Reality Check

An OEL Manga by Rikki Simons and Tavisha Wolfgarth-Simons (better known as Tavicat), originally as a full-colour comic book before being picked up by Tokyo Pop for a two-volume black-and-white manga edition.

It takes Twenty Minutes Into the Future (well, OK, 2012--lampshaded as an Alternate Future), in Los Angeles Lakes, California. Collin Meeks, a young Hollywood Nerd, finally has bought his Virtual Internet System helmet, allowing him to finally get into Cyberspace. He's got a rather lacklustre family, of course, as well as slacker friend Erk and would-be Hacker Maiko.

And a cat, Catreece. Cats, of course, get into everything. Hilarity Ensues. Especially when Maiko's sister shows up, as well as a few friends that don't exist offline ...

The comic started as a six-issue comic; it was then picked up by another publisher, and the first six were reprinted in colour along with another six with their own Story Arc.


 * Artificial Intelligence: Ranklechick and Pumpernick turn into these, as refugees from their television show. They don't know that they're in the Internet. Riggi Rabbit turns into one as a refugee from a video game. He DOES know he's on the Internet.
 * A.I. Is a Crapshoot: Riggi is definitely not just another video game rabbit, as events unfold. Much to his programmer's dismay. Mr Bunwah also seems pretty self-aware.
 * Acceptable Targets: In-universe, Mr Bunwah, the lawyer. Riggi's Mooks are programmed to laugh at his expense. 'He's a creepy bunny.'
 * Brain Uploading: Riggi Rabbit was meant to be just a character, until programmer Simon Rosenberg adds a bit too much of himself. (The file is said to be 5 terabytes..) Ranklechick and Pumpernick don't have that excuse, though.
 * Catgirl: Catreece's Digital Avatar, of course. Justified by how all the Applied Phlebotinum works.
 * Computer Virus: The Puffy Cat virus. Its creator at least actually was a highly-trained programmer. Fridge Logic asks why he had one of those at his work computer.
 * Cyberspace: The Virtual Internet System, accessed via Total Virtual Reality (TVR) helmet.
 * Digital Avatar: Always you, how you are, as the TVR helmets analyse your body (somehow) before using that as your avatar. Justifies why Catreece's avatar is a Catgirl.
 * Digital Bikini: The original comics had Catreece subject to Furry Nudity to start off, although later she keeps normal human clothing habits. The Tokyo Pop release has her always dressed--fully in most scenes, an actual swimsuit in a beach area. Noticeable most when Collin thinks back in chapter 6 to his memories of Catreece--those images (in hazy distortion) are NOT altered. (A lesser example of the censorship principle is where a martini later on becomes an 'olive beverage'.)
 * Furry Fandom: A bystander wonders if Catreece is part of it, given her fuzzy appearance.
 * Jerkass: Rod McFodder, minor nuisance.
 * Pandaing to the Audience: Maiko makes panda costumes up for the cast once they become a small squad.
 * Playful Hacker: Maiko wants to be this, are this, and Catreece and Ranklechick seem like this.
 * Refugee From TV Land: In a way, Ranklechick and Pumpernick. Eventually their show is presented to them as a show, and they live in the other parts of the VIS.
 * Sibling Rivalry: Maiko, to Lili's programming knowledge.
 * Annoying Younger Sibling: Lili, once in a while, to Maiko.
 * Stat-O-Vision: Used to gauge filesize. Also gives a readout on Jerkass Rod.
 * The Television Talks Back: Implied with 'Interactive TV'.
 * Uplifted Animal: Catreece, although she claims to have always had that level of intelligence. The TVR helmet just lets her interact on a more even basis with humans.
 * Virtual Celebrity: Ranklechick and Pumpernick. Mr Bunwah is a Virtual Pet Gone Horribly Wrong.
 * Year Inside, Hour Outside: There's normal time, and 'VIS Quicktime', letting you live about 8 hours online for every 1 hour of reality.