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| - | [[Image:logo.png|thumb|200px|The "Homestar Runner" logo]] | + | [[Image:logo.png|right|200px|The Homestar Runner logo]] |
| - | '''Homestar Runner''' (abbreviated as '''H*R''', occasionally as '''HR''' or '''HSR''') is an animated comedy series produced by [[The Brothers Chaps]] ([[Mike Chapman|Mike]] and [[Matt Chapman]]), primarily taking the form of short [[Flash]] cartoons presented on [[homestarrunner.com]]. The series centers on the adventures of a large and diverse cast of [[characters]], headed by the titular [[Homestar Runner]]. It uses a blend of surreal and absurdist humor, incorporating [[inside jokes]], satire, and [[:Category:Entertainment running gags|references to popular culture]] {{--}} in particular [[:Category:Video game references|video games]], classic television, and [[Popular Music References|popular music]]. | + | '''Homestar Runner''' (often abbreviated as '''HR''', '''HSR''' or '''H*R''') is primarily a [[Flash]] cartoon available through [[homestarrunner.com]]. Although originally conceived as a mock [[Original Book|children's book]], the site is perhaps most popular with (and has been gravitating toward) teens and young adults. |
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| - | Homestar Runner originated in 1996 as [[Original Book|a short book parodying children's literature]] written by Mike Chapman and [[Craig Zobel]]. Whilst learning Macromedia Flash, Mike and his brother Matt expanded the concept into a website, which was launched on New Year's Day 2000. While the site originally centered on the title character, the [[Strong Bad Email]] series quickly became the site's most popular and prominent feature, with [[Strong Bad]], initially the series' main antagonist, becoming a breakout character. Over the decades, the site has grown to encompass a variety of cartoons and games featuring Homestar, Strong Bad, and numerous other characters. At the peak of its popularity, the site was one of the most-visited sites with collections of Flash cartoons on the web, spreading via word of mouth. The site sustains itself through [[Store|merchandise sales]] and has never featured advertisements.
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| - | Beginning in [[2002]], the site featured weekly updates of new toons, as well as interactive [[Games|games]] and other site features. After [[Hiatuses|a four-year hiatus]] beginning in [[2010]], Homestar Runner returned with [[April Fool 2014|a new Holiday Toon]] on April Fools' Day 2014; afterwards the site has been "updated every someday" on an occasional basis, usually to celebrate holidays. After global support for Flash ended on December 31, 2020, homestarrunner.com has [[Post-Flash Site Update|maintained a fully functional website]] through the Flash emulator [[Ruffle]].
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| - | ==History==
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| - | {{seealso|Timeline of Homestar Runner}}
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| - | [[Image:Making of 100 email.jpg|thumb|The Brothers Chaps making the [[flashback|100th Strong Bad Email]], as seen in the [[strongbad_email.exe|DVD]] feature "[[Making of Email 100]]".]]
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| - | ===Development===
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| - | The name "Homestar Runner" originated in the early 1990s. [[James Huggins]], mutual friend of The Brothers Chaps, was imitating a grocery store commercial that made reference to [[Atlanta Braves]] second-baseman [[Mark Lemke]]. Being unfamiliar with [[baseball]] terminology, Huggins ad-libbed that Lemke was "''Home Star Runner'' for the Braves!" In [[UMFM Interview - 20 May 2003|one retelling]] of the story, Matt remarked that the brothers considered the term Homestar Runner "the best thing we've ever heard!"
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| - | In 1996, {{w|University of Georgia}} students [[Mike Chapman]] and [[Craig Zobel]] visited a bookstore and remarked how "awful" the children's books they saw were; the duo decided to create their own children's book as a gag. They spent a day creating ''[[Original Book|The Homestar Runner Enters the Strongest Man in the World Contest]]''{{--}}which introduced Homestar Runner, [[Pom Pom]], Strong Bad, and [[The Cheat]]. About five to ten copies were made and shared with friends, as they had no intention to seriously publish it. Later that year, Mike, Matt, and Craig [[Super NES|created a short Homestar Runner animation]] in [[Mario Paint]] as a Christmas gift for older Chapman brother [[Donnie Chapman|Donnie]].
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| - | ===Launch===
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| - | Mike and Matt moved in together after finishing college, sharing an apartment in Atlanta. Interested in the creative potential of [[Flash]] animation, and desiring to work on a project together as they had in their childhood, the brothers returned to the Homestar Runner characters as they taught themselves the program. The website [[homestarrunner.com]] was launched in January of 2000, serving as the platform for cartoons and games featuring the characters. Mike and Matt share graphics, animation, and writing duties; Matt voices the majority of the characters (one exception is [[Marzipan]], voiced by Mike's wife [[Missy Palmer]]). The site initially focused on short cartoons centering around competitions between Homestar Runner as a heroic character and the villainous Strong Bad, such as [[Marshmallow's Last Stand|tag team wrestling]] or [[a jumping jack contest]]. Focus soon shifted to telling stories about events ''between'' competitions, allowing for more variety.
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| - | The site grew slowly at first and primarily through word-of-mouth. The [[Strong Bad Email]] series, introduced in 2001, proved very popular and generated significant interest in the site. Merchandise sales paid for all of the costs of running the website as well as living costs of the creators, whose [[Don and Harriet Chapman|retired parents]] managed many of the business aspects. Their father suggested Matt quit his job (Mike, working as a freelance designer, was already self-employed) to focus full-time on creating Homestar Runner, which he was able to do in 2002.
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| - | In a retrospective interview, 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. [[Gizmodo Interview - 24 Jan 2017|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 Strong Bad Email [[different town]] and a life-sized replica of [[Tom Servo]] from ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'' producer Jim Mallon on the same day. They also reflected on how Homestar Runner had been a common point of reference over which newly formed couples bonded, and how [[Television sightings|Joss Whedon incorporated references to Homestar Runner into his television shows]] ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' and ''Angel'' as further signs of success.
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| - | ===Hiatus and Comeback===
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| - | {{seealso|Hiatuses}}
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| - | [[Image:AprilFools2014.png|thumb|"You got this, Homestar. This is nothin'."]]
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| - | 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. When Matt [[FeedBurner Page#Stuff - New Baby vs. Updates!|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. No new toons were produced for the site in 2010 through 2013, as [[The Brothers Chaps' Other Projects|The Brothers Chaps worked on other projects]].
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| - | The site was updated with a new toon, [[April Fool 2014]], for the first time in over three years; the toon acknowledged the length between updates by making the [[index page]] look dilapidated. In several later interviews, The Brothers Chaps credit the large positive response to this toon as a major encouragement to continue site updates.
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| - | Matt appeared on [[The Jeff Rubin Jeff Rubin Show Interview - 7 July 2014|''The Jeff Rubin Jeff Rubin Show'' on July 7]], in the first [[Interviews and Public Appearances|interview]] with either of the Brothers Chaps in several years. Matt expressed that the Brothers had an interest in "making more stuff, hopefully on a more frequent basis" {{--}} borne out with more site activity in October with [[Fish Eye Lens]], [[Halloween Safety]], [[I Killed Pom Pom]] (the first full-length [[Halloween]] toon since 2009), and the first updates to [[Quote of the Week]], [[Weekly Fanstuff]], and [[Sketchbook]] in exactly five years. In the same interview, Matt also mentioned plans for a [[sbemail206|new Strong Bad Email]], a [[Post-Flash Site Update|more accessible website redesign]], and a Homestar Runner-themed [[social media]] account, all of which eventually came to pass.
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| - | The [[@StrongBadActual]] Twitter account began posting regularly on September 26, 2014; it has since become the most active facet of the Homestar Runner body of work. In a [[Rolling Stone Interview - 3 Oct 2014|Rolling Stone interview on October 3]], The Brothers Chaps specified that they were not planning to return to full-time work on the site due to the stress and deadlines of the former schedule. Rather, they would simply create any new toons at their own pace, closer to every couple of months rather than weekly. [[H*R.com updates 2015|2015]] was the true start of the modern pace of updates; there was new content every second month. In the years since, the site has been updated slowly but semi-regularly, with new content every 1-4 months; [[Halloween]] toons have been released annually since 2014.
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| - | == Site Content ==
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| - | ===Characters===
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| - | {{seemain|Characters}}
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| | [[Image:everybody-poster.PNG|thumb|The Homestar Runner cast, as shown on the [[Everybody Everybody Poster]].]] | | [[Image:everybody-poster.PNG|thumb|The Homestar Runner cast, as shown on the [[Everybody Everybody Poster]].]] |
| - | The [[Toons|cartoons]] nominally center on [[Homestar Runner]], a somewhat dim but good-hearted athlete. The character [[Strong Bad]], however, is often more popular among fans, mostly through his [[Strong Bad Email]] cartoons (released near-weekly for several years) in which he answers actual emails from viewers. Strong Bad works closely with his sidekick [[The Cheat]] and uses his brother [[Strong Mad]] as the muscle in his operations. Together, the three prey on Strong Bad's depressed brother [[Strong Sad]]. Many of the site's features {{--}} [[Songs|music]], [[Games|games]], [[main pages]], [[characters]], etc. {{--}} are based on concepts from the Strong Bad Emails. | + | The [[Toons|cartoons]] nominally center on the [[character]] [[Homestar Runner]], a somewhat dim but good-hearted athlete. The character [[Strong Bad]], however, is often more popular among fans, mostly through his near-weekly updates of [[Strong Bad Email]] (before the [[HRWiki:Hiatuses|hiatus]]), short cartoons in which he answers actual emails from viewers. Strong Bad works closely with his sidekick [[The Cheat]] and uses his brother [[Strong Mad]] as the muscle in his operations. Together, the three prey on Strong Bad's depressed brother [[Strong Sad]]. Many of the site's features — [[Songs|music]], [[Games|games]], [[main pages]], [[characters]], etc. — are based on concepts from the Strong Bad Emails. |
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| | Several other characters fill out the world of [[Free Country, USA]], where most of the characters live: Homestar's hippie girlfriend [[Marzipan]], whose [[Marzipan's Answering Machine|answering machine]] is a frequent target for [[Aliases Used in Prank Calls|prank callers]], his best friend [[Pom Pom]], the verbally challenged [[Coach Z]], local [[Bubs' Concession Stand|concession stand]] owner [[Bubs]], and [[The King of Town]] and his [[The Poopsmith|Poopsmith]]. Rounding out the cast is [[Homsar]], an odd-speaking character created on account of (and in mockery of) a [[homsar|poorly written email to Strong Bad]]. Many of these characters have [[Characters#Variations|alternate versions]]. | | Several other characters fill out the world of [[Free Country, USA]], where most of the characters live: Homestar's hippie girlfriend [[Marzipan]], whose [[Marzipan's Answering Machine|answering machine]] is a frequent target for [[Aliases Used in Prank Calls|prank callers]], his best friend [[Pom Pom]], the verbally challenged [[Coach Z]], local [[Bubs' Concession Stand|concession stand]] owner [[Bubs]], and [[The King of Town]] and his [[The Poopsmith|Poopsmith]]. Rounding out the cast is [[Homsar]], an odd-speaking character created on account of (and in mockery of) a [[homsar|poorly written email to Strong Bad]]. Many of these characters have [[Characters#Variations|alternate versions]]. |
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| - | ===Toons===
| + | ==Toons== |
| - | {{seemain|Toons}}
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| | From January 2002 to November 2009, new content was added to the website nearly every week, usually on Monday, such as a [[short]], a [[Big Toon|longer cartoon]], a [[Strong Bad Email]], an [[Games|online Flash game]], or [[Store|real-life merchandise]] like [[Store CD/DVDs|DVDs]] and [[Store Toys|action figures]]. Strong Bad Email is the most expansive and popular series on the website, and has produced several [[Strong Bad Email Spin-offs|spin-offs]], such as [[Strong Bad]]'s crudely drawn comic series ''[[Teen Girl Squad]]''. The comic parodies four archetypal high-school girls and their equally archetypal quest for attractiveness, popularity, and love, which is continually frustrated by their violent [[Teen Girl Squad Deaths|death]]s in every issue. | | From January 2002 to November 2009, new content was added to the website nearly every week, usually on Monday, such as a [[short]], a [[Big Toon|longer cartoon]], a [[Strong Bad Email]], an [[Games|online Flash game]], or [[Store|real-life merchandise]] like [[Store CD/DVDs|DVDs]] and [[Store Toys|action figures]]. Strong Bad Email is the most expansive and popular series on the website, and has produced several [[Strong Bad Email Spin-offs|spin-offs]], such as [[Strong Bad]]'s crudely drawn comic series ''[[Teen Girl Squad]]''. The comic parodies four archetypal high-school girls and their equally archetypal quest for attractiveness, popularity, and love, which is continually frustrated by their violent [[Teen Girl Squad Deaths|death]]s in every issue. |
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| | Some cartoons feature spin-offs like [[Old-Timey]], black-and-white cartoons parodying the style of the 1930s; [[20X6]], a parody [[anime]] cartoon featuring the main character [[Stinkoman]]; and [[Dangeresque (film series)|Dangeresque]], a film series created by Strong Bad. | | Some cartoons feature spin-offs like [[Old-Timey]], black-and-white cartoons parodying the style of the 1930s; [[20X6]], a parody [[anime]] cartoon featuring the main character [[Stinkoman]]; and [[Dangeresque (film series)|Dangeresque]], a film series created by Strong Bad. |
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| - | == Licensing == | + | ==Real World== |
| - | Because the Brothers Chaps run their own website, they have a creative freedom that they would not have doing a regular TV show. Though the site sells Homestar merchandise, it has no advertisements, and a few of the cartoons parody advertising, with made-up products like [[Fluffy Puff Marshmallows]]. Business aspects of Homestar Runner are handled through [[Harmless Junk, Inc.]] (often branded as fictional company [[Cheap As Free]]).
| + | [[Image:Making of 100 email.jpg|thumb|The Brothers Chaps making the [[flashback|100th Strong Bad Email]], as seen in the [[strongbad_email.exe|DVD]] feature "[[Making of Email 100]]".]] |
| - | | + | The website is the product of [[Mike Chapman|Mike]] and [[Matt Chapman]], who typically call themselves "[[The Brothers Chaps]]". Matt Chapman provides the voices of the male characters, while [[Missy Palmer]], Mike's wife, does that of Marzipan. Mike Chapman provides the stilted voices for [[Powered by The Cheat|The Cheat's amateurish Flash cartoons]]. Both brothers do the [[Flash]] animating for the cartoons. Many other [[contributors|people]] also help with the series. |
| - | The Brothers Chaps have frequently worked with other [[contributors]] to create additional media such as music CDs (including live performances as fictional bands) and live-action video. | + | |
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| - | 2008 video game ''[[Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People]]'', produced in partnership with [[Telltale Games]], was the first time that Homestar Runner had been licensed out to a third-party company. [[Ron & Fez Show Interview - 19 Dec 2008|In an interview]], Matt reflected that the partnership was "the biggest thing that we'd probably [ever] do." Strong Bad also appeared in Telltale's crossover game ''[[Poker Night at the Inventory]]''.
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| - | [[Trogdor!! The Board Game]] was funded by {{w|Kickstarter}} in 2018, co-produced with game designer {{w|James Ernest}}. | + | |
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| - | In 2020, new Homestar Runner merchandise was created and sold in partnership with [[Fangamer]]. Homestar Runner is the first webtoon series that Fangamer has worked with; the collaboration largely featured merchandise designed by creators other than The Brothers Chaps.
| + | Because the Brothers Chaps run their own website, they have a creative freedom that they would not have doing a regular TV show. Though the site sells Homestar merchandise, it has no advertisements, and a few of the cartoons parody advertising, with made-up products like [[Fluffy Puff Marshmallows]]. The Internet has allowed them to reach a large audience that they wouldn't have access to otherwise. Originally, they developed Homestar Runner as a labor of love, and for their own amusement. It has grown large enough that merchandise sales pay for all of the costs of running the website. An article in the ''Chicago Tribune'' on July 24, 2003, reported the retired [[Don and Harriet Chapman|parents of the Brothers Chaps]] were spending a lot of time dealing with the business aspects of the website. |
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| | ==References== | | ==References== |
| - | *"Homestar Runner." <u>Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia</u>. {{p|l=http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Homestar_Runner&oldid=8505608 9 Dec 2004, 03:57 UTC}} and {{p|l=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Homestar_Runner&oldid=1164213652 10:21, 8 July 2023}} | + | *"Homestar Runner." <u>Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia</u>. 9 Dec 2004, 03:57 UTC. 16 Dec 2004, 13:00 <<span class="plainlinks">http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Homestar_Runner&oldid=8505608</span>>. |
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| - | ''Content for the above was taken chiefly from the [[Wikipedia:Main Page|Wikipedia]] article for "{{w|Homestar Runner}}" found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homestar_Runner. As such, this article is licensed under the [http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html GNU Free Documentation] and [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ CC BY-SA 4.0] licenses. | + | :''Content for the above was taken chiefly from the [[Wikipedia:Main Page|Wikipedia]] article for [[Wikipedia:Homestar Runner|Homestar Runner]] found at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homestar_Runner http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homestar_Runner]. As such, this article is licensed under the [http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html GNU Free Documentation License]. |
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| | ==See Also== | | ==See Also== |
| - | *[[The Brothers Chaps]]
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| | *[[Timeline of Homestar Runner]] | | *[[Timeline of Homestar Runner]] |
| - | *[[homestarrunner.com]]
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| | *[[Homestar Runner universe]] | | *[[Homestar Runner universe]] |
| | + | *[[Inconsistencies within the Homestar Runner universe]] |
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| | ==External links== | | ==External links== |
| | {{Spoken HRWiki|Homestar Runner (Flash cartoon) - Part 1.ogg|August 17, 2006|oldid=345441}} | | {{Spoken HRWiki|Homestar Runner (Flash cartoon) - Part 1.ogg|August 17, 2006|oldid=345441}} |
| - | *[[HR:|Homestar Runner Official Website]] | + | *[[HR:index.html|Homestar Runner Official Website]] |
| | *[[HR:firsttime.html|Introduction for first-time visitors]] | | *[[HR:firsttime.html|Introduction for first-time visitors]] |
| | *[[Wikipedia:Homestar Runner|Wikipedia entry for "Homestar Runner"]] | | *[[Wikipedia:Homestar Runner|Wikipedia entry for "Homestar Runner"]] |
