1. How were you first introduced to Poptropica? 

I first discovered Poptropica back in 2008 (Man, am I that old?). I watched my little sister play Poptropica on the family computer one day, and I wanted to play as well. Guess who kept playing the game long after that. 😉

 

2. Who do you think is the most underrated character? Overrated? 

Poptropica has a large quantity of characters, so some are bound to get lost in the shuffle over time. I have to agree with Purple Paw and say that Captain Ziggs is probably the most underrated Pop character. He gave his life to protect the citizens of Steamworks Island, yet he isn't talked about much in the community. Even characters like the Elf Queen and the Magistrate get fan art on occasion. 

As for the most overrated, I feel like I’m beating a dead horse by saying that Dr. Hare is overrated. He became the face of spinoff minigames, merchandise, and even Poptropica itself! He got so much attention that could have shared with other characters.

 

 

3. What are your favorite scenes, aesthetically and to play through? 

I loved visiting the dream worlds in Super Villain Island. They have some of the best scenery and provide interesting insight into some of Pop’s iconic villains. My favorite moment was hopping into the paintings in Black Widow's dream. Talk about an immersive art experience! 

I also want to mention the maze sections in Ghost Story Island. We've seen Pop from side-on and top-down perspectives, but this was the only time we could turn around and see every little corner of a location.

 

 

4. From your perspective, how have you seen the Poptropica Help Blog (PHB) and community change over time? 

I joined the community sometime in 2017, when Poptropica was searching for ways to survive the death of Flash Player. There was a lot of uncertainty about Pop’s fate during that time, and the community changed along with the game. Older fans either stayed on board or left altogether, and new players joined the community. While the fandom isn’t as active as it once was, there are still dedicated fans creating fan art and crafting theories. 

 

5. How has your PHB career surprised you?

First off, being invited to join the PHB was already a big surprise. 😆

In all seriousness, being part of the PHB taught me a lot about working with others online. I learned how to better communicate via text and how to plan online events like our annual Poppies awards. I still make mistakes every now and then, but that means there's still room to grow.

 

6. What inspires you? 

I get inspired by many things from stories to music to real-life experiences. 

 

7. What does the Pop community mean to you? 

The Pop community is full of creative individuals with a shared passion. The PHB’s Community Creations series is a testament to that fact. 

 

8. How have your experiences with the community and Poptropica influenced you IRL? 

You could say that Pop had a notable influence on my interests. Poptropica used to have a Daily Pop page that included comic strips like Peanuts and Big Nate. These comics inspired me to create my very own comics and set me on a creative path. I should probably get back into making comics now that I think about it.

 

 

9. Outside of Poptropica and your PHB involvement, what are you passionate about? 

I’m passionate about art and illustration. I’ve been working on a few projects, whether they be fully independent or with other people. Keep an eye out for them! 

 

Favorites 

• Island: Ghost Story Island! It has a compelling story and a subdued tone not commonly felt in Pop's other islands. I definitely want to see this island return in the future.
• Backstory/Lore: I liked learning about Amelia during her side quest. While it doesn’t reveal any groundbreaking lore, it showcases Amelia’s character via casual conversation and set design. Her little apartment showcases her love of tea, her many adventures, and (of course) her obsession with unicorns. I certainly didn’t expect that last one, but I loved it! 
• Character: Fiona from Ghost Story Island. She is a sweet lady with a tragic history, and she is responsible for some of the island's most iconic moments. 
• Villain: The Super Power Island crew. They’re a fun collection of villains to fight in a classic superhero setting. 
• Costume: I may be biased when I say “Pumpkin Punk”. 😝🎃

 

 

---

 

Sincere thanks to Gentle Dolphin for the lovely interview and their outstanding contributions to Pop community and the Poptropica Help Blog! Find more of Gentle Dolphin’s artwork and writing on the PHB! 

Welcome back, Poptropicans!

 

Now that Halloween’s come and gone, we’re going full steam ahead into the holiday season! 🚂

 

Every year, the first 12 days of December are dedicated to a rapid-fire prize-palooza to thank our members for their support! This year, our 12 Days of Member Gifts will include a special twist… For the first time in Poptropica history, all players will have the opportunity to design the special event’s presents!

 

In lieu of the usual costume contest, you’re invited to join this year’s one-of-a-kind festivities – the inaugural Holly Jolly Holiday Design Contest! 🎁✨

 

 

Rather than a limiting you to a holiday-themed costume contest, the Holly Jolly Holiday Contest is open to designs of all kinds. Clubhouse decorations, pet outfits , followers, and yes – costumes. You’re free to dream up any winter or holiday inspired item that you’d like to see in the game! 🤩

 

Draw and submit your clubhouse decorations, pet followers, and costume designs by November 16^th @ 8pm PST (9pm MST, 10pm CST, 11pm EST) for the chance to win!

 

After all holiday submissions are collected, twelve players will have their winning designs brought to life! The 12 winning ideas will be recreated, wrapped, and presented to members for December’s annual 12 Days of Member Gifts!

 

If you’re wondering if you can enter the contest as a non-member, the answer is yes! All players can join in the Holy Jolly Holiday Contest festivities. And if your design is chosen as a winner, you’ll be gifted the item you created for free – regardless if you’re a member or not!

 

2021’s 12 Days of Member Gifts

 

If you’re in need of some winter inspiration, check out 2020’s full list of December’s member gifts and 2021’s 12 Days of Member Gifts, including tons of winter wear, fox followers, beanies, and more! ☃️❄️

 

As a reminder: enter your Holly Jolly Holiday designs by November 16^th at 8pm PST through the Submissions Page. Good luck, Poptropicans! ✨

 

---

 

How do you enter?

 

First things first, narrow down what kind of item you want to design: clubhouse item, pet followers, or costume. Then, start brainstorming ideas for your holiday items (see below for tips). All designs should be original, reproducible and age appropriate. There is also a 3 entry maximum per month.

 

Once you have your decoration, follower, or costume ideas, the next step is to draw them out! You can do this on paper or go the digital route to show off your designs.  Don’t worry about comparing yourself to the rest of the community. Differences in art skill will not affect your likelihood of being chosen. Go all out with it! The Team loves seeing your imagination and creativity!

 

When you’ve finished drawing your outfit designs, the final step is to share them with us! The easiest way is to enter through the submissions page. Submit your designs one at a time, and be sure to include your Poptropican’s name and your login username with each entry.

 

If you’re on social media, you can also share your costume design on Instagram for others to see your idea! Remember to tag us (@poptropicacreators) and use the hashtag #MyPoptropicaCostume – we’ll repost your holiday design to our story to share your work!

 

NOTE: Please submit your designs one at a time, as multiple attachments will not be received. Each month, a handful of players’ entries are received without any attached files. If you’re unsure if your image was successfully included, feel free to resubmit!

 

To start brainstorming your outfit designs, here are a few tips!

 

As always, you have free reign over your designs! Do you want your decorations, followers, or costumes to be winter-themed? Holiday-inspired? Both?! Perhaps you've always wanted to dress like an abominable snowman or equip a frosty kitten follower? Think about your favorite things during the holiday season, can you find inspiration there? Remember, creativity and originality are always appreciated! Any idea can be a winner!

 

Keep these tips in mind as you’re designing your holiday item:

 

• Your submissions should be original!
• Get creative! Look for inspiration in your favorite movies, shows, books, or in your own life that you can put your unique spin on!
• Costumes may also include accessories and special powers.
• While designing your entry, be sure it can be reproduced as a Poptropica item. Avoid including tiny details would be hard to recreate and using currently available items. Where’s the fun in that?

 

 

Meet Smart Icicle!

 

 

Illustration by Smart Icicle

 

1. How were you first introduced to Poptropica?

Ah yes, the nostalgic times. I found Poptropica when I was around 10 years old. Me and my friend were sharing one Windows 7 computer, looking at ads on our games. We had never heard of Poptropica before, but we were in the mood to try something new.

So we created our first account together: Bronze Socks. (If the name sounds familiar to you, yes, that’s my Community Creations partner!) Anyway, this was during the peak of Poptropica, with the Multiverse, all the islands you could play, everything.

After a while, we each got a computer and didn’t have to share anymore, so me and my friend went our separate ways. I continued to play Poptropica as Smart Icicle (username: Target1051). Here’s me on the New You building of an older Home Island!

 

 

2. Who do you think is the most underrated character? Overrated?

My choice for underrated character — I found many, but I would have to say the magistrate from Ghost Story Island. He’s nostalgic to consider, yet a bit villainous — after all, he did orchestrate a murder.

The most overrated character right now, in my opinion, would be Rumpelstiltskin. With all the Fairytale Island lore ongoing these past couple of years, including Rumpel’s possession of the Baron, and now being hunted by the Red Queen, it seems Rumpel is highly ranked among people’s villain tiers. Still, I wish each villain could get equal love in the community, rather than the hype often going to the same ones.

 

Magistrate from Ghost Story

 

Rumpelstiltskin from Fairytale

 

3. What are your favorite scenes, aesthetically and to play through?

I love seeing Binary Bard’s and Dr. Hare’s dreams in Super Villain Island. Another one is the Imperial Garden from Red Dragon — at one point, I even set it as my phone wallpaper because I loved it so much!

I also liked most of the scenes from Arabian Nights, which have some of my favorites to play through as well: catching Scheherazade as a genie, and being in her princess room. And I enjoy a good villain takedown — although I didn’t get to witness them from personal experience since the gameplay was difficult, it was fun watching Captain Crawfish, Binary Bard, Dr. Hare, and Black Widow getting defeated.

 

Binary Bard’s dream (Super Villain Island)

 

Imperial Garden (Red Dragon Island)

 

4. From your perspective, how have you seen the Poptropica Help Blog (PHB) and community change over time?

To me, it’s an equation: Pop changes = PHB changes. Every time Poptropica changes, the PHB does as well. So much has happened to the game over the years, and the community has evolved too. I’ve seen this mentioned often and completely agree that, with the end of Flash in 2020, many people lost interest in Pop, including myself.

Perhaps the pandemic had something to do with the game’s momentum slowing down. But despite the shifts, I’m still happy to see the PHB keep going, and parts of Pop still hanging onto some of its OG content.

 

Eye Alone: Looking out from within.

 

5. How has your PHB career surprised you?

I was really excited to see what would happen after I became a staff writer on the PHB. My PHB career surprised me because it sent huge waves of creativity that I never knew I had, plus it changed my writing style. Before joining the team, as a reader, I had zero creativity and zero interest in writing. I have to say thank you to Slanted Fish for this opportunity to write about something that I enjoy. After joining the PHB, I was inspired to continue writing, and even started my own blog.

 

World Warriors: Welcome back to the stage of history.

 

6. What inspires you?

Music, video games, family history, movies, TV shows — they all inspire me. As the saying goes: Inspiration is the key to success. Even watching other people writing inspires me.

7. What does the Pop community mean to you?

The Pop community means a lot to me. It feels like another whole family to me. I love just watching everyone’s whole different approaches and ideas, and I feel like I helped inspire new guest writers on the blog. 

 

Turban Core: Into the heart of a den of thieves.

 

8. How have your experiences with the community and Poptropica influenced you IRL? 

I would say Pop has influenced me a lot IRL. It not only brought back my creativity and love of writing, it also made me love trying out new games to enjoy on the web.

9. Outside of Poptropica and your PHB involvement, what are you passionate about? 

I love my family, friends, teachers, and writing. They all just make me feel me. 

 

Gallery: The writing is on the walls.

 

Favorites

• Island: Skullduggery
• Backstory/Lore: Dr. Hare’s origin story as a lead scientist who engineered a malfunctioning mind control device that turned him into an evil hare-y genius
• Character: Harold Mews from Cryptids
• Villain: Dr. Hare, Captain Crawfish, Black Widow, and Binary Bard
• Costume: Dr. Hare costume

 

 

 

Dr. Hare’s backstory from the 2011 Villain Showdown on the Pop Creators’ Blog

 

---

 

Thank you to the Pop Creators for inviting me to do this interview. I have had a blast playing Poptropica, keep up the great work!

 

 

Starting today, all players can play the Zomberry Hero Special Event for a limited time! Veteran players will remember the original Zomberry Island, where a mysterious illness befell the citizens of Eastman. 

 

 

New reports of a Zomberry resurgence are wreaking havoc on the islands. It seems another batch of tainted blueberry smoothies are the culprit behind the latest outbreak. Once again, it’s up to you to be the hero! 🫐🧟‍♂️

 

 

Grab your flashlight and stock up on pineapple antidote. Keep your eyes peeled while patrolling 3 downtown areas that are crawling with zombies. When you stumble across the Zomberries, aim, shoot, and splatter them with pineapple slime to administer the antidote! The infected Poptropicans will be cured and return to normal, although a little shaken.

 

But be warned! When you get too close to the Zomberries, your fear meter will skyrocket. If your fear meter maxes out, you’ll pass out from fright and have to restart the level. 🌡

 

Luckily, with great risk comes great reward. Complete all 3 stages to claim your rightful title of “Zomberry Hero” and earn 1000 credits! 🎉

 

 

Tread lightly, Poptropicans. Be berry careful while venturing into the heart of the outbreak. We highly recommend having your audio on for this one! 

 

Once you complete the special event, report back here and share your reactions with your fellow Zomberry heroes! Which stage is your favorite? Did you catch any Easter eggs? 👀

Meet MaryannTheConqueror, aka Smart Bubbles!

 

 

 

1. How were you first introduced to Poptropica?

Like most older players, Funbrain is where it started for me. It was the main website Pop was advertised on, and I remember seeing it all the time there. I used to spend a lot of time on Funbrain as well!

 

2. Who do you think is the most underrated character? Overrated?

Underrated – Probably Fiona from Ghost Story. Ghost Story had by far one of the best storylines in Poptropica and I miss it dearly, and she’s one I don’t see much of except for some fanart every blue moon.

 

I’m also going to quickly mention Binary Bard because — wait, wait, hear me out — the guy has a lot of fans, I’m aware. However, I’ll consider him underrated until his island is back and he has his own book series.

 

Overrated – Poor Dr. Hare’s getting a lot of flack this time, isn’t he? Ah well. He’s a pretty easy answer and to be fair, I do feel that for the main mascot of Pop, he’s definitely one of the simpler characters but don’t take this too seriously as you will soon find how VERY biased I am).

 

Fiona (right)

 

Dr. Hare

 

3. What are your favorite scenes, aesthetically and to play through?

I remember I used to go to the background of Poptropica Realms — when you exited out of a specific realm and just stared at all the mini worlds in bubbles — and listen to the ambience. The music and calm there was very sweet, and it was one of those rare times when you open a game but don’t really play it, instead just stopping to enjoy the scene.

I remember I used to go to the background of Poptropica Realms — when you exited out of a specific realm and just stared at all the mini worlds in bubbles — and listen to the ambience. The music and calm there was very sweet, and it was one of those rare times when you open a game but don’t really play it, instead just stopping to enjoy the scene.

 

 

4. From your perspective, how have you seen the Poptropica Help Blog (PHB) and community change over time?

I’m one of the newest authors on the PHB, and while I had only posted a little bit before joining, I’ve actually lurked in this community since 2015! I read so many blogs, discovering any fan theories or creations that I could. At the time, I was pretty anxious about joining in the fandom, but I think I still got a decent view of what it was like.

I do feel the community is far less active recently. It’s sad to see the fan blogs slow down, but things have been a little slow. I remember enjoying many series from the PHB as well, including their seasonal magazine that has since retired, The POPCORN!

 

 

5. How has your PHB career surprised you?

I think people can have different reasons for any creative arts, including storytelling. For some, they just want to do something they enjoy and express themselves. While I feel that too, I’m also passionate about bringing emotions and inspiration to others.

I’ve been writing a concept script for a Poptropica TV series called “The Villain Saga” for a while now, which you can read on the PHB. It’s very much just for fun, but it brought me so much joy when I saw other Pop fans writing their own stories in a similar format!

 

 

6. What inspires you?

Nature is a massive thing for me. I love being in green forests, which is kind of hard as someone who lives in a desert! Music is also a huge source of inspiration for me — I tend to create things based more on emotions than general ideas, hence why I can have a futuristic comic inspired by a horror musical.

I’ve also been developing an interest in studying cultures around the world. I’m especially passionate about Japan and hope to travel there someday! Who knows, maybe I can even make some Poptropica stuff while I’m there… ;>

 

Arch Enemies: Bridge over troubled water.

 

7. What does the Pop community mean to you?

It’s a lot of fun to just be able to geek out about characters and nostalgia that just aren’t known or discussed outside of this community. I can create things and get feedback or practice ideas through fan creations, which in turn helps me improve my personal work.

 

Poppies 2022 by MaryannTheConqueror
 

8. How have your experiences with the community and Poptropica influenced you IRL? 

I have to say my work outside of Pop hasn’t changed much before and after. I was an artist and writer before, and I still am. I was involved in the Pop community a bit before being invited to work on the PHB as well. That all being said, I find myself becoming more interested in writing articles on subjects I’m steeped in, such as gaming and fandom, and blogging with the PHB has absolutely given me more practice in those departments. And of course, collaborating on and creating projects inspires me even further!

 

9. Outside of Poptropica and your PHB involvement, what are you passionate about? 

I love all kinds of music (listening, not writing, still haven’t got the hang of that). I hope to learn as many mediums of storytelling as possible, be they comics, animation, or novels. I have a deep love for bittersweet or just downright tragic stories. Astronomy also interests me, and while I don’t think I have the brainpower to study it as a profession, I love learning as many facts as possible!

 

“Planets of Astro-Knights” by MaryannTheConqueror

 

Favorites

 

• Island: Astro-Knights. Astro-Knights Astro-Knights Astro-Knights. Ghost Story comes in second place though!

 

• Backstory/Lore: This is going to come as a surprise to absolutely no one who’s read my posts or interacted with me — Mordred’s. I can joke till the end of time about how much of a Bard stan I am, but it’s actually not quite that. The guy’s pretty evil. He’d easily be one of the hardest to redeem. 
  
  But I love tragic characters, and I feel like he has quite the foundation to become one. There’s a lot to look into. Why did he start performing cruel experiments and rebelling against the kingdom? Will he continue to replace himself with cybernetic parts over time, and if so, at what point will he truly lose himself? Hehe. Yeah it’s a bit much. But he’s just got such a good base to construct ideas from!

 

“The Knowledge of the Stars” by MaryannTheConqueror

 

• Character: Mordred.
• Villain: I imagine you’ll never be able to guess.

 

Mordred in Astro-Knights Island

 

• Costume: The Acidic Dinosaur. Nothing will ever beat it.

 

Acidic Dinosaur

 

---

 

Funding for this post is provided by Harold Mews' bank account. If you'd like, you can check out more of my writing and art on the PHB. Pop on!

 

Castori honorem ~ Maryann/Smart Bubbles

Hello Everyone,

 

Dizzy Feather here, and this is the third part of The Poptropican Heroes (catch up on parts one and two). Also, I'm pleased to announce that Shiny Flyer will be included in this fanfiction. Thank you to everyone who created a Character Outline, each and every one of them was such a blast to read, and I encourage you to keep yours in mind for the future. That said, I give you Part Three.

 

*Fade in* 

 

The Pink Knight is sitting on a pale pink bed dialing a phone sitting on a nearby table. A Flashback shows The Pink Knight standing in a room with the rest of the Poptropican Heroes. 

 

Mr. Carrot: What were you thinking?! You could have gotten yourself killed!

 

Pink Knight: I had it under control.

 

Love Knight: Even so, you should've been more careful, teaming up with villains is a very bad idea. 

 

 Pink Knight: I didn't team up with him, I merely got a little help from him. 

 

Purple Galaxy: Dizzy, you can't trust him, for all we know he could be leading you into a trap. 

 

The Pink Knight: I know, but what better option do I have?

 

Mr.Carrot: Continue doing what we were before you made a rash decision. 

 

Pink Knight: It was not a rash decision.

 

Plant Knight: She's right, she did prepare for it. 

 

Mr. Carrot: That may be so, but regardless, what she did was reckless and dangerous, and she will not be allowed back into that portal. 

 

The entire group breaks into a series of yelling, as the screen fades back to The Pink Knight sitting on her bed. 

 

Pink Knight: Hello, it's The Pink Knight here, I was just calling... Yes, I'm still alive ... Anyways, I was calling to see if you can sneak me back into that portal... yes, that's the one... Thank you so much!

 

The Screen fades onto a busy harbor where The Pink Knight is walking towards a Poptropican who has golden wings gently fluttering.

 

Shiny Flyer: You ready?

 

Pink Knight: You won't tell Purple Galaxy about this, will you?

 

Shiny Flyer: Not until you do.

 

Pink Knight: Good, let's get going. 

 

*Fade in*

 

Shiny Flyer and the Pink knight are making their way underground,The Pink Knight is holding a device in her hand that keeps making annoying beeps. 

 

Pink Knight: Almost there.

 

The Pink Knight stops and looks at the device she is holding.

 

Pink Knight: It says we're a little ways above the signal.

 

Suddenly the ground collapses below Shiny Flyer and the Pink Knight they land in the Mole People's throne room. 

 

Queen Bondo: INTRUDERS! GET RID OF THEM AT ONCE,WE DON'T NEED TO REPEAT WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME THEIR TYPE WAS HERE!

 

Pink Knight: Wait a minute, we're friendly, and what happened last time? 

 

*Fade out* 

 

 

 

(Shiny Flyer)

 

Short part this time, but I'll be back next month with what will hopefully be the final part. In the meantime tell me what you think of this part in the comments below. 

 

One more thing before I go, last month I shared the prologue to The Adventures of Shy Owl, and since then, I have added two more episodes, so read the first episode here, and the second one here if you would like to. 

 

- Dizzy Feather

 

Sometime during the night, Rumpel has fled the Airship and a new force has taken his place. Brace yourselves, Poptropicans. We’re finally in the presence of… The Red Queen! 👑

 

 

The Red Queen of Fairy Tale Island, conqueror of 7 systems and mother to the Baron, has finally made her first appearance! Royal guards in tow, the infamous queen’s return to Home Island comes with one mission in mind – to slay the beastly captor that’s kidnapped the Baron. 

 

There’s much to be learned from the new royal. Word of advice: make haste to the Airship to speak with the Red Queen! She isn’t in the mood for dilly-dallying.

 

 

Despite the chaos, the Cabin of Curiosities has still gotten its monthly restock. As promised, all players can now purchase this year’s set of Halloween costumes for FREE! Candle Cat, Homemade, Pumpkin Magic, Zombie Redcoat, Flowy Man, and Jellyfish await! Along with the rest of October’s treasures, two Jack-O-Lanterns (50 credits each) and a Rumpel-ized Baron Plushie (200 credits) are also up for grabs. 🎃

 

 

 

This month’s Airship is unforgettable – run, don’t walk! After speaking with the Red Queen, share your first thoughts/reactions in the comments section! What do you think of the infamous royal? What do you think will happen next?! 🤭

Notice anything new while logging in today?

 

 

Red skies are creeping in! Hmm. Wonder what that could mean. 🤔

 

In absolutely unrelated news, this year's first 4 Halloween costumes have already been revealed (part 1, part 2). Let’s end this string of spooky sneak peeks on a high note!

 

Gather 'round, adventurers. The final winners for September’s costume contest are…

 

 

 

 

Jellyfish by Purple Paw and Zombie Redcoat by Magic Poptropican! 🏆

 

There you have it – 2022’s completed Halloween costume set. How brilliant have these outfit designs been? Show your fellow Poptropicans some love. Amazing job, everyone! 👏

 

 

Can you believe there’s less than 24 hours until the full collection is up for grabs in the Cabin of Curiosities? Which costume are you most excited for? The excitement is unshakeable! Check back tomorrow to add the six free masterpieces to your closet.

 

Meet you on the Airship! ✨