Monster Carnival Island – 🏝 Poptropica Help Blog 🗺

Hello once again everyone! Spotted Dragon here bringing you the June recap for Community Creations. June’s theme was Carnival, so be sure to check out all the featured artists!

No clue what’s going on? Go see our intro post.

Top 5 Picks

Carnival by XMzhier

Right away, this submission caught my eye with its creative, dynamic perspective. Having the viewer positioned in the game booth makes for a really interesting use of depth and drama! The eye contact with Black Widow and sense of danger with her soon-to-be-thrown dart provides some captivating intensity. Not to mention how I love seeing all these different characters visiting another island, and with such cool outfit designs! Amazing work! Find their Twitter here.

Monster Carnival Poster Redraw by TillyMeowJings

Of course, no “carnival” theme would be complete without some good ol’ Ringmaster Raven features. This design is a recreation of his poster seen on the island, which is really neat to see done in a different style. It retains that sense of vintage, worn paper while incorporating a more digital-feel in its linework. I also love seeing the slight alternate design choices of Raven’s outfit and other small details! Find her Tumblr here.

Goofy Ringmaster & Wicked Ringmaster by Magic Poptropican

Between these two costumes, I love to see their differences and similarities in how they relate to our carnival theme. Both mimic the theatrical aesthetic of Ringmaster Raven, with elements like the top hats, capes, and staffs, but have their own twists too. The goofy version is especially fun to see since it clearly incorporates themes from the recent Goofball Island! I also appreciate the attention to detail in the pet that accompanies this character, and how it changes accessories as well. Find the artist commonly in the comment section.

Monster Mya and Oliver by sleepybiker

Now this was quite the unexpected submission! The “Monster” aspect of Monster Carnival is obviously a huge part of the island’s story, but it’s especially interesting to think about what the monster versions of other characters may look like as well. The drawing was based on a fan-fiction that the artist wrote, making for some wonderfully fun designs. Find their DeviantArt here.

The Bird Boy by Dangerous Dragon

It was another dark moonless gloomy night in one of Poptropica’s unknown island, usually people would be scared but today they had a smile on their face! It was the day before Halloween! This time there was a carnival too! There was even a costume contest. People tried on many costumes and stores sold out in minutes! People were really excited as there was a chance to meet the famous monster Bird-Boy aka Ringmaster Raven! Now there was this boy Edgar who seemed the most different from all. He was the only Poptropican who couldn’t understand what the big deal was. “What’s so special about that magician?” asked Edgar. His grandfather told him all about the history of Ringmaster Raven. “They say that he is a monster! A long time ago in another one of poptropica’s island people used to hate him when he first appeared. Then Ringmaster Raven seeked revenge but was stopped. A hero named Dangerous Dragon helped Ringmaster Raven to fight for his justice without harming people. People soon realized that they were wrong. They agreed on equality. Now Ringmaster Raven is famous and even Dangerous Dragon too! Too bad this happened long ago. The island has already sunk.” Said his grandfather. Edgar was fascinated by all of this. He wanted to meet Raven!
The next day on Halloween Edgar set out to the contest wearing a costume that was most splendid. He was dressed up as Dangerous Dragon! When he reached the carnival it was filled with stalls of games, food and much more! There was even a Pumpkin decoration contest but Edgar had come to participate in the costume contest. There was a stage and everyone had to come up and show their costumes. When Edgar came up and Ringmaster Raven looked at him, he cried of joy! It reminded him of his friend who fought for his justice! After other people had finished, it was time for the result declaration. Everyone was excited to see who won. Ringmaster Raven walked to the stage and announced the winner. Edgar won! Ringmaster Raven came up to him and asked him to be his assistant. Edgar accepted and so now he helps Raven all around the world in his shows!

Though this is a simple narrative, details are rather apropos for the controversy surrounding Monster Carnival Island. The short story takes place in an alternate universe where Ringmaster Raven is accepted instead of ostracized and unfairly punished like in the island’s original ending. The ending was later rewritten, but still results in an imprisoned Ringmaster Raven. Dangerous Dragon gives us a glimpse into what Raven’s life could have looked like instead, which opens the door to a world of alternate possibilities. What do you think such a world would look like? Find the artist in the comments section.

Honorable Mentions

Night at the Carnival by Smart Icicle and Bronze Socks
It is 10:00 in the morning, Red Ant and Maroon Lizard are on Main Street. They notice a flyer near the ice cream parlor.
Red Ant reads the flyer: Hello everyone! The Carnival is officially coming to town. Please go to the right to get to the front gate. Tickets are worth 25 credits. Can’t wait to see everyone! -the Ringmaster
Maroon Lizard: A carnival! Can we go. PLEASE!
Red Ant: Sure, I have enough credits to buy us both tickets. Come on!
Red Ant and Maroon Lizard rush to the carnival gate…
KEEP READING HERE

Looking at all the submissions from this month, I think I’m suddenly craving some cotton candy… anybody else? Just me? Well, anyways, awesome job as usual, everyone!

July: How Do I Participate?

Community Creations is a cool series for anyone in the Poptropica community to join in on. To sum up what it’s about, it’s basically a chance to show off your artwork, creepy fan-fics, Pop clubhouses, costumes, and anything else that pops into your mind.

If we really like the piece you submit, we will feature it here on the PHB! As long as it relates to that month’s theme. So what is July’s theme? July’s theme is…

🎉👯‍♀️ COSPLAY! 👯‍♀️🎉

PoptropiCon Episode 2: Spoiler Alert was recently re-released for all players, which got me thinking about all the amazing costumes and fun references throughout the island. Conventions IRL have slowed down quite a bit these last few years due to the pandemic, but that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate the same way online!

Cosplay is such a fundamental part of conventions, both IRL and in the world of Poptropica. I mean, who doesn’t love the chance to don a killer costume based on your favorite character? This month, we’ll extend that practice to Poptropica!

Of course, you can make a Poptropica costume based on your favorite TV show character, for example. But you could also draw other characters in the style of Poptropica, or write a fan-fiction all about dressing up at PoptropiCon. Maybe draw some of your favorite scenes from PoptropiCon featuring the coolest costumes, or even make your own IRL costume based on a Poptropican!

You can also check out our characters from pop culture in the PHB’s costume lookbook for inspiration on how to get started!

Submit: Comment below with a link to whatever you’ve created, email it to the PHB team on our Contact page, OR share it with me (SydVC aka Spotted Dragon) on DeviantArt, Twitter, Tumblr, or Discord.
Results: Next month, I will feature 5 submissions that stood out to me the most as well as some honorable mentions.
Limitations: Just make sure you relate to both the theme and Poptropica (and nothing NSFW or otherwise inappropriate).
Due Date: I will take any entries before the end of this month. Submit as many things as you’d like!

I will be sure to let you know I have seen your creation. While quality counts, I’m mainly looking for something to simply catch my eye, so don’t be afraid to join in!

So what are you waiting for? Go make something awesome!

~SD

Monster Carnival Island, Steam Bundle

Monster Carnival’s Rewritten Ending 🐦🎡

May 31, 2022May 31, 2022 Slanted Fish

Hey Poptropicans. You know Monster Carnival Island is full of shady shenanigans… but did you know that applies to the story’s end, too?

Beware: Spoilers ahead!

The original resolution from the island’s release in 2014 had Ringmaster Raven, who masterminded a plot to hypnotize the whole town to serve him, end up hypnotized by your character. You go so far as to make him believe that he is a chicken, giving the carnival a brand-new attraction: The Incredible Chicken Man. 🐔 He clucks, too!

However, some fans have since expressed concerns over this character’s treatment going from bullied Bird Boy to shamed Raven, still outcasted by the townsfolk whose welcome he chased unsuccessfully. HfEvra wrote in 2021 that the tragic tale “dehumanizes a man of color who was already treated as a literal monster by the narrative because of an aspect of himself that he had no control over,” elaborating further in a video.

Bird Boy was disliked seemingly because of his freakish features of looking not entirely human (which is why Dr. Dan is so afraid to have his monster identity discovered in the bonus quest), and also had a reputation as a “troublesome carnival freak.” He was blamed for arson at Honest Gabe’s, although we find out from the current business owner that Gabe was actually quite dishonest and even serving jail time for fraud. This calls into question whether Bird Boy really committed the crime or was set up, which is left open to interpretation. Either way, it’s wild that the town threw out an at-risk kid with no one to care for him.

*Newspapers from the island reveal that Bird Boy was a carnival orphan who was blamed for arson at Honest Gabe’s and exiled.*

Also, in 2017, @concanelaa tweeted that a line of dialogue from one of the Black townsfolk which originally talked about being nicer to people so they didn’t try to “enslave us” appeared to sound as if Black people were “blaming themselves for being enslaved.” The call-out led to Poptropica modifying that line to say “take revenge” instead.

The dialogue was changed. Thanks for keeping us honest. pic.twitter.com/mxXhfBYuy1
— Official Poptropica (@Poptropica) October 31, 2017

The various concerns led to the Pop Creators auditing the island and hinting at a twist to come for the island’s re-release on Steam.

Sure enough, in 2022, Steam brought along a new ending to this carnival caper. Instead of brainwashing Ringmaster Raven into acting like a chicken, you force him to be your friend. The next day, you’ll still find Raven caged, but instead of becoming a laughingstock, he’s being shipped off to Super Villain Island, presumably to be jailed there. As the trucks roll out, you’ll be left saying to no one, “But he’s my…”

As for the townsfolk, they’re now more remorseful of the way Bird Boy was driven out of town all those years ago, with new dialogue about how they should have “been better” replacing the lines about being nice just so people won’t “take revenge” (formerly “enslave us”) or “because it’s the right thing to do, I guess.” Subtle yet significant shifts!

But is the story satisfying? Before the Steam ending was released, the PHB reached out to former Pop Creator Mitch Krpata (who worked on the island in 2014, but not the rewrite in 2022) for an interview. Asked “Why such a tragic ending for Raven and the people?” he responded:

Monster Carnival was a hard one to write. There was a lot of pressure to come up with something spectacular, and while there’s a lot about it that I like, I don’t think the script ultimately ended up where I would have wanted it. I will say that the idea behind Ringmaster Raven’s comeuppance was to thwart the expectation of what usually happens in kids’ stories. It always turns out that the villain was just misunderstood, or lonely, and everyone agrees to let bygones be bygones and now they’re all friends. I kind of wanted to turn that on its head and say, no, this guy is actually pure evil and there’s no putting the toothpaste back in the tube.
Mitch Krpata in a 2022 interview with the PHB

Fans have had mixed feelings about the Monster Carnival ending, sometimes saying that Ringmaster Raven deserved better, which begs the question: What does “justice” look like for Ringmaster Raven?

Does it mean he never should have been caged at all? Never hypnotized, whether to be your friend or a chicken? Never exiled, blamed for arson, orphaned, or born with a deformity that others were afraid of?

And yet, these are all part of his story. Whether he is truly “pure evil” as Mitch suggested, or his circumstances led him down this path, he did try to hypnotize people into slavery, and two wrongs don’t make a right. Raven’s life was troubled from the start, but there’d be no story without these conflicts, even the injustices he suffered.

Now that you know the tale behind the Monster Carnival rewritten ending, what do you think of the way Ringmaster Raven is treated? 🐦 We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

~🐠

Monster Carnival Island, Steam Bundle

Step right up for a secret twist! 🔮

April 16, 2022April 20, 2022 Slanted Fish

Just a few more clues to go as we guess the upcoming 13 Steam islands! (Keep up with past hints here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.)

The ninth hint has descended upon us like night: “Hidden behind the thrilling fun is a fowl affair. Step right up, if you dare.”

Only a few more clues remain! This fan favorite island will be returning to Steam… with a secret twist.
Can you fuess the island AND predict the surprising turn of events? 🔮 pic.twitter.com/CeftoxeDsx
— Official Poptropica (@Poptropica) April 15, 2022

If you know your stuff, this one should be straightforward: our bets are on Monster Carnival! The island (which follows the AS3 theory) introduces you to the carnival (“thrilling fun”), with booths including a weight-guesser who implores you to “Step right up.” But as we soon learn, something’s not quite right: “hidden behind” the monstrosities is the bird-like Ringmaster Raven (“fowl affair”). 🎡🐦

But note the caption of the hint post: there’s going to be a “secret twist” with this return! And based on past fandom chatter, we have an inkling of what that could entail.

Ringmaster Raven’s portrayal has been critiqued for playing into ugly stereotypes (including anti-Semitism and slavery), and he is given disproportionately unfair treatment when he is turned into a chicken to be a laughingstock by the townsfolk (who bullied him as a child and never repented). Here’s a fan video that covers the discourse:

Back in 2020, the PHB hosted a Q&A with Poptropica’s CEO Abhi Arya, where we asked how Poptropica might address the Monster Carnival critiques. In response, he shared:

I totally get it. This is definitely one of those instances where you know the intent doesn’t align with the issue and you have to ask, “How was this affected by implicit bias?” We’re actually auditing all the islands for this reason and have already revised Monster Carnival for its conversion to Haxe. I appreciate that players bring this to our attention. It’s the only way we can all collectively move forward in the right direction.
Abhi Arya, Q&A with the Poptropica CEO

It’s been a while since that Q&A and we haven’t seen Monster Carnival return to Haxe, but it looks like we’ll be seeing it soon on Steam. Perhaps this time around, we’ll be getting a new look, character arc, and/or better ending for Raven, and maybe the townsfolk as well. We’ll see! 🤞

~🐠

Monster Carnival Island, Reviews

Ramble Review: Monster Carnival 🎡

April 16, 2021April 15, 2021 Slanted Fish

Hey Poptropicans, this is a guest post by Dangerous Dragon. Enjoy!

Hello, DD here. Today I am going to review an island which was good and almost perfect. It’s the amazing and sad Monster Carnival! *applause*

First, why do I like this Island? It’s because of the monsters. If you’ve played it then you would know that it’s spooky… horses going backwards?!! Oh no! I also like the twist. You work in the day, and just when night falls and you think you’ve saved the day, you see everyone has disappeared. Now, who did this? (Spoilers ahead.)

By following the trash trail, you find out the carnival people have all turned into monsters. Now comes the monster part and it’s really fun. Then after all this, we get to chase Ringmaster Raven (more on his story in my other post)!

Now this could have been my favourite island instead of Time Tangled, but the reason I say it was “almost perfect” was because of what happened to Ringmaster Raven. (This is getting tense. I can’t forget it! Raven always makes it in all my posts!) Yeah, everyone who’s played it knows what happened to him.

He just meant to take revenge on those bad townspeople for how they treated him. If they could’ve just helped him, this wouldn’t have happened. All he wanted was a place to belong, and to live together happily, but no! They couldn’t let them stay because he was a monster!! When Dr. Dan revealed himself as a monster too, they told him that they loved him, but if they had let Raven stay, both Dr. Dan and Ringmaster have had their happily ever after. I was really sad about this and I thought Raven should’ve taken revenge.

Ok, that’s the end. I really like this island but the ending really depressed me. I would give it a 9/10. What do you think?

Before we close, just a quick reminder that I’m hosting a mini competition which is open till the end of April. Check the comments of the PHB’s Community page for the full details.

Also, quick question: when Monster Carnival was on the map, could we customize from Ringmaster Raven? I had tried it but I don’t remember.

Spread Your Wings: And fly on out of here, or you’ll be sorry.

Keep Popping, Poptropicans!

~DD 💜

Hope you enjoyed this guest post by Dangerous Dragon. If you did, you might also enjoy the PHB’s other Ramble Reviews of various islands, like this one about Vampire’s Curse by White Fox.

The Poptropica Help Blog welcomes interesting Poptropica insights from anyone in the Poptropica community with thoughts to share. Interested in writing for the PHB? We’d love to hear from you! 📰✨

Guest Posts, Monster Carnival Island

Why Ringmaster Raven is a real hero 🐦

February 13, 2021February 8, 2021 Slanted Fish

Hey Poptropicans, this is a guest post by Dangerous Dragon. Enjoy!

Hey everyone, it’s DD! In support of this month’s Island Flash-back, we’re going to be looking at why Ringmaster Raven from Monster Carnival Island deserved better.

You may remember him as the “villain” of Monster Carnival, known in his early life as Bird Boy. The Ringmaster’s life was very sad, and it led him to do some bad things, but he also did things for good!

To really get to know his story, and how he got to where he did, let’s look back and see how people were treating him when he was younger…

It looks bad, doesn’t it? Poor Bird Boy. People weren’t helping him, but instead making him run away! What a sad story…

Although he later tried to ruin the town, he did also help them by bringing Dr. Dan out of hiding! This also showed that the people of the town loved Dr. Dan, as they happily came to him at the roller coaster. If I were Dr. Dan and I had finished the cure, I would give it to Raven. Wouldn’t that be nice?

Raven also made the town realise what they had done! This is a very sad island, isn’t it? (But it was also kind of funny seeing him as a Chicken Man…) Still, he had his boss moments too, especially when he turned the carnies into monsters, and used his machine to send Edgar to hypnotize us. Yikes!

Anyway, show your support for Monster Carnival Island and especially Ringmaster Raven this month with fan art, writing, videos, and more! Let’s show the creators that we want this island back, and this time with Raven getting justice. Let’s get moving!

Before you go, share your thoughts in the comments! How should Raven be welcomed by the townspeople if this island returns? Do you think Dr. Dan and Ringmaster Raven were related? What do you think would’ve happened if Bird Boy hadn’t been mocked and exiled?

That’s it for now, DD popping out! Keep popping, Poptropicans!

Hope you enjoyed this guest post by Dangerous Dragon. If you did, you might also enjoy their guest post on “Creating the perfect Poptropica name.”

Category: Monster Carnival Island

Community Creations: June 2022