HRWiki:Featured articles/Archive 12
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- HRWiki:Featured articles archive of weeks 1-26, 2011.
[edit] Week 26, 2011
The Theme Song Video is one of the oldest Toons on the site and is a music video containing a song that was intended to be the theme song of Homestar Runner before being replaced by the Intro. The song was previously used in Super NES. There were some scenes that were cut from the original version of the music video which were restored in the DVD version. The Brothers Chaps revealed in the DVD version's commentary that technical problems caused some of the scenes to be removed from the original version of the music video. watch (more...)
[edit] Week 25, 2011
The index page is what greets you when you visit homestarrunner.com, giving you links to watch the Intro or go to one of the main pages. Before the index page was created, one was directed straight to one of the introduction toons. This page is traditionally replaced by an April Fools' gag on the first of April. In 2003, viewers of this page were taken to a King of Town Intro and King of Town Main Page. In 2004, it was replaced by the Under Construction page. In 2005, this page was replaced by HomestarRunner.com PAY PLUS!, which greeted viewers by informing them that Homestar Runner had become a subscription site. In 2009, it was replaced with April Fool 09, which took the Intro and retroactively changed it into a Strong Bad email. In 2010, it was replaced with Xeriouxly Forxe. view (more...)
[edit] Week 24, 2011
In comic, the 53rd Strong Bad Email, Brittany asks Strong Bad if he can write a comic about four of her friends, Virginia, Joy, Kristen, and Jennifer. Strong Bad makes the comic, changing their names and killing the girls. This email creates the (conveniently numbered) 16th spin-off in Strong Bad Email, Teen Girl Squad. To date, there have been 15 issues, all written and narrated by Strong Bad. The success of the series could be considered fortunate, as Matt Chapman said in a 2005 interview with The Screen Savers that "We [Mike Chapman and Matt] figured we were gonna be way off base cause we don't hang out with so many teen girls anymore. ... But, uh, teen girls seem to be big fans of it so I guess we hit the nail on the head. Or in some cases." watch (more...)
The Teen Girl Squad featured in comic can also be watched as Teen Girl Squad Issue 1, the first toon in the Teen Girl Squad series. watch (more...)
[edit] Week 23, 2011
Homestar Ruiner is the first episode of the Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People video game series. While Strong Bad is going about his usual routine - checking emails, etc. - Homestar Runner tells him about the Tri-annual Race to the End of the Race. Once Strong Bad hears of Homestar's intention to win this contest, he schemes to snatch victory from Homestar's invisible grasp. But when his scheme backfires, he finds his house invaded by Homestars unwilling to face the world again. Strong Bad has to repair Homestar's status if he ever wants to be free of his presence. (more...)
[edit] Week 22, 2011
Fluffy Puff Commercial, released in 2001, is, as the name implies, a commercial for Fluffy Puff Marshmallows, starring the lovable Homestar Runner. Directed by Cherry Greg, the commercial features Homestar in The Field holding a bag of Fluffy Puff Marshmallows. However, Homestar messes up his lines several times in several different ways. Eventually, out of exasperation, the director changes Homestar's line to "I like marshmallows!" and has an announcer do most of the advertisement. Later advertisements used the popular mascot, Marshie, instead of our beloved slightly humanoid whatever-he-is. watch (more...)
[edit] Week 21, 2011
The Homestar Runner universe is the fictional realm in which the characters of the Homestar Runner body of work live and breathe, as created chiefly by The Brothers Chaps. Within the main universe are Homestar Runner, Strong Bad, and the other main characters living in Free Country, USA. Their universe is much like our own; for example, they live in houses, eat food, go to work, watch TV, use the Internet, play sports, celebrate holidays, and do other normal things. At the same time, there are certain elements of the universe that show that they are in a cartoon; for example, through cartoon physics, Homsar can survive being crushed by a giant weight, and sometimes more than one of the same character are on the screen at the same time. (more...)
[edit] Week 20, 2011
There are numerous references in the Homestar Runner body of work to the subject of death. These range from a character's death or near-death, to imagining or behaving as though a character has died. As in many cartoons, when a character dies, the death is usually impermanent — the character may reappear alive, often with no explanation. However, in the Homestar Runner universe, death is kept mainly as a running gag that nearly every cartoon today has, and is no exception in that sense. Usually, death is an empty threat that Strong Bad and several other main characters use, and, possibly excluding Strong Bad's computers, no main universe character has remained dead forever. (more...)
[edit] Week 19, 2011
The email fan club, released on January 28, 2008, is the 188th Strong Bad Email, wherein Strong Bad pokes fun at the more rabid fans of the Homestar Runner body of work (such as yourself). In the email, David asks Strong Bad if his "show" has its own fan club. Strong Bad replies that there is such a club—the Deleteheads—and, in a "chocolate-covered bit of Stockholm syndrome-esque irony", their president is none other than Strong Sad! Strong Sad reviews methods to get your email answered and narrates some fan fiction (in which Strong Bad has zero emails—"definitely fiction"). Later Strong Bad makes his own fan comic about the Deleteheads and decides that maybe fan clubs and fan fiction aren't so bad after all. (more...) watch
[edit] Week 18, 2011
This year marks the tenth anniversary of A Mother's Day Message, released on May 11, 2001, right before Mother's Day. In it, Strong Bad has lost at cards to Homestar, Pom Pom, Strong Mad, and The Cheat, and as punishment, they make him stand on the stage and exclaim "Happy Mother's Day!" while wearing a blue sailor's suit and holding a lollipop. He is reluctant to comply, knowing the others will laugh at him unmercifully, which of course they do. This toon features several changes in Strong Bad's design and is the first time Strong Mad is seen smiling. Curiously, although mothers are referenced, none of the main characters' parents have ever actually been seen (except for a photo of Pom Pom's parents in a very old toon), nor are they likely to ever be. (more...) watch
[edit] Week 17, 2011
Strong Bad Sings, released in 2000, is one of the earliest toons on the site. It is essentially a commercial for a compilation album that is being released by Strong Bad. It includes his favorite hits, including "Let's Make Believe That We're in Love (So I Can Break Up with You)", "You've Got an Ugly and Stupid Butt", and "Somebody Told Me (Now I Believe Them)", among others. Also available with this rare collection is "Strong Mad Forgets the Words to His Favorites". This toon was the inspiration for the similarly-named music CD Strong Bad Sings and Other Type Hits, and it was the debut appearance of the Fat Bluebird. It was also the inspiration of the question in the third Strong Bad email, butt IQ. watch (more...)
[edit] Week 16, 2011
In the Short Pistols for Pandas, Crack Stuntman has become a spokesman for the non-profit organization Pistols For Pandas, having lost his job as Gunhaver due to the his behavior in The Next Epi-Snowed. The short was released on Monday, April 27, 2009, right after "the recent, made-up holiday" Earth Day (called Erf Day in the toon). Crack details a convoluted method whereby your five-dollar donation, after being thoroughly laundered, is used to obtain and provide "small firearms into the paws of our planet's most adorable, and most unarmed, creatures." (more...) watch
[edit] Week 15, 2011
The Big Toon Strongest Man in the World, released on Monday, August 21, 2006, for the 10th anniversary of the Homestar Runner body of work, is a remake of the Original Book that started it all. The toon follows the basic plot of the original story but fleshes it out and injects humor more typical of The Brothers Chaps' modern style. Four characters (Mr. Bland, The Robot, Señor, and The Grape Fairie) who had never been properly featured (and in fact were rarely seen since the site's earliest days) were finally given their due—the Grape Fairie was even revealed to have a gruff Bronx accent. The most striking difference in the story between the book and the toon is that Pom Pom isn't nearly so willing to share as he apparently used to be, and has a bit of a filthy mouth to boot. watch (more...)
[edit] Week 14, 2011
bottom 10 is the 133rd Strong Bad Email, released on Monday, July 11, 2005. Giving the Late Show Top Ten List style a twist, Strong Bad is asked to go over his "bottom 10". Going over the top 10 things he dislikes, hilarity and improvisation ensues. Who else but Homestar Runner interrupts as Strong Bad is about to say his number one. And instead of aggravating Strong Bad, he makes him sick. Now no one will ever know. watch (more...)
[edit] Week 13, 2011
HomestarRunner.com PAY PLUS! is the April Fools' toon of 2005. It is a fake offer for a paid subscription to homestarrunner.com, and includes includes various small clips: a 7-second sample of Homestar Runner counting to 7, but being cut off; a scene from a non-existent Strong Bad Email involving Homestar falling through a small hole and dancing on Strong Mad's head, a Space Invaders parody that can only be played for 15 seconds, and a Sweet Cuppin' Cakes/Teen Girl Squad crossover. After seeing the samples, send in your details and wait for your package... or not. (more...) watch
[edit] Week 12, 2011
The Blue Laser Commander is the evil mastermind behind Blue Laser, an evil terrorist-type organization. His sworn enemies are the Cheat Commandos. He formulates many evil schemes in a constant attempt to crush the Cheat Commandos, to no avail. He has an eye patch that switches sides whenever he turns around. Blue Laser Commander is a parody of Cobra Commander, as the Cheat Commandos are themselves a takeoff of G.I.Joe. According to one Sketchbook update, Blue Laser Commander (or possibly every member of Blue Laser) was originally going to be an Ungurait, but that idea was abandoned.
[edit] Week 11, 2011
Dangeresque Roomisode 1: Behind the Dangerdesque is a Videlectrix adventure game, made to compete with Strong Bad's Cool Game For Attractive People. It is done in the style of old LucasArts adventure games. The player must help Dangeresque solve a several-month-old case without leaving his office. The player interacts with the environment by looking at, talking to, and acting upon items in the room using a mouse and arrow keys. Failure to resolve the case successfully results in an angry The Chief sending Dangeresque to the joint. play (more...)
[edit] Week 10, 2011
In sisters, the 35th Strong Bad Email, released on Monday, July 8, 2002, Strong Bad receives an email from Ali, who states that she and her sister think he is so cool and wonders whether he has a girlfriend. When Strong Bad starts to reply, he accidentally deletes the email due to a malfunction of the Tandy 400 (which had just been reassembled after exploding two emails before in gimmicks). He desperately tries to recover the email or wait for Ali to email him again, but his efforts are in vain, causing a sharp drop in his opinion of the Tandy and eventually leading to its being replaced six emails later. According to the DVD commentary, Strong Bad "can hardly watch" this email, remarking that "this was my big chance! One time—I mean, one of the many thousands of times I could have got with some ladies." It was also his first choice to be redone in the email do over. (more...) watch
[edit] Week 9, 2011
Marzipan's first Answering Machine, which first appeared in Marzipan's Answering Machine Version 1.0, was a very simple tape-based answering machine. The tape deck was top-loading, and was right next to the speaker. It featured buttons to go to the next and previous messages, a stop button, and an LED display representative of the number of messages on the tape. Although there are two cables, with one presumably coming from the wall and the other going to a phone, the actual phone is never shown. It was replaced with the PhoneTime XL8 in Marzipan's Answering Machine Version 9.2. In addition to the first eight editions of Marzipan's Answering Machine, the Answering Machine also appeared when Strong Bad used it to ask Marzipan where The Cheat was in Where's The Cheat? before turning it into a prank call. Also, in one of the made-up emails from personal favorites, Strong Bad left such a good prank call on the machine that it exploded. The King of Town also has a similar Answering Machine, which is seen at the end of The King of Town DVD commentary. Unlike Marzipan's Answering Machine, it had a system voice on it, similar to modern voice-mail technology. It also mocked The King of Town, saying "Nobody likes you" and "You have no friends". (more...)
[edit] Week 8, 2011
There are several instances where Homestar Runner's shirt (and sometimes his hat as well) comes off and he becomes naked. When this happens, the nudity is usually censored by a pixelated blur that covers his torso. Homestar is never especially concerned by his bareness, usually reacting with little more than a surprised "Oh!" or a cynical observation about his shirtlessness. (One exception is Homestar Ruiner, where his nudity is a significant plot point and a source of much embarrassment.) (more)...
[edit] Week 7, 2011
Strong Bad's relationship with Strong Sad usually consists of Strong Bad hurting or making fun of Strong Sad, though not all the time. He has given Strong Sad various insulting nicknames and often hurts him. However, Strong Sad and Strong Bad occasionally get along, usually when Strong Bad is in need of an assistant. It appears that Strong Bad is at least partly responsible for his little brother's depression; Strong Sad writes that in his big brother's absence, "[He feels] cooler, and less like [he sucks] so bad." It does however happen that Strong Sad stands up to his tormentor. This includes revealing embarassing details about Strong Bad’s childhood or making him believe that staying in a deep, dark hole is "edgy". Most of the time though, their relationship is one of abuse pointed towards the younger brother, just as in many families in real life. (more...)
[edit] Week 6, 2011
The Brothers Strong is the collective term for the three brothers, Strong Bad, Strong Mad, and Strong Sad. The eldest of the brothers is Strong Mad, followed by Strong Bad, then Strong Sad. According to Strong Bad in the email flashback, The Cheat was taken in by The Brothers Strong when he was found in an egg filled with fish sticks. The Strong Brothers' assumed surname is "Strong", since it is common to each of them. Even though the Homestar Runner body of work is an American-based cartoon, their family name is spoken before the individual's given name, a naming convention mistakenly labeled the Eastern order. The nationality of the brothers is fairly ambiguous. Although Strong Bad often has a faint Mexican accent, his brothers have no sign of one. In Marshmallow's Last Stand and the Old Characters Page, the Brothers Strong are said to be from a place called "Parts Unknown". In secret recipes, Strong Bad describes his childhood life in "Bumdumbourge" (a country near "Totalslava"), although this information is most likely false. Despite all this, it has been suggested numerous times that the brothers have lived in their current house in Free Country, USA throughout their lives (or at least since their childhood). (more)...
[edit] Week 5, 2011
It's that time of year again, when the American Football Championship Game takes place. It's time for the Halftime Entertainment and Delight... though it's not who you may expect. sloshy has been selected to perform for halftime this year. Even the announcer is surprised by this. In the basement of the Brothers Strong, Strong Sad is seen enjoying the song sloshy sings, which consists of the repeated line "American Football Championship Game" and of the members talking about how the lead singer has not bet any money on the game. At the end of the song, one of the members of sloshy states that they played soccer in high school. (more...) watch
[edit] (Week 4, 2011)*
Minor characters are regularly created in Teen Girl Squad, and only make cameo appearances. Some exist only for the purpose of hurting one of the girls. Usually they are never seen again, but in the 10th Issue special, many of these characters made cameo appearances at The Ugly One's Sweet Someteen Birthday Bash. This page is a documentation of all minor characters seen in Teen Girl Squad cartoons.
[edit] Week 3, 2011
In retirement, the 159th Strong Bad Email, released on Monday, October 2, 2006 and Tuesday, October 3, 2006, is a two-part email where Strong Bad's beloved computer is lappynapped! Strong Bad, in his usual humorous ways, is distraught by this travesty. One can hardly recall a day when Strong Bad didn't have his precious computer in his possession. The email was originally split into two parts. In the first part Strong Bad is depressed. He's in a sad, broken state as he witnesses Marshie attempt to make a profit from his misfortune. As he runs out of antidepressant, he slinks off to Bubs' Concession Stand. Bubs is nowhere to be found. As Strong Bad searches for him, he notices a peculiar sight on the side of the window. The kidnappers are revealed as Strong Bad's old computers, Tandy and Compy. Strong Bad is forced to check one more email with each of them. He manages to destroy the Tandy via deletion. In part two, he takes on the Compy, who ends up being eaten by House-Mouth. In the end, Strong Bad gets his computer back and joins The Paper for an order of hushpuppies. (more...) watch
[edit] Week 2, 2011
In the Holiday Toon Trogday 08, released Monday, January 14, 2008, Strong Bad honors the fifth birthday of that famous dragon... only it's not what you may expect. Instead of honoring the dragon that most people expected Strong Bad to celebrate, instead he pushes Trogdor aside to make way for a new dragon that was scrapped early on in the process. While Trogdor himself has a heavy metal tune with screaming lyrics and guitars, The S is for Sucks has a playful, laid-back alphabet song that Strong Bad himself admits he prefers. Trogdor is angered by Strong Bad's preference and actually leans against the window of the house Strong Bad was in and roars, blurring the line between the fiction or lack thereof of Trogdor's existence in Free Country, USA. Strong Bad then proceeds to sing a heavy metal version of The S is for Sucks, apparently to keep himself safe from Trogdor's unbridled rage. (more...) watch
[edit] Week 1, 2011
Cheatball is the 20X6 version of The Cheat. He first appears in the Scrolling Shooter Games Menu. His eyes bear a resemblance to the eyes of "Holy-crap-adorable The Cheat" from lady...ing and his facebone has no pointy end, similar to the "cute, fluffy The Cheat" in lady fan. The Cheatball's mouth , unlike other 20X6 characters' mouths, stays small when speaking, and when closed. Cheatball also appeared in trading cards as a trading card character, in which he has a round ball-like body with no visible arms or legs, and seems to speak only by saying his name, much like a Pokémon character. He uses an attack called "Poison Rain Vornado", which is basically a small explosion of green smoke. In the DVD commentary for japanese cartoon, The Brothers Chaps point out that the spaceship seen in the email was originally going to be the 20X6 version of The Cheat, and mulled over whether to keep it that way. (more...)
[edit] Notes
- Week 4's FA is a redirect to that of week 4 of 2006.
