Mr. Boop was a satirical webcomic created by Alec Robbins about him being married to Betty Boop. The comic launched on February 28, 2020.[1] The comic comprises four "books" made up of 217 strips.[2]
| Mr. Boop | |
|---|---|
 The first strip | |
| Author(s) | Alec Robbins |
| Website | https://mrboop.net/ |
| Current status/schedule | Concluded on January 1st, 2021 |
| Launch date | February 28, 2020 |
| Preceded by | Show Me Less Like This |
| Followed by | Crime Hot |
Background
editAlec enjoyed the notion that a character designed as a sex symbol was now mostly remembered by grandmothers.[1]
Robbins' comedic style was influenced by a company he works for, Abso Lutely Productions, especially Jon Benjamin Has a Van, The Birthday Boys & Nathan for You.[3]
Plot
editThis article needs an improved plot summary. (May 2024) |
Book III features a meta-narrative about Betty Boop's father breaking up the marriage between Alec and Betty as it breaches copyright law. The arc was fuelled by a "scare" Robbins had with copyright violation combined with a want to shift gears into other topics.[3]
Book III concluded with a series of two short videos, featuring appearances from Tim Robinson, Mara Wilson and Justin McElroy.[4]
Book IV contains horror elements. Robbins had his reservations about the ending, unsure if he was sending out the right message. He noted that he didn't want the message to be that "it's bad to fall into fantasy worlds and enjoy them."[1]
Physical releases
editThe physical releases of Book I, II, and III featured guest strips drawn by other artists, notably Kate Leth, Ryan North, Julia Kaye, and Night in the Woods creator Scott Benson.[5]
Reception
editMr. Boop was shortlisted for Heidi MacDonald's 2021 Cartoonists Studio Prize,[6] and was nominated for an Ignatz Award.[7] Zachary Jenkins of ComicsXF said "Until the team behind Sonic understands our dark desires, we will have to fulfill our needs with underground art like Mr. Boop."[8] In 2022, Silver Sprocket released a hardcover collection of the entirety of Mr. Boop, which won the Ignatz Award for Outstanding Collection later that year.[9][10]
The Verge called it "a hilarious, sometimes existentially troubling interrogation of what’s fascinating about fandoms and dumb about copyright law" and "a note-perfect satire of a very specific time on the internet".[11]
References
edit- ^ a b c Meslow, Scott (24 May 2022). "Meet the sicko behind Mr. Boop". The Verge. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
- ^ "Mr. Boop On Line Web Portal". mrboop.net. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
- ^ a b Brady, Erin (6 October 2020). "'Mr. Boop' creator Alec Robbins on boundaries, creative control, and his creative future • AIPT". Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ^ Robbins, Alec [@alecrobbins] (8 September 2020). "EXCLUSIVE BREAKING NEWS: Guest Alec Robbins, creator of Mr. Boop, breaks his silence on a very special new episode of The Strip Club. Please watch all the way through if possible" (Tweet). Retrieved 24 July 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ Robbins, Alec (2020). Mr. Boop Volume II: "God Is A Woman, and She's My Wife". TTC. p. 79.
- ^ Kaplan, Avery (16 March 2021). "Syndicated Comics". The Beat. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
- ^ MacDonald, Heidi (1 September 2021). "Syndicated Comics". The Beat. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
- ^ Jenkins, Zachary (4 September 2020). "Explore Sonic The Hedgehog's Jealousy And Vengeance as Zacky Reads Hedgehog Reads 'Mr. Boop' Vols. 1 & 2". ComicsXF. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
- ^ "Mr. Boop by Alec Robbins". Silver Sprocket. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
- ^ "2022 Ignatz Awards Winners Announced". Multiversity Comics. 18 September 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
- ^ Mr. Boop, the psychosexual webcomic that is a scathing critique of copyright / It’s also about being married to Betty Boop, by Scott Meslow, in The Verge; published May 24, 2022; retrieved February 27, 2023