Line #46 Webcomic/SwordCatPrincess


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6	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1_0_suicidal_immortal_lesbian_superhero_scp_tvtropes.jpg]]
7	[[caption-width-right:250:"I have swords!" -Kathryn "[=SwordCat=]" Kennedy]]
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9	''[[http://SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com SwordCat Princess]]'' (formerly ''Eternal Knights'') is a comic book series created, written, and illustrated by Caley Tibbittz Collopy. It is published online under the independent banner Eyes Painted Red Productions as a webcomic on Comic Fury.
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11	[=SwordCat=] Princess stars suicidal immortal superheroine Kathryn "Artemis" Kennedy, who is haunted by a millennium of death and her failure to save her lover, family, and friends. In new friend NYPD Detective Erica Richards and new squire Julia (a faerie princess beginning a new life as a human), Kathryn again finds reasons to live... just as she finally finds a way to die.
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13	Antagonists in the first story arc include Officer Jack Dawson (who blames Kathryn for his father's murder), Jonathan [=MacKnight=] (a billionaire who is dying of cancer and seeks to steal Kathryn's immortality), and Lord Oberon of Avalon (an incredibly powerful faerie king who seeks to control Kathryn's fate).
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15	In addition to a focus on action, superhero adventure, and (often bawdy) humor, [=SwordCat=] Princess deals with serious themes of seeking purpose in life, suicide and suicidal thoughts and depression, seeking friendship and "found family". It features both heterosexual and homosexual (gay, lesbian, bisexual, LGBT) romantic elements. The Kathryn/Erica pairing may be described as a lesbian superhero romance, and is a major element of overarching plot.
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17	The action and superhero stories are heavily character-driven, with interpersonal relationships between the characters general taking precedence over the procedural aspects.
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19	(The comic is intended for mature readers; some pages are {{NSFW}} and feature nudity, sexual situations, expletives, and graphic violence.)
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21	!!Stories Include:
22	* [[http://SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/1/ A Dark and Stormy Knight]]
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24	!![=SwordCat Princess=] contains examples of the following tropes:
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26	* TheAlcoholic: Jack Dawson is often seen [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/29/ drinking at Zora DaiQuirides bar]]. He sometimes drinks while on duty. He has bottles of alcohol around his apartment, [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/95/ including a 40 of Pabst]] in his living room.
27	* BarbieDollAnatomy: Lord Oberon appears nude but has no discernible genitals; James Barrington remarks upon this, noting that Oberon's [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/40/ "still got the Ken Doll genitalia"]]. Oberon's princess daughter Julia arrives from Avalon similarly [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/27/ smooth in the crotch]] (though she quickly forms human genitalia in anticipation of intimacy with James).
28	* BoobsAndButtPose: In [=SwordCat=] Princess, this pose is used for varying effect; in [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/98/ this example]], it is meant to underscore sexual "heat" between Kathryn and [=MacKnight=], even as she uses a broken window to chop off his hand to recover her ring. In [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/18/ this example]], to underscore Kathryn's ability to split her focus and fighting skill into different extremities simultaneously.
29	* BuffySpeak: Erica clumsily lies about how she obtained Kathryn's phone number, offering "Detective-ing?" as her clearly false answer (on the first page of [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/89/ issue #5).]]
30	* ClarkKenting: Kathryn "disguises" herself as Artemis by wearing symmetrical stylized streaks of red paint over each eye. Despite the fact that her recently "deceased" alter ego Kathryn Kennedy looks exactly like Artemis without war paint, no one seems to notice that they are, in fact, the same person -- until Erica finally notices and steals a red marker to draw the "disguise" [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/76/ over a newspaper photo of Kennedy]]. (The "paint" is actually the [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/24/ blood of her deceased first lover]], Etienne.)
31	* CleavageWindow: Kathryn's [=SwordCat=] Princess costume, from her '90s Image Comics-y superheroing days, features [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/139 a large cleavage window]] (made out of the same style of Omega she uses in her Artemis armor belt buckle).
32	* CosmicPlaything: Kathryn tries to steer her own life, but [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/43 Karma & Fate is working to steer her]] toward where she "must be" to do the most good. Lord Oberon and his sort-of employee, [=MacKnight=] are also [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/64/ continuously testing Kathryn]] without her knowledge.
33	* CountryMatters: Arayna uses the C-word after "racist" [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/79/ as she grumbles epithets at her sister Kathryn]] for making her retract her vampire wings. Kathryn [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/97/ returns the favor]] upon recognizing Arayna's voice under the mask that "disguises" her as one of the bad guys.
34	* CustomUniformOfSexy: Kathryn's Knights' uniform of armor and leather [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/12/ bares her cleavage, upper chest, and upper arms]]; James Barrington's armor [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/33 covers all of these areas]].
35	* DrivenToSuicide: Kathryn [[http://SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/24/ seeks her own death]] after 1,000 years suffering losses of loved ones.
36	* EmbarrassingHospitalGown: Erica is forced to wear one when she has to stay at the hospital, and she complains she hates it almost as much as she hates the hospital's food. For [[NakedPeopleAreFunny extra gag]] she's also wearing it backward during the scene, something that shocks both the staff and her co-workers, not [[ShamelessFanserviceGirl that she cares, and she later nonchalantly changes right in front of them]].
37	* FamousAncestor: Kathryn is the semi-secret [[http://SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/54/ daughter of High King Brian Boru of Ireland]]. Julia and James acknowledge that she is the [[http://SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com//comics/36/ daughter of Lord Oberon]].
38	* FairCop: Erica is attractive enough that she has previously posed nude for Pleb Boi (the in-universe analogue of Playboy magazine); she keep a framed copy of the magazine cover [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/75/ on her desk]].
39	* FakeBoobs: Smiley steals Kathryn's breastplate [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/86/ and then wears it]], stating that he has "gone up more cup sizes than a knocked-up Paltrow".
40	* GoodBadGirl: Erica is very sexually open and active. In the course of the first arc, she has sexual encounters with Nicky Dawson (the first one ending early with [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/11/ him holding underwear she forgot about]]). She also [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/117/ has sex with Kathryn "SwordCat" Kennedy after this kiss]]. She further admits to having previously slept with her adopted brother, Officer Jack Dawson.
41	* IfItsYouItsOkay: Erica displays no romantic or sexual interest in any of the female cast -- with the exception of Kathryn, with whom she flirts (musing on Kathryn's [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/71/ "mannish" hands ruining the fantasy end of things]] for her). They later [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/117/ share a lesbian kiss]] (and a lesbian much, much more).
42	* ImmortalityBisexuality: Kathryn professes missing her [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/24/ dead male lovers]], then displays her bisexuality by [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/117/ engaging in lesbian kissing and sex]] with Detective Erica Richards.
43	* InnocentFanserviceGirl: fairy princess Julia flies from Avalon [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/27/ to New York naked]] (appearing to be body-painted/latexed blue, with no defined genitalia). She doesn't need protection from the elements and has no body shame, therefore she doesn't see a need for clothing. James Barrington [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/36/ clothes her via shoplifting]].
44	* InvisibleToNormals: The extranormal is hidden from the general populace by the Cloaker Field, a field generated by a hidden worldwide race called Cloakers; Jack's father explains this fact to him with a colorful [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/127/ "Cloakers, numbnuts!"]]. Metahumans are not affected by the field, so they can see all extranormal beings and events.
45	* KnightInSourArmor: Kathryn no longer engages verbally with those she saves, instead prompting them to run from danger by [[http://SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/13/ threatening them with her swords]].
46	* LesbianVampire: Kathryn's sister Arayna is a lesbian vampire, and makes it known that she is not interested in being [=MacKnight=]'s sexual stress relief [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/104/ on this page]]; aware of her orientation, [=MacKnight=] refers to her with the derogatory nickname "Tuna Salad". Arayna enjoys staring up at the anatomically-correct details of the [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/53/ crotch of a statue of Titania]].
47	* LovableSexManiac: James Barrington is sex-obsessed, which he demonstrates by [[http://SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/74/ peeking up under Julia's t-shirt]] after her shower to see if she is wearing underwear (she is not). James' sense of chivalry makes him a lovable letch, though, such as when he caters to Julia's ignorance of her own need for modesty in New York City by [[http://SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/36/ shoplifting a dress for her]].
48	* ManInAKilt: Leader of the Avalonian Guard, Ribwort, wears a kilt with nothing under it [[http://SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/53/ as observed by James Barrington]] -- who later reveals that his own '90s superhero costume (with a moniker of Fangus Bitus) included [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/137/ a crotch-panel-free semi-kilt]].
49	* MrFanservice: [=MacKnight=] appears shirtless [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/20/ early]] and [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/64/ often]], and then nude for a [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/86/ ritual he easily could have worn pants to]].
50	* TheMole: In the first arc, Arayna is [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/50/ called in as a healer for the injured Julia]], but was already secretly working for [=MacKnight=], [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/97/ in disguise as Silver Smiley]]. She did so to help him create a "World Without Death", to make sure her sister Kathryn could never find a permanent death so she would definitely never die.
51	* MostCommonSuperPower: Most of the main female cast is of [=SwordCat=] Princess is [[http://SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/18/ large-breasted]], with the artistic intention being to accentuate their warmth, softness, and womanly humanity; this is used as a visual counterpoint to the [[http://SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/50/ relatively small-breasted Arayna]], to make her seem less soft and inviting in contrast.
52	* NakedOnArrival: Julia touches down in the human realm [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/27/ naked]], but indistinctly so, appearing to be covered as though by latex/body paint.
53	* NakedPeopleTrappedOutside: Immortal Kathryn regenerates, growing a new (naked) body after her head [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/98/ gets separated from her previous body]]. She is then stared at by dumbfounded cops before they [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/100/ chase her into an alley]].
54	* NameMcAdjective: James Barrington refers to the kilt-wearing Avalonian Guard Captain, Ribwort, as [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/53/ "Scotfaerie McFreeballer"]].
55	* NotBloodSiblings: Erica has had sexual relations with both of her adopted brothers: Jack, who she was raised with (and who she calls "sisterf***er at the end of [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/105/ this scene]]), [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/11 and Nicky]], who she was not raised with.
56	* PhallicWeapon: Kathryn fights with either a pair of katanas or a two-handed omega battle sword. She used the latter to phallic effect in [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/59/ penetrating the ground]] to try to resist Oberon's telekinetic pull toward his more feminine omega throne. Kathryn also carries an iron railroad spike to ward off faeries; she [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/55/ penetrates Julia's heart with it]].
57	* PrettyPrincessPowerhouse: Julia, who can [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/33/ dispense electric justice]], despite her cloistered upbringing in Oberon's palace.
58	* RebelliousPrincess: Kathryn, who ignored [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/97/ her father High King Brian Boru]]'s wishes and learned to fight from the captain of his guard.
59	* SecondSuperIdentity: When the NYPD created a task force to capture Artemis, [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/136/ she continued to fight crime as SwordCat Princess]].
60	* SecretIdentity: Kathryn has had not one civilian secret identity, but a long chain of them throughout her life (each a supposed progenitor of the next). Her "ancestor" Kathryn O'Brien was actually her, as was recent homicide victim Kathryn Kennedy, whose "death" prompts Kathryn's Intellexi supervisor to urge her to [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/24/ select yet another new civilian alias]].
61	* ShamelessFanserviceGirl: Erica strips for fellow officer Nicky while on duty, and then forgets that she was even wearing panties (in the [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/11/ page preceding this one]] of Nicky keeping the underwear as a memento); she later shocks her co-workers by whipping off her hospital gown to dress while they're still in the room at the end of [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/47/ this scene]].
62	* SuperSexOrgans: Shackled, Kathryn tells [=MacKnight=] that she can use her magic ring to form metal wherever it is needed -- her vagina, in this case. She makes it clear she has previously used this ability to [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/96/ chop a choke pear in half]] -- warning him away from thoughts of sexual assault, should he have any (he doesn't).
63	* SugarAndIceGirl: Faerie princess Julia is generally very warm and friendly, but can turn quite cold and indifferent to people's suffering when she feels threatened or when she is in a "reading" state and [[http://swordcatprincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/119/ divining the nature of an object]] or person.
64	* ThanksForTheMammary: Erica throws her hands over Kathryn's exposed breasts after Smiley teleports her breastplate away with him at the end of [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/84/ this scene]] -- ostensibly to maintain Kathryn's modesty, though Smiley is gone by then and, as Kathryn points out, Jack is unconscious.
65	* VaginaDentata: Captured and shackled, Kathryn tells her captor that she can use her magic ring to form metal wherever needed. She makes it clear she has previously used this ability to [[http://www.SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/109 chop a choke pear in half]] -- warning him away from thoughts of sexual assault, should he have any.
66	* WardrobeMalfunction: Smiley causes a wardrobe malfunction when he teleports Kathryn's breastplate away with him at the end of [[http://SwordCatPrincess.thecomicseries.com/comics/84/ this scene]].

Context Webcomic / SwordCatPrincess