New America

New America is an online graphic novel by Grace Mulcahy, taking place in and around a human colony on the planet Novaus. This planet is inhabited by an alien race called the rubre who make up nearly half the cast.

Off the coast resides an island owned by an allegedly peaceful society in protest of organized religion. However, since the death of its original founder, the movement has fallen into the hands of Sevastian Quinlan, the schizophrenic son of the founder, and Sithar Noens, a rubran dictator who owns the island’s property. Through Noens’ manipulation of Sevastian’s mental instability, the movement begins taking captives and placing demands on the New American government. The story begins with “Guy” Adaman, Noens’ servant and ward to several hostages, as he learns to rebel with the help of a youthful hostage, Artie Lachance. Soon, the two come to realize that Noens has a far more wicked conspiracy in mind, one which will affect a larger scale of people.

The main plot is encompassed by a frame story which takes place 80 years after these events. It is implied that the events described are solely fabricated by author Laurie Clarke, but as time progresses, this proves much less likely…

Updates Tuesdays and Fridays.

Tropes used in New America include:

Abusive Dad: The Word of God implies that Noens’ father was this and thus Noens exhibits the same sort of treatment toward Eonous.
Affably Evil: Noens is pretty bro for a murderous dictator.
Affectionate Nickname:
- "Lucky"
- "Peanut"
Aliens Speaking English: Most rubre can pick up human languages. Eonous can only speak English despite being a rubre.
All Planets Are Earthlike
Awkward Father-Son Bonding Activity: I guess for Artie and Joshie that would be infiltrating a corrupt movement together.
Backstory: New America is meant to be the groundwork for a bigger story, Ensanguine, which is set to come out sometime in 2013.
Beneath the Mask: Literally, for both Noens- no teeth behind gold jaw and Centurann- human face.
Benevolent Alien Invasion: Supposedly how humans got to Novaus.
Big Bad: At first glance, Sevastian.
Bigger Bad: Consistently, Noens.
Big Brother Instinct: Guy towards his little sister Ellis, Rhett towards Artie, and Matty toward Laurie. Conversely, Seva doesn’t seem to possess this trait with Scarlett at all…
Break the Cutie: Both Artie and Eonous are heavily subject to this. Laurie aswell, but to a lesser extent.
Character Name Alias: The hero cast from the main story all go by aliases.
- "Guy" Adaman
- Nicholas "Artie" Lachance
- Frederic "Rhett" Lachance
- Hanna "Scarlett" Quinlan
- Natasha "Celie" Carter
Crime Magnet: Eonous, particularly prone to kidnapping.
Cult Colony: The Fundamental Free-Thought Movement.
Daddy Issues: Matty.
Deadpan Snarker: Noens, more menacing than endearing.
Decoy Protagonist: Laurie is touted as the protagonist, but really she’s just the messenger…
Deliberate Values Dissonance: Human values (liberal) vs. rubre values (conservative.) Mostly played upon with Noens’ distaste toward Seva’s hedonism, but Guy shows traces of this as well with his opinions toward Scarlett’s relatively inoffensive outfit choice [1]^{[dead link]}
Driven to Villainy: Out of poverty, Centurann and Jasteal.
Dysfunctional Family: Yup.
Elves Versus Dwarves: Humans versus rubre, at least in Noens' mind.
Everyone Is Related: *Knowing glance*
Fallen States of America: New America is merely a remnant of what the United States once was, with a now non-existent Constitution.
Family Disunion: Pretty much everyone's problem in this comic.
Femme Fatale: Centurann.
Foreshadowing:
- "There is a disease, Adaman... and I cannot tolerate it anymore." [2]^{[dead link]}
- Guy’s nosebleeds. To be more obvious upon the release of Ensanguine.
Gratuitous French: Sometime in the author’s freshman year of high school, she began taking French classes and concurrently decided that making Artie speak primarily in French would be fun. Four years later, that decision remains a pain in the ass.
Half-Human Hybrid: Centurann, Jasteal, Sophie, and technically Oswald.
Happily Adopted: Artie by Joshua.
Hero Complex: "Nothing is impossible for the handsome protagonist!" [3]^{[dead link]}
Horrible Judge of Character: Being as Centurann is an anarchist revolutionary, you'd think Eonous would know she isn't really interested in him, the king and embodiment of the state. You'd be wrong.
Humanoid Aliens: The rubre.
Incompatible Orientation: Seva loves Artie. Artie likes girls.
It Runs in The Family: Insanity is pretty much the only constant in Laurie's family.
Long-Lost Relative: Rhett and Artie were separated until shortly before they were both captured.
Kill All Humans: Noens' modest goal.
Missing Mom: Laurie's mother.
My Name Is Not Durwood:

Noens: Just why is that boy so damn special? … Alfie Lasharts or whatever the piss his name is.
Guy: Artie Lachance
Noens: Oh, thanks. Obviously I really care to know that.

My Sister Is Off-Limits: The basis of Matty's dislike for Noah.
New First Comics: The first 50 pages were rewritten and redrawn the summer of 2011.
No Sex Allowed: Every rubre character, unless explicitly stated as being married, is a virgin due to a very conservative culture and really extreme bonding mechanics within the rubre psyche. When a rubre has sex, their body is forever committed to their partner, therefore sex IS marriage (Not really mentioned within, but again, Word of God.)
Odd Couple: George and Magnice.
Older Than They Look: Pretty much everyone in the frame story and several characters in the main story as well, as people on Novaus generally live a 200 year lifespan.
Real Men Wear Pink: Noens (rather, real men are pink.)
Rich People: Laurie's family.
Simultaneous Arcs: Each chapter switches between the main story and the frame story, with some chapters blending the two.
Single-Target Sexuality: The only person Seva has ever been attracted to and will ever be attracted to is Artie.
Sufficiently Advanced Alien and/or Insufficiently Advanced Alien: The rubre are technologically decades ahead of humans but are socially not very "progressive," though really they understand social issues much differently than humans do.
The Hedonist: Sevastian. Artie has fallen into this behavior on more than one occasion.
Unrequited Love: Guy loves Celie. Celie thinks he's okay.
Villainesses Want Heroes: Or rather, the hero wants the villainess in the case of Eonous and Centurann.
We Can Rule Together: "You have done my bidding for years... I can think of no one more fitting for the postion than you, my old friend."[4]^{[dead link]}