NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Strong Bad

Strong Bad is a primary character in the fictional world of Flash animation cartoon series Homestar Runner. He is best known for his "Strong Bad Emails", or "Sbemails", in which he is shown typing answers to questions written by visitors to the site on his personal computer. Modelled after a Mexican wrestler character featured in Nintendo's "Tag Team Wrestling", he is shirtless with boxing gloves for hands (though a running gag on the website claims that he originally had oven mitts) and a luchador's wrestling mask for a face. Limited animation is a process of making animated cartoons that does not follow a realistic approach. ... An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn (or made with computers to look similar to something hand-drawn) film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot (even if it is a very short one). ... Homestar Runner is a Flash animated Internet cartoon. ... One of the most well known Lucha Libre wrestlers, Rey Mysterio. ... Nintendo Company, Limited (ä»»å¤©å ‚ or ãƒ‹ãƒ³ãƒ†ãƒ³ãƒ‰ãƒ¼ NintendÅ; NASDAQ: NTDOY, TYO: 7974 usually referred to as simply Nintendo, or Big N ) is a multinational corporation founded on September 23, 1889[1] in Kyoto, Japan by Fusajiro Yamauchi to produce handmade hanafuda cards. ... Tag Team Wrestling screenshot Tag Team Wrestling is a 1983 arcade video game developed and published in Japan by Technos Japan and released in the U.S by Data East. ... Boxer redirects here; for other meanings of boxer, see Boxer (disambiguation). ... One of the most well known Lucha Libre wrestlers, Rey Mysterio. ... Wrestling masks are most widely used in the Mexican/Latin lucha libre style of wrestling. ...

Though originally presented as a villain, Strong Bad has been favorably embraced by pop culture for his quick-witted sarcasm and infectiously abrasive voice. He is usually seen as the most popular character, although some fans object to the frequency with which he appears in comparison to other characters. His voice has changed over time from a distinctly Mexican accent to a more gruff American one, while still retaining its "rough" quality. His eyes have also become steadily smaller. He is also sometimes referred to (usually by Homestar) as a "wrestleman". One popular concept of the villain, meant to mimic the purposely distinctive visage of villains from silent films of the early 20th century. ... Homestar Runner, usually just called Homestar, is the star of his eponymous cartoon series, Homestar Runner. ...

Origin

The "Strong Bad Emails" began as a small feature in 2001, in which Strong Bad would mock the spelling and grammar of those who wrote to him, usually using an outdated computer himself. Although the animations were initially brief, they gradually grew to establish numerous catchphrases and running gags, as well as spin-offs like Trogdor the Burninator, Teen Girl Squad, and even characters like Homsar and Senor Cardgage. A typical Strong Bad email will also include numerous Easter eggs and other hidden material. An example of a Strong Bad Email reply is his take on techno, where he creates the techno song "The System Is Down." His most used catchphrase is "Holy Crap!" and other variations on this theme, though he now parodies even this in his responses to emails. Image File history File links Ttpr_strongbads. ... Image File history File links Ttpr_strongbads. ... Tag Team Wrestling screenshot Tag Team Wrestling is a 1983 arcade video game developed and published in Japan by Technos Japan and released in the U.S by Data East. ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A catch phrase is a phrase or expression that is popularized, usually through repeated use, by a real person or fictional character. ... The running gag is a popular hallmark of comic and serious forms of entertainment. ... Trogdor the Burninator is a vicious dragon that is a part of the Homestar Runner series of animated cartoons. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Homestar Runner. ... Homsar is a character in the Homestar Runner series of animated cartoons. ... Homestar Runner characters include numerous recurring people, places, phrases, ideas, and even times. ... The first easter egg For the decorated eggs given out to celebrate the Easter holiday, see Easter egg. ... Techno is a form of electronic dance music that became prominent in Detroit, Michigan (some argue that it may have been born in Europe) during the mid-1980s with influences from Chicago House, electro, New Wave, Funk and futuristic fiction themes that were prevalent and relative to modern culture during... // Song The System Is Down is a techno song that is featured in a Strong Bad Email flash called techno, one of the cartoons in the Strong Bad Email series on homestarrunner. ... A catch phrase is a phrase or expression that is popularized, usually through repeated use, by a real person or fictional character. ...

Along with his physically intimidating but mentally limited big brother Strong Mad and his lackey animal-of-questionable-species The Cheat, Strong Bad represents the self-proclaimed criminal element in the series. Many shorts concern the various practical jokes and scams that they perpetrate. Although these "crimes" are usually only slightly malevolent, Strong Bad still acts as if he is a villainous mastermind, and is highly prone to exaggerating his alluring qualities — especially with regards to women. He enjoys "cold ones" (which are apparently the equivalent of beer in Free Country, USA, the land in which the Homestar Runner series takes place). In one email, it was revealed he had the ability to remove caps by making the jewel in his face glow with intense concentration. He demonstrated this ability by removing the cap from a cold one, and by repeatedly removing Homestar's cap.^[1] Strong Mad is a character in the Homestar Runner series. ... The Cheat is a character in the Homestar Runner animated cartoon series, and is Strong Bads sidekick and primary partner in crime. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A confidence trick, confidence game, or con for short, (also known as a scam) is an attempt to intentionally mislead a person or persons (known as the mark) usually with the goal of financial or other gain. ... Homestar Runner, usually just called Homestar, is the star of his eponymous cartoon series, Homestar Runner. ...

Strong Bad debuted in an early children's book project called "The Homestar Runner Enters the Strongest Man In the World Contest". This story (which is viewable at the website "museum section"[1], also as an anniversary remake[2]) introduces the totally safe and child-friendly world created by the Chapman Brothers. The somewhat subversive nature of the humour of Strong Bad, and the world of Homestar seems to always lean towards the provocative without endangering the worldview of children. Apart from making it a "safe" place for kids, it also appeals to the adults who enjoy a less-than-threatening expression of the personality types around us. Strong Bad is the bad guy in a not-very bad world.^[2]

Alternate versions

Image File history File links Strong_Bad_Versions. ... Image File history File links Strong_Bad_Versions. ...

1936 - Old-Timey Strong Bad

The 1936 form of Strong Bad is sometimes referred to as Sir Strong Bad (or Uncle Strong Bad). He appears in black and white and has hair and a handlebar moustache. His face is less detailed and he has no visible mouth but his moustache moves when he talks. He is widely thought to have an English accent, and he is accompanied by The Cheat's 1936 form, known as The Sneak and resembling a rodent or rat-like animal.

20X6 - Stinkoman

Stinkoman, a futuristic anime-style Strong Bad, has no thumbs, big robot boots, a mouth that is tiny when closed but "ridiculously huge" when open, blue hair, and big green eyes. The "real" Strong Bad designed this character in the e-mail "Japanese Cartoon", when someone asked what he would look like as a Japanese cartoon. The name "Stinkoman" comes from an earlier email (number 52, "Island"), where Strong Bad was called that name by Homestar Runner. His primary interests are "Challenge and fighting and fighting that challenge." He has his own game. This version of Strong Bad was clearly modeled after Mega Man (aka Rockman in Japan) and Astroboy. The main cast of the anime Cowboy Bebop (1998) (L to R: Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Ed Tivrusky, Faye Valentine, and Ein the dog) For the oleo-resin, see AnimÃ© (oleo-resin). ... The main cast of the anime Cowboy Bebop (1998) (L to R: Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Ed Tivrusky, Faye Valentine, and Ein the dog) For the oleo-resin, see AnimÃ© (oleo-resin). ... Homestar Runner, usually just called Homestar, is the main character featured in many popular Homestar Runner internet cartoons. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Mega Man, known as Rockman ) in Japan, is a video game character created by Keiji Inafune and is the title character of what has been referred to as the Classic Mega Man series developed by Capcom since 1987. ... Astro Boy is the American title for the Japanese animated series Tetsuwan Atom , which roughly translates to Mighty Atom and literally to Iron-arm Atom) first broadcast on Japanese television from 1963 to 1966. ...

The use of the year 20X6 (pronounced "twenty extee six") is also a reference to the Mega Man games that were often set in the year 20XX or Metroid which took place in 20X5, and maybe also to the cartoon series Thunderbirds 2086. The Stinkoman K theme music is a MIDI theme borrowed from the Nintendo Entertainment System video game "Rad Racer." Thunderbirds 2086 (ç§‘å¦æ•‘åŠ©éšŠãƒ†ã‚¯ãƒŽãƒœã‚¤ã‚¸ãƒ£ãƒ¼) is a Japanese anime series based on the original Gerry Anderson Supermarionation series Thunderbirds which aired in 1965 and 1966. ...

Senor Cardgage

Senor Cardgage is what Strong Bad said he would look like if he was an "ugly, dumpy old guy with a beer belly and a comb-over, instead of the stylish, buff, handsome man in a wrestling mask he is." He is fat, wears gold rimmed glasses, and he wanders around mumbling things, standing too close to people in line, and trying to sell things of no real value. He also tends to refer to people with Victorian-era female names, regardless of their gender. Strong Sad, however, claims that this is the exact description of their former childhood neighbor Senor Cardgage (which is how the character gets his name). Strong Bad idolises him, saying he is "so cool, you don't even know he's cool." Senor Cardgage became an individual character rather than an alter-ego after his debut appearance.

Strong Badia

Strong Badia is an independent "kingdom" that Strong Bad claims to rule over. It consists of a barren field, a fence, a tire, and a stop sign reading "Pop: Tire" (Pop meaning population) leaning against a cinder block. Strong Bad said he bought the property from Bubs in one email[3], although he originally said he ruled it since "diaper school"[4]. It was once haunted by the ghost of the "Tandy 400", Strong Bad's former computer. Bubs is a character in the Homestar Runner series of animated cartoons. ...

Computers

Strong Bad has owned several computers, and while each is superior to the last, they remain horribly dated in contrast to current technology. His first computer, the "Tandy 400", featured the classic "green-and-black" monochrome monitor and displayed little to no graphics. It eventually exploded in Strong Bad's face, at which point he asked to "borrow" $900 from Strong Sad to fix it, even though according to Strong Sad he could get a computer like Strong Bad's at a garage sale for $15. He managed to duct tape the computer back together, but after it malfunctioned and deleted an e-mail from a girl who seemed to be genuinely interested in him, and at the same time saved an e-mail that he did not want, the Tandy was unceremoniously dumped a few weeks later. It was bought by The King of Town, who complained that this was the last time he would buy a used computer from Bubs. The ghost of this computer at one point came back to haunt him. A computer display monitor, usually called simply a monitor when the meaning is clear from the context, is a piece of electrical equipment which displays viewable images generated by a computer without producing a permanent record. ...

His next computer, "Compy 386", boasted improved graphics and sound but remained behind the times. The Compy later proved to be overloaded with computer viruses - indeed when Strong Bad runs his virus scan (after it informs him "Last scan was NEVER ago"), it turns out to be infected with 423,827 viruses, which leaked from the computer and began altering the site's Flash-animated reality. Bubs managed to restore a semblance of normalcy to the Homestar Runner Universe by shooting the Compy with a shotgun, much to the distress of Strong Bad, who had apparently grown quite attached to the Compy. In an older version of the Strong Bad Email menu, Bubs sells the "LIKE USED", "SLIGHTLY SHOTGUNNED" computer to Homestar Runner, though he appears to think it is a low cost automobile. A computer virus is a computer program that can copy itself and infect a computer without permission or knowledge of the user. ...

Strong Bad eventually moved on, and picked up another new computer, this one a bulky, old-fashioned laptop called the "Lappy 486". Trumping both previous computers in processing power, the Lappy still ran without the aid of a graphical user interface, weighed "an extremely portable" 42 lbs., "featured an impressive battery life lasting one half of ten minutes" and had a mere two Megabyte hard drive. However, a throwaway reference in the "Lappy-napped" story arc(see below) mentioned that Strong Bad had a lot of 'important text files on that 5 Meg hard drive', implying either an upgrade or a retcon of the Lappy's specs. Image File history File links Lappy486feech. ... Image File history File links Lappy486feech. ... â€œPUIâ€ redirects here. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

In September 2006, the Lappy was "Lappy-napped," in a story arc of sorts. It was later revealed that The Tandy and Compy stole it and would only return it if they each got to check one last e-mail each. Strong Bad complied, but destroyed his old computers in the process. He had Homestar destroy the Tandy 400 by pouring Mountain Dew and the King of Town's denture tablets (read as 'after-dinner mints' in his case) into it, which made it explode after Strong Bad jammed a pickaxe into its keyboard (A likely reference/parody of the Mentos eruption). Strong Bad then fed the Compy 386 to Strong Mad. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Mountain Dew is a caffeinated, sweet, citrus-flavored soft drink produced by PepsiCo, Inc. ... A handful of Mentos in a two liter Diet Coke bottle produces an eruption. ...

However, in four emails, Strong Bad is seen using other computers. One of them was The Cheat's computer, a tangerine-colored third-generation iMac nicknamed "Tangerine Dreams". Strong Bad complains that it "has too much computer in it and not enough typewriter", because the computer forces him to click, instead of typing, to open his e-mail client. In another, Strong Bad asks Pom Pom if he can use his Pom Pilot (a pun on Palm Pilot) to check an e-mail while they are at the Stick. In yet another, Strong Bad uses a computer named "Block" to answer an email from Poland. And, more recently, he used the "Corpy NT-6" to check an email from his 'job' of sorts (which he had to use The Cheat's software to get around a firewall that prevented him from checking the e-mail). Binomial name Citrus reticulata Blanco For other uses, see Tangerine (disambiguation). ... The correct title of this article is . ... An early model - the Pilot 5000 The Palm m130 was one of the first Palms with a colour screen Pilot was the name given to the first generation of personal digital assistants manufactured by Palm Computing in 1996 (then a division of U.S. Robotics and later 3Com). ...

In another email, The Cheat has a 5th generation iMac (possibly replacing his old one), which Strong Bad claims is worthless because the back is chopped off (flat-screen monitor) and the mouse is nothing but a "plastic bar of soap" (wireless, one-button mouse).

In the SBemail "Your Work", Strong Bad checks his e-mail on his computer at work, called a "Corpy NT6", an obvious pun on the "Compy" and "Lappy" ranges that Strong Bad uses at home, as well as a reference to the then-recently released Windows Vista, which itself is Windows NT 6.0. Windows Vista is the latest release of Microsoft Windows, a line of graphical operating systems used on personal computers, including home and business desktops, notebook computers, Tablet PCs, and media centers. ...

References

The Brothers Chaps: Mike and Matt Chapman (left to right). ... The Brothers Chaps: Mike and Matt Chapman (left to right). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... January 5 is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Brothers Chaps: Mike and Matt Chapman (left to right). ... The Brothers Chaps: Mike and Matt Chapman (left to right). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... January 5 is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links