Hey Poptropicans, we’re approaching the end of the month, which means it’s time to announce another lucky Poptropican to win our monthly membership giveaway! 🎁
The Poptropica Help Blog hosts a membership giveaway every month, and it’s easy to enter! Just comment on our Free Poptropica Membership page and leave at least two other comments around the PHB within the month to be entered into that month’s giveaway.
We’ll announce a winner sometime in the final week of each month. If you don’t win, you can always try again for the next month! Full details »
Congrats again to Mad Hero! Keep on popping on! 😈🦸
Hello! Welcome to the next part of our series with the Pop Creators interviewing members of the PHB team. This time, get to know 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.
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!
“The Boy Nobody Wanted” by MaryannTheConqueror (Smart Bubbles)
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 the Past” 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.
Costume: The Acidic Dinosaur. Nothing will ever beat it.
Mordred in Astro-Knights IslandAcidic 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. You can also read this interview on the Pop Creators’ Blog. Pop on!
Hey Poptropicans, this is a guest post by Silver Sword. Enjoy!
Heya, Poptropicans, it’s Silver Sword! Been a while, huh? Last time I shared on the blog, it was in February of 2020! However, this post isn’t about me. This time, I wanna bring up a Poptropica-related theory.
At the end of the revised Monster Carnival Island, Edgar says the next destination for the carnival is Super Villain Island. The same island where four of Poptropica’s most infamous villains were being kept in sleeping chambers. Why on Earth would the carnies be heading there?
Besides the apparent subtext that Bird Boy is caged to be shipped off to the prison at Super Villain, could something else be going on?
Then it hit me: the dream machine. Even though it was partially destroyed at the end of the main island quest, it was still functional. (Spoiler: That’s actually how Zeus was able to be contained in the first place!) There could be parts left over from that machine that would be of use to Bird Boy, aka Ringmaster Raven.
And Raven would be interested because he too has a machine that can control minds. And unlike the machine on Super Villain, I don’t think the one from the circus out of commission just yet. Taken apart for travel, maybe, but not damaged like the dream machine from the prison has been. And with both machines being mind-control related, at least some pieces from each machine might fit together.
You may have convinced Bird Boy to become your friend, but he may still have his original viewpoint on the rest of Poptropica…
I hope you guys enjoyed my little Popspiracy theory. It’s not too far-fetched once you look at the evidence, and having Super Villain Island return would be divine — it’s one of my three all-time favorite islands, tied with Night Watch Island and Virus Hunter Island.
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!
Halfway through spooky month and there’s more on the horizon!
The latest member gifts have arrived, and they’re looking awfully combative. Members, check your inventories for your grungy gifts: Anti Zombie Bike, Anti Zombie Bat, and Anti Zombie Gear!
However, with the recent reveal of the infamous Red Queen, it seems possible that a new storyline may soon open up about the mystery surrounding the latest airship arrival. We’ll have to see!
While we’re admiring art, have you thought about making some? Though we’re halfway through October already, you can jump into our Poptober challenge anytime, picking whichever drawing prompts strike your fancy. Here are a few pieces from the Poppie-winningXMzhier:
And finally, the PHB’s Halloween Costume Contest is in full swing! Still two and a half weeks left to give us your take on how “The Devil Wears Poptropica.” Come show us what you’ve got and maybe even win a membership in the process! Find all the details here. 😈💎
Hey Poptropicans, this is a guest post by HeartofEnder. Enjoy!
Heart here! Now when I wrote my Popspiracy on the Baron’s backstory, I wasn’t planning on doing a part two to the theory. However, Red October and the reveal of the Red Queen brought new lore with even more questions, so here we are. Reminder: This is all guesswork gathered from what we know — it’s not canon to Poptropica (yet?).
The Seven Systems, the Resistance, and Astro Knights?
Let’s start with the seven systems. The dark knights guarding the airship mention that the great Red Queen conquered the seven systems, but what even are they? From the Queen’s own words, they seem to be planets in outer space.
But why is there a resistance in the first place? Maybe the seven planets didn’t want to be conquered by the Queen. While conquest can introduce new languages, tools, and culture, it can also destroy the old cultures of the area being conquered. Overall, not a great thing.
Now we move onto the fun stuff — the mention of everyone’s favorite lost island, Astro-Knights. The Red Queen believes that whoever freed Rumpelstiltskin is affiliated with the Astro Knights, suggesting that she has some problems with them. Maybe the Astro Knights are defending the seven systems from being conquered. However, there’s one key piece of info worth remembering.
In Astro-Knights Island, after we gather the three “Astro Knights” (which back then were simply known as the Knights of Arturus) at the Crystal Gate, it’s revealed that the player is the fourth knight.
We also happened to be the ones who freed Rumpel in Fairytale Island. Perhaps sealing away Rumpel was the key to the Queen’s conquest of the seven systems, but since we, the player and potentially the last of the Astro Knights, freed Rumpel, that may mess with the Queen’s plans. This leads to the next question…
Why did the Queen trap Rumpel in the first place?
In my previous Popspiracy, I guessed that the Queen trapped Rumpel because he was causing trouble, but could there be another reason?
Perhaps Rumpel has some hidden power the Queen wants to use. The royal family doesn’t seem to have any sort of magic, so the Red Queen could have trapped Rumpel on Fairytale Island not for the safety of Poptropica, but for personal gain.
So why was Rumpel stealing happy endings, kidnapping a king, and possessing a sky pirate? For the first two, it could purely be for revenge. Rumpel is angry the Queen sealed him away, so he gives her family a taste of what happens when you take magical beings for personal gain.
However, kidnapping the Baron could be something different. The Red Queen clearly doesn’t care about the Baron, in fact seeing her as an obstacle. The Baron could be resisting the Queen’s ways. Maybe Rumpel went through a lot of trouble to kidnap the Baron with the hopes of gaining information and possibly working together to stop the Queen.
Last time I theorized that the Baron simply didn’t like being royalty. But if the Baron resisted the Queen’s ways, that could be a reason for why she’s not royalty anymore. Maybe the Queen disowned the Baron, simply for resisting conquest. Maybe the King and the Prince of Fairytale started fearing the Queen because of such events.
What does the future hold for Fairytale Island?
With all this new info, it seems possible Fairytale Island is connected to Astro-Knights in one way or another. I theorize that as the last of the Astro Knights, the player heads to the seven systems to assist the planets in fighting back against the Queen, with potential assistance from the Baron and Rumpel. We might even get more references to this classic island… anyway, if there’s another fight in space, I’m all up for it.
When I first started playing Poptropica, the Baron was only an antagonistic character that appeared once on Monkey Wrench and was never seen again. It makes me happy to see characters like her get more of a spotlight. For now, we can only sit back, relax, and prepare for whatever the Pop Creators are up to next…
Hope you enjoyed this guest post by HeartofEnder. If you did, you might also enjoy her fanfiction series, The Witch’s Heart.
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!
🏝 Poptropica Help Blog 🗺 