Joe Btfsplk

Joe Btfsplk

Joe Btfsplk was a character in the satirical comic strip Li'l Abner by cartoonist Al Capp (1909 - 1979). He's well-meaning, but is the world's worst jinx, bringing disasterous misfortune to everyone around him. A small, dark rain cloud perpetually hovers over his head to symbolize his bad luck.

One storyline in the early 1970s features him trapping his cloud in a special anti-pollutant jar. Joe becomes romantically involved with a gal for the first time - until her crazed ex-boyfriend shows up to kill him! Joe reluctantly opens the jar and releases his cloud - in order to take care of the boyfriend - and wistfully realizes that he wasn't meant for any other kind of life. As he returns to his normal, loner existence, his cloud once again in tow, he is for the moment satisfied to be who he really is.

In addition to the obvious comic effect, Capp often used Joe Btfsplk as a "deus ex machina" to produce miraculous rescues or to effect plot twists. Joe was later licensed for use in a series of animated TV commercials for Head and Shoulders, a dandruff shampoo.

Etymology

"How else would you pronounce it?" - Al Capp

According to Al Capp, btfsplk is a rude sound. During public lectures, Capp demonstrated this phatic sound by closing his lips, leaving his tongue sticking out, and then blowing out air, which is colloquially called a raspberry or Bronx cheer.

Joe Btfsplk may have been the inspiration for the name of the impish character Mr. Mxyzptlk from the "Superman" comic books. However, except for their nonsensical surnames and their short stature, the two characters are not otherwise similar. Superman's fifth-dimensional nemesis, originally named "Mr. Mxyztplk", debuted in September 1944. Btfsplk had first appeared in June 1942.

ee also

* Al Capp
* Li'l Abner
* Fearless Fosdick
* Shmoo
* Sadie Hawkins Day
* Dogpatch
* Dogpatch USA
* Lower Slobbovia
* Abbie an' Slats
* Long Sam
* Li'l Abner (musical)
* Li'l Abner (film)
* Salomey
* The Cooler


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Li'l Abner — This article is about the comic strip. For the stage musical, see Li l Abner (musical). For the film musical, see Li l Abner (1959 film). For the 1940 film, see Li l Abner (1940 film). Li l Abner It s Jack Jawbreaker! Li l Abner visits the… …   Wikipedia

  • Al Capp — Infobox Person name = Al Capp image size = 200px caption = Al Capp, Li l Abner, and Daisy Mae on a 1950 cover of Time Magazine birth date = birth date|1909|9|28|mf=y birth place = New Haven, Connecticut death date = death date and… …   Wikipedia

  • Dave Strickler — (b. 1944) is a reference librarian noted for his compilation of Syndicated Comic Strips and Artists, 1924–1995: The Complete Index, regarded as a major reference work by researchers and historians of newspaper comic strips. Born in Iowa,… …   Wikipedia

  • Li'l Abner (film) — For the Broadway musical version, see Li l Abner Infobox Film name = Li l Abner director = Melvin Frank writer = Al Capp Melvin Frank starring = Peter Palmer Leslie Parrish Julie Newmar Stella Stevens producer = Norman Panama editing = Arthur P.… …   Wikipedia

  • Blowing a raspberry — or strawberry or making a Bronx cheer is to make a noise signifying derision (and/or silliness), made by sticking out the tongue between the lips and blowing to make a sound reminiscent of flatulence. In the terminology of phonetics, this sound… …   Wikipedia

  • Li'l Abner (musical) — Li l Abner Music Gene De Paul Lyrics Johnny Mercer Book Norman Panama Melvin Frank Basis Al Capp s comic strip …   Wikipedia

  • Dogpatch — redirects here. For other uses, see Dogpatch (disambiguation). Dogpatch was the fictional setting of cartoonist Al Capp s classic comic strip, Li l Abner (1934–1977). In Capp s own words, Dogpatch was an average stone age community nestled in a… …   Wikipedia

  • Eugene Horowitz — is a fictional character in the Nickelodeon animated television series Hey Arnold! . He is basically a jinx (similar to Li l Abner s Joe Btfsplk). He s not particularly good looking, not really popular, lives in poverty, and he has the most… …   Wikipedia

  • superinfector — (SOO.pur in.fek.tur) n. A person with a contagious disease who demonstrates an above average ability to pass the disease on to others. Also: super infector, super infector. Example Citation: In China s Guangdong province ... a shrimp salesman… …   New words

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”