The Dreamer

"Adventure, Romance, War. 1776 is back."

Beatrice “Bea” Whaley seems to have it all; the seventeen-year-old high school senior is beautiful, wealthy and the star performer of the drama club. And with her uncle’s connections to Broadway theater, the future looks bright ahead of her. Little does she know that her future might actually be brighter behind her.

Bea begins having vivid dreams about a brave and handsome soldier named Alan Warren -- a member of an elite group known as Knowlton’s Rangers that served during the Revolutionary War. Prone to keeping her head in the clouds, Bea welcomes her nightly adventures in 1776; filled with danger and romance they give her much to muse about the next day. But it is not long before Beatrice questions whether her dreams are simply dreams or something more. Each night they pick up exactly where the last one ended. And the senses--the smell of musket shots and cannons, the screams of soldiers in agony, and that kiss--are all far more real than any dream she can remember.

Bea begins to research Colonial America only to discover that her dreams recount actual historical events that she knew nothing about! She grows increasingly detached from her friends and family as she tries desperately to figure out what is happening to her...

You can go read it here on the official site.

"Nathan: Ever since I enlisted, I've been waiting for the chance to be useful."
 * A Day in the Limelight: The short stories are usually written as these, with two of the three revolving around Nathan and Freddy, respectively.
 * Arcadia: 18th century Roxbury, MA definitely fits the bill.
 * Aerith and Bob: Bea's Uncle Hercules and her mother Sarah.
 * Alternate Self: The comic features 21st century and 18th century version of several characters, most notably the main character Beatrice.
 * Always Save the Girl: Played straight with Alan Warren wanting to send Bea Whaley back to Boston.
 * The American Revolution
 * American Accents: It's a given that the modern cast and most of the 18th century cast speak with a New England/Boston accent.
 * Anyone Can Die: In the 18th - century at least. With war and less - than -stellar medical care, anyone can, you know, die.
 * Art Evolution: From this to this.
 * Asexuality: Samuel Warren is stated to be one by the creator.
 * Author Guest Spot: Sometimes, the author and her friends/family appear in the background.
 * Badass Bookworm: Nathan is one of these.
 * Badass Longcoat: Well, the military uniforms do include these.
 * Bad Dreams: Sometimes Bea's dreams are like this.
 * Band of Brothers: Knowlton's Rangers.
 * Beta Couple: Liz/John
 * Betty and Veronica: Bea finds herself trying choose between 21st century Ben and 18th century Alan, with Alan as the Veronica and Ben as the Betty. However, the twist is, that Ben is the "safe" one, but family-loving, apple farmer, puritan Alan probably has more Betty characteristics than Ben, so which is Betty and which is Veronica depends on your interpretation and the situation Bea is in. It is also worth noting that even in the 18th century segments of the comic there is still a Betty and Veronica dynamic with Alan (Betty) and a young Alexander Hamilton (Veronica). Although, it's pretty obvious which one Bea loves best/chooses.
 * Big Applesauce
 * Big Fancy House
 * Big No: Bea in issue #4.
 * Bilingual Bonus: In the beginning of Issue #12, Benjamin Tallmadge says to Nathan Hale in Latin,
 * Blonde, Brunette, Redhead: With Alan as the blond, Bea the brunette, and Alexander the redhead.
 * Bloodless Carnage: averted.
 * Bolivian Army Ending: If the author is going to keep things historically accurate, part one will surely end with this...
 * Boy Meets Girl: We start the comic with the last stage of the trope; Bea and Alan meet at a market in Boston.
 * Break Out the Museum Piece: Played with with Nathan's spontoon.
 * Butt Monkey: Poor Nathan. He gets beat up when trying to apologize to Alan, has to escort Bea back to Boston, his Colonel doesn't think he's competent enough, and he's never even been in a single battle.
 * Cast Full of Pretty Boys
 * Cast of Snowflakes: Everyone has a distinct appearance in the comics.
 * Chick Magnet: Woo Boy. A lot of them.
 * Child Soldiers: Freddy could be considered one of these, although he's a teenager.
 * Cliff Hanger: Many of the issues end with one.
 * Cock Fight: Many occur between Alan and Alexander.
 * Colonel Badass: Col. Knowlton, obviously. Being the leader of Knowlton's Rangers, the first organized intelligence organization in the U.S. Army certainly helps.
 * Coming of Age Story: For both Beatrice and Freddy.
 * Costume Porn
 * Cultured Warrior: Played straight with Nathan, considering he graduated from Yale with honors and was a school teacher before he enlisted as an officer.
 * Dashed Plotline: In Issue #14,the story is interspersed with vignettes of Alan's life.
 * Dating What Daddy Hates: Beatrice and Alan's relationship.
 * Definitely Just a Cold: Alan's cough.
 * Damsel in Distress: Bea tends to be this.
 * Double Entendre: "I remember taking my turn with you more than once that evening."
 * Downer Ending: See the Bolivian Army Ending trope above.
 * Drama Club: Bea and Ben are part of it.
 * Dream Land
 * Dressing as the Enemy: Alan does this in the first issue to rescue Bea.
 * Elites Are More Glamorous: Well, the comic does focus on Knowlton's Rangers.
 * Escape Convenient Boat: Alan and Bea use this when escaping from the ship holding Bea captive in issue #1.
 * Even the Guys Want Him: In the fandom, some of the male characters are subject to this, especially Nathan.
 * Epigraph: Each comic has a quote with the title that goes with the comic's theme.
 * A Father to His Men: Col. Knowlton to his Rangers.
 * Famous Last Words
 * "Fred...? Go back out there and defend your country, son. There's n-nothing you can do for me here..."
 * Female Gaze: lots of it.
 * Fever Dream Episode: Issue #14 switches between Alan's fever dreams and memories and what's happening in the real world.
 * First Guy Wins: The first male we meet/see is Alan, whom the reader finds out is Bea's 18th - century boyfriend.
 * First Kiss: Beatrice's and Alan's first kiss is actually in the first pages of the comic; Ben and Bea's kiss doesn't come until issue #7.
 * Flash Sideways: Beatrice tends to get these a lot.
 * Foregone Conclusion:
 * Foreshadowing: Some of the comments Nathan has made can be read as this, especially if you've read up on your American history.
 * Form-Fitting Wardrobe: The clothes in the 18th - century basically are this.
 * Genius Book Club: Nathan is often seen reading the play Cato which also acts as a Genius Bonus for those who know that his historical counterpart's famous quote is sometimes attributed as being based on a part of the play.
 * Gentleman and a Scholar: Played straight with Nathan Hale.
 * Genre Roulette: The comic jumps from historical fiction to YA lit in a matter of pages.
 * Genre Savvy: There are moments when the characters display this.
 * Good-Looking Privates: Just look at them.
 * Gorgeous Period Dress: Well duh.
 * Green Eyes: Bea has these.
 * The Gump: Bea.
 * Held Gaze: Between Alexander and Beatrice no less during an argument.
 * Hero of Another Story: In Act 1, is that tried and true tale of the loss of innocence, and the drift from boyhood into manhood for Freddy.
 * Heterosexual Life Partners: Nathan Hale and Ben Tallmadge.
 * Historical Domain Character: And how. There's Nathan Hale, Col. Knowlton, John Adams, Gen. Howe, Betsy Loring,Hercules Mulligan, Alexander Hamilton, Gen. Washington... and probably plenty more coming soon.
 * Hitler's Time Travel Exemption Act: Bea makes one attempt to change history . The mess it creates causes her to swear off trying to mess with the past in her dreams.
 * Hollywood New England: Since the parts take place in modern - day Boston, MA, it's possible that the characters in that period talk with an accent. Also with Nathan, Alan, and 18th - century Bea.
 * Idiot Ball: At the end of issue #10, Alexander offers to take Beatrice to safety to Washington's headquarters, but Beatrice stays put with Alan and Nathan. Alan is supposed to take Beatrice to Washington for interrogation about what happened when she was with Howe - and Alexander could easily have taken her to Washington himself!
 * Identical Grandson: 21st - century Bea and 18th - century Bea look exactly the same.
 * Impossibly Low Neckline: In vogue for 18th-century fashion.
 * Innocent Cohabitation: Beatrice and Alexander roomed together 2 years ago with Beatrice's uncle in New York City.
 * I Kiss Your Hand: Alexander does this.
 * Ivy League: Nathan is a graduate of Yale University, Alex went to to King's College, which is now called Columbia University.
 * Justified. If it's 1776 and you're going to college, the Ivy League's pretty much your only option.
 * Jail Bait Wait: Alan waits for Bea to be of proper age before he can court her.
 * Jigsaw Puzzle Plot
 * Just a Kid: Freddy Knowlton gets told this a lot, even though he's in one of the most elite fighting forces in the U.S. Continental Army!
 * Kissing Cousins: In a behind-the-scenes interview with Lora Innes, the comics creator, says that 18th-century Bea's parents want her to marry her cousin, John Mulligan.
 * It's also weird because 21st-century Bea also has a cousin named John Mulligan....
 * Laser-Guided Amnesia: When Bea is dreaming and in her 18th - century self, she seems to have forgotten nearly everything about her life; Alan is trying to help her regain those memories. However, as the plot progresses, Bea is starting to remember bits and pieces of her 18th - century life.
 * Living Dream: 18th-century Beatrice (or is she?)
 * Long-Haired Pretty Boy: Well, it was the style back then!
 * Love At First Sight: Bea goes through this when she first see Alan at the market.
 * Love Triangle: Played with, since Bea has boyfriends in both time eras. Also it looks as if Alexander Hamilton has an unrequited love/crush on Bea.
 * Manly Men Can Hunt: In the 18th - century, at least.
 * May-December Romance: Bea and Alan's relationship. Alan is 27 to Bea's 17.
 * Although historically, this was the norm.
 * Meet Cute: Although Alexander and Beatrice technically already knew each other, they still met cute in issue nine. Granted, they aren't in a relationship yet, it's still worth noting.
 * Mental Time Travel: Beatrice goes back in time to the American Revolution when she fall asleep.
 * Model Couple: Face it. Whoever's together, they look beautiful together.
 * Multiple Demographic Appeal: The Dreamer has elements of a high-school drama, American Revolutionary action, romance arcs, and gorgeously-drawn characters.
 * Muggle and Magical Love Triangle: Bea is caught between Alan, the dashing revolutionary war soldier she meets in her dreams, and Ben, the football captain at her high school and her long time crush.
 * The Muse: In issue #11, Bea's voice teacher invokes this as the reason why Beatrice sang particularly well.
 * Nakama: Knowlton's Rangers.
 * No, Mr. Bond, I Expect You to Dine: Apparently this was what Bea went through with while staying with General Howe.
 * Of Corests Sexy
 * Official Couple: Alan/Bea, obviously.
 * One Steve Limit: There are two Benjamins in the series: one in the 21st century, the other in the 18th century.
 * Perma-Stubble: Col. Knowlton has one.
 * Recurring Dreams
 * Redheaded Hero: Alexander Hamilton has red hair.
 * Reunion Kiss: Beatrice and Alan have one within the first pages of the comic.
 * Rich Bitch: Subverted with Bea. She's actually a very nice girl.
 * Schroedingers Butterfly: The story relies heavily on this trope.
 * Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness: Nathan often invokes this trope.
 * Sick Episode: The entirety of issue #14, with Alan as the sick one.
 * Sibling Yin-Yang: Bea and John, although they're cousins not siblings.
 * Sharp-Dressed Man: Alex, naturally.
 * Shirtless Scene: In issue #4 Nathan gets one, although it's just him in his bed.
 * Shout-Out: In issue #7's Creator Cameo, the author draws herself holding a copy of a Fruits Basket manga.
 * Shown Their Work: The author/illustrator has studied a lot for this comic to be as accurate as possible.
 * Story Arc: Currently twofold: 18th - century deals with the Battle of Harlem Heights/Long Island and the modern day deals with Bea and Ben's relationship.
 * Squad Nickname: Knowlton's Rangers are also called Congress's Own.
 * Talking in Your Dreams
 * Triang Relations: Of the Type 7 variety with Beatrice, Ben, and Alan.
 * Uptown Girl: 18th - century Bea, and to a lesser extent, 21st - century Bea.
 * Volleying Insults: Alexander and Beatrice often do this.
 * Webcomic Time: Issues where it takes place in one day feel like months, especially since it only updates on Fridays.
 * Wham! Line
 * Wham! Line

"Ben: It's just you and the audience - hundreds of people - and you've got just one chance, just once chance, to convince them that it's real. There's a magic moment where you can make them believe anything because they already want to. They're there and ready and you just have to take them the rest of the way."
 * Where Da White Women At?? Ben Cato and Beatrice are in a relationship.
 * Wig, Dress, Accent: In issue #9, Alan, Alex, Bea and Nathan go in cognito.
 * Wife Husbandry: Alan does this with Bea, which of course is rather squicky to say the least. Also a Values Dissonance with the readers. To us, it looks weird, but back then, it was perfectly normal.
 * Willing Suspension of Disbelief: A discussed trope.


 * Working Through the Cold: Alan does this through the majority of the series.
 * Young Future Famous People: A young Alexander Hamilton is featured in the comic.
 * Your Cheating Heart: Both Bea and Alan have done this to some extent.
 * You Need to Get Laid: Alan gets told this by Col. Knowlton, and is even given furlough papers so he can go and marry Beatrice.