Webcomic / Mario & Luigi: Cleanup Crew

"PRINCESS PEACH HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED!!"
"Mario! It's for you!"

— Toad and Luigi

Mario & Luigi: Cleanup Crew, or sometimes just Cleanup Crew, is a comic by Calvin Jay hosted by ComicFury. The premise of the comic is that Princess Peach's castle has been suddenly swallowed in magic paint, causing it to sink into the ground. A mysterious stormcloud passes across the land, raining magic paint everywhere it goes and causing chaos. Toad rushes to Mario's house and starts banging on the door, desperately trying to recruit him to help out... and so our story begins.

The artist also hosts a comic blog on Tumblr, where he announces updates and occasionally posts sketches, so far mostly of Bowser and Waluigi.

Tropes Used by this Comic Include:

• All There in the Manual: Besides discussing characterization, the author occasionally write notes on the characters or the setting in his comments for the comics.
• Art Evolution: You can see the artist making steady changes to the style of the comic across the first chapter.
• Benevolent Mage Ruler: Princess Peach, who actively uses her magic once trouble starts.
• Butt-Monkey: Toad, who's used his spore counterattack on two occasions so far. Once was when Peach needed to block a sudden punch to the face, and the other was when he tripped.
• Deadpan Snarker: Toad, who's the likeliest to give backtalk, even to Princess Peach.
• Establishing Character Moment: The artist loves this. Almost every major character so far has had one.
  • Luigi is peacefully reading a newspaper when Toad's sudden emergency wailing causes him to leap straight up in fright.
  • Mario is first seen locked in battle with a Piranha Plant stuck in his toilet, wielding a plunger like a sword.
  • Peach's first action after completing any governmental tasks? Deciding to make a cake.
  • The Toad Minister spends his entire debut complaining about the state of the youth.
• Fantastically Indifferent: Not only is Luigi completely unconcerned with Mario's battle with the Toilet Piranha, he objects to the idea that Toad's concerns should interrupt.
• Flashback: Luigi and Mario briefly appear in the beginning of the first chapter, but the bulk of "A Mess in the Making" is Toad's recollection of the events leading to the current crisis.
• Foreshadowing: Captain Toad makes a brief appearance and accidentally demonstrates how magic paint swallows anything that steps in it. Turns out the entire castle guard has suffered the same fate.
• Grumpy Old Man: The Toad Minister, who sees nothing but problems in the modern age.
• Lovable Coward: Toad, who is not at all keen on getting involved with the crisis d'jour, but gets roped into it one way or another.
• Mundane Utility: Peach's first use of her magic powers? Fixing a broken door. Her second, to lock the front door of the castle.
• No Name Given: The primary Mooks of the series, the Cloops, were originally nameless until a reader made the suggestion.
• Original Flavor: The artist has claimed that the comic is actually his concept of a game for the Mario & Luigi series.
• Pint-Sized Powerhouse: Toad is not only able to carry Toadette while running at full speed, he's able to carry Princess Peach carrying Toadette.
• A Rare Sentence: You're getting your counterattack all over everything!
• Stuff Blowing Up: Mario is introduced fighting a Piranha Plant that has somehow found its way to his toilet. Piranha Plants breathe fire. Do you know just how many flammable materials are in a bathroom?
• Tempting Fate: Toadsworth, who accompanies the minister, tries to bring him down to earth by assuring him that no one is wearing body paint. At that exact moment....
• When I Was Your Age...: The Toad Minister.
  When I served the royal family, we did without such silly things as "lunch breaks" or "steady pay".

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