History WebAnimation / HomestarRunner

''[[http://www.homestarrunner.com Homestar Runner]]'', the namesake series of the ''Franchise/HomestarRunner'' family, is a [[SurrealHumor surreally comedic]] web-based UsefulNotes/AdobeFlash cartoon by two guys from the state of UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}, Mike and Matt Chapman ("Creator/TheBrothersChaps"). Starting as a dead-tree children's picture book, ''Literature/TheHomestarRunnerEntersTheStrongestManInTheWorldContest'', it eventually found its way to the internet and spread through word of mouth.

** Strong Bad himself, as far as video games and technology are concerned. His computers are all hopelessly outdated, and his most current system is a UsefulNotes/TurboGrafx16. To put that into perspective, Old-Timey Strong Bad is still using the telegraph in 1936, when the telephone had seen widespread use for over 50 years. That, and only in 2009 has he upgraded to a computer with a graphical interface, having used command prompts on all his previous computers, including his (16-pound!) laptop. Not very surprising when his favorite manufacturer, Compy, still makes house-sized computers. The Cheat, on the other hand...

* TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers: A borderline example in one of the DVD toons, "Why Come Only One Girl?", in a montage of Strong Bad meeting different ideas for a new girl character.
-->'''Strong Bad:''' -my style. ''(gets slapped, cut)'' -my types. ''(gets slapped, cut)'' -my stuff. ''(gets slapped, cut)'' -The Cheat. ''(gets slapped)''

What made the cartoon's website truly stand out was how it handled content. While a good chunk of Flash content at the time was incredibly vulgar and offensive, ''Homestar Runner'' deliberately wasn't (according to The Brothers Chaps, this was done as a personal challenge); the worst language you'd hear on the site would be something like "crap" or "sucks", and the worst thing you'd see them do was drink beer -- and even then, they would rarely get drunk. Most of the humor came from the surreal nature of the world around the characters (and sometimes, from the characters), and from the clever wordplay that would come up on the site. While most Flash content was hosted on websites like Website/{{Newgrounds}} and maybe mirrored to the creator's own website, everything on ''Homestar Runner'' was hosted on its own website and would include {{easter egg}}s ranging from the simple "click here on this spot at the right time" to "typing the URL of a seemingly made-up page a character mentioned" and even "decompiling the Flash cartoon itself".

* BleachedUnderpants: The [[http://hrwiki.org/wiki/Poot-Slap_(Thorax_Corp) original version]] of the [[http://hrwiki.org/wiki/Poot-Slap Poot-Slap]] song is less than family-friendly.

* GrammarNazi: Strong Bad often mocks the spelling mistakes and grammer of the emails he recieves, [[HypocriticalHumor despite making many spelling and grammatical errors of his own]].

* CheatedAngle: Homestar and The Cheat are ''never'' seen from the front in the cartoons. But in the game and the 3d figurines, they can be seen from any angle you please.

-->'''Strong Sad''': I feel great! I feel great! I feel great! I don’t even watch football. I don’t even watch football. I can’t remember my legs!

''[[http://www.homestarrunner.com Homestar Runner]]'', the namesake series of the ''Franchise/HomestarRunner'' family, is a comedic and surreal web-based UsefulNotes/AdobeFlash cartoon by two guys from the state of UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}, Mike and Matt Chapman ("Creator/TheBrothersChaps"). Starting as a dead-tree children's picture book, ''Literature/TheHomestarRunnerEntersTheStrongestManInTheWorldContest'', it eventually found its way to the internet and spread through word of mouth.

The main character is the eponymous Homestar Runner, a goodhearted athlete with no arms and no clue. However, Strong Bad, a narcissistic, loudmouthed "wrestleman" with a Luchador mask for a face and boxing gloves for hands, [[BreakoutCharacter seems to have exceeded the title character in popularity]]. Along with his pint-sized lackey The Cheat and hulking brute older brother Strong Mad, Strong Bad constantly pushes everybody around, especially his gray, depressed younger brother Strong Sad. Other characters include Homestar's on-and-off hippie girlfriend Marzipan, Homestar's best friend and OnlySaneMan Pom Pom, the verbally challenged and slightly creepy Coach Z, greedy concession stand owner Bubs, the ever-hungry King of Town, and the Poopsmith, whose occupation is self-explanatory. And to round out this wacky cast, we also have Homsar, an OddballDoppelganger of Homestar who speaks in non-sequiturs and seems to be able to openly defy physics. Over the years, the series has come to include many recurring and minor characters, many of which simply debuted as one-off jokes.

What made the website truly standout was how the site handled content. While a good chunk of Flash content at the time was incredibly vulgar and offensive, Homestar Runner deliberately wasn't (according to The Brothers Chaps, this was done as a personal challenge); the worst language you'd hear on the site would be something like "Crap" or "sucks" and the worst thing you'd see them do was drink beer and even then, they would rarely get drunk; Most of the humor came from the surreal nature of the world around the characters (and sometimes, from the characters), and from the clever wordplay that would come up on the site. While most flash content was hosted on websites like Website/{{Newgrounds}} and maybe mirrored to the creators own website, everything on Homestar Runner was hosted on its own website and would include easter eggs that would range from the simple "click here on this spot at the right time" to "typing the URL of a seemingly made up page a character mentioned" and even "decompiling the flash cartoon itself."

Other features on the site include ''WebAnimation/TeenGirlSquad'', a comic about shallow teenage girls dying in improbable and hilarious ways, which is written, drawn, and narrated by Strong Bad; Old-Timey Homestar, what Homestar Runner would be like if it was made in the 1930s; and the ''WebAnimation/CheatCommandos'', a parody of MerchandiseDriven shows in general and ''Franchise/GIJoe'' in specific. The Brothers Chaps have also collaborated with Music/TheyMightBeGiants a few times. A series of [[EpisodicGame episodic point-and-click adventure games]] by Creator/TelltaleGames, ''VideoGame/StrongBadsCoolGameForAttractivePeople'' (or [=SBCG4AP=]), was released for PC and [=WiiWare=] between August and December of 2008, and later ported to [=PlayStation=] Network in 2010.

Most episodes include {{Easter Egg}}s, accessible by clicking on the right part of the screen at the right time.

Since the birth of Matt Chapman's second child in November 2009, the site's flow of new content trickled to a halt. However, in late 2011, Matt confirmed via his Twitter page that the series has not been cancelled and that future updates were coming "sporadically and without warning" (and went so far to say that nobody in their right mind would voluntarily quit making ''Homestar Runner'' altogether). The Brothers Chaps have worked on other projects during the hiatus, including the [[http://www.gamestooge.com/2010/09/03/poker-night-at-the-inventory-announced/ game]] ''VideoGame/PokerNightAtTheInventory'', in which Strong Bad meets up with Tycho (''Webcomic/PennyArcade''), Max (''VideoGame/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice''), and the Heavy (''VideoGame/TeamFortress2''), as well as a special guest appearance by Strong Bad and Homestar at [=W00tstock 2013=]. More recently, Matt has become a writer and director for Creator/NickJr's ''Series/YoGabbaGabba'', Creator/TheHub's ''Series/TheAquabatsSuperShow'', and [[Creator/DisneyChannel Disney]]'s ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls''. Matt and Mike would also go on to create ''WebAnimation/TwoMoreEggs'' for Disney XD which would air in between breaks on that channel. As of 2014, new episodes have finally begun to trickle back in, beginning with [[http://www.homestarrunner.com/aprilfools2014.html a new April Fool's Day intro]] and the music video [[http://www.homestarrunner.com/fisheyelens.html "Fish Eye Lens"]]. The website, while not updated weekly like it was in the 2000s, still sees new content, mostly around Halloween.

* YouMustBeThisTallToRide: In the Strong Bad e-mail "theme park", The Cheat tried to be tall enough to ride the Bowels of Trogdor roller coaster, but was unable to do so even when standing on tiptoes and wearing a top hat, so Strong Bad recommended he goes to Sweet Cuppin Cakes Land instead, much to his disappointment.

* WhiteVoidRoom: Certain {{Imagine Spot}}s, such as Homsar's children's show, ''Whaddaya Know, Haddi-man?'', or Strong Sad's sbemail fanfiction, "A Grade A Gray Day."

* VomitDiscretionShot: Used in the Strong Bad Email "bottom 10", when Homestar starts to perform a butt dance for Strong Bad.

* VinylShatters: In [[http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail175.html concert]], Strong Bad breaks a Sloshy record over Strong Sad's head.

* ThreateningShark: The Bear Holding a Shark from the [=SBEmail=] "Myths and Legends". Because [[BearsAreBadNews just being a bear]] is not menacing enough.

* TerribleIntervieweesMontage: The email where Strong Bad is asked who will take over when he retires, and he decides to put his costars through the wringer to figure out who would be the best suited for the job. Some candidates seem promising -- Homestar gets a perfect score on the insulting nicknames quiz by just calling everyone "Crapface", for example -- but they all end up being underqualified. "Guess I'll be checkin' emails and kickin' Cheats 'til the day I die."

* TearJerker: Invoked. Strong Bad has this drawing of a one-legged puppy nicknamed "Li'l Brudder", whose {{Woobie}}-ness is sufficient to drive Homestar into an ''existential crisis'' whenever Strong Bad shows it to him. He manages to do the same to Strong Sad with a picture of a two-legged elephant named "Tendafoot". At the end, even Strong Bad himself starts choking up from it. [[invoked]]

* SuntanStencil: One of the pieces of dubious advice Strong Bad gives for breaching a sensitive topic to a colleague is to have it written on "your brother's giant, square, billboard-sized back" using a "reverse sunburn".