At Arm's Length (webcomic): Difference between revisions

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A [[Furry Comic]] focusing on a trio of women who try to balance their domestic issues and their goals in life. Oh yeah, and they’re also secretly [[Multi Armed and Dangerous|four-armed magic users]] from another dimension. [[The Masquerade|Don’t tell their husbands!]]

A [[Furry Comic]] focusing on a trio of women who try to balance their domestic issues and their goals in life. Oh yeah, and they’re also secretly [[Multi-Armed and Dangerous|four-armed magic users]] from another dimension. [[The Masquerade|Don’t tell their husbands!]]

A comedy-fantasy about three furries who combat magical threats to their adopted homeworld Earth, when they’re not passing off as mortals. Investigating a pending magical invasion of Earth, the main characters deal with pressure from their families to keep their status quiet, making alliances with other do-gooders and trying to keep from going crazy due to bad pop culture.

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[http://atarmslength.smackjeeves.com/comics/ See it here.]

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=== This webcomic provides examples of: ===

* [[Action Girl]]: The three main characters, though they are not adventure-seekers in the traditional sense. More like a case of [[Mama Bear]] with the whole Earth (and especially their spouses) as their charges.

* [[Adventure Guild]]: Geoffrey, Ginger and Xodiac belong to one.

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* [[Aliens in Cardiff]]: The main setting of the story and seemingly main magical entrance portal to Earth is… Houston.

** Ally's sister Angela lives in Des Moines. Ally specifically says no one would look for an Enchanter there.

* [[Arson Murder and Jaywalking]]: A literal example, as there is a wanted poster for Temujin for committing multiple acts of jaywalking. Given some of her [[Galactic Conqueror|other]] [[Take Over the World|activities]], jaywalking seems the least of her sins.

* [[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking]]: A literal example, as there is a wanted poster for Temujin for committing multiple acts of jaywalking. Given some of her [[Galactic Conqueror|other]] [[Take Over the World|activities]], jaywalking seems the least of her sins.

* [[Author Guest Spot]]: Cubist showed up in one non-canon tribute story.

* [[Author Appeal]]: Well, something has to explain all the four-armed characters…

* [[Aw Look They Really Do Love Each Other]]: Ally and Calpurnia spend most of "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner" at each other's throats. But after mother-daughter heart-to-heart, they hug it out.

* [[Aw, Look -- They Really Do Love Each Other]]: Ally and Calpurnia spend most of "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner" at each other's throats. But after mother-daughter heart-to-heart, they hug it out.

* [[Bat Out of Hell]]: Averted with Echo, an anthro bat from an alien world who is an extremely friendly [[Perky Goth]]. Other species may see her as one due to her being a necromancer, however.

* [[Baleful Polymorph]]: In Ian's case, a mortal deer transformed into a four-armed, half deer, half-snake monster. In Selinda's Haven, he's very well liked.

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** Still averted in a few cases, such as Ginger, who packs a WWI-era Colt 1911A, as well as an unseen minotaur who was mentioned by Sheila to have been carrying a .44 Magnum when they encountered him.

* [[Fighting With Chucks]]: Sheila prefers to use four sets of nunchucks when facing close quarter threats.

* [[Fire Forged Friends]]: Ally, Sheila, Reece, Kaige and Kiley start out at odds with Ginger, Geoffrey and Xodiac in "Games Monsters Play" for various professional and social reasons. By the end of the arc, while not becoming friends, they part on better terms with each other.

* [[Fire-Forged Friends]]: Ally, Sheila, Reece, Kaige and Kiley start out at odds with Ginger, Geoffrey and Xodiac in "Games Monsters Play" for various professional and social reasons. By the end of the arc, while not becoming friends, they part on better terms with each other.

* [[Fully Dressed Cartoon Animal|Fully Dressed Cartoon Animals]]

* [[Fully-Dressed Cartoon Animal|Fully Dressed Cartoon Animals]]

* [[Furry Fandom]]: Well yeah…

* [[Galactic Conqueror]]: The alien bug conquistadors see themselves as a race of these. They are severely outmatched when they meet Reece.

* [[Girls Are Really Scared of Horror Movies]]: Averted. Reece and Ally watch "Cannibal Beach Party Massacre" with their husbands and snark along with them at the film's quality.

* [[Gonzo Journalism]]: Being a Hunter S. Thompson clone, Ixod naturally practices this.

* [[Gory Deadly Overkill Title of Fatal Death]]: Ally, Peter, Reece and Nick go to see "Cannibal Beach Party Massacre", which is a serious [[~~Cliche~~ Storm]].

* [[Gory Deadly Overkill Title of Fatal Death]]: Ally, Peter, Reece and Nick go to see "Cannibal Beach Party Massacre", which is a serious [[Cliché Storm]].

* [[Greater Houston]]: The setting for most of the stories. Apparently monsters like to target Hermann Park.

* [[Grumpy Bear]]: Ginger. Her boyfriend Geoffrey even introduces her as "the surly one."

* [[Hair Raising Hare]]: While Ally can be cute, many villains regret dealing with this fluffy bunny.

* [[Hair-Raising Hare]]: While Ally can be cute, many villains regret dealing with this fluffy bunny.

* [[Hot Amazon]]: Temujin is an evil variety.

* [[Hot Witch]]: Technically the main characters, though “witches” in this setting are mortals who can manipulate magic with practice as opposed to Enchanters, who are natural magic conductors.

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* [[It Seemed Like a Good Idea At The Time]]: [http://atarmslength.smackjeeves.com/comics/1306161/games-monsters-play-48/ Reece blindly sets off a trap] using a bag of gold as [[Schmuck Bait]] that everyone else took care to avoid. Her reason for doing so: she was trying to do a good deed and return the gold.

* [[Kangaroos Represent Australia]]: Sheila, a punk kangaroo at that.

* [[Lawyer Friendly Cameo]]: The Fox Brothers (and sister) are a very obvious parody of Yakko, Wakko and Dot from ''[[Animaniacs (Animation)|Animaniacs]]''.

* [[Lawyer-Friendly Cameo]]: The Fox Brothers (and sister) are a very obvious parody of Yakko, Wakko and Dot from ''[[Animaniacs (Animation)|Animaniacs]]''.

* [[Literal Split Personality]]: Ally spent most of "Splitting Hares" divided into two versions of herself, one loyally staying by Peter's side while they other half commits to Sheila and Reece. Both claimed to be the "true" Ally and fought it out, [[~~Mes~~ a Crowd|each accusing the other of being inferior and making irresponsible choices]]. {{spoiler|It took the threat of [[Ret Gone|being erased from existence]] due to the instability of the split to get them to put aside their differences and come together again}}.

* [[Literal Split Personality]]: Ally spent most of "Splitting Hares" divided into two versions of herself, one loyally staying by Peter's side while they other half commits to Sheila and Reece. Both claimed to be the "true" Ally and fought it out, [[Me's a Crowd|each accusing the other of being inferior and making irresponsible choices]]. {{spoiler|It took the threat of [[Ret Gone|being erased from existence]] due to the instability of the split to get them to put aside their differences and come together again}}.

* [[Literally Shattered Lives]]: Happens to the Death Raptor.

* [[A Load of Bull]]: Dagg the Fierce, a would-be pillager minotaur, runs afoul of Kaige and Kiley.

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* [[Ms. Fanservice]]: [http://atarmslength.smackjeeves.com/comics/733810/deerwitchproject-47/ Thy] [http://atarmslength.smackjeeves.com/comics/801318/noquarter-6/ name] [http://atarmslength.smackjeeves.com/comics/1182139/calledonthecarpet-28/ is] [http://atarmslength.smackjeeves.com/comics/1184617/calledonthecarpet-29/ Temujin].

* [[Mugging the Monster]]: A troupe of conquistador-like alien bugs choose Reece's house as the starting point of their invasion of Earth. They quickly regret this.

* [[Multi Armed and Dangerous]]: Very much so for the girls. Tazel and Ian have moments where four arms come in handy in a battle too.

* [[Multi-Armed and Dangerous]]: Very much so for the girls. Tazel and Ian have moments where four arms come in handy in a battle too.

* [[Multi Armed Multitasking]]: When not fighting evil, Ally, Reece and Sheila are not above using their limbs to cut corners in mundane activities.

** The entire Enchanter race, which is naturally four-armed, is built around this trope.

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* [[Schedule Slip]]: Been known to happen on occasion due to real life issues. Mostly averted.

* [[Seeking Sanctuary]]: Selinda's Haven is a shelter on Earth for all (reasonably decent) beings, including magical or alien beings seeking asylum from evil regimes or [[Blood Knight|BloodKnights]] that are seeking them, and mortal victims of magic, usually of the [[Baleful Polymorph]] variety.

* [[Sensible Heroes Skimpy Villains]]: The main characters wear reasonable shirt and pants combos into battle, but their arch nemesis Temujin looks like she bought her outfit from the barbarian section of Victoria's Secret.

* [[Sensible Heroes, Skimpy Villains]]: The main characters wear reasonable shirt and pants combos into battle, but their arch nemesis Temujin looks like she bought her outfit from the barbarian section of Victoria's Secret.

** Averted with Kiley, who wears a tube top.

* [[Shout Out]]: ''[[Transmetropolitan]]'', ''[[Animaniacs (Animation)|Animaniacs]]'', ''[[The Star Wars Holiday Special]]'', ''[[Blue Velvet]]'', ''[[Monty Pythons Life of Brian]]''... the list goes on.

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** Ally, Reece and Sheila view themselves as abiding by this concerning the entire planet Earth, but mostly restrict themselves to large supernatural threats as opposed to common mundane crimes, such as muggings. The rationale being mortals should be protected from threats they're not capable of dealing with, but should be expected to handle the problems they can solve on their own.

* [[Wham Episode]]: "Called On The Carpet." {{spoiler|The main trio learn their own race's council is in cahoots with the evil conspiracy.}}

* [[What the Hell Hero]]: Despite her plan being a success, Sheila called Ally out on keeping her plan in “The Deer Witch Project” to overcome Ceryn’s transformation spell a secret, even from Sheila and Reece. Ally’s good mood is noticeably dashed once she realizes her friends didn’t like being left out of the loop.

* [[What the Hell, Hero?]]: Despite her plan being a success, Sheila called Ally out on keeping her plan in “The Deer Witch Project” to overcome Ceryn’s transformation spell a secret, even from Sheila and Reece. Ally’s good mood is noticeably dashed once she realizes her friends didn’t like being left out of the loop.

** The adventurer hybrids, particularly Ginger, get called out for their prejudiced views of other beings. Somewhat justified in that they fit the ancient definition of hero, that being people who set out to accomplish larger than life goals, without being necessarily decent people.

* [[Witch Species]]: Enchanters are a separate race from normal mortals with natural magic powers. Mortal witches can manipulate magic, but still require magic artifacts to channel their spells.