| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
type |
TVTItem |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
label |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
page |
DeathTheHighCostOfLiving |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
comment |
Death: The High Cost of Living is a three-issue comic that ran from March to May 1993. It is a Spin-Off of The Sandman (1989), written by the comic's author Neil Gaiman with art by Chris Bachalo and Mark Buckingham. It was noticeably the first DC Comics series published under the Vertigo Comics imprint.The comic stars Dream of the Endless's older sister Death, who, like she does every century, takes one day off and spends a day as a mortal. "Didi" befriends a disaffected and suicidal teenager named Sexton Furnival and spends the day with him, getting into misadventures like the homeless woman Mad Hettie demanding her heart, or an immortal sorcerer who chases after her.Death: The Time of Your Life, published in 1996, is a sequel that focuses on Death, Hazel and Foxglove. |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
fetched |
2024-02-09T16:51:27Z |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
parsed |
2024-02-09T16:51:27Z |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
isPartOf |
DBTropes |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_170b46db |
type |
Picked Last |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_170b46db |
comment |
Picked Last: Sexton says he was always picked last for sports in school, even after the kid with the leg brace, because that guy could at least throw. |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_170b46db |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_170b46db |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_170b46db |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_22854489 |
type |
Coins for the Dead |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_22854489 |
comment |
Coins for the Dead: Death spends her day as a mortal in the 1990s. At the end of the day, the mortal version of Death dies, and a sorcerer who had been trying to capture her (and, it's implied, end his own immortal life) places a pair of coins over her eyes in respect. This is foreshadowed by her getting nearly everything for free all day- she pays for the final item, a pair of sunglasses, and is left with two pennies in her pocket. |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_22854489 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_22854489 |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_22854489 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_375e702b |
type |
Brits Love Tea |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_375e702b |
comment |
Brits Love Tea: Mad Hettie complaining that American can't make a proper tea. |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_375e702b |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_375e702b |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_375e702b |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_46290b93 |
type |
Manic Pixie Dream Girl |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_46290b93 |
comment |
Manic Pixie Dream Girl: Didi is a spirited, friendly, charming young woman who inspires the suicidal and ennui-filled Sexton to better appreciate his life. |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_46290b93 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_46290b93 |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_46290b93 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_4cccd2a9 |
type |
Mad Oracle |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_4cccd2a9 |
comment |
Mad Oracle: Mad Hettie can read both tea leaves and entrails. Albeit the "Mad" part is not a consequence of the "Oracle" part. |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_4cccd2a9 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_4cccd2a9 |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_4cccd2a9 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_4f4602da |
type |
They Changed It, Now It Sucks! |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_4f4602da |
comment |
They Changed It, Now It Sucks!: In-Universe. Didi liked The Little Mermaid (1989) because it had a happy ending unlike the fairy tale it was based on, and says that one of her brothers (likely Dream, as the patron of stories) is a purist about adaptations and dislikes changes. |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_4f4602da |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_4f4602da |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_4f4602da |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_55d79c60 |
type |
Magical Homeless Person |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_55d79c60 |
comment |
Magical Homeless Person: Mad Hettie is immortal, a witch (even if she denies the word) and a Mad Oracle. |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_55d79c60 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_55d79c60 |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_55d79c60 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_5d8e871d |
type |
Sympathetic Magic |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_5d8e871d |
comment |
Sympathetic Magic: Mad Hettie breaks a stick to break a leg from one of her aggressors. |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_5d8e871d |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_5d8e871d |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_5d8e871d |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_66ce8a39 |
type |
Fake Memories |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_66ce8a39 |
comment |
Fake Memories: When Death spends a day as a mortal, the universe apparently builds her a full background and people around "Didi" -like Mrs Robbins- remember knowing her "all her life" even if she popped up into existence a few hours ago. |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_66ce8a39 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_66ce8a39 |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_66ce8a39 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_7142b38a |
type |
The Grim Reaper |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_7142b38a |
comment |
The Grim Reaper: Discussed. Sexton doesn't believe Didi is the personification of Death, because to him Death is a bone-faced cloaked guy with a scythe who plays chess with Scandinavians. |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_7142b38a |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_7142b38a |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_7142b38a |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_7b2118c5 |
type |
Bait-and-Switch Comparison |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_7b2118c5 |
comment |
Bait-and-Switch Comparison: Counts also as Self Deprecating Humour. |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_7b2118c5 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_7b2118c5 |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_7b2118c5 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_83a55c8e |
type |
Napoleon Delusion |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_83a55c8e |
comment |
Napoleon Delusion: Sexton thinks that Didi only thinks she's the personification of Death because she's mentally unwell after the death of her family. The readers know better. |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_83a55c8e |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_83a55c8e |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_83a55c8e |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_99213234 |
type |
Death Takes a Holiday |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_99213234 |
comment |
Death Takes a Holiday: Literally. The trope is discussed but averted, since people keep on dying anyway. Even Didi, who gets collected by "herself" in the end. |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_99213234 |
featureApplicability |
-1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_99213234 |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_99213234 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_9dab0a6e |
type |
Continuity Nod |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_9dab0a6e |
comment |
Continuity Nod: The songs Foxglove performs. The first one is called "Donna's Dream" and is about Judy, the girl killed by John Dee in Preludes and Nocturnes, the first arc of The Sandman (1989). In A Game of You, a later arc, Foxglove (formerly Donna) is revealed to have been her ex-girlfriend, and has a nightmare about her. The next song, "Tracks", is about Wanda, Foxglove's neighbor who died in A Game of You. |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_9dab0a6e |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_9dab0a6e |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_9dab0a6e |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_a3cf9ef6 |
type |
…And That Little Girl Was Me |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_a3cf9ef6 |
comment |
…And That Little Girl Was Me: A young woman, in order to drive home the point that "ennui" is no reason to commit suicide, tells the story of a "friend" who was repeatedly molested by her father and his buddies the mayor and chief of police, so there was no one in her small town she could turn to. She attempted suicide by slicing up her arms, but survived and was glad that she did. When asked what happened to her in the end, she says "I expect she came out to the big city" (the miniseries takes place in New York). Furthermore, she's wearing long gloves...hint, hint. Not that Sexton gets the message at the time. |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_a3cf9ef6 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_a3cf9ef6 |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_a3cf9ef6 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_afa3c1ff |
type |
Eyes Out of Sight |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_afa3c1ff |
comment |
Eyes Out of Sight: The Eremite's eyes are always hidden under deep shadowy brows. |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_afa3c1ff |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_afa3c1ff |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_afa3c1ff |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_b88eda46 |
type |
Conspicuous Gloves |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_b88eda46 |
comment |
Conspicuous Gloves: A woman Sexton speaks with in the club, wears long concealing gloves and tells him about a friend of hers who tried to commit suicide by slitting her veins. |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_b88eda46 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_b88eda46 |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_b88eda46 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_bfc84d44 |
type |
Calling Parents by Their Name |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_bfc84d44 |
comment |
Calling Parents by Their Name: Disaffected teen Sexton calls his parents Sylvia and Steve. |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_bfc84d44 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_bfc84d44 |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_bfc84d44 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_bff6c493 |
type |
Crazy Homeless People |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_bff6c493 |
comment |
Crazy Homeless People: Mad Hettie, as the name implies, with some hints of Violent Glaswegian. |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_bff6c493 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_bff6c493 |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_bff6c493 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_cb70651c |
type |
Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_cb70651c |
comment |
Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: Is the golden necklace really Mad Hettie's heart and the source of her immortality, or just an ordinary bauble that she thinks to be it in her delusion? |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_cb70651c |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_cb70651c |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_cb70651c |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_d9587b39 |
type |
Happily Failed Suicide |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_d9587b39 |
comment |
Happily Failed Suicide: A woman at the bar tells Sexton about a friend of hers who was raped repeatedly by older men in her life. She tried to kill herself, but was somehow glad when she still woke up at the hospital. Her point is that there's never a good reason to kill yourself, but Sexton's ennui is a particularly insufficient reason. |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_d9587b39 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_d9587b39 |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_d9587b39 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_db2f3581 |
type |
All Girls Want Bad Boys |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_db2f3581 |
comment |
All Girls Want Bad Boys: Sexton complains that his classmate Theo is the type of asshole to cruelly kill kittens, but all the girls think he's "sex in blue jeans". |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_db2f3581 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_db2f3581 |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_db2f3581 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_name |
type |
ItemName |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_name |
comment |
|
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_name |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_name |
featureConfidence |
1.0 |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |
hasFeature |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_name |
| Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) / int_name |
itemName |
Death: The High Cost of Living (Comic Book) |