History Webcomic / PepsiaPhobia

** In the 2020 Christmas special, Pepsia and Phobia are "Shelf Elves" a la ''The Elf on the Shelf'' who monitor kids for Santa. It's a bit of a TakeThat as well, since Phobia calls her job being a "glorified nanny cam" and the outfits are based off of Blythe dolls instead of the Elves on Shelves (because, in the author's words, the latter just look blander).

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* KickTheDog: Hydro the Healer does this by [[https://gastrophobia.com/comix/unnecessary-surgery-part-3 literally kicking Mania the dog.]]

* AddedAlliterativeAppeal: At the bottom of the [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2008-09-03 2008-09-03 strip.]]

* BiggerOnTheInside: Hydro the Healer's hut. Looks like a minuscule shack on the outside, but contains not only a large room but also a huge aquarium.

* ConspicuouslyLightPatch: [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in the AltText of [[http://www.gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2011-01-10 the 2011-01-10 comic.]] (In this case, it was obviously done on purpose to invoke the animated trope.)

* DeliberateValuesDissonance: On the topic of slavery. Phobia and Pepsia own a slave named Klepto, but [[spoiler: later try setting him free.]] This is also PlayedForLaughs when [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2011-01-27 Helen knows that there's a problem]] with [[spoiler: Klepto getting repossessed by the government]], but doesn't know what, thinking the worst part of it is having to do your own laundry for a month.

** When Filby does, it's with appropriate unsound effect: [[http://www.gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2010-08-06 FACEPALM]]
** [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2015-07-10 The goddess Athena has an epic one]] from Ares likening his portfolio with hers.

* {{Gasp}}: Rather frequent, and usually quite exaggerated. For example, [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2009-02-20 a threefer when the Mockinbirds' source of power gets destroyed.]]
* GenericGraffiti: Only visible in a [[http://gastrophobia.tumblr.com/post/74167701158/heres-a-close-up-of-todays-update-so-you-can-see close-up of a panel]] provided by the artist. Is actually more [[http://www.pompeiana.org/resources/ancient/graffiti%20from%20pompeii.htm historically accurate]] than it seems--ignoring the Simpsons reference.

-->'''Phobia:''' [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2015-02-04 Klepto, 3 harpy necks, release the Kraken and wreck'em!]]\\

* ImADoctorNotAPlaceholder: Phobia angrily states [[http://www.gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2010-05-22 "I'm a warrior, not a scholar!"]] when called on the fact that she's illiterate.

* KickTheDog: That's how you know that Hydro the Healer is a [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2013-04-11 "bad dude".]]
* LampshadeHanging: [[http://www.gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2011-04-01 "Check it out, those guys are fortuitously discussing subject matter pertinent to our current task."]]

* MasculineGirlFeminineBoy: Phobia is an aggressive ActionGirl hunter who loves meat so much she considers any food without it to be utter crap. Klepto is a NonActionGuy and an experienced cook whose meals usually don't contain much meat. [[http://www.gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2010-11-17 When they're out drinking]], she and Philia make fun of him for choosing a drink as girly as Beijing Peach.

* OhMyGods: The names of Greek gods are often said in vain. Hell, even the trope name is said in [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2008-10-24 one strip.]]

* PrecisionFStrike: Implied by a [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2011-11-23 "censored"]] bubble.

* RiddlingSphinx: A sphinx is repeatedly humiliated because she only knows [[RiddleOfTheSphinx the one riddle]], and [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2009-03-09 everyone]], even [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2009-03-06 the little kid]], knows the answer already.

* SecurityCling: Though she'd probably deny it, [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2009-01-14 Phobia did jump into Klepto's arms]] when startled by Princess Mim metamorphosing.

* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend: [[http://www.gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2010-01-15 Seen between]] [[ShipTease Phobia and Klepto]].
* ShipTease: Phobia and Klepto get a [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2009-06-03 subtle]] [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2009-06-05 one]] in the main storyline. It's telling that they always seem to hit it off [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2009-10-29 in the AU]] [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2010-10-01 stories]]. Eventually, the comic stops teasing and says outright that [[spoiler:they've been dating for months]] and that's why [[spoiler:Phobia wants to set him free.]]

** [[ComicStrip/{{Popeye}} Bluto]] [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2009-10-22 makes a cameo]], followed [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2009-11-11 a few pages later]] by "the cow from ''WesternAnimation/SteamboatWillie''".

** "[[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2011-12-01 Horsefield]]" parodies the ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'' strips.

* SlippedTheRopes: Well, the handcuffs: [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2009-01-28 Phobia in the Mockinbirds dungeon.]]

* TranslationConvention: Lampshaded for a punchline in the [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2010-08-11 2010-08-11 strip]].

* UnsoundEffect: "[[http://www.gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2013-10-16 Make-out sounds!]]"

* MasculineLinesFeminineCurves: Accentuated in the "[[http://gastrophobia.com/comix/how-to-draw-gastrophobia/ How to draw GastroPhobia" filler strip. Notably, [[spoiler:when Pepsia transitions,[[https://daisyfinch.com/post/699941707218829312/i-just-thought-id-clarify-that-pepsia-didnt she changes her wardrobe]] to make her look slightly curvier and rounder than she was when she was her short, stocky, masculine presenting self in the previous volumes.]]

* DireBeast: [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2009-09-11 The flashback of Phobia and Lord Nightsorrow's first meeting]] involves a dire-frog (looking rather like a frog-man).

* MamaBear: Seen [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2009-09-28 toward the end of the Nightsorrow arc.]]

* MasculineLinesFeminineCurves: Accentuated in the "[[http://www.gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2011-05-19 How to draw]] ''[[http://www.gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2011-05-20 GastroPhobia]]''" [[http://www.gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2011-05-24 filler strips]]. Notably, [[spoiler:when Pepsia transitions, she is drawn slightly curvier and rounder than she was when she was her short, stocky, masculine presenting self in the previous volumes.]]

* SelfServingMemory: Nightsorrow remembers meeting Phobia by [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2009-09-11 saving her from a frog monster]], while she says she's the one who saved him.

* SpeechBubblesInterruption: [[http://www.gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2009-06-15 Pepsia to Phobia:]]

* StupidestThingIveEverHeard: [[http://www.gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2009-06-12 "None shall pass, for this bridge leads to the Magical Land of the Pretty Ponies."]]
* TakeOffYourClothes: In the [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2009-08-31 2009-08-31 strip]], Filby asks Phobia to take off her belt. She doesn't take it well.

%%* ActionMom: Phobia

* MasculineLinesFeminineCurves: Accentuated in the "[[http://www.gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2011-05-19 How to draw]] ''[[http://www.gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2011-05-20 GastroPhobia]]''" [[http://www.gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2011-05-24 filler strips]].

* DudeLooksLikeALady: Apparently Pepsia is feminine enough that Sophia always assumed she was a girl, and Phobia implies that Sophia isn't the only one to assume that.
** This turns out to be correct.

* FamilyThemeNaming: Specifically for the women of the family. Most girls related to Phobia have their names begin with the letter "P", such as herself, her aunt Pneuma, Pepsia (starting from Volume 4), and [[spoiler:Philia]].

** [[Webcomic/HarkAVagrant Katie Beaton's Fat Pony]] makes [[http://www.gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2009-06-12 a cameo in the background]].

** The "Unbearable" storyline puts up [[Franchise/CareBears cultist bears]] against [[Franchise/MyLittlePony talking ponies]].
** A more specific shout-out to ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' with Pepsia writing a letter to "Dear Princess Starbutt".

* VerySpecialEpisode: Parodied in [[http://gastrophobia.com/index.php?date=2009-04-20 a filler strip]], which covers a marijuana PSA. Notably, they don't actually ''condemn'' smoking marijuana overall, they simply say not to let minors start smoking it as it could affect their development.

** Volume 4's title references ''Series/QueerAsFolkUK''.

* EvilSorcerer: Lord Nightsorrow's name and general behaviour seem to aim at this trope. However, he's not very villainous and mostly wants to get back to his own era or hook up with Phobia.

* LethalChef: Phobia. She's apparently managed to keep herself and Pepsia from dying for the last seven years, but Pepsia has no idea that the squirrel her mother is using is out of place, and the best the judges can say for Phobia's dish is that she was "[[DamnedByFaintPraise generous with the salt]]".