PS238: Difference between revisions

{{work}}

 

'''''[http://ps238.nodwick.com/ PS238]''''' is a comic book series about the eponymous first public school for metaprodigies -- [[Differently-Powered Individual|super-children, in other words]]. That is, if you can call a top-secret underground school "public".

* [[Crazy Prepared]]: The Revenant. He has a box under the seat in his jet just in case he suddenly needs to go into space.

* [[Crimefighting with Cash]]: The Revenant

* [[Crossover]]: In issue 39 it was revealed that the events of ''[[Nodwick]]'' take place in the distant past of ''PS238''. Thanks to some time-travelling and a [[Predestination Paradox]], some of the characters from ''PS238'' briefly meet the main characters from ''Nodwick''.

* [[Cut Lex Luthor a Check]]: The Crystal Skull, an ex-supervillain, has since turned his intellect to taking money from people legally, and runs one of the higher-class casinos in Las Vegas.

** Zodon

** Miss Kyle resorts to it sometimes:

'''Miss Kyle:''' Let's keep the vendettas down to a dull roar, okay? }}

* [[Deconstructor Fleet]]: Of the superhero genre.

* [[For Great Justice]]: "To the cafeteria... for Justice!"

* [[A Form You Are Comfortable With]]: Anything to do with Order and Chaos.

'''Lord of Chaos:''' ...what you see them doing isn't truly ''real''. It's just how your eyes try to explain what's going on to your brain, which is sensitive and doesn't do metaphysical stuff if it can avoid it. }}

* [[From a Certain Point of View]]: When Cranston used to be president he was accused of using a telepath to read his opponent's minds, and he swore that he had no telepaths of any kind on his payroll. He didn't. He wasn't on his own payroll after all.

* [[Healing Hands]]: Dr. Newby, the school medic, has this -- fortunately for Tyler. He needs it. A lot.

* [[Her Codename Was Mary Sue]]: When the pupils are reading their creative writing assignments, Dylan's story features a very handsome and powerful version of himself defeating Victor's father and saving the world, while his rival Jenny is completely useless. It ends abruptly when Jenny and Victor sets his essay on fire.

* [[Heroic BSOD]]: Captain Clarinet suffers one -- preceded by a quick bout of [[What Have I Done]] -- after {{spoiler|punching out Charles.}}

* [[High-Class Glass]]: Victor Von Fogg's headgear comes with a lens giving the effect of a monocle. Just like his father.

* [[Laughably Evil]]: Zodon and Von Fogg again.

* [[Leaning on the Fourth Wall]]:

* [[Little Professor Dialogue]]: From [[Gadgeteer Genius]] kids, supernatural kids, and [[Patriotic Fervor|politically backed]] kids.

* [[Loads and Loads of Characters]]

* [[Loophole Abuse]]: Crystal Skull hires Zodon to figure out who is robbing his casino for $100,000. After Zodon finishes, CS points out that the contract doesn't specify the form of payment, so Zodon ends up receiving $100,000 in store credit at the shopping center in CS' casino.

* [[Magic Pants]]: Funny in-universe example, with a dash of [[Late to The Punchline]]:

'''[[Flying Brick|Julie]]:''' You don't?<br />

'''Poly Mer:''' Nope.<br />

* [[Mugging the Monster]]: The school bullies above ground have the bad habit of picking on the wrong metahumans.

* [[My Friends and Zoidberg]]:

* [[Nanomachines]]: {{spoiler|The "ghost" of Aurora.}}

* [[Nosy Neighbor]]: Cecil Holmes, who doesn't know the school secretly has superhero students, so is convinced it's being infiltrated by aliens in disguise. {{spoiler|Latter, it's been established that Cecil can detect metahumans. He's very disappointed that "the aliens were a lie."... But not for long.}}

* [[Special Guest]]: In a very bizarre but hilarious situation, [[Wil Wheaton]] guest stars in the comic about superpower career day, as the representative of meta-humans who go into the Entertainment industry. In the ''PS238'' universe, he not only played Wesley but single-handedly used his psychokinetic superpowers to do most of the special effects for ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'', which apparently helped cancel out some of his character being [[Creator's Pet|Creator's Pets]] in this universe. Zodon still hates him, though.

* [[Stage Mom]]: Tyler's parents are utterly convinced they can micromanage their son into becoming the World's Greatest Super Hero (when they aren't [[Parental Obliviousness|ignoring him]]).

* [[Stranger in a Strange School]]: Tyler doesn't pretend to be anything else, but between the fact that both his parents are legendary superheroes and the school being a constant [[Weirdness Magnet]], he has no choice but to become an [[Action Survivor]] in order to, well, survive. Currently in training to become [[Badass Normal]].

* [[Suddenly Fluent in Gibberish]]: Angie can somehow understand what Prospero is saying. Nobody knows how.

* [[Super Registration Act]]: Averted. None is enforced, though many superheroes choose to anyhow. One of the early comics, a mock advertisement, indicates that [http://nodwick.humor.gamespy.com/ps238/comics/index.php?date=2006-12-10 "full disclosure gains access to scholarships, grants, and placement assistance"].

* [[Suspiciously Specific Denial]]: Zodon, after being caught red-handed cheating at blackjack.

* [[Take a Third Option]]: "We want a hamburger, I mean, another option!"

* [[Teleporters and Transporters]]

* [[Turbine Blender]]: Captain Clarinet is afraid of this happening to him if he flies. That is, until Zodon points out that ''he'd'' be the one blending the turbines. (It doesn't make him feel better, mostly because Zodon goes on to describe what happens to the people on the plane.)

* [[Unusual Euphemism]] (mixed with [[Tongue-Tied]]): Whenever Zodon tries to cuss, the chip in his head causes him to say a random innocuous word instead. If he goes on a [[Cluster F-Bomb|rant-length obscenity crawl]], it switches into "Showtunes Mode"... "[[Oklahoma]]", for example. Or "[[Man of La Mancha]]"... Or "[[The Music Man]]". [[Lampshaded]] by Victor VonFogg once.[http://nodwick.humor.gamespy.com/ps238/comics/index.php?date=2009-09-16 "And you swear like a G-rated sailor."]

* [[Well-Intentioned Extremist]]: The Rainmaker

* [[What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?]]: Beautifully averted. The children in the Rainmaker program are all in possession of powers that are pretty much useless when it comes to things like fighting crime or saving the world. However, the purpose of the program is to give them an opportunity to explore using their powers in the private sector. A perfect example is a kid who can make any object as edible and nutritious (and tasty) as he wants; he won't be fighting any supervillains any time soon, but several restaurant chains are already lined up to headhunt him. Not to mention the job offers from Hollywood for the one who can change the distribution of body fat in people.<br />And even then... Hestia, for one, will break you if you break the customs of ancient Greek-ish hospitality, xenia. Sure, that was usually Zeus's baliwick, but Hestia always needed to be more badass. Several of the others... sure, they aren't classical badass fighters, but they could fuck you up. Assuming they didn't go insane or something in the interim.