Original air date: 4/27/2001 (produced in 2000)
Episode number: 5a
Comedian and former talk show host Jay Leno guest stars in this episode where Timmy wishes his favorite comic book superhero was real, but the superhero ends up having a mental breakdown when he discovers that he's fictional, thus causing the comic book to be canceled.
This episode contains examples of:
- Actor Allusion: Charles Hampton Indigo was once a talk show host like Jay Leno.
- Basement-Dweller: The man who writes the comic is stated to be one.
- Borrowed Catchphrase: Cosmo and Wanda use Timmy's classic Wild Card Excuse when a congoer, thinking Cosmo and Wanda are just two "big-headed kids in costume" at the convention, ask where they got their magic wands, to which they say "Uhh... Internet?"
- Clark Kenting: The Chin still wears his mask in his civilian identity, with a pair of glasses sitting on his oversized chin.
- Coincidental Broadcast: There's a sudden broadcast that announces the Crimson Chin will get cancelled.
- Depowered: When The Crimson Chin mistakes some civilians in costumes as his actual enemies and nearly attacks them, Timmy wishes that his powers don't work in the real world to stop him. Timmy gives him his powers back when he wishes him back into the comic.
- Don't Make Me Destroy You: The Bronze Kneecap constantly points to his kneecap and states "Don't make me use this!"
- Early-Installment Weirdness: Compared to later episodes focused on the Crimson Chin:
- The Chin frequently has his pupils visible through his mask, sometimes with his eyes being white, a trait that never occurs again.
- The Rogues Gallery contains two extra members, Spatula Woman and Country Boy, who are featured prominently in this episode but never appear alongside the other villains.
- The Cleft mask is bright red, but is changed to black in all later appearances.
- The Bronze Kneecap has a Catchphrase connected to his titular weapon ("Don't make me use this!") compared to how he will later just use his abilities without warning. He is also treated as The Crimson Chin's Arch-Enemy, as The Nega Chin had not yet been established.
- For Halloween Im Going As Myself: Cosmo and Wanda can float around the comic convention with no consequences as everyone thinks they're in costume.
- Heartbreak and Ice Cream: The Chin is seen downing ice cream in the middle of his breakdown.
- Heroic B So D: The Crimson Chin suffers one upon realizing he's not real.
- My Little Phony: Timmy wins two issues of "Pretty Pony" for his Cleft costume.
- Noticing the Fourth Wall: The entire episode is based around the Crimson Chin noticing his fourth wall. When he finds out, he believes his life is meaningless and has a mental breakdown. Unfortunately, this threatens to have his comic cancelled as a result if he doesn't snap out of it.
- Pre-Asskicking One-Liner: The Crimson Chin delivers one when he finally arrives to stop The Bronze Kneecap.Bronze Kneecap: Look, it's the Crimson Crybaby!
Crimson Chin: That Crimson Chin is so last issue! - Punctuated! For! Emphasis!: "Lives. With. His. Mom."
- Radiation-Induced Superpowers: Parodied. The Chin got his powers after being bitten on the chin by a radioactive celebrity.
- Steven Ulysses Perhero: The Chin's real name is Charles Hampton Indigo.
- Troubled Fetal Position: After finding out he's a comic book character, the Chin is reduced to one for an entire issue.
- Who Writes This Crap?!:Timmy: Thanks, Chin! You saved me!
Crimson Chin: Actually, Cleft, you saved me... from myself. ((Beat)) Wow, that was shmaltzy. Who'd you say writes my comic book again?
Timmy: Some forty-year-old dude who lives with his mom.
Crimson Chin: Any money in it?
Timmy: (indicates own speech bubble in previous panel) Lives. With. His. Mom.
