Whiteout
The first comic book written by novelist Greg Rucka, Whiteout is the story of US Marshal Carrie Stetko's investigation of a murder in Antarctica. It lasted for 4 issues (July-November, 1998). A sequel, "Whiteout: Melt" (September, 1999-February, 2000), deals with the theft of hidden nuclear weapons from an ex-Soviet base, and a film adaptation was released in the US on September 11, 2009.
Tropes used in Whiteout include:
- Adaptational Attractiveness: In the comic book Carrie is somewhat heavyset and not particularly attractive. In the movie she's Kate Beckinsale. Yeah.
- Almost Kiss: Carrie and Lily. Repeatedly.
- Chickification: Greg Rucka mentioned that he did not like the film adaptation because they made Carrie weak, although "At least they got rid of the scene in the script where she hears someone following her and runs away - what was she gonna do, call the cops?"
- Dark and Troubled Past
- Defrosting Ice Queen: Carrie
- Deadpan Snarker: Carrie
- Empty Quiver: Whiteout: Melt
- Executive Meddling: The film lost its second female lead because executives feared men would not go see a movie with two female leads. Carrie herself was turned into a much less dynamic character in order to give her male co-stars adequate supporting actions.
- Fan Service: Carrie taking off her clothes and taking a shower.
- Fingore
- Flashback Nightmare: The incident that led to Carrie's assignment to Antarctica is presented in a hypothermia-induced hallucination.
- Human Shield
- Indy Ploy: When Lily is faced with a hostage crisis.
- It Works Better with Bullets
- Lovely Angels: Carrie and Lily in the first Whiteout, averted in the film adaptation.
- Rape as Backstory: Carrie was sent to Antarctica after she killed a suspect in her custody who had tried to rape her.
- Reassigned to Antarctica: Literally, in Carrie's case.
- Shout-Out: Carrie drinks coffee out of a Dykes to Watch Out For mug.
- Shower Scene: Kate Beckinsale in The Movie for purely fanservice reasons, even though "Hollywood showers" are not allowed at the South Pole due to water restrictions.
- Shown Their Work: Greg Rucka did extremely detailed research into the nature of Antarctica before he began writing the first story. Details on the Antarctic environment, the operations of the research stations and international treaties concerning the continent are woven into the narrative.
- They Fight Crime: Despite its locale and the nuclear issues, both stories (and the film) are about a US Marshal investigating a murder and the surrounding conspiracy.
- Unresolved Sexual Tension: Lily and Carrie have a lot of tension between the two of them, deliberately, to reflect the same tension that often arises in Buddy Cop Shows. Thoroughly resolved without Lily in Melt.