Recurring joke thread

[Capt Spanner]

I think it would be nice to have a compendium of all the running jokes and minor storylines so that anyone who wants to find the strips where, say, Durkon is afraid of trees can easily find links to the relevant comics. (I count people mentioning jokes as part of the running gag - so comments about Belkar's useless spot checks count towards that joke, as well as Belkar actually failing a spot check.) If people start suggesting other themes that appear, I'll start adding them.

Up to date for: comics 1-150

Thanks to all who've posted. Keep 'em coming.

Jokes with a star (*) are probably discontinued due to a change in circumstances.

I'm Participating! (Elan is useless in combat): 2 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0002.html) 14 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0014.html) 17 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0017.html)

Lime Green Boots of Speed*: 3 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0003.html) 573 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0573.html) 608 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0608.html) 675 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0675.html)

I think I failed a spot check!: 3 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0003.html) 5 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0003.html) 17 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0017.html) 42 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0042.html) 47 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0047.html) (translate the Spanish) 119 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0119.html) 121 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0121.html) 143 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0143.html)

Pop! (Vaarsuvius' oft forgotten familiar)*: 3 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0003.html)

Sing, sing, sing, Sing the really annoying song.: 4 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0004.html) 41 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0041.html) 61 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0061.html) 125 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0125.html)

"Best not tell him." (Thor is a ditz): 7 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0007.html) 40 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0040.html) 73 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0073.html)

"Bolt everything down when Haley's around - she's a ROGUE!": 8 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0008.html) 13 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0013.html) 14 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0014.html) 29 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0029.html) 33 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0033.html) 45 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0045.html) 69 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0069.html) 116 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0116.html) 129 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0129.html) 131 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0131.html)

"Is that the belt overhanging, or..." (Girdle of Femininity / Masculinity)*: 9 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0009.html)

10gp says this is a running gag: 9 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0009.html) 56 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0056.html) 69 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0069.html)

I, Vaarsuvius, will now use my most refined, honed and humorous skill as I begin to rant on about the mysteries of the arcane arts that you, a poor, educated soul as you are, could never hope to even begin to comprehend without being driven mad. MAD I tell you, MAD! And I shall do all this without the use of a single apostrophe or contraction, and will do my utmost to avoid all other foul forms of punctuation out there, the better that you understand the importance of what I, Vaarsuvius, have to say: 10 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0010.html)

Someone get a thesaurus (Level confusion): 12 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0012.html) 124 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0124.html)

Triangular stage (no 4th wall): 12 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0012.html) 13 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0013.html) 15 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0015.html) 21 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0021.html) 22 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0022.html) 23 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0023.html) 32 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0032.html) 34 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0034.html) 46 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0046.html) 60 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0060.html) 98 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0098.html) 120 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0120.html) 121 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0121.html)

Reference to Something: 13 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0013.html) (Jabberwocky) 119 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0119.html) (Vin Diesel) 136 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0136.html) (Monty Python) 145 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0145.html) (G.I. Joe) 147 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0147.html) (Power Rangers)

"Two words, bitch" (Sneak Attack jokes): 18 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0018.html)

Illusion of usefulness: 19 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0019.html) 66 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0066.html)

Amusingly effective (some V's sillier spells): 20 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0020.html)

Dun dun DUN!!!: 21 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0021.html)

Nominal Importance: 21 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0021.html)

Belkar the tracker: 22 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0022.html) 43 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0043.html)

But it's dark in the dark! (MitD wants some light): 23 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0023.html) 97 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0097.html) 114 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0114.html) 117 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0117.html) 147 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0147.html)

Wooooooooo! I'm invisible: 25 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0025.html) 26 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0026.html) 27 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0027.html)

Haley's secret crush*: 28 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0028.html) 88 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0088.html) 109 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0109.html) 141 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0141.html)

"Are you going to eat my brain?" "No, I'm cool, thanks." (Elan's poor mental attributes): 30 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0030.html) 31 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0031.html) 127 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0127.html) 141 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0141.html)

Jones & Rodriquez:
32 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0032.html) 50 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0050.html) 65 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0065.html) 734 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0734.html) 735 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0735.html)

Give me the doily: 33 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0033.html)

Everyone loves a redhead*: 35 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0035.html) 100 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0100.html)

Zombie minions are better: 37 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0037.html) 96 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0096.html)

Belkar hates Kobalds: 44 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0044.html) 47 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0047.html) 48 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0048.html) 63 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0063.html)

Needlessly Complicated: 50 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0050.html) 393 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0393.html)

Vaarsuvius is a camel: 87 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0087.html) 683 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0683.html)

:thog: <3 Ice Cream 4evA (especially with chocolate sprinkles: 51 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0051.html)

Phlumph!: 55 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0055.html) 74 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0074.html) 120 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0120.html) 680 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0680.html) 695. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0695.html)

Kobald Head Hat: 63 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0063.html) 69 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0069.html) 124 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0124.html)

Banjo: 80 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0080.html) 81 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0081.html) 85 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0085.html) 137 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0137.html)

Delicious, delicious snacks: 91 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0091.html)

Guess What Spell I Prepared This Morning: 92 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0092.html) 221 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0221.html) 659 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0659.html)

Gate, what gate?: 96 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0096.html) 106 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots00106.html)

Uneventful round numbers: 100 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0100.html) 600 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0600.html)

Phewee! (Belkar's very sensitive sense of smell): 101 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0101.html) 111 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0111.html)

Great Cleavage: 102 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0102.html)

Vaarsuvius' ambiguous gender: 107 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0107.html)

Bluehilt? Redblade? 110 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0110.html) 112 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0112.html) 120 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0120.html)

Durkon's chin is yearning to break free: 111 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0111.html)

Belkar - Vaarsuvius feud: 129 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0129.html)

Dwarf of the Triffids (Durkon hates trees): 150 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0150.html) 680 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0680.html) 735 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0735.html)

[Werbaer]

Boots of Speed:3 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0003.html)
lime green (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0003.html) with your skin tone? (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0573.html) nice boots. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0608.html) dye these (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0675.html)

[Morgan Wick]

I'm not entirely sure some of these are running gags.

[Cizak]

Yeah, I don't really think all of these are running jokes. Let me help you a little, though.

I think I failed a spot check: 47 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0047.html) (The spanish line means "I think I failed a spot check".)

Needlessly complicated: 393 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0393.html)

Vaarsuvius is half camel: 87 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0087.html), 683 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0683.html)

[silas the monk]

I am pretty sure the doily has cropped up only once and so is not a running joke. I do however consider it foreshadowing that V's partner would turn out to be a baker. So his partner would bake beautiful delicious cakes and all V could do was see arcane patterns in the doily.


Give me the doily: 33 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0033.html)

[BatRobin]

How did you not think of the best one?!

"Guess what spell I cast before giving this to the bird"

[silas the monk]

How did you not think of the best one?!

"Guess what spell I cast before giving this to the bird"

But why make people hunt around for the numbers?
659 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0659.html)
92 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0092.html)

[Optimystik]

"Landing on Flumphs" is pretty recurring, though I'm too lazy to compile them all.

Whoever does should not forget to include 695. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0695.html)

[Stmr5000]

How could we possibly forget explosive runes? That was a little bit important.

[Obani]

"Landing on Flumphs" is pretty recurring, though I'm too lazy to compile them all.

Whoever does should not forget to include 695. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0695.html)

Not to mention this one! (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0680.html)
(The title even says that it's a running gag :smalltongue:)

[Tydude]

For the lawyers, don't forget 50 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0050.html).

[silas the monk]

large big round cartoon numbers: 100 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0100.html) 600 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0600.html)

[Agi Hammerthief]

What Gate? +1 @ http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0106.html

who the FAQ is the guy with the Green Hilted Sword? http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0110.html

[Ted The Bug]

For Jones and Rodriguez, the last two (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0734.html) comics (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0735.html).
Also explosive runes in 221 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0221.html).

[BatRobin]

Most of these aren't recurring, just jokes that make us go 'That was epic' when he does something like 'You're invisible' almost 600 strips later.

[squidbreath]

For explosive runes, there's also:

173,317 & 323 (not shown, but :belkar: says: That pointy-eared pissbucket has set off 11 Explosive Runes spells on me since I woke up today - and that doesn't count the Fire Trap on the toilet lid.)

[Morgan Wick]

I am pretty sure the doily has cropped up only once and so is not a running joke. I do however consider it foreshadowing that V's partner would turn out to be a baker. So his partner would bake beautiful delicious cakes and all V could do was see arcane patterns in the doily.

Why didn't Rich do that here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0679.html) even if only as a callback to a gag second only to the Sexy Shoeless God of War for memetic popularity in the forums?

:inkyrius:: I baked your favorite: neapolitan angel-food-cake with seven-minute frosting!
:vaarsuvius:: Excellent! I shall endeavor to discover the secrets to ultimate cosmic power hidden within the patterns of the doily.

[Watcher]

Treevenge for Durkon hates trees: 735 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0735.html)

Also: 48 for tautology: Thog is actually saying that he's glad Roy is happy. It's like saying "I'm glad that you're glad."

[Capt Spanner]

Most of these aren't recurring, just jokes that make us go 'That was epic' when he does something like 'You're invisible' almost 600 strips later.

If it happens more than once it's technically recurred.


I am pretty sure the doily has cropped up only once and so is not a running joke. I do however consider it foreshadowing that V's partner would turn out to be a baker. So his partner would bake beautiful delicious cakes and all V could do was see arcane patterns in the doily.

If the doily joke doesn't appear again to become a recurring joke (see previous) then I'm cancelling my subscription. :smalltongue:

[Nimrod's Son]

If the doily joke doesn't appear again to become a recurring joke (see previous) then I'm cancelling my subscription. :smalltongue:
In the printed version, the doily strip is removed from the continuity and placed at the back in an "extras" section, so its canonicity is dubious. It's even further from being a recurring joke if it never happened at all.

EDIT: You're seriously going to try to keep track of every "reference to something"? Good luck with that; there are hundreds.

[HammerCrush]

But why make people hunt around for the numbers?
659 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0659.html)
92 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0092.html)

Do not forget this one (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0317.html)

[Ajadea]

Loads of stuff, which is now spoilered due to length.


But it's dark in the dark: 194 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0194.html)

Two Words, Bitch: 396 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0396.html), 398 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0398.html), possibly 648 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0648.html). It's a sneak attack joke, but not in the correct format.

Pop!: 658 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0658.html), 154 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0154.html), 271 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0271.html)

Triangular Stage: 273 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0273.html), and the epitome of the joke: 649 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0649.html)

Phewee!: 676 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0676.html)

Belkar the tracker: 213 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0213.html), 676 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0676.html)

Guess What Spell I Prepared This Morning: 220 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0220.html), 221 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0221.html)

I would suggest removing Fruit Pie the Sorcerer from Delicious, Delicious Snacks and changing it to the jokes about Gouda, Hydra-Burgers, and Hobgoblins. Here are some: 326 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0326.html), 463 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0463.html), 474 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0474.html), 705 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0705.html)

:thog: <3 ice cream: 458 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0458.html)

Gate? What Gate?: 543 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0543.html)

Sing, Sing, Sing, Sing the Annoying Song: 217 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0217.html), 421 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0421.html)

Jones and Rodriguez, Attorneys at Law:
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0159.html
268 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0268.html), 271 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0271.html), 272 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0272.html), 280 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0280.html), 282 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0282.html), and 287 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0287.html)
Jones shows up here, though he does not say anything: 278 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0278.html)

Flumph!: 271 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0271.html)

Banjo: 271 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0271.html)

Dun dun DUN: 272 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0272.html)

Illusion of Usefulness: 217 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0217.html), 387 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0387.html), 397 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0397.html), 478 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0478.html)

Reference to Something: 390 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0390.html), 723 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0723.html), 724 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0724.html), 735 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0735.html) (Star Wars), 392 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0392.html) (The Obi Wan (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheObiWan) trope in general)

10 gold pieces says: 666 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0666.html)

Amusingly Effective:
624 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0624.html)