Homestar Runner

2000

Date: 1 January 2000 (site launch) · Place: homestarrunner.com, San Diego and Atlanta · Figures: Mike Chapman, co-creator · Matt Chapman (Strong Bad voice), co-creator · the Brothers Chaps · Tags: Flash, Strong Bad 01. The Brothers Chaps Make a Website Mike and Matt Chapman launch homestarrunner.com on 1 January 2000, named for a children's-book character they invented in 1996. It hosts a sprawling cast: Homestar Runner, Strong Bad, The Cheat, Marzipan, Coach Z. The art is deliberately rough Flash with a hand-drawn line. Strong Bad Email, debuting 1 December 2001, becomes the breakout: viewers email Strong Bad, he answers on camera in a wrestling mask while typing on a Tandy 400. The format runs 209 episodes and pre-figures the entire YouTuber response-video genre. 02. A Web Cartoon Funded By Tee Shirts The Brothers Chaps support the entire project on merchandise sales. No ads, no pre-rolls, no investors. The model proves that a beloved web cartoon with a five-figure-strong fan base can be a full-time job for two people. The site goes effectively dormant 2010 to 2014, then returns. Strong Bad Email 209 (Trogdor!, January 2003) spawns its own meme that outlives the parent. Sources • Wired, 'The Brothers Chaps and Homestar Runner' (2005) • Polygon, 'Where is Homestar Runner now' (2018) • homestarrunner.com archives