Popeye, everyone’s favorite spinach-eating sailor, and Bluto, the
strong-arm rival for Olive Oyl’s affection, where once just one-off, throw away
characters that were never intended to make more than one appearance. Popeye’s
first appearance in E.C. Segar’s Thimble Theatre as a captain
commissioned to take Caster Oyl and Ham Gravy on an adventure at sea spurred
such a popular response from fans that “Popeye, the Sailor Man” soon
overtook the very strip in which he was only a guest.

Segar had no idea
that Popeye would muscle his way from the land of “supporting
characters” to the forefront of his comic strip, but within one year of
his appearance, he replace Ham Gravy as a main character.

In the same
vein, Bluto, often confused with the very similar character Brutus, was only
intended to appear as a one-time rival of Popeye’s, but quickly became the
villain fans loved to root for. No only was Bluto able to hold his own in brawls
with Popeye (at least until he ate his spinach), but he was competing for the
affection of Olive Oyl as well. Because of the dichotomy of Popeye and Bluto,
they made perfect rivals and fan clamored for more and more.

Popeye and
Bluto have appeared in comics, cartoons, movies and other media for over 75
years and show no signs of their age slowing them down.