HRWiki Featured articles/Archive 11

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HRWiki:Featured articles archive of weeks 27-52, 2010.

Week 52, 2010

In rock opera, the 125th Strong Bad Email, released on Tuesday, February 22, 2005, an "Anonymous Contributor" from Gambier, OH asks Strong Bad to make a rock opera. In response, Strong Bad announces that he's spent the last three and a half years composing a rock opera, titled 'SBEMAIL!'. The song featured in the opera contains one word from each of the first 125 Emails. Each of the 12 main characters make appearances during the opera, making this the first Email where they all appear together in person. (more...) watch

Week 51, 2010

A Holiday Greeting is the first Decemberween toon in the Homestar Runner body of work, released sometime in December 2000. Strong Bad, in a recognizable scene from A Charlie Brown Christmas, does his own rendition of "O Holy Night," to Homestar's eventual discontent, which prompts him to abruptly end Strong Bad's performance. All of the main characters then gather on the iconic stage to wish everyone a joyous holiday season. (more...) watch

Week 50, 2010

In the Short Decemberween Sweet Cuppin' Cakes, released Monday, July 12, 2004, the Sweet Cuppin' Cakes gang do their usual crazy things on Decemberween. As per usual for the Sweet Cuppin' Cakes crew, random things happen throughout this cartoon. Nothing makes sense within it except to the people existing within this world. In the midst of all this, The Worm practices moving up and down while Sherlock witnesses this exciting event. The Wheelchair then has an argument with Eh! Steve! who is tampering with his holiday cabbage. Eh! Steve! then proceeds to arbitrarily lose his mouth to become a brightly shining star of Decemberween. The Worm ganders at this historic event with awe. Shortly after, Keyboard Strong Bad plays a Decemberween jam for the crew, ending the cartoon on a merry note as Ready For Primetime dances to the glorious tune. (more...) watch

Week 49, 2010

In the Big Toon DNA Evidence, released Tuesday, May 15, 2007, Strong Sad attempts to solve the mystery of the DNA Evidence. Homestar introduces the toon with flashbacks from Strong Bad Emails shown "previously on homestarrunner.com" that make mention of the missing DNA Evidence. Strong Sad then announces to an audience that includes Homsar that after inverviewing several witnesses, he is ready to release his findings. The interviewees detail a story that begins Marzipan's house being vandalized by someone who left behind muddy footprints and green DNA evidence contained in a laboratory test tube. The interview follows the test tube as it ends up served in Bubs' Concession Stand as a green apple snow cone, gets mistakenly consumed as Mountain Dew by Homestar, is subsequently spit unto The Cheat and winds up as Coach Z's janitor rag where it disappears. The interview ends with the last witness: Strong Bad who admits that he was the one that carried the DNA evidence with him into Marzipan's house. He then reveals the real purpose behind the DNA Evidence which is to determine if Strong Sad is really part elephant or part hippo or something. (more...) watch

Week 48, 2010

The King of Town's Castle is the home of The King of Town and his servants. It features a lot of wood and stone, as you would expect in a castle. Obviously, he keeps a lot of food here as well, some appetizing and some just plain weird and gross. It includes a ventilation duct, in which Strong Bad left an open can of mayonnaise as a prank. He also has a stand-up arcade game called Typing Tutor Turbo, with which Strong Bad abused the King of Town. Strong Bad claimed that the King of Town lives in a 2-bit run down place next door to him, but this is obviously untrue. There's a dining room and a party room where the King of Town and The Poopsmith have hung out with some of the lesser characters, such as Pom Pom and Homsar. The King of Town also owns a television, where he eats while watching shows such as Caleb Rentpayer. The castle has a large smiling face for the entrance, a tongue for a drawbridge and a moat. It also has a flock of sheep grazing nearby, and a graveyard behind it where a Carnivorous Undead Sheep lives out its afterlife. (more...)

Week 47, 2010

In the Thanksgiving Holiday Toon Some Stupid Turkey, released Tuesday, November 27, 2001, Strong Bad simply dresses up like a turkey and sings a song. As he is singing, the head of his turkey costume is cut off with a hatchet and stuffed with bread — these events parallel the song lyrics. Suddenly, The Cheat, Homestar Runner, Strong Mad, Bubs, and Coach Z appear from behind Strong Bad and add to the chorus. After the song ends, we cut to a blank screen with navigation buttons, but Strong Bad quickly interrupts, wondering where The King of Town is. The scene cuts to the King of Town, who is much fatter than usual, and is lying down behind an overturned table amidst dozens of cleared plates, a fish skeleton, and a platter holding the ribs of some meaty animal. His head gradually turns green. (more...) watch

Week 46, 2010

In the Big Toon Shopping for Danger, released Tuesday, September 28, 2004, The Cheat Commandos rock, rock on in an adventure to stop Blue Laser from saving money on Double-Coupon Day. The scene first cuts to inside headquarters where Gunhaver is talking to Fightgar, Silent Rip, and Crackotage and Reynold joins them trying to fit in. Suddenly, a Blue Las-alert notifies that the Commandos that Blue Laser is at a grocery store trying saving money on Double-Coupon Day. Gunhaver fears the worst and theorizes that Blue Laser could use all the savings to make a button that will make it snow at the beach! The team mobilizes to infiltrate the grocery store but leave Reynold behind since he has no combat skills. Feeling left out, Reynold pretends to be a Cheat Commando and tries on all their gear, inlcuding Reinforcement's Justice Rocket Backpack Rocket Rocket, which suddenly activates. While the team is confronting Blue Laser and his minions, Silent Rip informs Gunhaver that the Cheat Commandos Headquarters playset is under attack! (more...) watch

Week 45, 2010

In for kids, the 110th Strong Bad Email, released on Monday, August 9, 2004, Strong Bad starts off playing a game of Peasant's Quest, but loses, then gets an email from Allison from New Jersey wondering what a Strong Bad television series for kids would be like. In response, Strong Bad wonders what makes people think that he's intended for children and proceeds to show an example of a kid's show segment led by him. In the show, Strong Bad plays "Where's The Cheat?" and voices of little kids trying to find a clearly-visible The Cheat are heard. Strong Bad lashes out at the kids in frustration and the segment ends. Strong Bad then presents a better candidate for hosting a kid's show: Homsar. Homsar then introduces his show, Whaddaya Know, Haddi-man?, in a montage that includes him riding a boat with a shirt that reads "if you lived here you'd be home", an orange with the letters "abc" written on it, and the show being brought to you by the letter g. The show cuts to 50 repetitions of the song "Stave it off, 1-2-3, and now you can count to three" only to be interrupted by a flabbergasted Strong Bad who's certain such a show would cause children to be held back a grade. This email is also notable for inspiring two responses in Peasant's Quest. (more...) watch

Week 44, 2010

The Brothers Chaps have made lots of references in the Homestar Runner body of work to Mario, one of the most famous video game series of all time. These references include characters mentioned, gameplay references, game sound effects and even Halloween costume appearances. One of the most notable examples is The King of Town's Halloween costume of Mario himself in Pumpkin Carve-nival. In this same toon, when the King of Town learns that his pumpkin entry in the contest receives a "worst place" prize, he laments, "Sorry, king, but our princess is in another castle." This toon's easter egg: Super Kingio Brothers, spoofs the title card, level 1-1, the game over screen and the music heard during all scenes in Super Mario Bros. In Halloween Potion-ma-jig, The Cheat's Halloween costume is Mario character Toad. Stinkoman 20X6 has many Mario references including: the name for Level -0 is a reference a glitch in Level 1-2 of Super Mario Bros. in which walking through a wall will take you to a Minus World and the phrase "Hold B" in the Stinkomanual refers to many Mario games in which you gain a boost of some sort, such as running faster, by holding down the 'B' button. This is but a sample of the numerous references found in the body of work. (more...)

Week 43, 2010

3 Times Halloween Funjob is 2003's Halloween toon, and mixes some interactive and linear storytelling elements. In this toon Strong Bad, Strong Mad, and The Cheat go toilet-papering, Strong Sad and Marzipan try to contact the spirit of Credenza, her dead ficus plant, while the rest of the crew goes trick-or-treating. Strong Bad's toilet papering (and egging) of The King of Town's castle is interrupted by The King of Town himself who thinks the guys are out to make omelettes. They get rid of The King of Town by offering toilet paper and a carton of eggs in exchange for him leaving them alone forever (a deal to which he quickly agrees). After this, the viewer is given the option to give a variety of treats to Bubs and Coach Z, followed by Stinkoman and in response these characters will give different lines depending on the treat. In the last scene we see the entire cast join Strong Sad and Marzipan's attempt to revive Credenza who to their surprise suddenly replaces a photograph of the plant during some mysterious flickering of the lights. (more...) watch

Week 42, 2010

In the Puppet Special Homestar vs. Little Girl 2, released Monday, October 25, 2004, Puppet Homestar asks the little girl from the previous Homestar vs. Little Girl short what she likes about Halloween. The little girl responds that she likes candy and that her favorite Halloween candy are lollipops. When Homestar asks her what her favorite flavor is, she claims that it's chocolate, even though Homestar doesn't believe it's scientifically possible. After enduring some kicks and smacks to the head from the little girl, Homestar asks her which she prefers: "twicks or tweats". The girl responds with "treats" and then we cut to the little girl giving Homestar a ridiculously cute kiss on the forehead. The end of the clip shows a notice: "Halloween Toon Later This Week!", referring to the subsequent release of Halloween Fairstival. watch (more...)

Week 41, 2010

The On Point Kings is a gang consisting of Strong Bad, Strong Mad, and The Cheat. It was formed with the intention of rejecting guff from everyone. The Kings' hideout is located in the pseudo-alley behind Bubs' Concession Stand; they have their own logo, a yellow crown with the words "ON POINT" written inside. They also seem to function as Strong Badia's military muscle, although Strong Bad has repeatedly stated that Strong Badia does not have or need an army. The gang was created during one of The Stick's periods of unpopularity. As seen in the email origins, the Kings glued Homsar to Marzipan and left them for dead. They then had to find a new place to hang out, so they wouldn't simply be "hanging around them for dead". In more armies, Strong Bad tried to recruit new members to the On Point Kings at the Vaguely Military Career Fair. He made a brochure using a pirated version of QuarkXPress to advertise his shady band of mercenaries (not missionaries). According to the brochure, the On Point Kings' clients include Strong Badia, The Cheat's sister, and Joe Piscopo, and they specialize in black ops, brown ops, and the occasional beige op. In this appearance, all the members of the On Point Kings wear tape-on mustaches, and Strong Bad also wears an eyepatch and a robotic claw.

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Week 40, 2010

In the Big Toon The Reddest Radish, released sometime in 2000, Marzipan competes in the Reddest Radish contest. This toon is animated using paper-cut versions of the main characters and employs canned laughter used in older sitcoms. We first see Marzipan pull a large radish from her garden only to be interrupted by a note saying that Homestar is sick. Marzipan goes to see how Homestar is doing but in reality, this is all a ploy by Strong Bad, The Cheat and Strong Mad to steal her reddest radish and win the contest. In the end, Homestar and Pom Pom discover Strong Bad's scheme and recover the radish after a fierce fight. Nevertheless, it turns out Marzipan had a humongous radish set aside in hammerspace that easily beat out the competition. watch (more...)

Week 39, 2010

New Paper was the replacement for The original Paper after its printer broke in the 173rd email, the paper (just as foretold in the email montage). Unlike its predecessor, New Paper came from an inkjet printer capable of printing color, although it was permanently short of ink. It usually featured color pictures of a key from a keyboard reading "@" and Strong Bad's head in an envelope to the left and right of the text, respectively. Like The Paper, New Paper normally printed out upside-down, and as a result it was somehow losing ink on its leading edge, rather than the trailing edge. Its first printing sound effect, according to Strong Bad, was "Heunh heownh heunh heownh vvvvvt eangt clonk-a-donk". The sound effect was shortened to "vvvvvt eangt clonk-a-donk" beginning with New Paper's second appearance mini-golf. New Paper was destroyed at the end of hremail3184 when the Lappy 486 exploded. It was briefly replaced with Envelope Paper for the following email, imaginary, before a permanent replacement, Compé-per, was adopted by Strong Bad in independent. (more...)

Week 38, 2010

In the Short No Hands On Deck!, released Monday, August 14, 2006, Homestar decides to build a deck while talking to Cardboard Marzipan (who is really voiced by himself). In preparation, he decides to tell nearly everyone about the deck that he's building and even boasts to Bubs that he'll be using galvanized nails. Later on, we see Homestar once again talking to Cardboard Marzipan about why galvanized nails are better despite Wikipedia's recommendation of using vulcanized nails. Cardboard Marzipan then asks if he's using galvanized nails to hide the fact that he doesn't know how to build a deck. In response, Homestar evades the question, runs away and begins building his deck. At the end, a surprised Homestar and Bubs share cans of Melonade while gazing at The Field which is now completely covered in wood. watch (more...)

Week 37, 2010

In the Big Toon Where's The Cheat?, released Monday, February 25, 2002, Strong Bad and his posse (comprised of Pom Pom and Strong Mad) can't find The Cheat. Meanwhile, Homestar Runner makes Marzipan a sandwich, which she immediately falls in love with and names Homestar Jr. Strong Bad walks around town asking Coach Z, Bubs and even Strong Sad (who's playing Connect Four with Homsar) if they've seen The Cheat, but it seems that he is nowhere to be found. At this point even Strong Mad cries because he fears that he'll never see his buddy again. While Coach Z is asking The Poopsmith if he's seen The Cheat, they spot The King of Town preparing a nice steak with a The Cheat on the grill. Assuming the worst, Coach Z attacks The King of Town but their fight is broken up by Strong Bad who explains that the grill is really The Cheat's home. The toon is notable for being the first one to use the "modern" style of animation and for having appearances by all 12 main characters. watch (more...)

Week 36, 2010

sloshy is a lo-fi band that Strong Sad enjoys listening to. They were introduced in the Strong Bad Email concert, where they were opening for a Limozeen concert. Strong Bad was at first unwilling to view their set (as he had not heard of them), instead choosing to come "fashionably late". Due to a general lack of women in the audience, Limozeen never came on to play, and so sloshy played both sets, becoming one of Strong Bad's favorite bands until he finally realized they are not metal. Overall, the band appears somewhat apathetic to their performances. During concerts, the band just strings some Christmas lights over the bass drum for special effects, wear whatever they had been wearing that day, and display a general lack of courtesy for the audience. The members of sloshy were the antagonists of Limozeen: "But they're in space!" on at least one occasion. However, the page title of Limozeen vs. Sloshy ("The Label Made Us Do It!") suggests that sloshy and Limozeen are owned by the same record label. The name ʎɥsols is usually written in all lowercase even in running text, and their wordmark is rotated 180 degrees with the o being a different color, usually red. (more...)

Week 35, 2010

Gavin is a cockroach who frequently shows up in Strong Bad's computer room. He first appeared in an Easter egg in the email personal favorites, where he wouldn't leave Strong Bad alone. Gavin has since made the occasional small cameo appearance in later emails and toons, including a swarm of Gavin-like roaches in the email diorama. Strong Bad seems fond of him, though he felt upstaged by the insect in Experimental Film. A bug bomb (by the name of Roach Killa!) promises to be "Gavin safe!" on the packaging. (more...)

Week 34, 2010

The Heavy Lourde is an extremely large weight that drops on various characters. The most frequent victim of this weight is Homsar. This gag is a reference to countless classic cartoons in which characters were incapacitated by a falling weight or anvil. In French, "lourde" is a feminine adjective meaning "heavy", making the name redundant. The bilingual labeling on the weight may refer to the bilingual labeling of items required in Canada and becoming more prevalent in the United States since the advent of NAFTA. When a bag is over a certain weight, a label is added to the bag saying "Heavy Lourd" ("Lourd" being the masculine and correct form) on two lines in the same way it appears on the large weight. In the FAQ, a similar weight (labeled "1 TON") appears in the activity on the last page. Also, in Teen Girl Squad Issue 4, What's Her Face is squashed by a similar weight reading "NO Pounds". (more...)

Week 33, 2010

In the Short Toon Play Date, released Monday, June 9, 2008, Homestar tries to find someone to hang out with. He calls nearly everyone in Free Country, USA over the phone, but everyone gives reasons ranging from firmware updates to federal prison as to why they can't hang out. The only person available is Strong Mad whose idea of fun is to stack cinder blocks on Homestar's belly and throw Bubs' Concession Stand around as if it were a baseball. This causes Homestar serious bodily injury and leaves him in heavy bandages and leg casts. At the end of the day, Strong Bad arrives to take Strong Mad home. The gentle giant becomes dejected at the thought of leaving his new play buddy Homestar behind. (more...)

Week 32, 2010

On March 14, 2005, The Brothers Chaps appeared at the South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. They showed footage of Puppet Homestar Runner touring the Austin area along with Mike Chapman which had been filmed earlier that same day. At this presentation, viewers were shown similar material to that seen at the NYU Talk which occurred two weeks prior. The uncut version of the video shows Homestar interviewing festival attendees and staff. This presentation was also covered by Amanda Congdon for a Rocketboom segment. After the presentation, Amanda has a one-on-one interview with Homestar where they lave a lively discussions regarding his chick fans. (more...)

Week 31, 2010

Credenza is Marzipan's ficus. He died once when Homestar Runner watered him with Yoo-Hoo while Marzipan was on vacation in Miami. Credenza was brought back when Strong Sad and Marzipan held a [[S�ance|séance]] with the rest of the characters. It appears on the set of Strong Bad's Strong Bad-Type Interview Progrum in pizzaz, Strong Sad's Review Revue in pizza joint and email thunder, and Strong Bad's Folding Chair Dungeon in yes, wrestling. Additionally, it is one of the items up for sale in The Poopsmith and Pom Pom's "Creeping" Silent "Death" Auction in Halloween Fairstival. In Dangeresque 3: The Criminal Projective, Dangeresque puts Credenza in the Brainblow City Shark pond, much to Marzipan's grief. She violently makes Strong Bad go get him. (more...)

Week 30, 2010

Everybody to the Limit is The Cheat's music video for Strong Bad's song about Fhqwhgads. The song's chorus is very similar in rhythm to The Gap Band's 1979 hit song "I Don't Believe You Wanna Get Up and Dance (Oops Upside Your Head)". The video is rendered using full Powered by The Cheat graphics created on Tangerine Dreams and features several in-universe references including the Big Knife, the Atari Dragon and the Visor Robot's second appearance. At the end of the video Strong Bad is so impressed by The Cheat's work that he is speechless and offers to buy him a pizza. (more...) watch

Week 29, 2010

In death metal, the 141st Strong Bad Email, released on Monday, January 16, 2006, Strong Bad receives an email from Dane, who is in a death metal band at his school. Dane asks what words sound really cool when you scream them at the top of your lungs, but Strong Bad informs that to be a good death metalist, you want to scream from the bowels of your lungs. Anything that starts with d-e is acceptable, except for a few, such as "Dentist" and "Deli-style". Then, using Strong Mad as a human analogue, Strong Bad explains the proper stance for a death metalist. "Hunch all up on yourself, pretend you're holding a mystical orb in each hand and let the evil flow forth." And finally, to see how it all comes together, Strong Bad shows the viewers a new music video from Taranchula, titled "The Decoupage". (more...) watch

Week 28, 2010

Li'l Brudder is a one-legged puppy with one leg that can, according to Strong Bad, "make it on his own" and he wants to "be a quarterback that can throw for 2000 yards". He was introduced in the email crying. Whenever anyone (or at least Homestar Runner and The Cheat) sees this picture, they promptly burst into tears. He even managed to tear up the mighty Strong Bad himself, who then ran off, trying to cover it up by saying he had "a food in the oven". He has his own show named The Li'l Brudder and Maybe Tendafoot Too Show which revealed that his mother was a beagle, but his father was a unicycle. (more...)

Week 27, 2010

Lookin at a Thing in a Bag, released Tuesday, April 8, 2003, chronicles Strong Bad, Strong Mad and The Cheat's attempts to get drinks, without having to take the effort of actually getting drinks. A scheme is hatched to trick Homestar Runner into getting them drinks, by claiming to be "looking at a thing in a bag" (while the bag is actually empty) and tricking Homestar into thinking he would be able to see the thing in the bag if he brought the trio drinks. This toon was the longest short for over 2 years after its release, and is still one of the longest, being longer than several big toons. (more...) watch