Webcomic / Altermeta

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Altermeta is a slice-of-life webcomic with fantasy overtones, made evident by the fact that all the characters are dragons. Started in November, 2001 Altermeta seemed to have disappeared into the bowels of Abandoned Webcomic Hell, until it was revived a short while ago, first as a full-fantasy reboot of the original comic, then rebooting again as a direct continuation.

This webcomic includes examples of:

• All Just a Dream: The events of the comics near April first were revealed to have taken place in D'Shea's head. This went over better than the author had expected.
• All There in the Manual: A huge amount of background material has been explained on the forum.
• Anachronism Stew: As Cavris is an alternate world, it does not mesh nicely with any given time period. 64-bit graphics are new and their neighbors recently invented the Internet, placing it roughly into the equivalent of the late 1980s or so, but then Josephine gets a fifth-generation Ford Mustang.
• Archive Trawl: You will not understand what's going on without reading the original comics. A few recap strips have helped this along.
• Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking
  Josephine: No, um, you don't understand. He's come to devour little kids too! And... and... birds, and the number 4, and to scare the elderly, and make fun of weak ankled people, and become a Republican, and make everyone just really really sad!
• Art Evolution: Though to be fair, the original art was pretty good, too.
• Berserk Button: Rutherford when he doesn't get his coffee.
  • T-Square about being, well, square.
• Catapult Nightmare: Sasha has one in "Nemesis".
• Cerebus Syndrome: The author has announced here that the comic will be taking a slight dip in this direction.
• Cloud Cuckoolander: Averted with Sasha. The scrunchy WAS talking to him...
• Crazy-Prepared: Everyone around Ruth has a backup supply of coffee. Even if one of them is a hypodermic needle and another is an apple.
• Crystal Spires and Togas: The first reboot has some of this.
• Dude Looks Like a Lady: Sasha. Toss on some makeup, and he's a hair away...
  • Even more bishonen in the new version than the previous incarnations. Giving him markings that resemble eyeshadow probably didn't help.
• The Dung Ages: Ruth's perception of the Renaissance.
• Foreign Queasine: Kuvrahk food could be like this us - they like really raw meat.
• Iconic Item: Tabitha (aka T-Square) has... well... a t-square. Guess where the nickname comes from.
• Mind-Control Eyes: Sasha gets them when he gets possessed by the scrunchy (no, really).
• Mundane Fantastic: The comic focus on the life of several high school students, and yet there are things like random ninja attacks, possessed scrunchies, and the warehouse from Raiders of the Lost Ark being in Sasha's shed.
• Must Have Caffeine: Rutherford, who has never been seen not holding a mug of coffee.
• New Transfer Student: Boo; possibly subverted in that she did go to the school, moved away, then moved back.
• Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot: T-Square, a ninja-slaying artist pirate.
• No Fourth Wall: The characters would often address the artist or the audience.
• Orphaned Series: Orphaned twice, and resurrected twice.
• Our Dragons Are Different: For one, they are called Kuvrahks.
• Parental Sexuality Squick: Coming from a large family, CC is not bothered by her parents having sex, but Sasha plays this straight.
  Sasha: No! They DON'T! They... forgot how!! I'm certain!
  CC: Yeah. I bet they're really NOISY too.
  Sasha: Oh god no! The mental images! No! NOOOOO!!!!
• Pretty Boy: Sasha. Big time. Even the Guys Want Him... or at least D'shea does.
• Shout-Out: "THE MATRIX HAS YOU, BIATCH!"
  • Also, TV Tropes. (here, in the notes)
  • And Lethal Weapon.^note Most likely a coincidence, as the author doesn't seem to think so.
  • The government warehouse in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
• Wings Do Nothing: The first reboot gave the Kuvrahks tiny little wings.
• You Have No Idea Who You're Dealing With: The City Guards in the first reboot give this line.