The official website of Luke Y. Thompson - writer/critic/actor/director/pundit

One of my eternal weaknesses as an entertainer is my tendency to rely on highly specific in-jokes, but in Robby the Redneck, I think I found something more universal. Most of my previous attempts at cartooning involved parodies of specific people (“Vomiting Image,” a spoof of my Irish teachers, gave way to “Ian Rowell,” a caricature of one of my classmates. In between came “The Wild Weird World of Wally Binks,” which in hindsight looks as thought it was written on serious drugs). Robby is inspired by several real-life encounters, but mostly he was my attempt to do an Americanized version of the English parody comic “Viz,” which offers obscene spoofs of kiddie comix, often utilizing the insanely one-joke characters endemic to that format in the U.K.

Robby’s one joke is simple: He repeatedly tells everyone he meets “You’re a fag! Heeh heeh heeh!” The laugh is my addition to what is actually quite a common phrase in the South. I’ve never tried to have these comics published because of the inflammatory nature of the word “fag,” among other things. I think, and hope, that it’s clear my use of the word reflects back on the stupidity of the user rather than anything else. I’ve always been amused by its use in part because I’m used to “fag” meaning “cigarette,” and also because those who say it often don’t think it through (i.e. “Don’t you touch my girlfriend, you fag!”).

Most of these comics were scribbled during late nights of my freshman year at USC, primarily to amuse my friends Jim and Greg. The only exception that I’m certain of is the final strip, “Redneck Returns,” which languished for almost a year before I added the final panel – I had an idea what the joke might be, but couldn’t think of a way to really make it funny. Robby was always intended as a one-joke one-off – it surprised even me that I developed an active storyline with multiple characters. I’ve written a Robby feature script, which will be posted on this site eventually, and have plans for a Robby short film in the meantime.

While you await those, here are the strips that started it all. Some are more battered than most, and damn near illegible, while others are perfectly clear. One day I may digitally remaster them, or even redraw them totally.

The Very First Adventure of Robby The Redneck

Technically not the first – it’s actually a redrawing of the first, which is lost in some distant notebook. Between drafts, Robby became younger looking and gained a goofy grin, which stuck. Also between drafts, the wrestler Robby insults changed from Randy Savage to the Ultimate Warrior. If I ever redraw it, he may change again to Hulk Hogan or Bill Goldberg. “Judge A. Mentt” was always inspired by Clarence Thomas, and of course Frank Featherhead is the jury foreman, though he didn’t appear in the original drawing.

Robby the Redneck (with Hank the Hick) in California

Hank the Hick was a very necessary foil; when your lead character says only one thing, you need someone else to fill in the gaps. As more characters developed, Hank kinda fell by the wayside. Passengers on the plane included my previous creations Ian Rowell and Wally Binks, and the mugger was loosely based on Ice-T.

Robby the Redneck in the Gulf, Almost

I honestly, truly intended for Robby to end up in the Gulf by strip’s end, but he never did.

Robby the Redneck in "Red Man on Campus"

More a spoof of USC than anything, but note the reference to the Rodney King video. “Red Man” is a brand of chewing tobacco.

Robby the Redneck vs. Frank Featherhead

Frank Featherhead was inspired by a real guy, but he ended up being the perfect nemesis for Robby. Ironically, both are conservative Republicans – their struggle is like the battle for that party’s soul. ’80s wrestling fans may appreciate the dated caricatures of Vince McMahon and Jesse “The Body” Ventura.

Robby the Redneck in "Sweet Dreams Are Made for Fags"

Actually written prior to the Frank Featherhead strip, but kept sequentially after due to the appearance by Frank, which makes more sense if you know the character already. This was the most blatantly weird of the strips, and introduced God and Satan as characters, a technique Trey Parker was probably devising at about the same time. Also introduced is Robby’s dad, who’s exactly like him but hates him.

Robby the Redneck vs. Fagman (Part 1)

Fagman uses the F-word as an attempt to reclaim the term from the bigots. I liked the idea of a gay power superhero with nothing stereotypically gay about him, except maybe the tights and cape. Also, his catchphrase – “You’re straight! Ha ha ha!” – helps point out the absurdity of Robby’s signature line.

Robby the Redneck vs. Fagman (Part 2)

More digs at USC, especially its “Principles of Community” speech codes. I had a redneck character on my radio show at the time, but was afraid to have him use the word “fag,” since big-time punishments could easily result.

Robby the Redneck and Frank Featherhead Go Back to School

It occurred to me that high school was a funnier setting than community college, so I devised this plot contrivance to get Frank and Robby demoted. The teachers seen here are inspired by real ones I’ve encountered. Alan Argument, Frank’s alleged best friend, debuts here on a poster. Alan was also loosely based on someone I knew.

The Death of Robby the Redneck

A parody of the “Death of Superman” storyline, with “Dumbsdude” as a spoof of Doomsday. I never figured the death would last, but it kicked off an elaborate multi-strip arc that would continue through the next nine editions.

Robby the Ressurected Redneck (Part I)

God and Satan return as characters, plus every redneck in hell thinks it’s perennially funny to call Satan a fag.

Robby the Ressurected Redneck (Part 2) - "Requiem for a Redneck"

A spoof of much of what was on TV at that time. Frank Featherhead appears in a commercial for Encyclopedia Britannica that in actuality featured a similarly annoying nerd. Ross Perot is the big-eared guy in the AmEx spot, and while at that time there hadn’t been a movie called “Ernest Goes to School,” one was made a couple of years later.

Robby the Ressurected Redneck (Part 3) - "The Ghost of Redneck's Passed"

Brain-dead anchorman Rednecks O’Neill debuts in Mud Creek here – he began as a caricature of Whittle Communications’ Channel One anchorman Hicks Neal, but turned into something else altogether, and has appeared in some vastly disparate creative works of mine. He fits well into the “Robbyverse,” and is prominently featured in the movie script. Robby’s dad gets some good character business here.

Robby the Ressurected Redneck (Part 4) - "Vidiot Games"

The real life inspirations for Alan and Frank loved video games, as did I. This was a way to work them in – old time gamers will note the specific parodies of Super Mario Bros. and Street Fighter II. I still had no clue how to get Robby back into the “real world.”

Sneak Preview of Frank Featherhead Mini-Series

Doodled during some lecture I should’ve been paying attention to. It occurred to me that Frank might allow for more possibilities than Robby as a character.

Frank Featherhead Mini-Series (Part 1)

I think this may be the funniest of the bunch. Nerdy McDweeb is not based on anyone real – he’s merely a minor variation on Frank, with deliberately similar catchphrases, and opposing tastes. Frank’s dad, like Robby’s, is of course exactly like him, and equally disdainful to his son.

Frank Featherhead Mini-Series (Part 2)

Finally I figured out a way for Fagman to return. Note too that Fagman’s alias, Peter Pansy, is the “sole member” of Southern Teens for Gays.

Frank Featherhead Mini-Series (Part 3)

Death is introduced (my drawing of the gates of Purgatory is a personal fave of mine), and God steps in again. Not sure where the idea of all the signs pointing to God came from, but I like it. Naturally, God’s direct intervention is the only way to bring Robby back to life. I actually consulted a Christian friend on how to draw God, but he said that since God was so intangible I might as well go with the traditional whitebeard image.

Frank Featherhead Mini-Series - Final Episode

A little commentary on redneck clothing contained herein. Nerdy, of course, doesn’t actually commit suicide.

Robby the Redneck in "Redneck" Returns

This was written after I had essentially finished with the strips, thinking that after the big Heaven/Hell/Purgatory saga, there was nowhere to go. I thought perhaps more closure was needed, though, and drew all of the strip save the last frame, which took months to come up with, the problem being that if Robby would insult God to his face, who would he possibly revere? The answer I settled on is quite satisfactory, I think.