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* TheProfessorIsCryingAgain: [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/11052011/ Fortunately, the ancient, mystic order of notaries has a special couch for scientists.]]
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* TheProfessorIsCryingAgain: [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/11052011/ Fortunately, the ancient, mystic order of notaries has a special couch for scientists.]]
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* HeyItsThatGuy: ARTIE!!!!
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* HeyItsThatGuy: ARTIE!!!![[{{Narbonic}} Artie]] makes an appearance, which also solidifies the fact that Narbonic and Skin Horse happen in a shared universe.
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** And like his Casanova "powers", [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=40373&name=skinhorse#strip4 this too transcends species.]]
*** not really, it turns out, he turned the pack government into a representative democracy
*** not really, it turns out, he turned the pack government into a representative democracy
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** He's Canadian. He couldn't be ''mean'' about it if his life depended on it.
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** [[CanadaEh He's Canadian. Canadian.]] [[AcceptableTargets He couldn't be ''mean'' about it if his life depended on it.]]
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* '''Nick Zerhakker''', the newest member of the team. Also known as Biscuit, he ''is'' the BlackHelicopter (an unarmed-to-the-teeth [[http://www.enemyforces.net/helicopters/v22_osprey.htm V-22 Osprey]] controlled by a BrainInAJar, to be precise) and has made friends with the nerds in the Department of Irradiation. Not technically an employee since he doesn't get a salary; his fuel and [[WorldOfWarcraft WOW]] access are currently budgeted under "furniture".
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* '''Nick Zerhakker''', Zerhakker'''[[hottip:*:Zerhakker is the misspelled version of the German word "Zerhacker" and means either a communications scrambler or a macerator or chopper of some sort]], the newest member of the team. Also known as Biscuit, he ''is'' the BlackHelicopter (an unarmed-to-the-teeth [[http://www.enemyforces.net/helicopters/v22_osprey.htm V-22 Osprey]] controlled by a BrainInAJar, to be precise) and has made friends with the nerds in the Department of Irradiation. Not technically an employee since he doesn't get a salary; his fuel and [[WorldOfWarcraft WOW]] access are currently budgeted under "furniture".
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* '''Nick Zerhakker''', the newest member of the team. Also known as Biscuit, he ''is'' the BlackHelicopter (An unarmed-to-the-teeth [[http://www.enemyforces.net/helicopters/v22_osprey.htm V-22 Osprey]] controlled by a BrainInAJar, to be precise) and has made friends with the nerds in the Department of Irradiation. Not technically an employee since he doesn't get a salary; his fuel and [[WorldOfWarcraft WOW]] access are currently budgeted under "furniture".
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* '''Nick Zerhakker''', the newest member of the team. Also known as Biscuit, he ''is'' the BlackHelicopter (An (an unarmed-to-the-teeth [[http://www.enemyforces.net/helicopters/v22_osprey.htm V-22 Osprey]] controlled by a BrainInAJar, to be precise) and has made friends with the nerds in the Department of Irradiation. Not technically an employee since he doesn't get a salary; his fuel and [[WorldOfWarcraft WOW]] access are currently budgeted under "furniture".
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ptitle killing
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* OurZombiesAreDifferent : Unity's really more akin to a classic [=~Frankenstein's Monster~=] than a zombie in the same sense the word is usually used, but "zombie" is probably easier to fit in a sentence.
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* OurZombiesAreDifferent : Unity's really more akin to a classic [=~Frankenstein's Monster~=] FrankensteinsMonster than a zombie in the same sense the word is usually used, but "zombie" is probably easier to fit in a sentence.
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* "A Wrinkle in Time": A short guest written story in which [[{{Narbonic}} Dave Davenport]]'s time machine goes wrong, and an infinite number of Arties try to steal Tip's dress.
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* "A Wrinkle in Time": A short guest written guest-written story in which [[{{Narbonic}} Dave Davenport]]'s time machine goes wrong, and an infinite number of Arties try to steal Tip's dress.
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** All The Lovely Ladies: ''FerdinandTheBull''
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** And All The Lovely Ladies: ''FerdinandTheBull''''TheStoryOfFerdinand''
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* "A Wrinkle in Time": A short guest written story in which [[{{Narbonic}} Dave Davenport]]'s time machine goes wrong, and an infinite number of Arties try to steal Tip's dress.
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* IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming: All the chapter titles are references to classic children's literature.
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* IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming: All the chapter titles are are, like "Skin Horse" itself, references to classic children's literature.literature:
** Cowardly Lion: ''TheWizardOfOz''
** The Borrowers: ''TheBorrowers''
** Wild Things: ''WhereTheWildThingsAre''
** I Can Fly: ''PeterPan''
** Dead Dogs: ''NoMoreDeadDogs''
** Big Bad Wolves: ''LittleRedRidingHood''
** Tin Soldier: ''TheSteadfastTinSoldier''
** Brave Little Toasters: ''TheBraveLittleToaster'' (yes, it's a book)
** All The Lovely Ladies: ''FerdinandTheBull''
** Come Swing From My Branches: ''TheGivingTree''
** If I Ran The Zoo: ''[[DrSeuss If I Ran The Zoo]]''
** Once And Future: ''TheOnceAndFutureKing''
** Choose: The ''ChooseYourOwnAdventure'' series
** A Wrinkle In Time: ''AWrinkleInTime''
** Railway Children: ''TheRailwayChildren''
** Cowardly Lion: ''TheWizardOfOz''
** The Borrowers: ''TheBorrowers''
** Wild Things: ''WhereTheWildThingsAre''
** I Can Fly: ''PeterPan''
** Dead Dogs: ''NoMoreDeadDogs''
** Big Bad Wolves: ''LittleRedRidingHood''
** Tin Soldier: ''TheSteadfastTinSoldier''
** Brave Little Toasters: ''TheBraveLittleToaster'' (yes, it's a book)
** All The Lovely Ladies: ''FerdinandTheBull''
** Come Swing From My Branches: ''TheGivingTree''
** If I Ran The Zoo: ''[[DrSeuss If I Ran The Zoo]]''
** Once And Future: ''TheOnceAndFutureKing''
** Choose: The ''ChooseYourOwnAdventure'' series
** A Wrinkle In Time: ''AWrinkleInTime''
** Railway Children: ''TheRailwayChildren''
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** "Choose" has a number of references to {{SpiderAndWeb}}, starting [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/03152012-2/ here]]
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** "Choose" has a number of references to {{SpiderAndWeb}}, ''SpiderAndWeb'', starting [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/03152012-2/ here]]
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* IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming: All the chapter titles are references to classic children's literature.
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* GroundhogDayLoop: More weirdness at Anasigma. Apparently a variant on SavePoints.
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* GroundhogDayLoop: More weirdness at Anasigma. Apparently a variant on SavePoints.a SavePoint.
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* GroundhogDayLoop: More weirdness at Anasigma.
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* GroundhogDayLoop: More weirdness at Anasigma. Apparently a variant on SavePoints.
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** And [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/04122012/ what did Jonah do to that poor cat?]]
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** While the comic is following Tip and Sweetheart in Cleveland, the blog is following Nick and Unity going down to New Orleans. And [[spoiler: Unity has seized control of it]].
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** While the comic is following Tip and Sweetheart in Cleveland, the blog is following Nick and Unity going down to [[TheBigEasy New Orleans.Orleans]]. And [[spoiler: Unity has seized control of it]].
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* {{Headdesk}}: Sweetheart is driven to this when the city of New Orleans thwarts her every single attempt to get information on their case.
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* {{Headdesk}}: Sweetheart is driven to this when the city of [[TheBigEasy New Orleans Orleans]] thwarts her every single attempt to get information on their case.
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* OhCrap: [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/04032012/ Nick really spoke too soon.]]
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Pistol Pose
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* PistolPose: [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/04012012/ On a collection cover.]] Comes close to SeanConneryIsAboutToShootYou.
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* WhatsTheWorstThatCouldHappen: [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/03192012/ Nick had to ask.]]
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* WhatsTheWorstThatCouldHappen: [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/03192012/ Nick had to ask.]]
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* MacGyvering: Tigerlily can [[OurWormholesAreDifferent break the rules of space-time]] using only springs.
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COL
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* CoolOldLady: The Abbess is surprisingly funky.
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ILP
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* IncrediblyLamePun: Leo's predictable interpretation of the slang "cat's paw" [[HitlerAteSugar gets a harsh verbal reaction]] [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/07252011/ from Sweetheart.]]
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BDH
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* BigDamnHeroes: Or as Nick says, [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/03052011/ Big Tang Heroes]].
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** And mostly confirmed by WordOfGod [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/narbonic_plus/series.php?view=archive&chapter=51431&name=narbonic_plus#strip2 here.]]
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* UnsoundEffect: [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/05312012/ SCYTHE!]]
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add Shout Out to S&W
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** "Choose" has a number of references to {{SpiderAndWeb}}, starting [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/03152012-2/ here]]
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* ChainedHeat: Mentioned by name [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/04292010/ here]], but it doesn't really play out that way.
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* SesquipedalianSmith: Tigerlily Jones.
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* SesquipedalianSmith: Tigerlily Berenice "Tigerlily" Jones.
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** Chris shows up wearing an {{xkcd}} t-shirt.
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** Chris shows up wearing an {{xkcd}} Webcomic/{{xkcd}} t-shirt.
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[[http://skin-horse.com Skin Horse]] is a {{webcomic}} written and drawn by Shaenon K. Garrity (of ''{{Narbonic}}'' fame) and just written by Jeffrey Channing Wells. Launched in December, 2007. Within the comic, Project Skin Horse (named after a character in ''TheVelveteenRabbit'') is the name of a government department devoted to helping the U.S.'s non- and part-human citizens. The department is so underfunded that it only contains six employees:
* '''Dr. Dennis "Tip" Wilkin''', psychologist, WholesomeCrossdresser, and TokenHuman. Often the OnlySaneMan, and not just because of his profession. He also ReallyGetsAround and is able to seduce most women with minimal effort despite (or because of) the cross-dressing.
* '''Unity''', [[HeroicComedicSociopath cheerfully violent]] high-functioning patchwork zombie, and former prototype SuperSoldier. Has the body of several eighteen-year-olds, and a worrying case of AttentionDeficitOohShiny. Recently revealed to be technically not actually a zombie after all.
* '''Sweetheart''', Canadian talking dog and field commander. Often conflicted between her meek, civilized demeanor and her identity as a MadScientist's creation. Also the [[OnlySaneMan Only Sane]] [[strike:[[OnlySaneMan Man]]]] [[OnlySaneMan Transgenic Dog]] pretty frequently.
* '''Moustachio the Thinkonium''', SteamPunk robot and receptionist.
* '''Gavotte''', the boss, who happens to be a ''literal'' HiveMind (a hive of bees, to be precise). She buzzes and produces honey. Refers to herself with the "{{royal we}}", which in her case actually makes sense.
* '''Nick Zerhakker''', the newest member of the team. Also known as Biscuit, he ''is'' the BlackHelicopter (An unarmed-to-the-teeth [[http://www.enemyforces.net/helicopters/v22_osprey.htm V-22 Osprey]] controlled by a BrainInAJar, to be precise) and has made friends with the nerds in the Department of Irradiation. Not technically an employee since he doesn't get a salary; his fuel and [[WorldOfWarcraft WOW]] access are currently budgeted under "furniture".
The story so far:
* "Cowardly Lion": A day in the life of the Project Skin Horse employees as they go to bring in a genetically-enhanced lion.
* "The Borrowers": Tip tries to make peace among the many forms of intelligent life that have developed in the office basement over several decades.
* "Wild Things": Unity urges Sweetheart to go on a destructive rampage.
* "I Can Fly": The team investigates the case of [[spoiler: a military helicopter that used to be a videogame nerd named Nick.]]
* "Dead Dogs"/"Big Bad Wolves": Tip is in charge of a mission to Alaska. Involves werewolves and sapient canids.
* "Tin Soldier": [[spoiler: It appears to be Moustachio's turn to go on a rampage.]] Also features the return of Dr. Lee from "I Can Fly".
* "Brave Little Toasters": Gorgeous and FUNKY mad scientist brought in [[spoiler: to repair Moustachio due to his breakdown from the events in Tin Soldier.]]
* "All The Lovely Ladies": Tip and Konstantin must mud-wrestle. The ladies of SH gather to watch.
* "Come Swing From My Branches": The SH team is mobilized to serve notice to a GeniusLoci, a sentient swamp.
* "If I Ran The Zoo": Unity and Nick are sent to investigate the mysterious fire at The Cypress, while Sweetheart and Tip go to a talking animal convention.
* "Once And Future": Unity wants to be a Notary Public, which coincidentally involves becoming part of an Ancient Order in Idaho, where Dr. Lee is looking into rogue robot sightings.
* "Choose" While Sweetheart deals with issues, two former acquaintances of Nick investigate his disappearance.
----
! Tropes used in this comic include:
* ActionPrologue: [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=46231 "Come swing from my branches"]]
* AffablyEvil: Sweetheart's MadScientist creator, Captain Bram. Well, what else do you expect from a guy whose evil plan revolves around adorable puppies?
** He's Canadian. He couldn't be ''mean'' about it if his life depended on it.
* AgentPeacock: Tip Wilkin, the casanova crossdresser who's also handy to have around in a crisis (as long as he's wearing the right outfit).
* AngstWhatAngst: Invoked in-universe by Sweetheart [to Unity]: "Do you '''ever''' angst?" Since Unity is programmed to be a weapon, she may simply not be capable of it--it'd get in the way of her ability to kill things.
* AppendageAssimilation: Anything attached to Unity becomes a part of her; it's hinted that her blood is the "real" Unity and that it's some sort of colony creature. When a town becomes transfused with her blood to cure them of lycanthropy, they all start acting like her.
** It has now been stated [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/11102011/ explicitly.]]
* ArbitrarySkepticism: Sweetheart, a talking dog, has difficulty believing werewolves exist [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=38295#149114 as seen here]]. She later has a problem accepting that a shaman successfully channeled the spirit of a dead man rather than faking it.
** It's not arbitrary, per se: she's skeptical of it if it's not Science!
* ArtificialHuman: Inverted with Nick, who is completely human, rather than an AI as the team first assumed, despite being stuck in a mechanical body. Played straight with Unity... [[TheUndead Kinda]].
* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=46115#strip3 Gavotte politely explains to some nice young ladies why she can order them around.]]
* AttractiveBentSpecies: When Tip is temporarily turned into a werewolf he becomes irresistible to female dogs as well as humans.
* AuthorAppeal: [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=37567#strip2 "Let me have this, and later I'll draw Sweetheart in cute little goggles."]]
** A promise [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=39301#strip4 later granted]], of course.
* BerserkButton: The Macaw Bird does not appreciate hats. Possibly because of the historic practice of wearing stuffed birds on hats.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: Moustachio has an "evil mode" that he could potentially slip into if the parts of himself that maintain his good-mannered gentlemanly nature are disturbed.
* BigApplesauce: Subverted in a big way. The team is based in Washington D.C., but so far their adventures have taken them to New Jersey, Nevada, Alaska, Louisiana, Ohio, and Idaho. They're a Federal agency, so they have to serve all 50 states (plus territories).
* BlackHelicopter: A modified V-22 Osprey, with the brain of a foul mouthed gamer.
-->'''Tip:''' We've got a black helicopter! You know what that makes us? An officially intimidating secret organization!
* TheCasanova: Tip is somewhere between this and KavorkaMan. Tip ''is'' charming and attractive. However, the sheer degree and instantaneousness of his success with women would be mind-blowing even if he wasn't usually wearing a dress and make-up.
** Just as a f'rinstance, this [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=33564#strip6 comic]].
** Or [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=29598#strip2 this one]].
*** Tip's power apparently transcends [[spoiler:species]]. Just see [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=40132#strip1 this]] and [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=40132#strip4 this]]
**** It simultaneously transcends [[spoiler:species]] and [[spoiler:gender]] in [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=40137#strip3 this strip]]. [[spoiler:Muffin is a male, and apparently gay, dog.]]
**** Still more [[spoiler: cross-species]] Tip-lust [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=46115 here]]. [[EvenTheGuysWantHim Even Swarms of Bees Want Him!]]
*** It seems to even transcend [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/memberimages/sh100824cleancut.jpg sexuality]].
*** [[spoiler: Artie]] seems to have [[EvenTheGuysWantHim turned the tables]] on Tip in the current storyline, though.
* ChainedToABed: The friendly werewolf sheriff in Alaska chains Tip to bed so he won't get hurt when the town transforms into man-eating monsters during the night. Tip is a CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass, though, and very experienced with kinky chicks, so this doesn't slow him down much.
* ChainOfDeals: Tip and the basement creatures, but this upsets the equilibrium they had already established and causes disaster. Gavotte chides Tip later for meddling in affairs he didn't understand.
* CharacterBlog: Nick [[http://zerhakker.livejournal.com/ has one]], which explains, among other things, that he is a practicing Jew. Probably {{NSFW}}, as his censor filter doesn't apply here.
** While the comic is following Tip and Sweetheart in Cleveland, the blog is following Nick and Unity going down to New Orleans. And [[spoiler: Unity has seized control of it]].
* TheCharmer: Tip can charm anyone who's female by presence alone, and can win over most hostile men in enough time, too.
* ChekhovsGun; Nick, in the swamp, with a freaking ''buzzsaw''. Yippee kay o, melonfarmers!
* ClevelandRocks: Most of the talking animals seem to think so, anyway.
* ClockworkCreature: Moustachio. Apparently at one point he once had arms and legs, but had them removed so he wouldn't be a threat to the community. Tigerlily installed tiny, mostly-cosmetic arms to him later.
* CloseupOnHead: [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=49716#198422 This strip]] consists mostly of head shots, to conceal the fact that [[spoiler:Tip and Sweetheart are prisoners of the crystal entity]] until the final panel.
* ClusterFBomb: Nick, before the censorship software kicked in.
* CoincidentalBroadcast: Parodied: Tip tells Sweetheart to turn on the news, and she has to flip past ''every'' news channel to find the one he's talking about.
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=38295&name=skinhorse#strip4 As Tip says]], he served in Afghanistan. As Unity replies, that's kind of easy to forget.
** And like his Casanova "powers", [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=40373&name=skinhorse#strip4 this too transcends species.]]
*** not really, it turns out, he turned the pack government into a representative democracy
* CrushKillDestroy: Some robots say this, [[VerbalTic reflexively]].
* CrystalPrison: Tip gets caught in one when he interacts with the sentient transgenic colony beneath the facility.
* DidYouGetANewHaircut
* DistaffCounterpart: Recently-introduced character Violet Bee seems to be a female Tip. Just look at [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=45107&name=skinhorse#strip5 this comic]] (some spoilers, maybe?).
* DivineDate: Played with and deconstructed. While Artie isn't quite a deity, he is a hyperintelligent posthuman, and as such, he cannot ''love'' someone of only human intelligence, because love requires the other person be on his level. He can, however, have a lot of fun with humans in the process.
** It should be noted that the "Artie can't love an intellectual inferior" idea was put forth by Sweetheart ''to'' the team psychologist, Tip. Sweetheart could simply be dead wrong about Artie.
* EatsBabies: Unity, [[OffstageVillainy reportedly]].
* EvenTheGuysWantHim: Tip suddenly finds himself going out for drinks with Artie, whose human form is indeed ''very'' attractive.
* [[EvenTheGuysWantHim Even The Girls Want Her]]: Unity appears to have a crush on Tigerlily Jones.
* EvilLaugh: [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=35741#strip4 Dr Lee tries to pull this off.]]
** Tigerlily [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/memberimages/sh100410had_been_cut_copy1.gif does it better]].
* EvillyAffable: Many of the bad guys are disarmingly cheery.
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: Apparently only Projects (like Skinhorse and Pixiedust) get mysterious names. Departments follow a simpler scheme. They have been shown to include:
** Department of Jetpack Suppression: [[IWantMyJetpack Stupid Department of Jetpack Suppression...]]
** Department of Irradiation: They irradiate whatever the home office sends them.
*** Not like...with any end in mind. They just point radiation at it until HQ says "when".
** Federal Office of Giant Leaking Containers: Seen [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=27141 here]] during the "Borrowers" arc.
** Department of Precambian Defense: [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=42601#168313 Currently unstuck in time.]]
* {{Expy}}: Unity is a psychopathically violent GenkiGirl much in the vein of [[{{Narbonic}} Mell]].
** Which only makes sense, as the filename hidden story strongly implies that her brain is a ''clone'' of Mell's.
* ExtranormalInstitute: Skin Horse itself, and it shares the building with several others (see above).
* ExtraStrengthMasquerade: A sentient swamp unleashes a zombie horde on Louisiana, werewolves take over an Alaskan town, and transgenic animal-human hybrids have a mass convention in Cleveland, yet the public at large, ''somehow,'' is still unaware of the rampant paranormal happenings.
** With the recent confirmation that the strip is set in the Narbonibrane, WeirdnessCensor rules are now in effect. In the filename side story, Sweetheart notes to Tip after he's hired that, "…about twenty percent of humans psychologically block things they consider impossible; they can't hear me. If you were one of them, you'd be useless for this job, not to mention annoying as a coworker."
* ExtremeOmnivore: Unity
* FakingAmnesia: Played for laughs: When Animal Control shows up to capture Sweetheart, Unity panics and feigns amnesia. She's apparently done this before.
* FanService: The most recent arc requires Tip and Konstantin to mud-wrestle topless for some reason. Don't ask, just get a jetpack and a camera and head down to the river.
* FantasticRacism: The Transgenic Convention is full of intelligent mutant animals and hybrids, many of whom have utter contempt for Tip (such as some surly squirrels, and a part-Macaw woman whose inexplicable BerserkButton is people who wear hats.)
* FantasticReligiousWeirdness: Nick's Judaism becomes a minor issue in his CharacterBlog.
* FilkSong: The comments section [[strike: usually]] always features a filk related to that day's strip. [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=37285#strip4 This strip]], about Unity literally freezing her butt off, inspired the song "Put On Your Weekend Butt", to the tune of "Put On Your Sunday Clothes" from the musical "Hello Dolly".
** It needs to be pointed out that Ed Gedeon (of ''EverydayHeroes'') writes a filk song ''every single day''. Several other people are likely to contribute one as well.
* FlashbackFail: Unity is prone to this.
* FunWithAcronyms U.N.I.T.Y = Upgradable Necrotic Independent .... [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/redirect.php?type=comic&installment_ID=179347on=next "We do not talk about my acronym!]]
* GoodAngelBadAngel: Because it's in the Narbonicverse, the "personality sprites" still exist, although the only one we've seen so far is Tigerlily's "[[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=43677 inner fabulousness]]".
* GovernmentConspiracy: Deconstructed. The whole comic is about how terrible real governments would be at this.
** Skin Horse itself isn't really a conspiracy, just a moderately secret government department trying to help ... people ... who need help. The ''real'' Conspiracy is Anasigma, which is sometimes what Skin Horse is rescuing them ''from''. (And, according to the blog story, even has [[TheMenInBlack Men in Black]].)
* GroundhogDayLoop: More weirdness at Anasigma.
* GunshipRescue: [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=41196 courtesy of Nick]], interrupting Sweetheart's RousingSpeech.
* TheHatMakesTheMan: An avian-humanoid thinks hats turn their wearers evil, and flips out when Tip puts one on.
* HardOnSoftScience: Dr. Lee thinks very little of the "soft sciences," including psychology. Tip is forced to show her the error of her ways by using psychology to effortlessly seduce her.
* {{Headdesk}}: Sweetheart is driven to this when the city of New Orleans thwarts her every single attempt to get information on their case.
* HeyItsThatGuy: ARTIE!!!!
* {{Hikikomori}}: Nick, before joining Skin Horse. (Or at least he ''thought'' he was. His brain had already been removed and he was living in a simulation of his own dingy apartment).
* HotChickInABadassSuit: Inverted. Tip is a Hot Stud in a Badass Dress.
* HotScientist: Dr. Lee. Possibly Tip as well, depending on [[HardOnSoftScience your view of the soft sciences]].
** And Marcie, post-makeover.
** And now Dr. Berenice "Tigerlily" Jones.
* ICallHimMisterHappy: "You named your tackle The Light of Culture and Reason?"
* ICallItVera: "I'd like you to meet Alice. Alice is a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Official_Police#Commando .38 Colt Commando service revolver.]] A classic."
* IHaveNothingToSayToThat: Tip explains to Dr Lee that this is '''exactly''' what it looks like.
* ILoveNuclearPower: Radiation not only makes things sentient, but also gives them nationalities.
* InstantSeduction: Tip does these. It's like a superpower.
* IronicEchoCut: All the time! This is pure AuthorAppeal.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=48036#191048 Nick's heart is strong and full of love!]]
* KavorkaMan: See Casanova above.
* KillerRabbit: Sweetheart and her packmates. Or at least that was the plan...
** The mad scientist who created her could also apply. Aside from this whole "take over the world with sentient sled dogs" thing, he was the nicest, most politely Canadian guy you could ever meet. Turned [[UpToEleven up to about seven hundred fifty three]].
* TheLadette: Unity.
* LadykillerInLove: Tip has fallen hard for Dr. Jones.
* LetsGetDangerous: Tip swinging into ass-kicking mode.
* LiteraryAllusionTitle: Skin Horse refers to a character in ''TheVelveteenRabbit''.
* LostInTransmission: [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=48352#192344 This]] guest strip.
* LotusEaterMachine: Until the illusion was forcibly shattered by the mysterious "Goldbug," Nick thought he was living in his apartment, testing simulations for military hardware, rather than actually ''being'' military hardware.
* MadScientist: Genuine mad scientists are usually kept under lock and key whenever possible; the majority of the scientists-who-tamper-in-God's-domain that have been featured (like Dr. Lee, or the Irradiators) are "irresponsible" or just plain evil rather than clinically insane. Also the numerous and often defective results of mad science have repeatedly been encountered.
** Apparently there's a government work-release program for mad scientists, which is how the team calls in Dr. Jones.
* MarshmallowDream: Unity describes an inverted one [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/10142011/ here]].
* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: Remy might have channeled the spirit of the dead groom of the swamp, or he might have faked it in a moment of desperation. The answer leans heavily towards "he really did it" since he knew the swamp's name, among other things, but he hesitates to confirm or deny.
* MediumAwareness: Seen on [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=43679 this page]].
* TheMenInBlack: Subverted/deconstructed with a vengeance. Yes, they work for the government, and yes, they are tangentially involved in maintaining TheMasquerade, but ''Skin Horse'' functions more as "Black Ops Social Services". Instead of neuralizers, black suits, and evil motives, ''Skin Horse'' makes due with a wind-up receptionist, a cross-dressing psychologist, and under-funded placement programs. There are other forces at work with more sinister motives, however, and their results often provide the project with even more work to do. But played completely straight by the sinister agents of Anasigma, right down to their perfectly-shined black shoes.
* MinionWithAnFInEvil: In a better world, Dr. Lee wouldn't even be in the business of creating horrible sentient weapons out of people. She tries an EvilLaugh once and fails at it. She also has a confused motherly affection for her creations, even if they don't return it.
* MoodWhiplash: The Alaskan Werewolves are downright ''terrifying'', and the comic gets the goriest it's ever gotten when they show up. It also has a BittersweetEnding for that arc.
* MotherRussiaMakesYouStrong: Front Desk Guard Konstantin is mostly made out of this trope with assorted other Russian stereotypes as garnishes.
* MudWrestling: [[MrFanservice Tip and Konstantin]] attract quite a large audience of ladies who want to watch them wrestle. Tip defuses the fight with his much-vaunted diplomacy, then the ladies are the ones who wind up doing the actual mud-fighting. Nick curses himself for not being present.
* MyFriendsAndZoidberg: On [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=40598 this page]].
--> '''Pack Member 1''': "That's why we need you for this crisis! You've dealt with humans!"
--> '''Pack Member 2''': "And Americans!"
* Nanomachines: Unity was recently revealed to not be the Frankensteinian mishmash of teenagers she appears to be, but rather a nanobot horde suspended in whatever passes for her blood. This explains why she can attach different parts and still have them function; she can even be removed and put in other things (like a goat). However, the body we've become familiar with ''does'' have enhancements that prevent it from rejecting her (which is not an amenity the goat had).
* NiceHat: Tip has been seen wearing one quite often. Women's hats, of course.
** And in a semi-meta example: after Unity ran into a cute little fox, fans [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=47054&name=skinhorse#strip5 collectively decided]] that it would look cute with a little hat on. Shaenon warned them that they'd be sorry to have said it...[[spoiler:and in the next strip, said fox ''became'' a cute little hat for Unity. Ouch.]]
* NoodleImplements
* NoodleIncident "Most people don't have '''a''' [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=47472 panda incident!]]
* NotThatKindOfDoctor: Tip is a psychologist, [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=25126#strip5 not a therapist.]]
* OddlySmallOrganization: Justified due to budget issues.
* OurWerewolvesAreDifferent: They're Canadian. And downright ''terrifying''.
* OurZombiesAreDifferent : Unity's really more akin to a classic [=~Frankenstein's Monster~=] than a zombie in the same sense the word is usually used, but "zombie" is probably easier to fit in a sentence.
** Later a sentient swamp creates a zombie horde of its own in Louisiana. These are mostly just puppets, though, filled with plant matter that the swamp can control.
* PersonalityBloodTypes: The blood types are included where applicable in the cast page, although some of the characters don't have blood in any conventional sense. The three who have normal human blood types follow the trope though.
** Tip: O
** Dr. Lee: AB
** Tigerlily: B
* PokeThePoodle: Sweetheart's "rampage" is tipping over a cup of coffee.
** Also Moustachio's attempts at maintaining the Machines Union strike. "Have some undesirable popcorn!"
* ThePornomancer: Tip
* TheProfessorIsCryingAgain: [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/11052011/ Fortunately, the ancient, mystic order of notaries has a special couch for scientists.]]
* PullingThemselvesTogether: Unity can repair herself so long as she's got one working arm and her head is intact (and as long as she has a needle and thread, of course).
* RealDreamsAreWeirder: In [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/10142011/ this strip]], Unity responds to the Abbess's description of her prophetic dream with an inverted MarshmallowDream.
* ReallyGetsAround: Oh, ''Tip.''
* ReligiousRobot: Nick has an entry in his CharacterBlog about going to see a rabbi about how he can keep Judaism while being a sentient helicopter.
* ReptilesAreAbhorrent: Subverted; you have never seen such adorable cobras. They have puppy-dog eyes, the mentality of a sweet four year old, ingrained terror at SesquipedalianLoquaciousness, and when scared shout "HUG ME!" and coil about our hero.
* RestrainingBolt:
** Nick isn't able to vocally swear, but he can curse in his written blog. [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=35743&name=skinhorse#strip4 He also has an override phase that can remove his free will.]]
** [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=34216&name=skinhorse#strip5 Unity has an override code as well.]] The phrase "blueberry waffles" suspends her aggressive nature as well as giving her a headache.
* TheReveal: On two occasions, characters have revealed important information and then commented that it would have been much more dramatic had their intended audience been paying any attention.
* SapientSteed: Nick
* SelectiveObliviousness: Tip shows an amazing lack of self-awareness towards his lack of long-term relationships.
* TheSeventies: Personified in the form of Tigerlilly Jones and her robot, Sweetdaddy Jupiter Velvet.
** JiveTurkey
** SassyBlackWoman
*** {{Blaxploitation}}
** PimpDuds
** ImprobableHairstyle: Tigerlily has an impressive, well-maintained afro, ''despite living in a mental institution and wearing a straitjacket frequently''
** NewAge: mostly appears in Sweetdaddy Jupiter Velvet's middle name.
** OutdatedOutfit
*** ImpossiblyCoolClothes: Tigerlily Jones is brought out of the van used to transport her from the asylum, and once they take the straitjacket off, she's wearing 70s clothes. It is specifically noted that they put her ''in'' the straitjacket in institutional grey.
*** PaintedOnPants
** RebelliousSpirit: Actually, standard mad scientist worldview, but viewed through a lens of seventies philosophy. "Man keeps me down! Man keeps me from conquering the world!"
** TheHedonist
* ScienceRelatedMemeticDisorder: Mad Genius really is a mental disorder in this universe. It's a pity that the institute in charge of taking care of mad scientists is, itself, totally out of its tree and in fact makes the problem worse.
* SesquipedalianSmith: Tigerlily Jones.
* SheCleansUpNicely: Prior to dating Tip, Marcie appeared to be scientifically engineered to disable the boners of all but the most selective of fetishists. After she hooked up with Doc Wilkin, the term "Nerdy Hot" definitely applies, and she hasn't gone back since. And it turns out her would-be boyfriend Chris cleans up pretty nicely too.
* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend: Tip, regarding Dr. Lee, though she's certainly the closest he's come to a meaningful relationship so far.
* ShippedInShackles: Tigerlily Jones in her first appearance can be seen in a straightjacket on a handcart. Since she is a dangerous mad scientist who can turn anything into a deadly robot, this is mostly justified; in this continuity, people with that condition can make death rays out of X-Box remotes.
** Forget death rays -- she built a freakin' [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=44488#strip6 wind-up quantum wormhole generator]] out of ''wire coathangers!''
* ShoutOut:
** A number to ''Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz'' and [[Literature/LandOfOz its sequels]], as seen in arc titles like "Cowardly Lion". A list of the characters who are shout outs to ''Oz'' books would include almost almost all of them.
*** Nick Zerhakker deserves special mention--in addition to his last name sounding like "the hacker," which he ''sorta'' is, and [[spoiler:actually translating to "helicopter" or "chopper," which he ''definitely'' is]], it is also a reference to "Nick Chopper"--the Tin Woodman's real name.
*** Unity's sewed together appearance and personality are a weaponized version of the lesser known character and sometime love interest for the better known scarecrow, The Patchwork Girl of Oz. First seen in... ''[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin The Patchwork Girl of Oz]]''.
*** Tip is the name of Ozma when she was in the form of a boy in ''Literature/TheMarvelousLandOfOz''.
*** Moustachio the aged robot receptionist is a lot like Tik-Tok the clockwork man.
*** The Department of Irradiation wears green goggles.
** Unity's car has a bumper sticker that says "Rocket Nixon 2008". This is a reference to the webcomic "The Chronicles of William Bazillion", which is drawn by Shaenon K. Garrity's husband.
** The [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=36270&name=skinhorse recent]] shout out to ''TheBigLebowski''.
** Gavotte the leader, is the one who drinks the tea in homage to [[{{Discworld}} Esmerelda Weatherwax]].
*** The fact that she's [[Discworld/LordsAndLadies a swarm of bees]] helps here...
** They borrow a [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php Flying Machine]] from [[PeterPan Wendy]] of the Department of Jetpack Surpression.
** Perhaps a slight stretch, but we also have [[Literature/TheSnowQueen Gerda]], who works in Cryonics.
** Chris shows up wearing an {{xkcd}} t-shirt.
** [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=48296#192112 This strip]] has a quick one to Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress": Cypress is said to "grow vaster than empires and very quickly."
** Unity just ''had'' to make at least one {{Frankenstein}} movie reference. In this case, [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/02112009/ "Fire...bad?"]]
* SirSwearsalot: Nick Zerhakker, though his profanity filter keeps his dialogue family friendly. [[http://zerhakker.livejournal.com/ His blog]], on the other hand, does not.
* SnarkyNonhumanSidekick: Totally inverted: Sweetheart is sometimes bitterly snarky, but she's supposed to be the ''leader.'' Nick might count, depending on how human you still consider him to be.
* SpiritualSuccessor: A good chunk of ''{{Narbonic}}'s'' tone and themes are present and accounted for. As of May 6, 2011, it officially became a SpinOff and official part of the ''Narbonic'' with the appearance of [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=48680&name=skinhorse Artie (in his human form)]]
* StealthPun: [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=40599#strip6 Dogs don't know it's not Bacon...]]
* StockholmSyndrome: Seems to be the case with [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=38967#strip6 Sweetheart]], who loved her creator despite all the crazy things he did to her.
* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: "I am a totally normal alive human federal agent."
** And in the blog-story, Unity finds two interior decorators at Remy's house: "I should stress here that we are not kidnappers on a mission from a sinister [[GovernmentConspiracy quasi-governmental conspiracy]] or anything." She buys it.
* TalkingAnimal: Sweetheart, Leo, and half the creatures living in the office basement.
* ThatsWhatSheSaid: Nick's follow-up to Dr. Lee saying, "I can't help thinking we've bitten off more than we can chew."
** And Dr. Lee took her gender-inverted turn when Nick said, "I'm a machine."
* ThemeNaming: Captain Bram gave all his talking dogs ''ridiculous'' names like "Captain's Fancy Sweetheart" or "Captain's Fancy Snugglebuddy." "Captain's Fancy" is apparently their surname.
* TheyCalledMeMad: Remember how mad scientists often shout "Those fools at the institute laughed at me!"? Well, it turns out there actually ''is'' an Institute that trains people to be Jerkasses who laugh at the failings of others. Apparently this is simply to instigate even more scientists to go mad, which they then capture.
* ThisIsForEmphasisBitch: Nick would love to do this, except that with his profanity filter, it always comes out, "This is for emphasis, BRANCH!" Or "BIRCH!" Or "BANDOLEERS!" Never what he wants it to be.
** Unity can do it, though. "I'm the ''government'', beyatch."
* ThisIsMySide: In the blog story, Unity attempts this with Nick's cabin. Nick tries to point out that she's telling him to stay out of half of ''himself'', but she ignores him.
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: '''SAMMYCHES!!!'''
* TwoGamersOnACouch: The lion rehomed in chapter one draws one of these, called "[=AsLAN=]". Examples can be seen in the Sundays. Later, it became subject to a ridiculous parody of CerebusSyndrome with death, tragedy, and (in a jab at CtrlAltDel) miscarriages.
** Chris and Marcie. Nick would be with them if, you know, he wasn't the game itself.
* UnusualEuphemism: Nick is forced into this by his swearword-replacement control chip.
* UpToEleven: Gerda is a Kinsey Seven, a type of lesbian so profound it was once thought not to exist in nature.
** And even she can't resist going off to [[EventheGuysWantHim watch him mud wrestle]]. Maybe his ambiguous beauty had something to do with it?
** Bonus ShownTheirWork: [[KinseyScaleOfTropes The Kinsey Scale is a real thing]], which measures how gay a person is on a scale from 0, totally hetero, to 6, totally homo (1-5 don't define the gradation well. This means that a similar scale may be required to gauge sex appeal, so that Tip can be put above the top category himself.
* VerbalTic: The [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Killotron robots]], who will "destroy" everything.
-->'''Killotron-1''': "Happily, we are purged of our old destructive impulses and live only to destroy. And by 'destroy' I of course mean 'serve obediently without destroying.'"
-->'''Unity''': "Nice save."
** To clarify--they really ''do'' mean that. It's like a really ominous version of "smurfy."
* WackyWaysideTribe: Tip deals with a whole slew of them in ''The Borrowers.''
* WetwareCPU: Nick got his brain attached to a black helicopter because the company that produced the helicopter were too inept or too lazy to produce an actual AI for it.
* WholesomeCrossdresser: Tip Wilkin is fashion conscious and uses a variety of complex female outfits, but he makes no attempt to appear female. This is some kind of strange self-flagellation on part of the artist, whose ''{{Narbonic}}'' starred four obsessives who didn't always keep track of whether or not they were wearing pants.
** It's more likely co-writer Jeffrey Wells [[strike:torturing]] expanding Shaenon's artistic horizons.
** Emphasis on the ''wholesome'' part too; Tip manages to make it seem totally normal for a manly stud to wear frilly things.
*** Granted, he then proceeds to willfully and decadently [[YouShouldKnowThisAlready seduce most of the female cast members]], so "wholesome" may not be entirely the right word.
* VerbalBackspace:
-->'''Sweetheart''': Sorry friend. That could have gone better. Tip doesn't really have the training for field work. Or the shoes. Sometimes I wonder if being our token human has cracked him even more. When you come to, I'll see that you only deal with the other members of our t--
-->'''Unity''': Sweetheart! Praise me! I punched out these monkeys ''real good!''
-->'''Sweetheart''': With me. You will only deal with me.
** And again when Tip's reaction to her saying "This is a job for Tip" means it becomes "This is a job for Tip, supervised by me."
* TheVirus: Unity is, technically, a set of nanobots in a special fluid; anything injected with the fluid then becomes Unity. Fortunately for the rest of us, she can't replicate very well and non-dead tissue tends to reject her after a while.
* WerewolfThemeNaming: Julie Rome (as in Romulus) and Sergeant Willoughby (as in Joan Aiken's ''Wolves Of Willoughby Chase''). The unfortunate victim of the werewolves also has a Meaningful Name -- Private Hood.
* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotAwesome: Everything related to the Notary Public, which is basically a religious order, complete with sacred relics, is treated with religious reverence and awe. Special mention to the Abbess, who treats her past as a member of [[GeorgeClinton Parliament Funkadelic]] the way more conventional abbesses would treat a past as a witch.
* WireDilemma: More on the trope page.
* ZombieGait: Completely averted by Unity, unless she's screwing with her co-workers or Lurching For Life.
** Completely evoked by the swamp zombies.
----
* '''Dr. Dennis "Tip" Wilkin''', psychologist, WholesomeCrossdresser, and TokenHuman. Often the OnlySaneMan, and not just because of his profession. He also ReallyGetsAround and is able to seduce most women with minimal effort despite (or because of) the cross-dressing.
* '''Unity''', [[HeroicComedicSociopath cheerfully violent]] high-functioning patchwork zombie, and former prototype SuperSoldier. Has the body of several eighteen-year-olds, and a worrying case of AttentionDeficitOohShiny. Recently revealed to be technically not actually a zombie after all.
* '''Sweetheart''', Canadian talking dog and field commander. Often conflicted between her meek, civilized demeanor and her identity as a MadScientist's creation. Also the [[OnlySaneMan Only Sane]] [[strike:[[OnlySaneMan Man]]]] [[OnlySaneMan Transgenic Dog]] pretty frequently.
* '''Moustachio the Thinkonium''', SteamPunk robot and receptionist.
* '''Gavotte''', the boss, who happens to be a ''literal'' HiveMind (a hive of bees, to be precise). She buzzes and produces honey. Refers to herself with the "{{royal we}}", which in her case actually makes sense.
* '''Nick Zerhakker''', the newest member of the team. Also known as Biscuit, he ''is'' the BlackHelicopter (An unarmed-to-the-teeth [[http://www.enemyforces.net/helicopters/v22_osprey.htm V-22 Osprey]] controlled by a BrainInAJar, to be precise) and has made friends with the nerds in the Department of Irradiation. Not technically an employee since he doesn't get a salary; his fuel and [[WorldOfWarcraft WOW]] access are currently budgeted under "furniture".
The story so far:
* "Cowardly Lion": A day in the life of the Project Skin Horse employees as they go to bring in a genetically-enhanced lion.
* "The Borrowers": Tip tries to make peace among the many forms of intelligent life that have developed in the office basement over several decades.
* "Wild Things": Unity urges Sweetheart to go on a destructive rampage.
* "I Can Fly": The team investigates the case of [[spoiler: a military helicopter that used to be a videogame nerd named Nick.]]
* "Dead Dogs"/"Big Bad Wolves": Tip is in charge of a mission to Alaska. Involves werewolves and sapient canids.
* "Tin Soldier": [[spoiler: It appears to be Moustachio's turn to go on a rampage.]] Also features the return of Dr. Lee from "I Can Fly".
* "Brave Little Toasters": Gorgeous and FUNKY mad scientist brought in [[spoiler: to repair Moustachio due to his breakdown from the events in Tin Soldier.]]
* "All The Lovely Ladies": Tip and Konstantin must mud-wrestle. The ladies of SH gather to watch.
* "Come Swing From My Branches": The SH team is mobilized to serve notice to a GeniusLoci, a sentient swamp.
* "If I Ran The Zoo": Unity and Nick are sent to investigate the mysterious fire at The Cypress, while Sweetheart and Tip go to a talking animal convention.
* "Once And Future": Unity wants to be a Notary Public, which coincidentally involves becoming part of an Ancient Order in Idaho, where Dr. Lee is looking into rogue robot sightings.
* "Choose" While Sweetheart deals with issues, two former acquaintances of Nick investigate his disappearance.
----
! Tropes used in this comic include:
* ActionPrologue: [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=46231 "Come swing from my branches"]]
* AffablyEvil: Sweetheart's MadScientist creator, Captain Bram. Well, what else do you expect from a guy whose evil plan revolves around adorable puppies?
** He's Canadian. He couldn't be ''mean'' about it if his life depended on it.
* AgentPeacock: Tip Wilkin, the casanova crossdresser who's also handy to have around in a crisis (as long as he's wearing the right outfit).
* AngstWhatAngst: Invoked in-universe by Sweetheart [to Unity]: "Do you '''ever''' angst?" Since Unity is programmed to be a weapon, she may simply not be capable of it--it'd get in the way of her ability to kill things.
* AppendageAssimilation: Anything attached to Unity becomes a part of her; it's hinted that her blood is the "real" Unity and that it's some sort of colony creature. When a town becomes transfused with her blood to cure them of lycanthropy, they all start acting like her.
** It has now been stated [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/11102011/ explicitly.]]
* ArbitrarySkepticism: Sweetheart, a talking dog, has difficulty believing werewolves exist [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=38295#149114 as seen here]]. She later has a problem accepting that a shaman successfully channeled the spirit of a dead man rather than faking it.
** It's not arbitrary, per se: she's skeptical of it if it's not Science!
* ArtificialHuman: Inverted with Nick, who is completely human, rather than an AI as the team first assumed, despite being stuck in a mechanical body. Played straight with Unity... [[TheUndead Kinda]].
* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=46115#strip3 Gavotte politely explains to some nice young ladies why she can order them around.]]
* AttractiveBentSpecies: When Tip is temporarily turned into a werewolf he becomes irresistible to female dogs as well as humans.
* AuthorAppeal: [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=37567#strip2 "Let me have this, and later I'll draw Sweetheart in cute little goggles."]]
** A promise [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=39301#strip4 later granted]], of course.
* BerserkButton: The Macaw Bird does not appreciate hats. Possibly because of the historic practice of wearing stuffed birds on hats.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: Moustachio has an "evil mode" that he could potentially slip into if the parts of himself that maintain his good-mannered gentlemanly nature are disturbed.
* BigApplesauce: Subverted in a big way. The team is based in Washington D.C., but so far their adventures have taken them to New Jersey, Nevada, Alaska, Louisiana, Ohio, and Idaho. They're a Federal agency, so they have to serve all 50 states (plus territories).
* BlackHelicopter: A modified V-22 Osprey, with the brain of a foul mouthed gamer.
-->'''Tip:''' We've got a black helicopter! You know what that makes us? An officially intimidating secret organization!
* TheCasanova: Tip is somewhere between this and KavorkaMan. Tip ''is'' charming and attractive. However, the sheer degree and instantaneousness of his success with women would be mind-blowing even if he wasn't usually wearing a dress and make-up.
** Just as a f'rinstance, this [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=33564#strip6 comic]].
** Or [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=29598#strip2 this one]].
*** Tip's power apparently transcends [[spoiler:species]]. Just see [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=40132#strip1 this]] and [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=40132#strip4 this]]
**** It simultaneously transcends [[spoiler:species]] and [[spoiler:gender]] in [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=40137#strip3 this strip]]. [[spoiler:Muffin is a male, and apparently gay, dog.]]
**** Still more [[spoiler: cross-species]] Tip-lust [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=46115 here]]. [[EvenTheGuysWantHim Even Swarms of Bees Want Him!]]
*** It seems to even transcend [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/memberimages/sh100824cleancut.jpg sexuality]].
*** [[spoiler: Artie]] seems to have [[EvenTheGuysWantHim turned the tables]] on Tip in the current storyline, though.
* ChainedToABed: The friendly werewolf sheriff in Alaska chains Tip to bed so he won't get hurt when the town transforms into man-eating monsters during the night. Tip is a CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass, though, and very experienced with kinky chicks, so this doesn't slow him down much.
* ChainOfDeals: Tip and the basement creatures, but this upsets the equilibrium they had already established and causes disaster. Gavotte chides Tip later for meddling in affairs he didn't understand.
* CharacterBlog: Nick [[http://zerhakker.livejournal.com/ has one]], which explains, among other things, that he is a practicing Jew. Probably {{NSFW}}, as his censor filter doesn't apply here.
** While the comic is following Tip and Sweetheart in Cleveland, the blog is following Nick and Unity going down to New Orleans. And [[spoiler: Unity has seized control of it]].
* TheCharmer: Tip can charm anyone who's female by presence alone, and can win over most hostile men in enough time, too.
* ChekhovsGun; Nick, in the swamp, with a freaking ''buzzsaw''. Yippee kay o, melonfarmers!
* ClevelandRocks: Most of the talking animals seem to think so, anyway.
* ClockworkCreature: Moustachio. Apparently at one point he once had arms and legs, but had them removed so he wouldn't be a threat to the community. Tigerlily installed tiny, mostly-cosmetic arms to him later.
* CloseupOnHead: [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=49716#198422 This strip]] consists mostly of head shots, to conceal the fact that [[spoiler:Tip and Sweetheart are prisoners of the crystal entity]] until the final panel.
* ClusterFBomb: Nick, before the censorship software kicked in.
* CoincidentalBroadcast: Parodied: Tip tells Sweetheart to turn on the news, and she has to flip past ''every'' news channel to find the one he's talking about.
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=38295&name=skinhorse#strip4 As Tip says]], he served in Afghanistan. As Unity replies, that's kind of easy to forget.
** And like his Casanova "powers", [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=40373&name=skinhorse#strip4 this too transcends species.]]
*** not really, it turns out, he turned the pack government into a representative democracy
* CrushKillDestroy: Some robots say this, [[VerbalTic reflexively]].
* CrystalPrison: Tip gets caught in one when he interacts with the sentient transgenic colony beneath the facility.
* DidYouGetANewHaircut
* DistaffCounterpart: Recently-introduced character Violet Bee seems to be a female Tip. Just look at [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=45107&name=skinhorse#strip5 this comic]] (some spoilers, maybe?).
* DivineDate: Played with and deconstructed. While Artie isn't quite a deity, he is a hyperintelligent posthuman, and as such, he cannot ''love'' someone of only human intelligence, because love requires the other person be on his level. He can, however, have a lot of fun with humans in the process.
** It should be noted that the "Artie can't love an intellectual inferior" idea was put forth by Sweetheart ''to'' the team psychologist, Tip. Sweetheart could simply be dead wrong about Artie.
* EatsBabies: Unity, [[OffstageVillainy reportedly]].
* EvenTheGuysWantHim: Tip suddenly finds himself going out for drinks with Artie, whose human form is indeed ''very'' attractive.
* [[EvenTheGuysWantHim Even The Girls Want Her]]: Unity appears to have a crush on Tigerlily Jones.
* EvilLaugh: [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=35741#strip4 Dr Lee tries to pull this off.]]
** Tigerlily [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/memberimages/sh100410had_been_cut_copy1.gif does it better]].
* EvillyAffable: Many of the bad guys are disarmingly cheery.
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: Apparently only Projects (like Skinhorse and Pixiedust) get mysterious names. Departments follow a simpler scheme. They have been shown to include:
** Department of Jetpack Suppression: [[IWantMyJetpack Stupid Department of Jetpack Suppression...]]
** Department of Irradiation: They irradiate whatever the home office sends them.
*** Not like...with any end in mind. They just point radiation at it until HQ says "when".
** Federal Office of Giant Leaking Containers: Seen [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=27141 here]] during the "Borrowers" arc.
** Department of Precambian Defense: [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=42601#168313 Currently unstuck in time.]]
* {{Expy}}: Unity is a psychopathically violent GenkiGirl much in the vein of [[{{Narbonic}} Mell]].
** Which only makes sense, as the filename hidden story strongly implies that her brain is a ''clone'' of Mell's.
* ExtranormalInstitute: Skin Horse itself, and it shares the building with several others (see above).
* ExtraStrengthMasquerade: A sentient swamp unleashes a zombie horde on Louisiana, werewolves take over an Alaskan town, and transgenic animal-human hybrids have a mass convention in Cleveland, yet the public at large, ''somehow,'' is still unaware of the rampant paranormal happenings.
** With the recent confirmation that the strip is set in the Narbonibrane, WeirdnessCensor rules are now in effect. In the filename side story, Sweetheart notes to Tip after he's hired that, "…about twenty percent of humans psychologically block things they consider impossible; they can't hear me. If you were one of them, you'd be useless for this job, not to mention annoying as a coworker."
* ExtremeOmnivore: Unity
* FakingAmnesia: Played for laughs: When Animal Control shows up to capture Sweetheart, Unity panics and feigns amnesia. She's apparently done this before.
* FanService: The most recent arc requires Tip and Konstantin to mud-wrestle topless for some reason. Don't ask, just get a jetpack and a camera and head down to the river.
* FantasticRacism: The Transgenic Convention is full of intelligent mutant animals and hybrids, many of whom have utter contempt for Tip (such as some surly squirrels, and a part-Macaw woman whose inexplicable BerserkButton is people who wear hats.)
* FantasticReligiousWeirdness: Nick's Judaism becomes a minor issue in his CharacterBlog.
* FilkSong: The comments section [[strike: usually]] always features a filk related to that day's strip. [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=37285#strip4 This strip]], about Unity literally freezing her butt off, inspired the song "Put On Your Weekend Butt", to the tune of "Put On Your Sunday Clothes" from the musical "Hello Dolly".
** It needs to be pointed out that Ed Gedeon (of ''EverydayHeroes'') writes a filk song ''every single day''. Several other people are likely to contribute one as well.
* FlashbackFail: Unity is prone to this.
* FunWithAcronyms U.N.I.T.Y = Upgradable Necrotic Independent .... [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/redirect.php?type=comic&installment_ID=179347on=next "We do not talk about my acronym!]]
* GoodAngelBadAngel: Because it's in the Narbonicverse, the "personality sprites" still exist, although the only one we've seen so far is Tigerlily's "[[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=43677 inner fabulousness]]".
* GovernmentConspiracy: Deconstructed. The whole comic is about how terrible real governments would be at this.
** Skin Horse itself isn't really a conspiracy, just a moderately secret government department trying to help ... people ... who need help. The ''real'' Conspiracy is Anasigma, which is sometimes what Skin Horse is rescuing them ''from''. (And, according to the blog story, even has [[TheMenInBlack Men in Black]].)
* GroundhogDayLoop: More weirdness at Anasigma.
* GunshipRescue: [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=41196 courtesy of Nick]], interrupting Sweetheart's RousingSpeech.
* TheHatMakesTheMan: An avian-humanoid thinks hats turn their wearers evil, and flips out when Tip puts one on.
* HardOnSoftScience: Dr. Lee thinks very little of the "soft sciences," including psychology. Tip is forced to show her the error of her ways by using psychology to effortlessly seduce her.
* {{Headdesk}}: Sweetheart is driven to this when the city of New Orleans thwarts her every single attempt to get information on their case.
* HeyItsThatGuy: ARTIE!!!!
* {{Hikikomori}}: Nick, before joining Skin Horse. (Or at least he ''thought'' he was. His brain had already been removed and he was living in a simulation of his own dingy apartment).
* HotChickInABadassSuit: Inverted. Tip is a Hot Stud in a Badass Dress.
* HotScientist: Dr. Lee. Possibly Tip as well, depending on [[HardOnSoftScience your view of the soft sciences]].
** And Marcie, post-makeover.
** And now Dr. Berenice "Tigerlily" Jones.
* ICallHimMisterHappy: "You named your tackle The Light of Culture and Reason?"
* ICallItVera: "I'd like you to meet Alice. Alice is a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Official_Police#Commando .38 Colt Commando service revolver.]] A classic."
* IHaveNothingToSayToThat: Tip explains to Dr Lee that this is '''exactly''' what it looks like.
* ILoveNuclearPower: Radiation not only makes things sentient, but also gives them nationalities.
* InstantSeduction: Tip does these. It's like a superpower.
* IronicEchoCut: All the time! This is pure AuthorAppeal.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=48036#191048 Nick's heart is strong and full of love!]]
* KavorkaMan: See Casanova above.
* KillerRabbit: Sweetheart and her packmates. Or at least that was the plan...
** The mad scientist who created her could also apply. Aside from this whole "take over the world with sentient sled dogs" thing, he was the nicest, most politely Canadian guy you could ever meet. Turned [[UpToEleven up to about seven hundred fifty three]].
* TheLadette: Unity.
* LadykillerInLove: Tip has fallen hard for Dr. Jones.
* LetsGetDangerous: Tip swinging into ass-kicking mode.
* LiteraryAllusionTitle: Skin Horse refers to a character in ''TheVelveteenRabbit''.
* LostInTransmission: [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=48352#192344 This]] guest strip.
* LotusEaterMachine: Until the illusion was forcibly shattered by the mysterious "Goldbug," Nick thought he was living in his apartment, testing simulations for military hardware, rather than actually ''being'' military hardware.
* MadScientist: Genuine mad scientists are usually kept under lock and key whenever possible; the majority of the scientists-who-tamper-in-God's-domain that have been featured (like Dr. Lee, or the Irradiators) are "irresponsible" or just plain evil rather than clinically insane. Also the numerous and often defective results of mad science have repeatedly been encountered.
** Apparently there's a government work-release program for mad scientists, which is how the team calls in Dr. Jones.
* MarshmallowDream: Unity describes an inverted one [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/10142011/ here]].
* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: Remy might have channeled the spirit of the dead groom of the swamp, or he might have faked it in a moment of desperation. The answer leans heavily towards "he really did it" since he knew the swamp's name, among other things, but he hesitates to confirm or deny.
* MediumAwareness: Seen on [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=43679 this page]].
* TheMenInBlack: Subverted/deconstructed with a vengeance. Yes, they work for the government, and yes, they are tangentially involved in maintaining TheMasquerade, but ''Skin Horse'' functions more as "Black Ops Social Services". Instead of neuralizers, black suits, and evil motives, ''Skin Horse'' makes due with a wind-up receptionist, a cross-dressing psychologist, and under-funded placement programs. There are other forces at work with more sinister motives, however, and their results often provide the project with even more work to do. But played completely straight by the sinister agents of Anasigma, right down to their perfectly-shined black shoes.
* MinionWithAnFInEvil: In a better world, Dr. Lee wouldn't even be in the business of creating horrible sentient weapons out of people. She tries an EvilLaugh once and fails at it. She also has a confused motherly affection for her creations, even if they don't return it.
* MoodWhiplash: The Alaskan Werewolves are downright ''terrifying'', and the comic gets the goriest it's ever gotten when they show up. It also has a BittersweetEnding for that arc.
* MotherRussiaMakesYouStrong: Front Desk Guard Konstantin is mostly made out of this trope with assorted other Russian stereotypes as garnishes.
* MudWrestling: [[MrFanservice Tip and Konstantin]] attract quite a large audience of ladies who want to watch them wrestle. Tip defuses the fight with his much-vaunted diplomacy, then the ladies are the ones who wind up doing the actual mud-fighting. Nick curses himself for not being present.
* MyFriendsAndZoidberg: On [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=40598 this page]].
--> '''Pack Member 1''': "That's why we need you for this crisis! You've dealt with humans!"
--> '''Pack Member 2''': "And Americans!"
* Nanomachines: Unity was recently revealed to not be the Frankensteinian mishmash of teenagers she appears to be, but rather a nanobot horde suspended in whatever passes for her blood. This explains why she can attach different parts and still have them function; she can even be removed and put in other things (like a goat). However, the body we've become familiar with ''does'' have enhancements that prevent it from rejecting her (which is not an amenity the goat had).
* NiceHat: Tip has been seen wearing one quite often. Women's hats, of course.
** And in a semi-meta example: after Unity ran into a cute little fox, fans [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=47054&name=skinhorse#strip5 collectively decided]] that it would look cute with a little hat on. Shaenon warned them that they'd be sorry to have said it...[[spoiler:and in the next strip, said fox ''became'' a cute little hat for Unity. Ouch.]]
* NoodleImplements
* NoodleIncident "Most people don't have '''a''' [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=47472 panda incident!]]
* NotThatKindOfDoctor: Tip is a psychologist, [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=25126#strip5 not a therapist.]]
* OddlySmallOrganization: Justified due to budget issues.
* OurWerewolvesAreDifferent: They're Canadian. And downright ''terrifying''.
* OurZombiesAreDifferent : Unity's really more akin to a classic [=~Frankenstein's Monster~=] than a zombie in the same sense the word is usually used, but "zombie" is probably easier to fit in a sentence.
** Later a sentient swamp creates a zombie horde of its own in Louisiana. These are mostly just puppets, though, filled with plant matter that the swamp can control.
* PersonalityBloodTypes: The blood types are included where applicable in the cast page, although some of the characters don't have blood in any conventional sense. The three who have normal human blood types follow the trope though.
** Tip: O
** Dr. Lee: AB
** Tigerlily: B
* PokeThePoodle: Sweetheart's "rampage" is tipping over a cup of coffee.
** Also Moustachio's attempts at maintaining the Machines Union strike. "Have some undesirable popcorn!"
* ThePornomancer: Tip
* TheProfessorIsCryingAgain: [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/11052011/ Fortunately, the ancient, mystic order of notaries has a special couch for scientists.]]
* PullingThemselvesTogether: Unity can repair herself so long as she's got one working arm and her head is intact (and as long as she has a needle and thread, of course).
* RealDreamsAreWeirder: In [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/10142011/ this strip]], Unity responds to the Abbess's description of her prophetic dream with an inverted MarshmallowDream.
* ReallyGetsAround: Oh, ''Tip.''
* ReligiousRobot: Nick has an entry in his CharacterBlog about going to see a rabbi about how he can keep Judaism while being a sentient helicopter.
* ReptilesAreAbhorrent: Subverted; you have never seen such adorable cobras. They have puppy-dog eyes, the mentality of a sweet four year old, ingrained terror at SesquipedalianLoquaciousness, and when scared shout "HUG ME!" and coil about our hero.
* RestrainingBolt:
** Nick isn't able to vocally swear, but he can curse in his written blog. [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=35743&name=skinhorse#strip4 He also has an override phase that can remove his free will.]]
** [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=34216&name=skinhorse#strip5 Unity has an override code as well.]] The phrase "blueberry waffles" suspends her aggressive nature as well as giving her a headache.
* TheReveal: On two occasions, characters have revealed important information and then commented that it would have been much more dramatic had their intended audience been paying any attention.
* SapientSteed: Nick
* SelectiveObliviousness: Tip shows an amazing lack of self-awareness towards his lack of long-term relationships.
* TheSeventies: Personified in the form of Tigerlilly Jones and her robot, Sweetdaddy Jupiter Velvet.
** JiveTurkey
** SassyBlackWoman
*** {{Blaxploitation}}
** PimpDuds
** ImprobableHairstyle: Tigerlily has an impressive, well-maintained afro, ''despite living in a mental institution and wearing a straitjacket frequently''
** NewAge: mostly appears in Sweetdaddy Jupiter Velvet's middle name.
** OutdatedOutfit
*** ImpossiblyCoolClothes: Tigerlily Jones is brought out of the van used to transport her from the asylum, and once they take the straitjacket off, she's wearing 70s clothes. It is specifically noted that they put her ''in'' the straitjacket in institutional grey.
*** PaintedOnPants
** RebelliousSpirit: Actually, standard mad scientist worldview, but viewed through a lens of seventies philosophy. "Man keeps me down! Man keeps me from conquering the world!"
** TheHedonist
* ScienceRelatedMemeticDisorder: Mad Genius really is a mental disorder in this universe. It's a pity that the institute in charge of taking care of mad scientists is, itself, totally out of its tree and in fact makes the problem worse.
* SesquipedalianSmith: Tigerlily Jones.
* SheCleansUpNicely: Prior to dating Tip, Marcie appeared to be scientifically engineered to disable the boners of all but the most selective of fetishists. After she hooked up with Doc Wilkin, the term "Nerdy Hot" definitely applies, and she hasn't gone back since. And it turns out her would-be boyfriend Chris cleans up pretty nicely too.
* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend: Tip, regarding Dr. Lee, though she's certainly the closest he's come to a meaningful relationship so far.
* ShippedInShackles: Tigerlily Jones in her first appearance can be seen in a straightjacket on a handcart. Since she is a dangerous mad scientist who can turn anything into a deadly robot, this is mostly justified; in this continuity, people with that condition can make death rays out of X-Box remotes.
** Forget death rays -- she built a freakin' [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=44488#strip6 wind-up quantum wormhole generator]] out of ''wire coathangers!''
* ShoutOut:
** A number to ''Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz'' and [[Literature/LandOfOz its sequels]], as seen in arc titles like "Cowardly Lion". A list of the characters who are shout outs to ''Oz'' books would include almost almost all of them.
*** Nick Zerhakker deserves special mention--in addition to his last name sounding like "the hacker," which he ''sorta'' is, and [[spoiler:actually translating to "helicopter" or "chopper," which he ''definitely'' is]], it is also a reference to "Nick Chopper"--the Tin Woodman's real name.
*** Unity's sewed together appearance and personality are a weaponized version of the lesser known character and sometime love interest for the better known scarecrow, The Patchwork Girl of Oz. First seen in... ''[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin The Patchwork Girl of Oz]]''.
*** Tip is the name of Ozma when she was in the form of a boy in ''Literature/TheMarvelousLandOfOz''.
*** Moustachio the aged robot receptionist is a lot like Tik-Tok the clockwork man.
*** The Department of Irradiation wears green goggles.
** Unity's car has a bumper sticker that says "Rocket Nixon 2008". This is a reference to the webcomic "The Chronicles of William Bazillion", which is drawn by Shaenon K. Garrity's husband.
** The [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=36270&name=skinhorse recent]] shout out to ''TheBigLebowski''.
** Gavotte the leader, is the one who drinks the tea in homage to [[{{Discworld}} Esmerelda Weatherwax]].
*** The fact that she's [[Discworld/LordsAndLadies a swarm of bees]] helps here...
** They borrow a [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php Flying Machine]] from [[PeterPan Wendy]] of the Department of Jetpack Surpression.
** Perhaps a slight stretch, but we also have [[Literature/TheSnowQueen Gerda]], who works in Cryonics.
** Chris shows up wearing an {{xkcd}} t-shirt.
** [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=48296#192112 This strip]] has a quick one to Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress": Cypress is said to "grow vaster than empires and very quickly."
** Unity just ''had'' to make at least one {{Frankenstein}} movie reference. In this case, [[http://skin-horse.com/comics/02112009/ "Fire...bad?"]]
* SirSwearsalot: Nick Zerhakker, though his profanity filter keeps his dialogue family friendly. [[http://zerhakker.livejournal.com/ His blog]], on the other hand, does not.
* SnarkyNonhumanSidekick: Totally inverted: Sweetheart is sometimes bitterly snarky, but she's supposed to be the ''leader.'' Nick might count, depending on how human you still consider him to be.
* SpiritualSuccessor: A good chunk of ''{{Narbonic}}'s'' tone and themes are present and accounted for. As of May 6, 2011, it officially became a SpinOff and official part of the ''Narbonic'' with the appearance of [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=48680&name=skinhorse Artie (in his human form)]]
* StealthPun: [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=40599#strip6 Dogs don't know it's not Bacon...]]
* StockholmSyndrome: Seems to be the case with [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=38967#strip6 Sweetheart]], who loved her creator despite all the crazy things he did to her.
* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: "I am a totally normal alive human federal agent."
** And in the blog-story, Unity finds two interior decorators at Remy's house: "I should stress here that we are not kidnappers on a mission from a sinister [[GovernmentConspiracy quasi-governmental conspiracy]] or anything." She buys it.
* TalkingAnimal: Sweetheart, Leo, and half the creatures living in the office basement.
* ThatsWhatSheSaid: Nick's follow-up to Dr. Lee saying, "I can't help thinking we've bitten off more than we can chew."
** And Dr. Lee took her gender-inverted turn when Nick said, "I'm a machine."
* ThemeNaming: Captain Bram gave all his talking dogs ''ridiculous'' names like "Captain's Fancy Sweetheart" or "Captain's Fancy Snugglebuddy." "Captain's Fancy" is apparently their surname.
* TheyCalledMeMad: Remember how mad scientists often shout "Those fools at the institute laughed at me!"? Well, it turns out there actually ''is'' an Institute that trains people to be Jerkasses who laugh at the failings of others. Apparently this is simply to instigate even more scientists to go mad, which they then capture.
* ThisIsForEmphasisBitch: Nick would love to do this, except that with his profanity filter, it always comes out, "This is for emphasis, BRANCH!" Or "BIRCH!" Or "BANDOLEERS!" Never what he wants it to be.
** Unity can do it, though. "I'm the ''government'', beyatch."
* ThisIsMySide: In the blog story, Unity attempts this with Nick's cabin. Nick tries to point out that she's telling him to stay out of half of ''himself'', but she ignores him.
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: '''SAMMYCHES!!!'''
* TwoGamersOnACouch: The lion rehomed in chapter one draws one of these, called "[=AsLAN=]". Examples can be seen in the Sundays. Later, it became subject to a ridiculous parody of CerebusSyndrome with death, tragedy, and (in a jab at CtrlAltDel) miscarriages.
** Chris and Marcie. Nick would be with them if, you know, he wasn't the game itself.
* UnusualEuphemism: Nick is forced into this by his swearword-replacement control chip.
* UpToEleven: Gerda is a Kinsey Seven, a type of lesbian so profound it was once thought not to exist in nature.
** And even she can't resist going off to [[EventheGuysWantHim watch him mud wrestle]]. Maybe his ambiguous beauty had something to do with it?
** Bonus ShownTheirWork: [[KinseyScaleOfTropes The Kinsey Scale is a real thing]], which measures how gay a person is on a scale from 0, totally hetero, to 6, totally homo (1-5 don't define the gradation well. This means that a similar scale may be required to gauge sex appeal, so that Tip can be put above the top category himself.
* VerbalTic: The [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Killotron robots]], who will "destroy" everything.
-->'''Killotron-1''': "Happily, we are purged of our old destructive impulses and live only to destroy. And by 'destroy' I of course mean 'serve obediently without destroying.'"
-->'''Unity''': "Nice save."
** To clarify--they really ''do'' mean that. It's like a really ominous version of "smurfy."
* WackyWaysideTribe: Tip deals with a whole slew of them in ''The Borrowers.''
* WetwareCPU: Nick got his brain attached to a black helicopter because the company that produced the helicopter were too inept or too lazy to produce an actual AI for it.
* WholesomeCrossdresser: Tip Wilkin is fashion conscious and uses a variety of complex female outfits, but he makes no attempt to appear female. This is some kind of strange self-flagellation on part of the artist, whose ''{{Narbonic}}'' starred four obsessives who didn't always keep track of whether or not they were wearing pants.
** It's more likely co-writer Jeffrey Wells [[strike:torturing]] expanding Shaenon's artistic horizons.
** Emphasis on the ''wholesome'' part too; Tip manages to make it seem totally normal for a manly stud to wear frilly things.
*** Granted, he then proceeds to willfully and decadently [[YouShouldKnowThisAlready seduce most of the female cast members]], so "wholesome" may not be entirely the right word.
* VerbalBackspace:
-->'''Sweetheart''': Sorry friend. That could have gone better. Tip doesn't really have the training for field work. Or the shoes. Sometimes I wonder if being our token human has cracked him even more. When you come to, I'll see that you only deal with the other members of our t--
-->'''Unity''': Sweetheart! Praise me! I punched out these monkeys ''real good!''
-->'''Sweetheart''': With me. You will only deal with me.
** And again when Tip's reaction to her saying "This is a job for Tip" means it becomes "This is a job for Tip, supervised by me."
* TheVirus: Unity is, technically, a set of nanobots in a special fluid; anything injected with the fluid then becomes Unity. Fortunately for the rest of us, she can't replicate very well and non-dead tissue tends to reject her after a while.
* WerewolfThemeNaming: Julie Rome (as in Romulus) and Sergeant Willoughby (as in Joan Aiken's ''Wolves Of Willoughby Chase''). The unfortunate victim of the werewolves also has a Meaningful Name -- Private Hood.
* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotAwesome: Everything related to the Notary Public, which is basically a religious order, complete with sacred relics, is treated with religious reverence and awe. Special mention to the Abbess, who treats her past as a member of [[GeorgeClinton Parliament Funkadelic]] the way more conventional abbesses would treat a past as a witch.
* WireDilemma: More on the trope page.
* ZombieGait: Completely averted by Unity, unless she's screwing with her co-workers or Lurching For Life.
** Completely evoked by the swamp zombies.
----
