Search/Recent Changes
DBTropes
...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!

Koba (Comic Book)

 Koba (Comic Book)
type
TVTItem
 Koba (Comic Book)
label
Koba (Comic Book)
 Koba (Comic Book)
page
Koba
 Koba (Comic Book)
comment
Koba is a Franco-Belgian period piece horror graphic novel written by Jean Dufaux and illustrated by Régis Penet.The story takes place towards the end of the 1940s with Soviet dictator Josef Stalin visiting zone 0049, the camp he had once been exiled to under the Tsar back when he went by the nickname "Koba". He and his escort find all the prisoners and staff of the gulag missing, save for the commandant, sitting dead in his office drained of blood with an ugly wound on his throat. Seeking to solve the mystery Stalin's next stop is an isolated museum where a certain painting is displayed; a painting depicting the dictator and figures who helped his rise to power, among them a mysterious and beautiful young woman named Macha; a painting from which each figure seems to be disappearing one by one.We also follow the story of siblings Alexis and Katia as they become embroiled with a group of strange, beautiful people who appear immortal and impervious to any form of harm. The strange beings appear to enjoy a hedonistic existence in contrast to the death and deprivation around them and are most keen for the siblings to join them.
 Koba (Comic Book)
fetched
2024-04-25T19:59:02Z
 Koba (Comic Book)
parsed
2024-04-25T19:59:02Z
 Koba (Comic Book)
processingComment
Dropped link to HistoricalDomainCharacter: Not a Feature - IGNORE
 Koba (Comic Book)
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_1542e3c6
type
Themed Tattoos
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_1542e3c6
comment
Themed Tattoos: The vampires are all marked with distinct black tattoos that are drawn across their bodies in some flowing abstract pattern.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_1542e3c6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_1542e3c6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_1542e3c6
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_1b4e322c
type
Mr. Fanservice
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_1b4e322c
comment
Mr. Fanservice: All the male vampires, but Simon Iakov in particular.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_1b4e322c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_1b4e322c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_1b4e322c
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_1ba750d8
type
The Gulag
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_1ba750d8
comment
The Gulag: Most of the story takes place in and around zone 0049, a former labour camp under the Tzars since repurposed by the Soviets as a Gulag.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_1ba750d8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_1ba750d8
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_1ba750d8
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_1bbb76bc
type
Abandoned Area
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_1bbb76bc
comment
Abandoned Area: Zone 0049 is strangely devoid of anyone when Stalin arrives in the opening sequence of the graphic novel. There is a general feeling of eeriness and emptiness in many locations in the story, Boulga, for example, seems to be the only one inhabiting the museum and before Stalin arrives is not shown having contact with anyone aside from Djerzy, a technician at a nearby power plant.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_1bbb76bc
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_1bbb76bc
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_1bbb76bc
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_1dfd19f9
type
Papa Wolf
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_1dfd19f9
comment
Papa Wolf: When Djerzy sees that Alexis has returned without his son Lev, he points a gun at the younger man and demands to know where his son is.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_1dfd19f9
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_1dfd19f9
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_1dfd19f9
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_2ae29c0d
type
The Dreaded
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_2ae29c0d
comment
The Dreaded: Stalin himself, unsurprisingly given the place and time period depicted. Macha serves as this for Stalin and Boulga.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_2ae29c0d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_2ae29c0d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_2ae29c0d
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_42215dce
type
Ambiguous Ending
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_42215dce
comment
Ambiguous Ending: Stalin dies much as he did in real life, but seems to wake up to find Simon and the other vampires partying as they welcome him as one of their own. It is not made clear if this is some near death hallucination bought on by his envy of the vampires and their immortality or if he really did resurrect as one of them. The fact that Stalin's brown eyes have a red tint to them and that the vampires are apparently dancing to the Lou Reed album "Berlin", which was not released until 1973, twenty years after Stalin's death in 1953, suggests that the experience is real and Stalin did indeed return to life as a vampire.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_42215dce
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_42215dce
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_42215dce
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_479d4e5a
type
Would Hurt a Child
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_479d4e5a
comment
Would Hurt a Child: Boulga lures and kills a young girl to use her blood to appease the image of Macha, whom he believes is gradually consuming the other figures in the painting he is charged with safeguarding.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_479d4e5a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_479d4e5a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_479d4e5a
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_4ac8b81f
type
Humans Are the Real Monsters
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_4ac8b81f
comment
Humans Are the Real Monsters: As violent as they can be, the vampires are only dangerous when they are threatened or need to feed, preferring to spend most of their time in hedonistic indulgence of sex, revelry and alcohol. Which honestly seems tame compared to the atrocities committed by Stalin and others like him. This point is further driven home by the revalation that it was not the vampire Macha consuming the other figures in the painting, but Stalin's own image, reflecting how his path to power was soaked in blood and death.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_4ac8b81f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_4ac8b81f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_4ac8b81f
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_4db42cf3
type
Male Frontal Nudity
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_4db42cf3
comment
Male Frontal Nudity: Multiple times with the male vampires.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_4db42cf3
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_4db42cf3
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_4db42cf3
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_63be4131
type
Pretty Boy
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_63be4131
comment
Pretty Boy: All the male vampires, who are tall, slender, dark-haired, clean-shaven men with smooth, youthful features.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_63be4131
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_63be4131
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_63be4131
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_6563aeb6
type
Shameless Fanservice Girl
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_6563aeb6
comment
Shameless Fanservice Girl: All the female vampires, but Sylvia in particular.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_6563aeb6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_6563aeb6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_6563aeb6
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_73418f96
type
Psychic-Assisted Suicide
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_73418f96
comment
Psychic-Assisted Suicide: Ambiguous, after most of Stalin's security detail has apparently been killed by the vampires, Ioukine shoots himself in front of a horrified Beria. It's not certain if he was simply traumatized by the sight of his men having been slaughtered or was somehow being influenced by the vampires psychically.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_73418f96
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_73418f96
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_73418f96
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_7916f22e
type
Creepy Changing Painting
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_7916f22e
comment
Creepy Changing Painting: The painting in Boulga's museum depicts Stalin and a host of other figures who aided in his rise to power, including his vampire lover Macha. As time goes on the other figures seem to fade from the pictures, seemingly being devoured by Macha who sometimes appears to have blood on her lips. By the end it turns out that the other figures in the painting were actually being devoured by Stalin's own figure as a metaphor for how his last for power has left so much blood in its wake. He becomes the only subject remaining in the painting, appearing as a frightening, red-eyed, blood-soaked version of his younger self.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_7916f22e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_7916f22e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_7916f22e
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_7c9f4ed7
type
Immortality Bisexuality
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_7c9f4ed7
comment
However, given that we see several male/female vampire couples engaging in intercourse when the vampires first appear, and it is difficult to tell for sure if Sylvia is or is not among them, if she is it may actually be a case of Immortality Bisexuality.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_7c9f4ed7
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_7c9f4ed7
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_7c9f4ed7
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_8c4bafff
type
Holy Burns Evil
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_8c4bafff
comment
Holy Burns Evil: Crosses appear to place certain limits on vampires, Simon is unable to leave the barrack he's confined to due to the crucifix around his neck, and he is unable to remove himself.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_8c4bafff
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_8c4bafff
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_8c4bafff
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_8e6d6bc
type
Immortality Promiscuity
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_8e6d6bc
comment
Immortality Promiscuity: From the first panel introducing the vampires we see them casually having sex with each other, and they seem to be fairly communal about it. Sylvia even has to be reminded by one of the other vampires that Katia belongs to ALL of them after the former starts getting a little too possessive of the latter.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_8e6d6bc
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_8e6d6bc
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_8e6d6bc
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_90507020
type
TheForties
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_90507020
comment
The '40s: Most of the story, aside from flashbacks to Stalin's younger days, takes place at the end of this decade.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_90507020
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_90507020
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_90507020
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_928ca2cc
type
You Have Outlived Your Usefulness
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_928ca2cc
comment
You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Alexis murders Lev with an axe once the latter leads him and his sister to the vampires, whom Alexis wants to join.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_928ca2cc
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_928ca2cc
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_928ca2cc
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_987dbb69
type
Vampire Hunter
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_987dbb69
comment
Vampire Hunter: Lev is a very short-lived and unsuccessful one.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_987dbb69
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_987dbb69
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_987dbb69
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_9c1f758a
type
Kill It with Fire
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_9c1f758a
comment
Kill It with Fire: Stalin has this done to Macha when she refuses to make him immortal.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_9c1f758a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_9c1f758a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_9c1f758a
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_9f63d4f1
type
Our Vampires Are Different
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_9f63d4f1
comment
Our Vampires Are Different: They are not affected by sunlight, are immortal and ageless, much stronger than normal humans, can influence the minds of animals (and possibly humans too) and can ignore multiple point-blank shots from bolt-action rifles. Their only weakness appears to be death by fire or somehow placing a cross on their person, which at least seems to keep them confined to a certain building.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_9f63d4f1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_9f63d4f1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_9f63d4f1
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_a0434be6
type
Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_a0434be6
comment
Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette: all the vampires except for the redhead Katia once she becomes one herself.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_a0434be6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_a0434be6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_a0434be6
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_b43dfc8d
type
Your Days Are Numbered
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_b43dfc8d
comment
Your Days Are Numbered: It appears this is the case for Stalin, as Macha devours more characters in the painting, he worries she will eventually move on to him, at which point he will die in the real world. Fortunately for him this appears not to be the case and the other subjects were actually being devoured by his own image.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_b43dfc8d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_b43dfc8d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_b43dfc8d
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_ba907fe2
type
Entitled to Have You
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_ba907fe2
comment
Entitled to Have You: Sylvia seems to feel this way towards Katia, on account of having been the one to make her a vampire.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_ba907fe2
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_ba907fe2
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_ba907fe2
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_bbd9b10a
type
Phantom-Zone Picture
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_bbd9b10a
comment
Phantom-Zone Picture: It is believed that Macha's soul somehow became trapped in the painting in Boulga's museum and was devouring the other characters in it, working her way to Stalin himself in revenge for ordering her death. It turns out that the other figures, including Macha, were actually being devoured by Stalin's image, and by the end of the story he is the only one left in the painting.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_bbd9b10a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_bbd9b10a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_bbd9b10a
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_bdc453a0
type
Incest Subtext
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_bdc453a0
comment
Incest Subtext: Some of it between Alexis and Katia after the latter becomes a vampire.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_bdc453a0
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_bdc453a0
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_bdc453a0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_cb11224e
type
Posthuman Nudism
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_cb11224e
comment
Posthuman Nudism: The vampires spend most of their time nude, a habit Katia immediately adopts after she becomes one.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_cb11224e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_cb11224e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_cb11224e
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_d1c8f2b3
type
Vampires Are Sex Gods
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_d1c8f2b3
comment
Vampires Are Sex Gods: played pretty straight.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_d1c8f2b3
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_d1c8f2b3
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_d1c8f2b3
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_d959f4db
type
Immortality Seeker
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_d959f4db
comment
Immortality Seeker: Stalin hoped his vampire lover, Macha, would grant him this and make him a vampire, when she refused him he decided he would instead achieve the next best thing via gaining political power and building an enduring cult of personality. Alexis initially, which is why he seeks the vampires out, he later decides he's too much of a coward to go through with it, but his sister appears to turn him into one anyway after saving him from Djerzy.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_d959f4db
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_d959f4db
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_d959f4db
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_eae41a
type
The Vamp
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_eae41a
comment
The Vamp: Macha and Sylvia
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_eae41a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_eae41a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_eae41a
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_eb9afb9d
type
Evil Old Folks
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_eb9afb9d
comment
Evil Old Folks: Aside from the flashbacks Stalin is in his late 60s for most of the story.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_eb9afb9d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_eb9afb9d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_eb9afb9d
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_f10d3363
type
Distracted by the Sexy
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_f10d3363
comment
Distracted by the Sexy: Katia tells Djerzy that this is the main reason why the vampires are always naked, right before killing him. Given how often the vampires seem to get it on with each other, it's probably not the only reason.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_f10d3363
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_f10d3363
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_f10d3363
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_f909b185
type
Lesbian Vampire
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_f909b185
comment
Lesbian Vampire: Sylvia, given that she seduces Katia and the moment she turns her into a vampire doubles as a sex scene. However, given that we see several male/female vampire couples engaging in intercourse when the vampires first appear, and it is difficult to tell for sure if Sylvia is or is not among them, if she is it may actually be a case of Immortality Bisexuality.
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_f909b185
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_f909b185
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_f909b185
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_name
type
ItemName
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_name
comment
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_name
featureApplicability
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_name
featureConfidence
1.0
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Koba (Comic Book) / int_name
 Koba (Comic Book) / int_name
itemName
Koba (Comic Book)

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Comic Books of the 2010s / int_1bd950bf
 Franco-Belgian Comics
processingUnknown
Koba (Comic Book)
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Historical Fiction / int_1bd950bf
 Koba (Comic Book)
hasFeature
The '40s / int_1bd950bf
 Vampire Fiction
processingUnknown
Koba (Comic Book)