Girl Genius/Trivia: Difference between revisions

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* Agatha is a [http://www.behindthename.com/name/agatha Latin name], coming from a Greek word meaning "good". However, the famous ''St.'' Agatha of Sicily was a third-century martyr, and her many patronages include... er... the bosom. Very apt, even if unintentional.
* [http://www.masterpaynemagic.com/ Master Payne] is a real person, who has several personas and performs amusing magic tricks.
* Dolokov's name may or may not be a reference to the [[Manipulative Bastard]] and [[Karma Houdini]] of ''[[War and Peace]]''.
* Between the whole story is ''full'' of [[Beethoven Was an Alien Spy|modified]] [[Historical Domain Character|historical domain characters]] and [[Allohistorical Allusion]], others include:
** Van Rijn, master Spark, artisan, the creator of the Muses. The full name of the famous painter Rembrandt was "Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn".
** The circus cook, when his calming pie works - magnificently - on Agatha, exclaims, "Take ''that'', Brillat-Savarin!" Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826) was a famous French expert on high-quality eating.
<!--Everything above this line should be properly troped and, in the event it is not a proper trivia entry, moved to the appropiate page.-->
 
* [[Bleached Underpants]]: A variant, in that. priorPrior to ''Girl Genius'', Phil Foglio was the author and artist of the ''[[XXXenophile]]'' series of pornographic comics, and unlike many artists with a similar background, [[Averted Trope|he makes no attempt to hide it.]] However, before ''[[XXXenophile]]'', he was already well known for ''[[What's New with Phil and Dixie]]'' (done for ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' magazine,) and ''[[Buck Godot: Zap Gun for Hire]]'', and did book covers and illustrations (- the most memorably,memorable ones were for Robert Asprin's ''[[Myth Adventures]]'' series), as well as the classic ''Con Reports'', and a trio of excellent, funny updates of old '60s humor comics for [[The DCU|DC Comics]] - all at about the same time as ''[[XXXenophile]]''.<br />A lot of ''Girl Genius'' is made up of brilliant little ideas that Foglio didn't use in his pornographic work. The Jägers' speech pattern and dental work? From ''[[XXXenophile]]'': "A Beautiful Tail" and "My Favorite Oitling". Zeetha's jewelry, with the little faces that mimic whatever her current facial expression is? From ''[[XXXenophile]]'': "Blue Opal".
** Much of ''Girl Genius'' is made up of brilliant little ideas that Foglio didn't use in his pornographic work. The Jägers' speech pattern and dental work? From ''XXXenophile'': "A Beautiful Tail" and "My Favorite Oitling". Zeetha's jewelry, with the little faces that mimic whatever her current facial expression is? From ''XXXenophile'': "Blue Opal".<!--Perhaps this info could be split off/duplicated elsewhere if it hasn't already?-->
* [[Fan Nickname]]: "The Sneaky Gate," loading a comic page by its date-determined URL, often several updates before its official release. Despite most webcartoonists' less-than-positive attitude toward this trick, often openly referenced on fan communities - although this is invariable from the copy on studiofoglio.net, not the main page.
* [[Shout-Out]]: Loads of them, listed on [[Girl Genius/Shout-Out|its sub-page.]]
* [[Trope Namer]]
** [[Gaslamp Fantasy]]
** [[Gentleman Adventurer]]
** [[The Madness Place]]
** [[The Spark of Genius]]
** [[Sufficiently Analyzed Magic]]
* [[Shout-Out]]: Loads of them.
** ''[[Buck Godot: Zap Gun for Hire]]'' - The very first page contains The Winslow. [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20131211 The plushie Winslow]. [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20141205 Another] encounter with The Winslow. [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20070228 Poiled Slurgs]. [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20081031 Buck Godot T-shirt].
** The wiki has a [http://girlgenius.wikia.com/wiki/Shoutouts_to_other_webcomics whole list] of the ones to other [[Web Comics]]. [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20070319 In Mechanicsburg, there are signs] advertising for [[Wapsi Square|"exotic Wapsi Square"]], [[Gunnerkrigg Court|an inn called Gunnerkrigg Court]], [[Something Positive|Professor Milholland's "Something Positive" tonic]], [[Dominic Deegan|a certain Dominic Deegan ("Sees all, tells all")]] and [[The Devil's Panties|"The Devil's Panties" lingerie]], among others...
** Baba Yaga and "[[Annie Hall|we need the eggs]]".
** Moxana is a shout out to both [[wikipedia:Moxon's Master|Moxon's Master]] and [[wikipedia:The Turk|The Turk]].
** Castle Heterodyne is equipped with [[Saturday Night Live|Happy Fun Balls.]]
** [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20070112 This strip] has several soldiers are attacked by a toothed trunk on legs with the words [[Discworld|"The Amazing Pratchett"]] written on it.
** Another ''[[Discworld]]'' shout out is in the commentary: "[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20091207 ...kicking and screaming into the Century of the Fruitbat]", hmm?
** [[Blackadder|"Don't drink the wine!"]]
** A fairly unsubtle reference to Gil rescuing Zola from [[The Phantom of the Opera|"some overly dramatic maniac who lived in the Paris Opera House."]]
** A skeleton of a giant spiky beast inside Castle Heterodyne was apparently a pet named [[Count Duckula|Towser.]]
** The Unstoppable Higgs' [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20070330 cap indicates] he's a crewman on the ship ''[[Rozen Maiden]]''.
** When posing as Agatha's parents, [[Punch and Judy]] went under the names [[The Bible|Adam and Lilith Clay]].
** [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090410 Turning] a dread castle into... a ''[[Eric and the Dread Gazebo|Dread Gazebo]]''?
** [[The War of the Worlds|Martian]] [[Tripod Terror|Tripods]] in the [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20040804 Baron's flashback] and one of Heterodynes' "[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20091014 My Vacation]" picture.
** One strip mentions an [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090102 electric game] [[Donkey Kong|with the little man and the gorilla]]. It also mentions a boat ride with singing dolls. [[Disney Theme Parks|What a small world it is.]]
** One scene shows a sign for both an X-ray and a [[Wonder Woman|Purple Ray]].
** Crazy A.I. with [[System Shock|SHODAN]]-like [[Dramatic Stutter]].
** [[Looney Tunes|"You don't expect a knife to sing opera, y'know?"]]
** When Zola first shows up claiming to be the new Heterodyne daughter, Agatha complains about her being a terrible, cheesey actor. Zola's very next line? "Yonder lies the castle of my father!", allegedly a quote from ''The Black Shield of Falworth'', which is generally considered one of the worst-delivered lines ever as the original actor had a very strong Bronx accent.<ref>Wikipedia says [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Black_Shield_of_Falworth there's no such line in that movie, but the same actor said something similar in another film].</ref>
** In [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20060726 this strip], [[Author Avatar|Phil Foglio]] is shown singing [[The Beatles (band)|The Beatles]]' "Ob-la-di, ob-la-da" with modified lyrics talking about oubliettes. Then, when the Jäger comes up through the floor, he asks [[Daniel Pinkwater|"Nov shmoz ka-pop?"]]
** [[Animal Crossing|"Ahoy there! Major Resetti, first subterranean mecha mole brigade!]]
** One of Gil's [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20080509 paper doll outfits] has a [[The Legend of Zelda|triforce]] symbol on the gauntlet.
** Gil's valet shares a last name with the employer of [[Jeeves and Wooster (novel)|the most famous gentleman's gentleman in fiction.]]
** [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110228 If one looks closely], it appears that [[The Adventures of Dr. McNinja|Doctor McNinja]] has an office in the hospital at Mechanicsburg. Which... explains a lot.
** [[Doc Rat|Benjamin Rat]] appears in that same panel - and "Dr. Rothfuss" obviously goes by [[The Kingkiller Chronicle|Patrick]]. (The Wise Man's Fear was published three days after that comic.)
** A poster at the Science Fair [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20081210 here]: "Planet Earth: A [[Scary Go Round]] we live on."
** [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110502 Klaus] [[Firefly|can kill you with the power of his mind.]]
** [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20070611 Is that] [[Stargate SG-1|Teal'c?]]
** [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20111017 Sir] [[MediEvil (1998 video game)|Dan]]?
** [[Nodwick|Nod]], the big-nosed [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20051019 caretaker].
** A [[Genius Bonus|very obscure]] one: "''[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20070119 I'm a genius!]'' Ha! Take ''that,'' [[wikipedia:Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin|Brillat-Savarin!]]"
** Inversion of "[[Soylent Green]] is made of people" - bug people promise to "Not eat manflesh" and report that Dr. Thimiz is "actually made from reconstituted soy products".[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120416]
** When Zeetha and Agatha [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120425 check out armors], some of them look [[Warhammer 40000|kind of]] [[Galactus|familiar]]...
{{quote|'''Zeetha:''' [[Metroid|What about this?]]
'''Agatha:''' No way - [[Samus Is a Girl|can't even tell you're a girl.]] }}
** In the novelization, when Rivet shows Agatha her collection of tools, Agatha finds a [[Doctor Who|sonic screwdriver]].
** "[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20060712 The Unseen Empire]" - ''[[The Phantom Empire]]''?
** The Corbettite train "Wyrm of Limerick" is "[[Star Wars|the engine that made the Konigsberg Run in '''less''' than '''twelve kilometers'''!"]]
** A briefly appearing character is Lady [[Discworld/Characters|Margolotta]] Selnikov. If the name isn't enough, her rather pale skin may make one think of a vampire....
** Zeetha comes from the Lost City of Skifander. Remove one letter and shift another two spaces and you have "Iskander." One of [[Robert E. Howard]]'s stories was first published under the title (not Howard's) "The Lost Valley of Iskander."
** T'Otheron, Dragon King of Mars may be [[Cosmic Horror|the Void Dragon]] (on Mars) from ''[[Warhammer 40000]]''.
** [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20071217 X the destroyer] - possibly to [http://www.superdickery.com/the-teen-titans-arent-very-bright/ this]? After all, ''[[Teen Titans]]'' seem to visit a large bullseye on the ground without any obvious reason to do so.
** [[Freefall/Characters|Sam Starfall]], or at least someone costumed as Sam, [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20161216 is at a costume party thrown by the matriarch of one of the major politicking groups]. Clinking glasses with [[Hellboy]]. And we seem to have found [[Carmen Sandiego]]. Also attending the party are [[Teen Titans|Cyborg]] and [[Yu-Gi-Oh (anime)|the Pharoah]].
* [[Throw It In]]
** When Phil was drawing the scene which first introduced the Baron, he filled an "empty" spot with a rather scruffy-looking soldier. As soon as anybodyreaders saw him, they liked him and wanted to see more. Thus was born the Jägers.
** Maxim of the Jägers was originally a silly little drawing for Kaja, who promptly informed him that he WOULD appear in the comic.
* [[The Wiki Rule]]: [https://girlgenius.fandom.com/wiki/Girl_Genius_Wiki On Fandom].
 
== The Secret Blueprints ==
<!--Would it be possible to sub-page this? Compressing the info presented or else just linking to the relevant sections of the wiki are also feasible, but sub-paging seems most preferable.-->
 
[[All There in the Manual|The Foglios have thoughtfully provided quite a lot of background and detail for fans of the series. theseThese details were lovingly collected in a document entitled "the Secret Blueprints."]] Fans do not need to worry about spoilers, as much of these details are merely background stories, lending depth to the characters. You can buy a PDF format of the blueprints, complete with new illustrations and other extra stuff [http://comics.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=58490 here].
 
Here is the basic information (also available on the Girl Genius Wiki):
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* 21: The Hopefully Unnecessary Glossary
** '''To Break Through'''—to reach the point where it is obvious from one’s work or behavior that one has the Spark. Some say that the Spark does not exist in potential, and that Breaking Through is that point atwhichat which the Spark develops. This is a dangerous time for one of the Gifted, when their existence is known but they may not yet have built up the power or ability to defend themselves.
 
** '''To Break Through'''—to reach the point where it is obvious from one’s work or behavior that one has the Spark. Some say that the Spark does not exist in potential, and that Breaking Through is that point atwhich the Spark develops. This is a dangerous time for one of the Gifted, when their existence is known but they may not yet have built up the power or ability to defend themselves.
 
** '''Clanks'''—robots, autonomous mechanical devices, usually, but not necessarily, somewhat anthropoid.
 
** '''Constructs'''—usually organic creations, Frankenstein-type monsters, etc.
 
** '''The Gifted'''—another polite term for the Mad Scientists
 
** '''Madboys/Madgirls'''—a not so polite term for the Gifted, used by the general public.
 
** '''Mimmoths'''—tiny verminous mammoths. Originally somebody’s experiment, they escaped and quickly populated most of Europe. They fill the same niche as mice and tend to live alongside them. They get into machinery and push things around with their tusks, wreaking havoc.
 
** '''Mummers'''—also referred to as revenants. People and animals that the Other has taken over. They retain their own consciousness and are usually allowed to go about their daily business, but are under the complete control of the Other, should he choose to exercise it. Their life is in many ways a living hell, as they are always aware of a master force in their head. There is no known cure except death.
 
** '''The Outlands'''—the wild areas outside of the main cities. Even though these areas might lie within someone’s domain as you see it on the map, they tend to be dangerous to traverse.
 
** '''Slaver Wasps'''—the transport form for the controlling mechanics of the Other. Nasty things whose purpose is enslavement, but will kill if resisted. Extremely fast and dangerous, they usually appear in swarms. None have been seen for years.
 
** '''The Spark'''—whatever it is that makes Mad Scientists what they are. A poorly understood concept that identifies and incorporates a batch of personality traits shared by those who have it. Also referred to as the Gift, the Touch, the Curse, the Madness, the Doom, &c. Also referred to as his or her Spark, in this case a personal quality. Also used as another term for a Mad Scientist—you would say that someone is a Spark if they have the Spark.
 
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[[Category:Girl Genius]]
[[Category:Trivia]]