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Luda

 Luda
type
TVTItem
 Luda
label
Luda
 Luda
page
Luda
 Luda
comment
Luci LeBang is many things: an actor, an artist, a musician, drag queen, a powerful sorceress, but most of all she's past her prime and washed-up. She is offered one last chance of recapturing her former glory when she secures the part of Madam Twankey in the avant-garde play "Phantom of the Pantomime", a wild mix of drag with Aladdin and Phantom of the Opera. But during the try-outs for the play she also meets Luda, a seductive, dangerous woman who she soon takes under her wing as an apprenice in the arts and in magic (there's hardly any different as far as Luci is concerned). They're soon caught in a deadly game of devilry, deceit and drag.The spellbinding prose debut of comic book legend Grant Morrison, Luda is a novel about drag queens, magic and performance, and how they're ultimatey one and the same.
 Luda
fetched
2024-03-08T07:44:15Z
 Luda
parsed
2024-03-08T07:44:15Z
 Luda
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Luda / int_149605c1
type
Ambiguous Innocence
 Luda / int_149605c1
comment
Ambiguous Innocence: It's unclear how much of Luda's naiveté is an act and how much is genuine.
 Luda / int_149605c1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_149605c1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_149605c1
 Luda / int_1869b4b1
type
Unreliable Narrator
 Luda / int_1869b4b1
comment
Unreliable Narrator: Neither Luda nor Luci are particularly honest with the audience or themselves. Luci warns the readership several times that she's not to be trusted.
 Luda / int_1869b4b1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_1869b4b1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_1869b4b1
 Luda / int_1f6983f7
type
Ambiguous Situation
 Luda / int_1f6983f7
comment
Ambiguous Situation: Absolutely nothing about Luda (both the character and the novel) is particularly clear, with many ambiguituies being left in the air.
 Luda / int_1f6983f7
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_1f6983f7
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_1f6983f7
 Luda / int_209d0b5f
type
Wainscot Society
 Luda / int_209d0b5f
comment
Wainscot Society: Underneath Gasglow a secret city exists inhabited by the eldritch and the mystical. Some characters dub it "Mystery City".
 Luda / int_209d0b5f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_209d0b5f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_209d0b5f
 Luda / int_21776103
type
Incest Is Relative
 Luda / int_21776103
comment
Incest Is Relative: Charles Marvell harbored some incestuous feelings towards his daughter Penelope, which is what made him conduct a torrid sexual affair with his adopted daughter Luda. We also later learn Luda is, quite probably, Luci's biological daughter, making their sexual dalliances definitely incestuous.
 Luda / int_21776103
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_21776103
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_21776103
 Luda / int_2854b56d
type
Uncertain Doom
 Luda / int_2854b56d
comment
Uncertain Doom: The later revelation that Luda pretended to be several characters across the narrative puts their fates into question. This particularly goes for Charles Marvell, who is said to have fled his home with a boyfriend by Victoria Marvell. Except the person who says that turns out to be Luda pretending to be Victoria Marvell...
 Luda / int_2854b56d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_2854b56d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_2854b56d
 Luda / int_42215dce
type
Ambiguous Ending
 Luda / int_42215dce
comment
Ambiguous Ending: In traditional Grant Morrison fashion, the ending raises a lot more questions than it answers. Who survived: Luda or Luci (or both)? How much of Luda's story about the Marvells was true? How much of Luci's story was true? Did Luci commit suicide? Did any of it matter?.
 Luda / int_42215dce
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_42215dce
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_42215dce
 Luda / int_487c525d
type
Brainwashing for the Greater Good
 Luda / int_487c525d
comment
Brainwashing for the Greater Good: The Marvells (psychologist Charles and behaviorial scientist Victoria) developed an idea of brainwashing local criminal teens from Gasglow into "perfect ladies". This turns out to be a terrible idea.
 Luda / int_487c525d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_487c525d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_487c525d
 Luda / int_48c99edc
type
Cast from Sanity
 Luda / int_48c99edc
comment
Cast from Sanity: Glamour (as Luci's brand of magic is called) takes a heavy toll in one's mind.
 Luda / int_48c99edc
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_48c99edc
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_48c99edc
 Luda / int_53d45fa8
type
Back-Alley Doctor
 Luda / int_53d45fa8
comment
Back-Alley Doctor: Dr. Elspeth Beltane, a dubiously-legal cosmetic surgeon for celebrities, is a more high-end-fashion variation of the archetype.
 Luda / int_53d45fa8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_53d45fa8
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_53d45fa8
 Luda / int_6627695f
type
Author Appeal
 Luda / int_6627695f
comment
Author Appeal: Magic, cross-dressing and superhero comic books abound, making it very obvious this is a Grant Morrison story.
 Luda / int_6627695f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_6627695f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_6627695f
 Luda / int_67fedd35
type
Bizarrchitecture
 Luda / int_67fedd35
comment
Bizarrchitecture: The Vallhambra Theatre, where the Phantom of the Pantomime is to be staged, has a very bizarre architecture that was apparently the result of both architect's Murdo McCloudie's strange mind and the construction crew looking at the blueprints in reverse.
 Luda / int_67fedd35
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_67fedd35
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_67fedd35
 Luda / int_6bda9a30
type
Meaningful Name
 Luda / int_6bda9a30
comment
Meaningful Name: Drag names are generally chosen for their specific meaning relating to the person, including both Luci LeBang and Luda. Luci explains the meaning of hers early on, but the question of where "Luda" came from looms in the story until near the end.
 Luda / int_6bda9a30
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_6bda9a30
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_6bda9a30
 Luda / int_6e5287f4
type
Lady of Black Magic
 Luda / int_6e5287f4
comment
Lady of Black Magic: Luci portrays herself as an elegant elder mage to Luda, although her masquerade falls apart fairly quickly as her traumas come to the fore.
 Luda / int_6e5287f4
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_6e5287f4
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_6e5287f4
 Luda / int_7464705c
type
Arc Words
 Luda / int_7464705c
comment
Arc Words: "She's behind you!", a Audience Participation line from "Phantom of the Pantomime", is repeated by several characters in several different contexts, each more ominous than the last.
 Luda / int_7464705c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_7464705c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_7464705c
 Luda / int_778076f9
type
Upside-Down Blueprints
 Luda / int_778076f9
comment
Upside-Down Blueprints: The Vallhambra Theatre was constructed backwards (partly as a result of the architect's already confusing blueprints), enhancing its eldritch, surreal vibe. This is probably based on an urban legend about Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.
 Luda / int_778076f9
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_778076f9
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_778076f9
 Luda / int_85b1e741
type
Creepy Crossdresser
 Luda / int_85b1e741
comment
Creepy Crossdresser / Wholesome Crossdresser: Both ends of the spectrum are discusssed by Luci and Luda (both being drag queens), with the story ultimately landing on the middle (and the idea that every single person in the cast is profoundly disturbed, the drag queens are just parts of it).
 Luda / int_85b1e741
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_85b1e741
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_85b1e741
 Luda / int_87629455
type
No Communities Were Harmed
 Luda / int_87629455
comment
No Communities Were Harmed: Gasglow is very obviously meant to be Glasgow, just with a twinge of the supernatural.
 Luda / int_87629455
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_87629455
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_87629455
 Luda / int_8774fb47
type
Eldritch Abomination
 Luda / int_8774fb47
comment
Eldritch Abomination: The entities featured are surreal, unfathomable, and incomprehensible in morality. The main featured one is the Mercurius (a.k.a the Mannequeen), the multi-gendered trickster deity that Luci worships, but we also get glimpses of a cow deity and something (which may or may not exist) only referred to as The Grand Constable, for which the Flat Police (possibly) works for.
 Luda / int_8774fb47
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_8774fb47
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_8774fb47
 Luda / int_8fd7af48
type
Sir Swears-a-Lot
 Luda / int_8fd7af48
comment
Sir Swears-a-Lot: Gofannon Rhys, Shakespearean actor in the "Phantom of the Pantomime", who apparently cannot go a full sentence without loudly cursing.
 Luda / int_8fd7af48
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_8fd7af48
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_8fd7af48
 Luda / int_918ef79f
type
Our Mages Are Different
 Luda / int_918ef79f
comment
Our Mages Are Different: The main form of magic as presented in the story is called Glamour, and its wielders are generally artists who transcend gender norms using their art to bend reality in various ways.
 Luda / int_918ef79f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_918ef79f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_918ef79f
 Luda / int_922ec657
type
Corrupted Character Copy
 Luda / int_922ec657
comment
Corrupted Character Copy: On the surface, Luci and Luda bear a passing resemblance to bruja and semi-apprentice Lord Fanny and Jack Frost from The Invisibles, though the both of them are much more morally dubious and their relationship is far less wholesome.
 Luda / int_922ec657
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_922ec657
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_922ec657
 Luda / int_93d440d2
type
Identity Absorption
 Luda / int_93d440d2
comment
Identity Absorption: Luda's ability to take on the features of anybody (and absorb their identities) is downright supernatural.
 Luda / int_93d440d2
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_93d440d2
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_93d440d2
 Luda / int_9b06e314
type
Greater-Scope Villain
 Luda / int_9b06e314
comment
Greater-Scope Villain: Charles Marvell never makes a physical appearance in the present day, but he has engineered a good deal of the headache involved. Depending how you interpret him, Murdo McCloudie the mad architec who may or may not haunt the stage could also count.
 Luda / int_9b06e314
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_9b06e314
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_9b06e314
 Luda / int_9c209a57
type
The Hecate Sisters
 Luda / int_9c209a57
comment
The Hecate Sisters: The "Mother, Maiden and Crone" trinity is frequently referenced by Luci, and she and Luda trade between embodying at least one of the roles.
 Luda / int_9c209a57
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_9c209a57
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_9c209a57
 Luda / int_a110e36d
type
Campbell Country
 Luda / int_a110e36d
comment
Campbell Country: The book is set in Gasglow, a alternate, creepy and surreal version of Scotland's Glasgow populated by all manner of strange artist and supernatural aura.
 Luda / int_a110e36d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_a110e36d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_a110e36d
 Luda / int_a621882
type
The Bad Guys Are Cops
 Luda / int_a621882
comment
The Bad Guys Are Cops: The enigmatic Flat Police, literally shadowy agents of the Mystery City that pursue the protagonists.
 Luda / int_a621882
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_a621882
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_a621882
 Luda / int_ad62678e
type
Living Shadow
 Luda / int_ad62678e
comment
Living Shadow: The Flat Police only manifests as 2D shadows upon a wall, with the stated away to block their entrance being to render a room completely dark so as to not cast any shadows.
 Luda / int_ad62678e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_ad62678e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_ad62678e
 Luda / int_aec6516c
type
Goth Girls Know Magic
 Luda / int_aec6516c
comment
Goth Girls Know Magic: Elspeth, a cosmetic surgeon, is a goth girl with a more traditionally Wicca-esque brand of magic belief in contrast to Luci's unusual "Glamour".
 Luda / int_aec6516c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_aec6516c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_aec6516c
 Luda / int_b11f19bf
type
Soulless Shell
 Luda / int_b11f19bf
comment
Soulless Shell: "Philosophical zombies" (the term for this kind of person) are a crucial part of the plot through Charles Marvell's twisted philosophy that the post-WWII population growth caused entire generations to be born without a soul.
 Luda / int_b11f19bf
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_b11f19bf
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_b11f19bf
 Luda / int_c75df49a
type
Shout-Out
 Luda / int_c75df49a
comment
Shout-Out: The Marvell Family is a twisted homage to both the Marvel Family, the Marvel Company and Captain Marvell.
 Luda / int_c75df49a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_c75df49a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_c75df49a
 Luda / int_c7f294da
type
Large and in Charge
 Luda / int_c7f294da
comment
Large and in Charge: The director of the "Phantom of the Pantomime" is the very tall and very fat Dominick Float, occasionally nicknamed "Herr Float" for his dictatorial approach to theater.
 Luda / int_c7f294da
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_c7f294da
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_c7f294da
 Luda / int_c9d9a85f
type
Hot Witch
 Luda / int_c9d9a85f
comment
Hot Witch: Luci and Luda are quite attractive and quite adept at Glamour magic.
 Luda / int_c9d9a85f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_c9d9a85f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_c9d9a85f
 Luda / int_cb70651c
type
Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane
 Luda / int_cb70651c
comment
Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: Luci herself is ambivalent about the validity of her magic system, but thinks that believing it to be real is all that matters.
 Luda / int_cb70651c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_cb70651c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_cb70651c
 Luda / int_d4c64fb7
type
Blue-Collar Warlock
 Luda / int_d4c64fb7
comment
Blue-Collar Warlock: Luci when we first meet her is a blue-collar working drag queen and sorceress.
 Luda / int_d4c64fb7
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_d4c64fb7
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_d4c64fb7
 Luda / int_d884fa1f
type
Magic Is Feminine
 Luda / int_d884fa1f
comment
Magic Is Feminine: Glamour is associated with femme figures, but the story goes a step further and posits magic being associated with transcending gender identifications (hence both main mages being drag queens).
 Luda / int_d884fa1f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_d884fa1f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_d884fa1f
 Luda / int_dd91f8d8
type
Audience Participation
 Luda / int_dd91f8d8
comment
Audience Participation: "The Phantom of the Pantomime" play is very reliant in audience participation in the story, and Luci frequently discusses the thin line separating fiction and reality. In the final chapter she seems to particularly turn her attention towards us, the readership, and our participation in the narrative.
 Luda / int_dd91f8d8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_dd91f8d8
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_dd91f8d8
 Luda / int_e0c470a1
type
The Fourth Wall Will Not Protect You
 Luda / int_e0c470a1
comment
The Fourth Wall Will Not Protect You: The reccurring notions of blurring lines between a work of art and its audience and the narrative refrain of "She's behind you!" lean the way of a terror that can lurk in both sides of the fourth wall. The final chapter even ends with Luci warning the reader: She's behind you!.
 Luda / int_e0c470a1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_e0c470a1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_e0c470a1
 Luda / int_e205b147
type
Merlin and Nimue
 Luda / int_e205b147
comment
Merlin and Nimue: The story is openly framed as a retelling of Merlin and Nimue: the wise but greedy master (Merlin/Luci) and the charismatic but scheming apprentice (Nimue/Luda).
 Luda / int_e205b147
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_e205b147
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_e205b147
 Luda / int_e89ea07
type
Celebrity Power
 Luda / int_e89ea07
comment
Celebrity Power: Luci is a fading rockstar and reality tv celebrity who also practices magic. Random passerbys often recognize her throughout the novel.
 Luda / int_e89ea07
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_e89ea07
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_e89ea07
 Luda / int_ed68bcc9
type
Dwindling Party
 Luda / int_ed68bcc9
comment
Dwindling Party: In the plot of "The Phantom of the Pantomime" the cast of Aladdin gets whittled down by the titular Phantom. The same starts to happen with the actors in the play after Luda shows up.
 Luda / int_ed68bcc9
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_ed68bcc9
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_ed68bcc9
 Luda / int_f516f938
type
Never Found the Body
 Luda / int_f516f938
comment
Never Found the Body: Neither Luda's nor Luci's corpses are found going by the final chapter, leaving several possibilities in the air.
 Luda / int_f516f938
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_f516f938
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_f516f938
 Luda / int_fed93e1b
type
Dark and Troubled Past
 Luda / int_fed93e1b
comment
Dark and Troubled Past: Luda has a very dark, grim backstory. Untangling what exactly it is consists most of the book.
 Luda / int_fed93e1b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_fed93e1b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_fed93e1b
 Luda / int_ffb70786
type
Abominable Auditorium
 Luda / int_ffb70786
comment
Abominable Auditorium: The Vallhambra Theater is the focus of much of the narrative, a strange, dark, possibly haunted place full of grisly stories and the setting of at least one mysterious fire.
 Luda / int_ffb70786
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_ffb70786
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_ffb70786
 Luda / int_name
type
ItemName
 Luda / int_name
comment
 Luda / int_name
featureApplicability
1.0
 Luda / int_name
featureConfidence
1.0
 Luda
hasFeature
Luda / int_name
 Luda / int_name
itemName
Luda

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

 Luda
hasFeature
Literature of the 2020s / int_1362e353
 Luda
hasFeature
Urban Fantasy / int_1362e353