Strong Bad Email
From Homestar Runner Wiki
Strong Bad Email, frequently shortened to sbemail, is a feature in which Strong Bad answers an email sent by a real-world fan. Arguably the most recognizable feature of the site, it is occasionally joked that its success has led to Strong Bad becoming more popular than the site's title character.
A typical email opens with Strong Bad humorously mocking the spelling and grammar of the sender, then transitioning to an anecdote or scheme related to a question asked by the email, concluding with Strong Bad returning to his computer to finalize the email response. Strong Bad Emails include numerous Easter eggs and other hidden material, often found at the ending screen; many feature satirical views of aspects of popular culture such as Japanese cartoons, video games, and TV show theme songs. Originally introduced in 2001 as a small feature with brief animations, the responses gradually expanded in scope to establish numerous inside jokes, running gags, and catch phrases. Full-fledged Strong Bad Email spin-offs include Trogdor, Teen Girl Squad, 20X6, Strong Badia, Hremails, the secondary character Senor Cardgage, and even main character Homsar.
Strong Bad Email had historically been the most frequently updated feature of homestarrunner.com, with a new email being added to the menu most Mondays from 2002 through 2008. The pace of releases slowed after the 200th email in September 2008. Creative duo The Brothers Chaps took a self-imposed break at the bicentennial, returning to sbemail production in late 2009. At the end of that year, Homestar Runner entered into an extended hiatus through 2014; nowadays, as Homestar Runner is updated irregularly, multi-year gaps are now common between sbemails and a new one is typically prompted by a special event or circumstance. The social media account @StrongBadActual has since become the main format for the character to respond to and otherwise interact with fans.
Contents |
[edit] Strong Bad Emails
[edit] Lappier Era
(April 2015 – present)
209 - parenting
208 - the next april fools thing
207 - too cool
206 - sbemail 206
[edit] Compé Era
(August 2009 – October 2009)
205. videography
204. dictionary
203. independent
[edit] Corpy NT6 Transition
(July 2009)
Corpy Remote Work Email - NO PERSONAL EMAILS!
202. imaginary
[edit] Lappy 486 Era
(November 2004 – June 2009)
subject: sb_email menu
[edit] Compy 386 Era
(September 2002 – November 2004)
Volume in drive C: has no label
Directory of C:\sbemail\updated somedays
[edit] Tandy 400 Era
(August 2001 – September 2002)
FILENAME - updated mondays
40. vacation
39. property of ones
38. helium
37. dullard
36. guitar
35. sisters
34. weird dream
33. gimmicks
32. flag day
31. sugarbob
30. 12:00
29. superhero name
28. 1 step ahead
27. 3 wishes
26. CGNU
25. super powers
24. the bird
23. little animal
22. sb_email 22
21. cartoon
20. spring cleaning
19. tape-leg
18. stand-up
17. studying
16. band names
15. the basics
14. duck pond
13. i she be
12. credit card
11. i rule
10. trevor the vampire
9. i love you
8. brianrietta
7. halloweener
6. depressio
5. making out
4. homestar hair
3. butt IQ
2. homsar
1. some kinda robot
[edit] Releases
[edit] DVD
Emails 1–200 were released on the strongbad_email.exe 6-disc DVD series. Multiple DVD-exclusive emails were also featured in this set.
- The first 100 emails were collected in a three-disc box set.
- Disc 1 contains emails 1-50 (some kinda robot through 50 emails), plus three bonus emails: Greeting Cards, E-mail Birds and Videro Games.
- Disc 2 contains emails 51-80 (website through stunt double).
- Disc 3 contains emails 81-100 (date through flashback).
- Disc 4 contains emails 101-130 (car through do over), plus the bonus email Family Resemblence, and the Puppet Stuff email Real-Live E-Mails.
- Disc 5 contains emails 131-160 (boring (really) through coloring), plus the bonus email Accent.
- Disc 6 contains emails 161-200 (4 branches through email thunder), plus the bonus email Comic Book Movie.
- The Sbemails' 50 Greatest Hits DVD contains 55 fan-favorite emails.
[edit] Podstar Runner
The Podstar Runner feed distributed various Strong Bad Emails in .m4v format, designed for viewing on an iPod, from 2006 through 2008. This feed additionally featured toons and Teen Girl Squad issues alongside Strong Bad Emails.
These are all of the emails that were featured through this service (in order of Podstar Runner release, earliest to latest):
[edit] YouTube
The homestarrunnerdotcom YouTube channel was registered on October 1, 2007. When it first began uploading Strong Bad Emails on March 31, 2009, they were direct rips of the DVD versions (featuring title cards with the email names in Title Case and ending with The Paper reading ">> The End <<"), with independent being uploaded in a previously unreleased DVD-style version with altered scenes. Starting in 2017, 1080p versions of the emails have been uploaded, with email titles in all lowercase and the paper reading "> THE END <", often incorporating the Easter eggs from the original website versions.
These are all of the emails that have been uploaded (in order of YouTube release, earliest to latest):
[edit] Not Quite Strong Bad Emails
The following were originally associated in one way or another with the Strong Bad Emails. They are numbered fractionally to indicate when they were released chronologically relative to the above list.
- 208½B. @StrongBadActual tweet (3 Apr 2019) — Strong Bad replies to one of the Discount Strong Bad Emails generated by Janelle Shane's neural network.†
- 208½A. @StrongBadActual tweet (22 Aug 2018) — Strong Bad checks an email on the Tandy 400 using Mario Paint, with a subject similar to the basics.†
- 206½B. The House That Gave Sucky Tricks — The page title is "St. Cadaverstump's Home for Wayward Sbemails", suggesting that at one point this was originally going to be a sbemail.
- 206½A. Dad's Garage & Friends - 13 Jun 2015 — Strong Bad and Homestar Runner showcase the worst parts of improv.†
- 205½D. Dad's Garage & Friends - 11 Jul 2014 — A Strong Bad Email played at Dad's Garage.†
- 205½C. April Fool 2014 — Strong Bad updates the website's "best feature".
- 205½B. Sbemail 136 Alternate Versions — Original drafts of Sbemail 136.†
- 205½A. Doomy Tales of the Macabre — Strong Sad mentions how Strong Bad checks emails on the Compé.
- 202½. Compy Catalog — Strong Bad buys a new computer for checking emails.
- 200½E. April Fool 09 — Strong Bad "sbemailiarizes" the Intro to homestarrunner.com.
- 200½D. Sbemailiarized! — Strong Bad explains how old toons can be recycled into Strong Bad Emails.
- 200½C. 8-Bit is Enough — Strong Bad can check emails during the game.†
- 200½B. Dangeresque 3: The Criminal Projective — The game starts with Strong Bad sending an email about Dangeresque 3 to his fans. Additionally, Strong Bad can check emails during the game.†
- 200½A. Baddest of the Bands — Strong Bad can check emails during the game.†
- 199½C. Sbemail 200 Fakeout — Secret URL address for anyone who wanted a peek at Email 200 before it was released.*
- 199½B. Place Ya Bets! — Its HTML file is "sbemail199andahalf". In it, The Deleteheads try to predict what will be in Strong Bad Email #200.
- 199½A. Strong Badia the Free — The game starts with an email from Roy T. about the King of Town. Additionally, Strong Bad can check emails during the game.†
- 198½. Homestar Ruiner — The whole game is an attempt to answer Ennie M.'s email requesting that Strong Bad beat the snot out of Homestar Runner. Additionally, Strong Bad can check emails during the game.†
- 193½B. The Homestar Runner Gets Something Stuck In His Craw — The reading of the story takes place after what appears to be a Strong Bad Email.
- 193½A. SBCG4AP Advertisement — This email is an advertisement for a game that was in the making and never actually appeared on the Strong Bad Email page.
- 191½. Rotten Eggs — A message made by the splattered rotten Easter egg reads, "Sbemail Next Week."
- 171½. DNA Evidence — The toon is about a running gag from six consecutive Strong Bad Emails.
- 170½. Sbemail 169 Deleted Scene — A deleted scene from sbemail 169.
- 158½. Lappynapped! — Messages on Strong Bad's answering machine, as the Lappy is missing.*
- 152½. Weclome Back — Strong Bad tries to show an email he checked over summer vacation (in midair, no less), but hits "stop" instead of "record" on the video camera.
- 149½. Sbemail 150?!? — Strong Sad tries to get Strong Bad to do his 150th email.
- 136½. Sick Day — A failed attempt at an email due to sickness striking the entire cast.
- 127½. HomestarRunner.com: PAY PLUS! — "The Email Show" is one of the pay-per-view features.
- 118½. Broken Compy Menu — The page title is "Strong Bad Email?". It is a short toon that played on the email menu after the release of virus.*
- 99½B. Sbemail 100 Fakeout — Secret URL address for anyone who wanted a peek at Email 100 before it was released.*
- 99½A. Puppet Time — A message was taped onto Puppet Compy's screen that read "Probably at a barbecue, from SB".
- 84½. Teen Girl Squad Issue 4 — A message was taped onto the Compy on the Strong Bad Email menu that read "made a new teen girl squad".
- 68½B. Lookin at a Thing in a Bag — A message was taped onto the Compy in the email menu that read "Looking at a thing in a bag" when the cartoon was released.
- 68½A. King of Townmail — The King of Town tries to answer an email on his recently bought (but broken) Tandy 400.
- 66½. Arcade Game — Homestar Runner reads Strong Bad's note he left on the Compy 386.
- 59½. Superbowl Dealie — The Paper reads "Due to the big game, the Strong Bad Email will be late this week."
- 36½. TV Time Toons Menu — Placing the mouse over Strong Bad Email will bring up a short, soundless email from Stu. See Wireless Bizness.
*Not linked to from anywhere on the site.
†Neither released to nor hosted on homestarrunner.com.
[edit] Milestones
Whenever Strong Bad reaches a centenary milestone, or a significant portion thereof, the email will focus on or at least make note of the significant milestone. Thus far, five emails have commemorated a landmark number of emails.
- 50. 50 emails — Strong Bad attempts to check 50 emails in honor of his 50th email check. However, he only succeeds in answering three.
- 100. flashback — The email is done in "wiiidescreeeen". Marzipan, Homestar Runner, Senor Cardgage, Old Timey Strong Bad, and Limozeen congratulate him on his 100th email (although Homestar absent-mindedly wishes him a "happy 100th birthday" instead). The Compy presents Strong Bad with a congratulatory screen indicating that he has checked 100 emails, and Strong Bad celebrates by saying "email" 100 times.
- 125. rock opera — Strong Bad performs a rock opera featuring scenes and at least one word from all of Strong Bad's previous emails.
- 150. alternate universe — Strong Bad visits alternate universes featuring different versions of himself; they all form a supergroup to sing a ballad commemorating the "sesquicentennemail".
- 200. email thunder — The Poopsmith breaks his vow of silence to sing a grand fanfare (written by They Might Be Giants). The email also ends with a screen listing the first 200 emails.
Several milestone emails have been teased with an additional toon released the week prior in order to play off viewers' anticipation. The teaser toons so far have been Sbemail 100 Fakeout (teasing viewers hoping to view email 100 before it was released); Sbemail 150?!? (in which Strong Sad tries to convince Strong Bad to check email 150 and writes a proposed storyboard for it); Place Ya Bets! (in which the Deleteheads speculate on what will happen in email 200); and Sbemail 200 Fakeout (in which the Deleteheads camp out at the sbemail200.html URL).
[edit] Fun Facts
[edit] Trivia
- In 2001, prior to the introduction of Strong Bad Email, Mike Chapman stated in an interview that the site received five or ten emails a day. By January 2003, the daily number had climbed to "500 or more", peaked in mid-2003 with five to eight thousand daily emails, and by 2004 had leveled out to between two and five thousand a day.
- During the Tandy 400 era (until at least July 2002), emailing Strong Bad would result in this automated response:
Thanks for your freakin email. I hope it's not stupid.
Once I finish these swiss cake rolls I'll read it and if it's awesome enough,
I'll answer it on the site.
But if your email is terrible, then it gets R.E.D. alright.
The Cheat Reads it, Strong Mad Eats it, and I Deletes it.
Click Here to see us in action!
Check back every Monday to see if your email has what it takes.
Watch me while I'm awesome,
Strong Bad
- The link in the automated response leads to the Email Processing Room.
- At Flashforward 2006, The Brothers Chaps gave a list of five things not to email Strong Bad about. Additional insight about how emails are selected was given in a later radio interview.
- butt IQ and CGNU are the only onsite emails with capital letters in their titles. Prior to the post-Flash site update, 3 Wishes and what I want did as well.
- Prior to the post-Flash site update, some emails had different URLs instead of sbemail#.html.
- Occasionally, there is a lengthy gap between email updates. This is sometimes recognized at the start of the next email, as in army, geddup noise, redesign, hremail 3184, and sbemail 206.
- Email #22, sb_email 22, was actually made between emails 40 and 41. This number was originally skipped as the 23rd email followed the 21st, with the 22nd later made and released under the title "the lost email" right before Strong Bad replaced his computer with the Compy 386.
- Email #208, the next april fools thing, was originally hidden inside a holiday toon, and wasn't listed on the Strong Bad Email menu until the post-Flash site update on December 31, 2020.
- Although viewers were originally prompted to email Strong Bad at strongbad@homestarrunner.com, as of sbemail 206 the CGI Paper has directed viewers to "email" by tweeting @StrongBadActual.
[edit] Statistics
- See main article: Strong Bad Email Statistics
- Not including Not Quite Strong Bad Emails, Strong Bad has checked 238 emails as of parenting.
- As of parenting, it would take 10 hours, 7 minutes, and 19 seconds to watch every Strong Bad Email, including the DVD exclusives but excluding clickable Easter eggs. Including clickable Easter eggs, it would take 11 hours, 33 minutes, and 3 seconds.
- As of September 2022, Strong Bad Emails make up about 43% of the toons on the site by volume; as of May 2021, they make up about 26% of toons on the site by runtime.
[edit] Remarks
- Two emails have been checked by someone other than Strong Bad, but count as Strong Bad Emails anyway: mile was made up and animated by The Cheat, and anything was checked by Homestar Runner.
- Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People features emails both as a framing device and as interactive content in the games; however, these were not sent by actual fans.
[edit] External Links
[edit] See Also
| Most Recent Toons | ||||||||
| Big Toons
Homestar Runner Goes for the Gold
| Shorts
Zeenin' Into The Night
| Holidays
A Prickly Scary Short
| Puppet Stuff
Talk-It-Yourself Homestar Runner Puppet Plush
| Strong Bad Email
parenting
| Video Stuff
Disk 4 of 12 - Vampire's Castle
| Teen Girl Squad
Issue 15
| Marzipan's Answering Machine
Version 17.2
| YouTube
Dangeresque: The Roomisode Triungulate Launch Trailer
|
