History Main / Phlegmings

In comic books and animated works, one way to demonstrate that a character is a no-nonsense badass, [[DefangedHorrors creepy]] or just [[UnstoppableRage plain pissed]] is to show them with strands of saliva, phlegm, drool, or some other mucus dangling between their teeth. Popularized by the various Creator/RobLiefeld [[FollowTheLeader clones]] during UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks, but examples predate that period.

* The Heromachine blog had a character creation contest based on "The Creator/{{Image}} [[UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks Nineties]]". Lots of contestants gave their entries Phlegmings.

* ''WesternAnimation/LegionOfSuperHeroes'': Whenever Timber Wolf enters his feral form (and in one instance where he roars in his normal state), expect him to be salivating quite a bit.

[[caption-width-right:350:[-Oral hygiene is for chumps!-]]]

This occurs because drooling and oral messiness tends to invoke a {{Squick}} response in many people, making phlegmings a convenient visual shortcut for invoking PrimalFear. For instance, it may show anticipation of a good meal (e.g., the heroes/villains) in predator characters. Or, it may be a sign of disease, like rabies.

[[quoteright:187:[[ComicBook/{{Pitt}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Pitt-phlegm.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:187:[-Oral hygiene is for chumps!-] ]]

** "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E18MaudPie Maud Pie]]": An arthropod variant. When he's introduced, Fuzzy Legs the spider has thick strings of drool connecting his mandibles.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'': In the first movie, the title character lets out a bloodcurdling roar that shows off just how good the computers were at rendering flying spittle. Several members of the angry mob have slimy faces in the next shot.

Cookie for you if you thought this was a trope about [[BlobMonster snot-based video game enemies]]. Or to do with a language spoken in UsefulNotes/{{Belgium}}.

A common trope for characters with MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily. Contrast with {{Gonk}}, the blatant uglification of a character. See also DroolHello.

* ''ComicBook/TransformersGeneration2'': Megatron sometimes shows these. Despite being, you know, a ''robot''.

%%* ''WesternAnimation/MegaBabies'': Every character. ''[[PunctuatedForEmphasis Every. Single. Character.]]''

%%* ''WesternAnimation/MegaBabies'': Every character.

* The trope illustration is from the cover of Dale Keown's ''Pitt'' #2.
* ComicBook/SpiderMan's collection of symbiote villains (Comicbook/{{Venom}}, Carnage, et al.) have this in spades.
* Modern artists draw ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk with this.
* When ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} goes into a berserker rage, he often has either this or flying spittle.
* The [[HorrorHost Horror Hosts]] of Creator/ECComics were big on this. EC artist Graham "Ghastly" Ingels was particularly fond of them, as is his SpiritualSuccessor Berni Wrightson.
* The graphic novel ''ComicBook/AgeOfReptiles'' has every character displaying this trope all the time. Partially justified in that the characters are dinosaurs.
* The Brood from the ''Comicbook/XMen'' comics. Not surprising, since they're {{expy}}s for the ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'' xenomorphs.
* Quite common with the Sith in ''ComicBook/{{Legacy}}''. Protagonist Cade will get this too at the times he's leaning more towards the dark.
* Ubiquitous in any issue of ''ComicBook/TalesOfTheJedi'' that was illustrated by Dario Carrasco Jr. It's the "sense of immediacy" type; anyone whose teeth aren't clenched is probably displaying this.
* Creator/RobLiefeld came up with ''blood'' phlegmings [[http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1185176/warchild4_medium.jpg once,]] because... well, Rob Liefeld.
* Used frequently for the overmuscled villains during Mike Deodato's time as an artist on ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987'' to show that they'd just opened their mouths, especially during ComicBook/{{Artemis}}'s stint as Wonder Woman.
* ''{{ComicBook/Norby}}'': In the last panel of chapter twelve in the ''Literature/NorbyTheMixedUpRobot'' adaptation, Zi's mouth is watering as she says Jeff and Norby are unwelcome aliens. Combined with Jeff's speculation that the baby's mother would eat him and Norby, the page ends with the implication that the two are about to be snacks.
* Seen on [[https://i.redd.it/lahv8996ooo71.jpg this]] ''ComicBook/ConanTheBarbarian'' cover.

* The hyenas in ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'' likewise, as they were always depicted as ravenously hungry.
* In the first ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'' movie, the title character lets out a blood-curdling roar that shows off just how good the computers were at rendering flying spittle. Several members of the angry mob have slimy faces in the next shot.

* The title monsters in the ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'' series often had mucus dripping from their teeth/mouths.
* Every monster in ''Film/FromBeyond'', but particularly the bat creature at the end.
* ''Film/TheFly1986'': Brundlefly excretes a sticky white liquid constantly, which he uses to dissolve and digest his food.
* The Penguin from the DarkerAndEdgier Creator/TimBurton sequel to ''Film/Batman1989'', ''Film/BatmanReturns'', has a perpetual trickle of an oil-like bile running down his chin.
* The creators of ''Film/{{Tremors}}'' initially avoided this trope, in order to set their movie apart from the dark, dripping world of ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'', but realised upon watching the rushes that the Graboids didn't look real enough without it.
* The Kraken from ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMansChest'' takes this to an (intentionally) absurd level.
* The killer in ''Film/TheFunhouse'' is constantly drooling due to his deformed features.
* Featured in ''Film/InTheMouthOfMadness''.
* In ''Film/TheReturnOfTheLivingDead'', when Freddy finally succumbs to the zombie hunger he starts foaming at the mouth like he's chewing on Alka-Seltzer.
* Jay from ''Film/HomeSweetHome'' drools a lot.
%%* Victor Crowley in ''Film/{{Hatchet}}''.
%%* The sea monsters in ''Film/DeepRising''.
* Nitro from the film ''Mean Machine'' is constantly drooling and spitting to bolster up his loony appearance.

[[folder:LiveActionTV]]
* Fek'lhr, the guardian of the Klingon hell, as seen in the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS4E13DevilsDue Devil's Due]]".
* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
** During his big reveal, Rasilon sprayed quite a bit giving a [[ReasonYouSuckSpeech The Earth Will Fall speech]]
** The Eleventh Doctor gets this quite a bit.
** The Ninth Doctor prominently did this in his "Why can't you just ''die''?" speech in the episode "Dalek."
* Series/GameOfThrones: Khal Drogo's RousingSpeech where he declares he will [[spoiler:invade the Seven Kingdoms in retaliation for Daenarys' near assassination]] is accompanied by a lot of spitting. Given that he is one of the most badass and barbaric characters in the series, it seems in-character for him. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyqKWROjrq4 Watch it here.]]
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. A giant spider demon drools over Buffy in "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS7E5Selfless Selfless]]". I mean, [[MsFanservice who wouldn't]]?

* ''WesternAnimation/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' whenever Timber Wolf enters his feral form (and in one instance where he roars in his normal state) expect him to be salivating quite a bit.
* This trope is ''[[GrossOutShow distressingly common]]'' in ''WesternAnimation/MegaBabies.''

* ''WesternAnimation/ProjectGeeker'': [[spoiler: Noah]] develops this after being hit with a tracking device and turning feral as a side effect. Geeker and all the other G.K.R. projects also exhibit constant drooling, minus the dripping fangs.

[[caption-width-right:187:[-Oral hygiene is for wimps!-] ]]

Cookie for you if you thought this was a trope about [[BlobMonster snot-based videogame enemies]]. Or to do with a language spoken in UsefulNotes/{{Belgium}}.