy Dima.

* AlphaBitch: [[spoiler:[[AvertedTrope Averted]] and [[DeconstructedTrope deconstructed]] with Elizabeth. If you are familiar with high school tropes you'll think she'll be one, however she doesn't have the trademark meanness of an alpha bitch. Case in point, when Anya falls in gym she doesn't laugh at her and asks her if she is alright. It soon becomes obvious that Anya is the nasty one and [[{{GreenEyedMonster}} she and the other girls are jealous of Elizabeth]], for being pretty, athletic, intelligent, dating the hunky jock Sean, and being all around "perfect". However, when we get to the party we find out [[YourCheatingHeart Sean likes to sleep around with other girls]] and Elizabeth knows about it. Not only does know she goes along with it. Why? [[DestructiveRomance She only feels good about herself if she and Sean are together and desperately wants to keep him in her life.]] All her positive traits mean very little to her and it only shows she probably has little to no self esteem. This also drives home the theme that everyone has problems.]]

* AxeCrazy: [[spoiler: Emily]]

* BehindTheMask: Elizabeth. See above.

* ComingOfAgeStory: For Anya

--> ''Dima:'' We're looking for a murder [[spoiler: by an Emily Reilly, correct?]]

--> ''People might think five-years-olds can't be cruel, but I have some strong evidence to the contrary.''

--> ''"People might think five-years-olds can't be cruel, but I have some stong evidence to the contrary."''

* ComingofAgeStory: For Anya

* BitchAlert: [[spoiler: A lot of what Emily says when her real personality starts appearing, the biggest indicator probably being her overall expression when she says "See you, buddy."]]