Howdy, Poptropicanos! Welcome to a Poptropica Portfolio, where we feature the work of a former Poptropica staff member. Today, we’re going to be taking a look at the contributions of Todd Heard, who worked as a sponsored game level designer in 2009 and 2010.
Todd is the founder of Treefox Cartoons, a studio dedicated to cartoon animation and illustration which has been around for a while. He further honed his skills in traditional animation studying with the renowned Don Bluth. Yes, that Don Bluth! How awesome is that? 😄 Now, let’s get into the Poptropica stuff.
During his brief tenure at Poptropica, Todd developed several game levels for the game’s sponsors, which included both the exterior and interior visuals. Here, you can see two outdoor scenes from the Despicable Me and Honey Nut Cheerios advertisements from June 2010. (The images, along with the rest featured in this post, are sourced from the Game Design Page of Heard’s website.)
Next up, we have a variety of interior/world scenes, featuring the aforementioned Despicable Me ad, in addition to LEGO Hero Factory, Monster High, and Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, all from the year 2010. I feel that each environment really captures the essence of what it draws inspiration from, don’t you? 🙂
Lastly, here are some creative costume designs. One is from the Lego Hero Factory ad and is modeled after the character Preston Stormer. The other designs include two cave person outfits, a costume made from paper bags, a stone gladiator suit (which, to me, resembles some of the imagery from Poptropolis Games Island), and a vibrant hippie ensemble. ☮️
Other than the factory suit, I don’t recall seeing any of these actually make it into the game (please correct me if I’m wrong), but I think they’re quite cool. I definitely would’ve loved to snag some of these items, especially that caveman club! My guess is that they were intended to be purchasable costumes in the store rather than characters we would meet on an island or in an ad game, but who can say for sure? 🤔
As I wrap up my thoughts, I realize that not everyone probably paid much attention to the ads on Poptropica. However, having played quite a few of them as a kid to later covering them frequently here on the PHB, I’ve always appreciated the effort that went into making them immersive and fun. Thank you, Todd, for your role in creating some of the magic (albeit underrated) that made Poptropica memorable, even if it was just for a short time. After all, 2009 and 2010 were truly some of the best times for Poptropica! 🙌
Now with that, we come to the end of this spotlight. I hope you appreciated this insight into the work of one of Poptropica’s lesser-known artists. Everybody deserves their flowers. I’ll talk to you guys soon. Pop on! 🍀
Hiya guys! It’s been a hot second since the last part, hasn’t it? Well, I have returned from the grave with an additional 7 drawings of your Poptropicans! 😄
Hey, would you look at that? We’re almost halfway done with this challenge. 🥳 If you are considering to add your Poptropican to the queue, I urge you to do so (before all the good ones are gone 😉 ).
And if you’ve already had one drawn and have another Poptropica OC that you’d like to see in my style, this is your reminder to feel free to drop them in the comments!
Okey-dokey! Now get ready to check out…
ROUND 5!
Lucky Joker (H2)Speedy Catfish (Thinknoodles) (C9)Sleepy Biker (B6)Mias Elias (C8)Perfect Panda (F1)Silver Shadow (A7)Edgar (H4)
As usual, this batch was really fun to draw! I LOVE all these designs so much! Even though all these glasses are hard to draw haha. Seriously though, thank you for letting me draw all of you guys! 💖 (For anyone wondering, Edgar and Speedy Catfish/Thinknoodles did not reach out to get drawn — I just decided to do that unprompted so this post could continue the tradition of having 7 each time. Also because it’s fun! 😝)
How to get your Poptropican drawn next? Here’s what you need to do:
💬 COMMENTBELOW (on the most recent DYPAE post) a reference screenshot for your Poptropican (using a public image sharing site like Imgur), their name, AND which facial expression you would like them to have from the chart near the top of the post (for example, A2).
🙅♂️ When asking for an expression,please don’t ask for one that has already been claimed (either by someone in the comments before you, or one that has been crossed out or circled in the chart). First come, first served!
❗️ Please only comment ONE Poptropica character per person. BUT if you’ve already gotten one of yours drawn, you CAN comment ONE MORE character! 😝
⏳ After you comment, WAIT PATIENTLY. Everyone who comments and wants to have their Poptropican drawn will get added to a list, so no one gets missed. Each round I’ll only post a handful of them, so hang tight, yours will get drawn at some point. 😃
Please please PLEASE with a cherry and sprinkles on top, don’t be shy! There are still A TON of emoticons just waiting for someone to claim them. 🥺🙏
Alrighty, folks, that’s it from me! Have an epic week and stay cool! 😎
Howdy, Poptropicanos! LJ here, presenting the results and analysis from the 2025 PHB Readers’ Survey.
We garnered a total of 47 responses this year, an unfortunate decline from our last time four years ago. Despite this, our community spirit is still very much present and thriving. Now let’s begin!
Which of our past surveys did you participate in?
To start, we’re always keen to know the number of long-term participants versus those who have joined in more recently. This year marks the first instance where none of the individuals who were with us in 2014 took part in this year’s survey. (Rip!) After that, a handful of folks joined in on taking the surveys in 2016, 2017, and 2018, and even more hopped on aboard with the next three. Still, for the majority of survey participants (over two-thirds!), it’s their first time.
What is your gender?
Like before, a majority of the blog’s visitors are female. Over the years, the proportion of viewers identifying as non-binary or outside the traditional male-female spectrum has risen by an average of 1% annually. Additionally, since 2019, there has been a steady increase in the number of male readers.
What is your age?
We were curious about your age next. As the game’s popularity fades into the past, it’s understandable that the fanbase has grown older in recent years. The latest survey reveals a marked decrease in readers aged 12 and under compared to four years ago. However, we’ve seen a growth in the number of readers in their twenties.
What country do you live in?
Our blog’s readership continues to come predominantly fromthe USA, capturing an incredible 81% of the survey takers, surpassing the majority from previous years. Two responded from Australia and India, while there was one each from Canada, Great Britain, and Brazil. While it’s wonderful to see our content reaching a global audience, it is a bit disheartening to see a reduction in the variety of countries we’re reaching compared to previous years.
If you live in the US, which state or territory?
This marks the first occasion that California didn’t claim the highest viewership ranking since we began conducting these surveys. New Jersey has taken the lead, which is interesting considering it hasn’t been in the top five in our past surveys!
When did you discover Poptropica?
It appears that most players first encountered Poptropica during its earlier years, yet 2020 stands out as a notable year for new players as well. Even more interestingly, some individuals only just found the game as recently as last year. I’m shocked, to be honest!
How often do you play Poptropica?
Next, we wanted to find out how regularly you play Poptropica. The results showed that around 45% of respondents fall into the least frequent categories, which isn’t too surprising under the circumstances. It’s great to see that some players (11.1%) still log in on a daily basis though!
When did you first find the PHB?
The largest portion of our current audience found the blog in the past year, with 2022 following closely behind. Welcome, y’all! 👋 It’s interesting to note that the years from 2020 onward were the most common responses to this question. On the flip side, we’re thrilled to have some readers who have been with us since the very beginning. We appreciate your loyalty. 👊
How did you find the PHB?
The majority of readers discovered the PHB through searching the web, which has always been the top answer for every survey. Some additional readers discovered our blog via another website. If you picked this answer, I’m interested to know where you came from, so feel free to comment below!
Where do you play Poptropica in 2025?
This was a “check all that apply” question, and most players are accessing Poptropica via Cool Math Games (62.2%) and Flashpoint (57.8%). Though Flashpoint is just a little lower in percentage, it’s impressive to reach that high considering it’s an unofficial method not endorsed by Poptropica. A small fraction (15.6%) of survey respondents no longer plays Poptropica at all in 2025.
How often do you visit the PHB?
It’s exciting to see that the most popular responses regarding how frequently readers visit the PHB are a few times a week (22.7%) and once a week (18.2%)! We’re grateful that our content is reaching and satisfying so many. 🙂
Which types of PHB posts do you enjoy?
We then inquired about the kinds of posts you enjoy seeing from us. (Please note that in the following chart, the percentages total over 100% because respondents were allowed to choose multiple answers.)
It’s great to see that rankings, reviews, games, and Pop Fan Artist Spotlightsare generating a lot of interest, as those are the kinds of posts I often contribute to the blog. 😝 Also, many of our readers have always enjoyed stories, so fanfictions and My Place in Poptropica stories continue to be quite popular. If you’re looking for a fantastic fanfiction read, I highly recommend Smart Bubbles’ The Villain Saga, which is just kicking off its second season.
Sadly, given the state of Poptropica, I don’t anticipate breaking news becoming a frequent category on the PHB from this point forward, but you never know what might happen!
Besides the PHB, what portions of the Poptropica Help Network (PHN) do you regularly browse?
(Like the last question, the chart’s percentages total over 100% because respondents were able to choose multiple answers.)
The Poptropica Help Chat (PHC)has experienced the biggest percentage increase from before. Love to see it! There may be something special happening there soon. 😉 However, the Poptropica Wikistill remains the top choice, while @Poptropica_Help on Twitter/Xhas seen a big decline in viewership. I have the feeling a large portion of our community is not actively using that platform at all anymore.
Also, this is the first time we have included our @PoptropicaHare Instagram account in the survey. Thanks to those of you who are following us there!
And that brings us to the end of the 2025 survey analysis. Thank you everybody for your participation! All of your feedback is greatly appreciated and will be taken into account as we continue to make more content for you all. 😊
What do you think about the results? Leave your thoughts in the comments below! I might consider conducting another survey next year as well. Pop on y’all!
Well, would you look at that? We’re all caught up on all the ones that have been reserved! 🥳
I cannot stop drawing these little guys for the life of me, it’s too much fun! Arrest me, officer. 😝
Alrighty! I can’t think of much else to say so without further ado, I present to you…
ROUND 4!
C1— Golden Leaf (ewasmcsquared)B7— Maroon RingA8— Zombie Ringleader (hamburger hamburger)E7— Smart BubblesA4— Dr. FoxD3— Serious ClownD1— Smart Owl
I absolutely ADORE all of your characters! It’s extremely awesome how many unique characters that you can come up with. Thank you to everyone who got drawn this round! 💖
How to get your Poptropican drawn next? Here’s what you need to do:
💬 COMMENTBELOW (on the most recent DYPAE post) a reference screenshot for your Poptropican (using a public image sharing site like Imgur), their name, AND which facial expression you would like them to have from the chart near the top of the post (for example, C1).
🙅♂️ When asking for an expression,please don’t ask for one that has already been claimed (either by someone in the comments before you, or one that has been crossed out or circled in the chart). First come, first served!
❗️ Please only comment Poptropica character per person. BUT If you’ve already gotten one of yours drawn, you CAN comment ONE MORE character.(And we’ll see how this goes.) 😝
⏳ After you comment, WAIT PATIENTLY. Everyone who comments and wants to have their Poptropican drawn will get added to a list, so no one gets missed. Each round I’ll only post a handful of them, so hang tight, yours will get drawn at some point. 😃
Don’t be shy! There are still A TON of emoticons just waiting for someone to claim them. 🥺
That’s all for now! Can’t wait to see more of your Poptropicans! 😃
Hey Poptropicans, this is a guest post by Invisible Ring, showing us one of her biggest realms yet. The Realm code is w3qvy. Enjoy!
Howdy, y’all! Come fer the tour, have ya? Well, yer in luck, pardners. Amidst these sandy grounds, we got dude ranches, ghost towns, campsites, and even a BEACH! All right here in the beautiful Realm of Keafogoab Sha!
Tickets are sold right here, and it just so happens we got some extra tickets from my fire and ice Realm tours! Buy these, and today’s rootin’ tootin’ Realm tour is free!
But I know what yer thinking: “What are the tickets for?” They’re for the train, that’s what! This Realm ain’t like the others. Not only is this Realm the first one I made after growin’ up in Asgard, but it’s a BIG Realm. VERY big! There’s no WAY we can cover this whole Realm on foot, so we’re takin’ the train today. ALLLL ABOOOAAARD!!
🏝 Poptropica Help Blog 🗺 