History ComicBook / TheTick

In 1986, eighteen year old cartoonist Ben Edlund created The Tick as a mascot for a newsletter of the Norwood, Massachusetts store New England Comics. Edlund expanded this into stories, beginning with the three-page OriginStory ''The Tick'' in New England Comics Newsletter #14–15 (July/August – September/October 1986), in which the eccentric hero escaped from a mental institution.

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* {{Meganekko}}: Arthur's sister Dot.

* EverythingsBetterWithCows: The Man-Eating Cow, possibly-heroic scourge of the criminal underworld and star of her own spin-off comic.

In June 1988, it was released in an independent, recurring black-and-white comic series. Arthur was introduced in ''The Tick #4'' (April 1989). Edlund would ultimately pen 12 issues, with issue #12 ending on a {{Cliffhanger}}. New England Comics Press went on to publish several comic series featuring the characters with varying created teams. They transitioned to colour in 2001.

In June 1988, it was released in an independent, recurring black-and-white comic series. Arthur was introduced in ''The Tick #4'' (April 1989). It transitioned to colour in 2001.

* TookALevelInKindness: The Tick is actually a Grade-A asshole in the first few issues, mostly getting into petty spats, bullying a Jimmy Olsen stand-in, and simply being a NighInvulnerable nuisance. He finally turns his violent tendencies on crime after Oedipus gets stabbed, and then softens into an AllLovingHero after moving in with Arthur.
It's not long after he meets Arthur that he softened into the AllLovingHero fans love in turn.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: All the (human) sidekicks in the Comet Club's sidekick lounge are nubile 16-year old orphan boys with acrobatic skills. Arthur tells them they should have a talk with their social workers.

* ConservationOfNinjitsu: In the comics. The third issue is titled appropriately "Night of a Million Zillion Ninjas" and they're every bit as ineffective as you'd expect with such large numbers. Justified in part by the revelation that Ninja has become a cheap franchise.

* CyanidePill: Angus Mcguire (a DickTracy expy) once reveals he has a tooth filled with poison, only he can't remember which one.

* ThisIsReality: The Thorn is a legendary artifact that supposedly will result in the destruction of the ninja. Its actual destruction is fairly mundane, although the steps taken to prevent its destruction by the bad guys does decimate the ninja. The Tick and Paul the Samurai expected something more metaphysical to destroy the ninja, and Arthur notes how unrealistic this was of them.

* BoringButPractical: One of the "heroes" at the Comet Club is a guy who's entire power is that he has a grenade that he carries around everywhere. He says there's not a lot you cant get away with if you have a grenade.

* AdaptationDisplacement: The animated series was such a hit that few people even know that the comic series existed, a similar case of what happened with the ''TMNT'' comics.

* ArtEvolution: MASSIVE case, since the comic began life as the amateur work of a teenager. The original shorts arent unreadably bad or anything, but they're notably rougher than the comic series itself, and the lettering was done via typewriter.

* MysteriousPast: The Tick. Before ''The Tick's Loony Bin'', all that was known was his escape from Evanston Asylum. ''Loony Bin'' revealed [[spoiler:he was married, but separated]], though nothing more is currently known.

The comic became popular enough to spin off three TV series, one [[WesternAnimation/TheTick animated]] and [[Series/TheTick two]] [[Series/TheTick2016 live-action]].

* ArtEvolution: MASSIVE case, since the comic began life as the amatur work of a teenager. The original shorts arent unreadably bad or anything, but they're notably rougher than the comic series itself, and the lettering was done via typewriter.

* CityOfAdventure: The City, though it's rather boring for superheroes, or at least before Tick arrives. New York, however, is full of superheroes (which has unfortunatly but predictably put a sizable dent in the supervillain population).

* HesitationEqualsDishonesty: In the first issue, The Tick is asked if he's the guy who just escaped from an insane aslyum (he is). It takes about half a page of ums and ers for him to think up the answer "no".

* OrphanedSeries: The original comic never recieved any proper conclusion, as it simply ended after #12, with Ben Edlund graduating college and moving on to work in television.

* BewareTheSillyOnes: What happens when The Tick sees Oedipus stabbed. He violently, quietly, swiftly, and possibly lethally takes out the two ninjas who did it, and he proceeds to completely destroy their lair, which was the size of an amusement park.

* CityOfAdventure: The City, though it's rather boring for superheroes, or at least before Tick arrives. New York, however, is full of superheroes.

* CrimefightingWithCash: This was Barry's MO when he was using the name The Tick. When the title character beats Barry for the right to the name, The Tick acquires all of the crimefighting-specific gear Barry owned.
* CyanidePill: A spy once reveals he has a tooth filled with poison, only he can't remember which one.

* OrphandedSeries: The original comic never recieved any proper conclusion, as it simply ended after #12, with Ben Edlund graduating college and moving on to work in television.