Homestar Runner: Difference between revisions

{{italic title}}

{{Infobox flash series

| animator = Mike Chapman<br />Matt Chapman

| voice-actor = Matt Chapman<br />Missy Palmer<br />Mike Chapman

| final update = December 24, 2016

| status = Current; currently being updated semi-regularly.

[[File:HomestarOriginalBook.jpg|thumb|250px|right|The cover of ''The Homestar Runner Enters the Strongest Man in the World Contest''.]]

 

''Homestar Runner'' was created in [[Atlanta]] in 1996 by [[University of Georgia]]<ref name="bostonglobe">{{Cite news |last=Aucoin |first=Dan |title=Lookin' At A Thing In A Bag |work=The Boston Globe |pages=C1 |publisher=The Boston Globe |date=9 August 2003 |url= |accessdate=2006-12-25}}</ref><ref name="penguinbros">{{Cite web |last=Strick |first=Jacob |authorlink= |author2=Samuel Strick |title=Homestar Runner Interview |work= |publisher=Penguin Brothers |date=26 May 2003 |url=http://www.penguinbros.com/interviews/homestarrunner.html |doi= |accessdate=2006-12-25}}</ref><ref name="tlchicken">{{Cite web |last=Chinsang |first=Wayne |title=Homestar Runner's The Brothers Chaps |work=Tastes Like Chicken |publisher=Tastes Like Chicken |date=June 2003 |url=http://www.tlchicken.com/view_story.php?ARTid=1374 |format= |doi= |accessdate=2006-12-25}}</ref> student Mike Chapman and friend [[Craig Zobel]], who wrote the original picture book, ''The Homestar Runner Enters the Strongest Man in the World Contest'' while working summer jobs surrounding the [[1996 Summer Olympics]].<ref name="Wired" /><ref name="original book">{{Cite web|url=http://www.homestarrunner.com/book1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010628163835/http://www.homestarrunner.com/book1.html |dead-url=yes |archive-date=2001-06-28 |title=The Homestar Runner Enters the Strongest Man in the World Contest |accessdate=2006-12-19 |author=Chapman, Mike |authorlink=The Brothers Chaps |author2=Zobel, Craig |work=homestarrunner.com |year=1996 }}</ref>

 

The brothers considered the period between 2002–2005 to be their most creative and successful, exploring various different media for the shorts, and having a large quantity of merchandise. Matt considered a day in February 2004 to be the highlight of the series, having received a demo tape from [[They Might Be Giants]] for a song to use in a Strong Bad Email short, and a life-size replica of [[Tom Servo]] from ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'' producer [[Jim Mallon]] on the same day.<ref name="io9 oral" /> They also reflected on how Homestar Runner had been a common point of reference over which newly formed couples bonded, and how [[Joss Whedon]] incorporated references to Homestar Runner into his television shows ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' and ''[[Angel (1999 TV series)|Angel]]'' as further signs of success.<ref name="io9 oral" />

 

[[File:W00tstock 5.0 18 July 2013 SB and H star R.png|400px|thumb|right|[[List of Homestar Runner characters#Homestar Runner|Homestar Runner]] and [[Strong Bad]] at [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0m-k6qZMx8 '''''W00tstock 5.0'''''.] on July 18, 2013.]]

Through 2010, Homestar Runner remained financially viable for the brothers through sales of related merchandise. Both brothers were married by 2010 and had their children to care for, and they recognized that they would need to find other jobs to support their respective families.<ref name="io9 oral" /> When Matt had a second daughter, the two agreed to put the series on hiatus, knowing they would want to come back to it but could not guarantee a time frame. Mike also noted that they had spent nearly ten years delivering a weekly cartoon, and believed that, creatively, they needed a break.<ref name="io9 oral" /> The success of Homestar Runner led to Matt and Mike getting writing jobs for television animated series ''[[Yo Gabba Gabba]]!'', ''[[Gravity Falls]]'', ''[[The Aquabats Super Show]]'', and ''[[Wander Over Yonder]]''.<ref name="io9 oral" />

During this hiatus, the brothers released a small number of Homestar Runner cartoons, including ones for 2010's [[April Fools' Day]] and Decemberween holidays. They also made a special video featuring Homestar and Strong Bad for the 2013 [[San Diego Comic-Con International|San Diego Comic-Con]] to introduce a panel regarding the history of W00tstock.

 

Matt, after completing work on ''Gravity Falls'', moved back to Atlanta in 2014 where Mike was currently living, and the two agreed that they now had the opportunity to return to Homestar Runner on a semi-regular basis. Their first short in nearly four years, posted on April 1, 2014, poked fun at how they had not updated the site in years.<ref name="io9 oral" /> Matt confirmed their commitment to continue the series in July 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://jeffrubinjeffrubinshow.com/episode/123-homestar-runners-matt-chapman/ |title=Homestar Runner's Matt Chapman |publisher=The Jeff Rubin Jeff Rubin Show |accessdate=7 July 2014}}</ref> Since then, the site has featured occasional updates, usually for holidays, as the brothers are presently involved in developing the [[Disney XD]] animated show ''[[Two More Eggs]]''.<ref name="io9 oral" />

 

 

==Cartoons==

[[File:Homestar Runner Homepage.PNG|thumb|250px|Current Homestar Runner homepage used as of 2017.]]''Homestar Runner'' features several spin-off series from the main "shorts" and "big toons", including the most well known, Strong Bad Email.

 

Strong Bad Emails (also known as "sbemails") are arguably the most popular and prolific series, featuring Strong Bad answering emails from fans. Since starting in August 2001, the initially brief episodes have grown in length and scope, introducing numerous spin-offs, characters, and inside jokes, such as Homsar, Trogdor, Senor Cardgage, [[#20X6|20X6]], the [[#Teen Girl Squad|Teen Girl Squad]] shorts, and Homestar Runner Emails (also known as "hremails"). The format, however, has remained largely unchanged. Each episode typically begins with Strong Bad singing a short song to himself while booting up his computer to check fan emails. Starting a reply, he typically mocks the sender's name, spelling, and grammar, and rarely answers questions directly. While early episodes focused mostly on Strong Bad sitting at the computer with occasional cutaways, over time, the cutaways would become more elaborate, allowing for more complex story lines to develop, growing tangentially from the initial email. Each episode closes with Strong Bad finishing his reply, closing the episode with a link to email Strong Bad appearing via "The Paper", a [[dot matrix printing|dot matrix printer]] at the top of the screen. In later episodes, it is replaced with the "New Paper", an [[inkjet printing|inkjet printer]], then with the "Compé-per", a [[Balloon help|pop-up balloon]], and finally with a [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] version of the original Paper, which instead promotes Strong Bad's [[Twitter]] account. Episodes will often feature extra jokes and sequences as [[Easter egg (media)|Easter eggs]], accessible only by clicking certain objects on the screen during the cartoon.

 

As of August 14, 2017, 207 Strong Bad Emails have been released on the website (with another six exclusive to DVD releases), separable into distinct eras by Strong Bad's different computers; the Tandy 400, the Compy 386, the Lappy 486, the Compé, and his current computer, the Lappier.

 

Prior to the 2010 hiatus, holiday specials were a regular feature of the site, released to coincide with popular holidays, specifically [[Halloween]] and Decemberween (a fictional holiday similar to [[Christmas]] also celebrated on December 25). Halloween shorts typically feature the main characters celebrating a traditional aspect of the holiday (such as [[Ghost story|ghost stories]], [[trick-or-treat]]ing or [[jack-o'-lantern|pumpkin carving]]) in costume, often making obscure pop culture references. Similarly, Decemberween cartoons typically satirise Christmas traditions such as gift-giving and carol-singing. The fact that it takes place on the same day as Christmas has been presented as just a coincidence, having been stated that Decemberween takes place "55 days after Halloween". [[April Fools' Day]] features various gags, such as turning the site into a paid subscription service, or turning it upside down.

 

Other holidays celebrated include [[New Year's Day]], "The Big Game" (around the time of the [[Super Bowl]]), [[St. Valentine's Day]], [[Mother's Day (United States)|Mother's Day]], "Senorial Day" (a parody of [[Memorial Day]] featuring the character Senor Cardgage), [[Flag Day]], [[Independence Day (United States)|Independence Day]], [[Labor Day (United States)|Labor Day]] (occasionally referred to as "Labor Dabor"), [[Thanksgiving]] and occasionally [[Easter]].

 

Teen Girl Squad is a crudely drawn [[comic strip]] narrated by Strong Bad, using a [[falsetto]] voice. The series was a spin off of Strong Bad Email #53, ''comic'', in which Strong Bad is asked to make a comic strip of a girl and her friends.<ref name="comic">{{Cite web |year=2002 |title=Strong Bad Email 53 |work=homestarrunner.com |url=http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail53.html |accessdate=2006-12-19}}</ref> The comic features four archetypal teenage girls, "Cheerleader", "So and So", "What's Her Face" and "The Ugly One", and satirizes high school life, teen movies, and television. Each episode follows the girls in typical high school situations, often leading to their gruesome deaths. A spinoff of this series is "4 Gregs", which follows four of the squad's nerdy classmates, all named Greg.

 

Marzipan's Answering Machine is a series of cartoons with almost no animation. It features messages from the other characters, being played on the answering machine belonging to the character Marzipan. In early episodes, the episode number ended in .0 (for example, Marzipan's Answering Machine Version 5.0), but since Marzipan changed to a new answering machine, the number ends in .2 (for example, Marzipan's Answering Machine Version 15.2). In every episode, Strong Bad [[prank call]]s Marzipan, badly pretending to be someone else, such as "Detective Everybody", "Safety Dan", and sometimes other characters. Although the animation is usually just a picture of the answering machine, sometimes there are short animated segments featuring the characters. As of April 1, 2016, there are 17 Marzipan's Answering Machines.

 

These are live action shorts in which the regular characters are depicted by puppets. These may be [[skits]], or musical performances with [[They Might Be Giants]]. Many Puppet Stuff videos feature the characters interacting with children, often related to [[The Brothers Chaps]]. One spin-off series, "Biz Cas Fri", depicts Homestar and Strong Bad's interactions from his office cubicle at work. The first Biz Cas Fri video arguably first coined the term ''[[Doge (meme)|Doge]]''.

 

Over time, many alternate versions of the Homestar Runner world and characters would appear, parodying other cartoons and animation styles. Many of these feature in their own cartoons. The many alternate universes would later cross over in some cartoons, such as the 150th Strong Bad Email, ''alternate universe''.

 

Old-Timey cartoons take place in an [[old time|old-time]] setting, with most of the characters being Old-Timey counterparts of the ''Homestar Runner'' characters. These cartoons are in black and white with a film grain effect and scratchy audio quality. They parody the distinctive style of [[animated cartoon]]s during the 1920s and 1930s (à la [[Steamboat Willie]]), and can be seen as perhaps deliberately unfunny, to make a slanted joke about such old-style cartoons. The versions of the characters are, for the most part, similar to their standard counterparts. The names are mostly slightly changed (for instance, Homestar Runner becomes The Homestar Runner, and The Cheat becomes The Sneak) but some are completely different; for example, Pom Pom's equivalent is called Fat Dudley and Strong Sad's equivalent is called Sickly Sam.

 

''Stinkoman 20X6'' (abbreviated to ''20X6''; pronounced "twenty exty-six"), a parody of the Mega Man and [[EarthBound]] games' "year 200X", originated from Strong Bad Email #57, ''japanese cartoon'', an email asking Strong Bad what he would look like if he were in a Japanese [[anime]]. The main character, Stinkoman, is an anime version of Strong Bad with [[blue hair]], a shiny body and robot boots. He is always looking for a fight, asking various characters he interacts with to engage him in a "challenge" ("Are you asking for a challenge?"). The characters in ''20X6'' cartoons each have a counterpart in the ''Homestar Runner'' universe, and their features are a parody of anime and [[Japan]]ese [[video game]] stereotypes. The game of the same name was heavily based on the [[Mega Man (video game)|Mega Man]] series, particularly the first 6 levels. Stinkoman's name comes from a conversation Homestar Runner and Strong Bad had while marooned on a desert island. Strong Bad created Stinkoman by applying several anime stereotypes (head shaped like a little bean, big shiny eyes, shiny body, mouth that is tiny when closed and huge when opened, blue hair, and robot boots) to his own appearance.

 

''Cheat Commandos'' is a parody of ''[[G.I. Joe]]'' that features a cast of characters that are the same species as The Cheat.<ref name="io9 oral" /> Most are based on G.I. Joe characters. For example, the character Crackotage is based on [[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]], but with a voice more like [[Scatman Crothers]], while Reinforcements' generic name and appearance is reminiscent of common grunt soldiers. The enemy of the Commandos is Blue Laser, a direct parody of [[Cobra Command|Cobra]], who have their equivalent of [[Cobra Commander]], known as Blue Laser Commander. The cartoon is constantly advertising its products in the cartoons by such methods as referring to the areas they are in as "playsets", a convoy truck as an "action figure storage vehicle", and by ending each cartoon with the phrase "Buy all our playsets and toys!", sung in a patriotic way. It also parodies the G.I. Joe cartoons' use of [[public service announcements]], referring to nonsensical things like "peer-2-teen choice behaviors." Other cartoons feature the character Crack Stuntman, the fictional voice actor for the Cheat Commandos character Gunhaver. While ''G.I. Joe'' was heavily advertised during unrelated contemporary shows, Matt and Mike purposely avoiding placing similar ad parodies in other shorts, as part of the joke around the commercialization and marketing aspects of ''Cheat Commandos''.<ref name="io9 oral" />

 

==Other media==

 

The Homestar Runner site frequently features songs and videos within their animated shorts or as stand-alone entities. These are primarily sung and performed either by the characters or by fictitious artists serving as parodies of various genres. Real-life musicians [[They Might Be Giants]] have also appeared occasionally, performing with a Homestar puppet, or with the characters in the video to their song [[Experimental Film (song)|Experimental Film]].

 

In Strong Bad Email #58, ''dragon'', Strong Bad is asked to draw a dragon, creating "TROGDOR, THE BURNiNATOR," and performing his heavy metal theme song. Trogdor's popularity saw the character appear on merchandise such as T-shirts, hoodies, and posters, with an extended version of the song appearing on the CD ''Strong Bad Sings.''

 

 

Beyond cartoons, ''Homestar Runner'' offers a variety of online games. Early games such as the Homestar [[Soundboard (Flash)|Soundboard]], "Homestar Talker",<ref>{{Cite web|title=Homestar Talker |work=homestarrunner.com |url=http://www.homestarrunner.com/talky2.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010124043000/http://www.homestarrunner.com/talky2.html |dead-url=yes |archive-date=2001-01-24 |accessdate=2006-05-28 }}</ref> and [[Lite-Brite]] emulator "Astro-Lite 2600"<ref>{{Cite web|title=Astro-Lite 2600 |work=homestarrunner.com |url=http://www.homestarrunner.com/litebrite.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030805010718/http://www.homestarrunner.com/litebrite.html |dead-url=yes |archive-date=2003-08-05 |accessdate=2008-04-30 }}</ref> are basic web toys featuring the characters, and can now be found on the "Old Games" section of the site. Over time, more recent games have diversified and become more complex, with many being released as products of "Videlectrix", a game company within the world of Homestar Runner and a side project of The Brothers Chaps, spoofing games of the 1980s. Often the games would originate as video games played by the characters in the cartoon, such as ''Secret Collect'', ''StrongBadZone'', and ''Strong Bad's RhinoFeeder'', all parodies of early [[Atari]] and arcade games, originating in the Strong Bad Email ''video games''.

 

In 2007, the website produced [[Wii]] versions of some of the games on the site, for the Wii internet browser. When played on the computer, they use the mouse only.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Viidelectrix |format= |work=videlectrix.com |url=http://www.videlectrix.com/vii |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070206213156/http://www.videlectrix.com/vii/ |dead-url=yes |archive-date=2007-02-06 |accessdate=2008-06-29 }}</ref>

 

{{Main|Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People}}

On April 10, 2008, a new episodic game called ''[[Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People]]'' (abbreviated as ''SBCG4AP'') was announced for the [[Wii]]'s [[WiiWare]] service and Microsoft Windows, developed by [[Telltale Games]] in partnership with Videlectrix.<ref>[http://www.telltalegames.com/company/pressreleases/id-65 Announcing Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People for WiiWare] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080413214148/http://www.telltalegames.com/company/pressreleases/id-65 |date=2008-04-13 }}</ref> The first episode, [[Homestar Ruiner]], premiered on August 11, 2008 worldwide for Windows on Telltale Game's website and in North America on Nintendo's WiiWare service on August 11, 2008. It was also released in Europe and Australia the following Friday (August 15, 2008). The second episode, Strong Badia the Free, was released on September 15 on the WiiWare service in North America and on the Telltale Games' website, and in the PAL region on October 3. The third episode, Baddest of the Bands, was released on Telltale Games' website and the WiiWare service in North America on October 27, and to the PAL region on November 21. The fourth episode, Dangeresque 3: The Criminal Projective, was released on Telltale Games' website and WiiWare in North America on November 17, and in the PAL region on December 5. The fifth and final episode, 8-Bit is Enough, was released to North America on December 15 and in the PAL region on January 2, 2009. In 2010, it was decided that Telltale games would release SBCG4AP for the Mac operating system due to a vote on the Telltale Games website.

 

{{Main|Poker Night at the Inventory}}

Strong Bad appears as one of the computer-controlled opponents in Telltale's ''Poker Night at the Inventory'', using the same model from SBCG4AP. Players can unlock in-game card sets and table designs based on Homestar Runner. Additionally, Strong Bad will occasionally bet Dangeresque Too's sunglasses in place of in-game cash; defeating him after doing so will unlock the glasses as an equippable cosmetic item for the Demoman in ''[[Team Fortress 2]]''. The game was released for PC and Mac on November 22, 2010.

== Impact ==

 

[[File:Puppet Jam 6.JPG|right|250px|thumb|Puppet Homestar singing ''Apple Juice Blues'' with [[They Might Be Giants]]]]

The Brothers Chaps have partnered up with rock band [[They Might Be Giants]] and supplied animation for a [[music video]] of their song "[[Experimental Film (song)|Experimental Film]]".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.homestarrunner.com/expfilm.html |title=Experimental Film |publisher=''homestarrunner.com'' |author1=Chapman, Matt |author2=Chapman, Mike |accessdate=2007-01-03 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070101044204/http://www.homestarrunner.com/expfilm.html |archivedate=2007-01-01 |df= }}</ref> The creators of ''Homestar Runner'' spent time with the band and wrote songs that have been released on the website as "Puppet Jam", a spin-off of "Puppet Stuff", where Puppet Homestar sings with TMBG.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.homestarrunner.com/puppetjam1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051029025603/http://www.homestarrunner.com/puppetjam1.html |dead-url=yes |archive-date=October 29, 2005 |publisher=''homestarrunner.com'' |title=Puppet Jam: Bad Jokes |author1=Chapman, Matt |author2=Chapman, Mike |accessdate=January 3, 2007 }}</ref> TMBG also wrote the music for Strong Bad Email #99, ''different town'', and the band wrote and vocalized the intro song of the 200th Strong Bad Email.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://theymightbegiants.com/news.htm |publisher=TMBG |title=TMBG-News |accessdate=January 3, 2007 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070103173331/http://www.theymightbegiants.com/news.htm |archivedate=January 3, 2007 |df= }}</ref> Another group, The Skate Party, helped The Brothers Chaps create "The Cheat Theme Song".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.homestarrunner.com/cheatvideo.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020306000146/http://homestarrunner.com/cheatvideo.html |dead-url=yes |archive-date=2002-03-06 |title=The Cheat Theme Song |publisher=''homestarrunner.com'' |author1=The Skate Party |author2=Chapman, Matt |author3=Chapman, Mike |accessdate=2007-02-02 }}</ref> The band [[Y-O-U]] helped with the [[Strong Bad Sings]] and Other Type Hits CD, as well as songs on the [[#Strong Bad Email|strongbad_email.exe]]<!-- INTENTIONAL UNDERSCORE! Please don't change that. --> DVDs. The Brothers Chaps also employed the services of the a cappella band [[DaVinci's Notebook]] to create a theme song for the Old-Timey version of The Cheat, called "Ballad of The Sneak".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.homestarrunner.com/sneakvideo.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030626013827/http://www.homestarrunner.com/sneakvideo.html |dead-url=yes |archive-date=June 26, 2003 |publisher=''homestarrunner.com'' |title=Ballad of the Sneak |accessdate=March 20, 2007 }}</ref> Matt Chapman provided guest vocals as Strong Bad on [[The Aquabats]]' "Pink Pants!" from their 2011 album, ''[[Hi-Five Soup!]]''. Strong Bad's voice also appears on [[Shellac (band)|Shellac]]'s "Genuine Lulabelle" off the album "[[Excellent Italian Greyhound]]" from 2007.

Discussing how he and his sibling decide which projects to work on, Mike Chapman said, "We learned how to politely say no to things that were going to affect our lives negatively. If it’s going to be fun, if we’re going to enjoy doing it, and if the end project is going to be something we want to have happen, we say yes."<ref name="Mike Chapman quote">{{Cite book |last=Kirsner |first=Scott |title=Fans, Friends & Followers: Building an Audience and a Creative Career in the Digital Age |url=http://www.scottkirsner.com/fff |year=2009 |publisher=CinemaTech Books |location=Boston, MA |isbn=1-4421-0074-5 |page=44}}</ref>

 

In 2003, the site received several million hits a month, and almost a thousand emails a day.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Mandy |last=Jenkins |pages= |title=Cult is chasing wacky Web toon |date=August 1, 2003 |publisher=Cincinnati Enquirer |url=http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2003/08/01/tem_homestar01.html}}</ref> According to Matt Chapman, the site did no advertising, but grew on word of mouth and endorsements. "Certain bands, like fairly popular bands and stuff would link us on their site and, you know we were [[Adobe Shockwave|Shockwave]] site of the day a couple of times over the years."<ref name="Wired" /> ''Homestar Runner''{{'s}} popularity, coupled with its positive critical response, has led to the website receiving widespread coverage. ''Homestar Runner'' has been featured in ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]'', ''[[National Review]]'', ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'', ''Total Gamer'', [[G4 (U.S. TV channel)|G4]], and [[National Public Radio|NPR]]'s ''[[All Things Considered]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Strong Bad Walks in Footsteps of Darth, Lex, J.R. |date=2004-05-08 |publisher=[[NPR]] |url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4634837 |work=[[All Things Considered]] |accessdate=2007-11-09}}</ref>

 

The site-generated music has enjoyed surprising popularity, such that two songs, "Trogdor" by the character [[Strong Bad]] and "Because, It's Midnite" by Limozeen, have been included in the successful ''[[Guitar Hero II]]'' and ''[[Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s]]'' video games, respectively. Their inclusion in the games is reportedly because [[Harmonix]] founder [[Alex Rigopulos]] is a professed fan of ''Homestar Runner''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Georgia Tech – 26 April 2007 |url=http://www.hrwiki.org/index.php/Georgia_Tech_-_26_Apr_2007 |work=Homestar Runner Wiki |date=26 April 2007 |accessdate=16 July 2009}}</ref>

 

{{Reflist|30em}}

 

[[Category:American web series]]

[[Category:Fictional characters introduced in 1996]]