Goblin Hollow
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| Goblin Hollow | |
|---|---|
| Author(s) | Ralph E. Hayes Jr. |
| Website | http://utlt.comicgenesis.com/ |
| Update schedule | Semi-irregular (typically 1 - 3 strips per week) |
| Launch date | October 2, 2000 as Under the Lemon Tree |
| Genre | furry |
Goblin Hollow is a furry webcomic by Ralph E. Hayes, Jr.. Its original title was Under The Lemon Tree until it was changed on August 17, 2004 to Goblin Hollow.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Ben Bruin, an anthropomorphic bear who works as a janitor and customer service rep in a convenience store, comes home one evening to find six knee-high green creatures have been waiting for him. The animals, later referred to as goblins, each represent a part of Ben's personality: his intelligence, his "inner child", his "machismo", etc. The goblins seem to act erratically, disappearing and reappearing at whim and trying to help Ben with his personal life while, at the same time, getting him in many other predicaments.
Ben finds love at the convenience store (called "Bullseye") in a member of the food counter staff, Lily Feldspar (a lioness). The two learn they have much in common outside of work, such as love of animated movies and wanting to wait until marriage before having sex. She originally freaks out when she sees Ben's goblins but she later learns to accept them as part of Ben's nature.
Under The Lemon Tree dealt with many different scenarios in Ben and Lily's lives. The episodic storyline ran from the mundane (dealing with clueless middle-management) to the serious (gun control, "interspecies" dating and Lily being a "sex object" in high school) to the sublime (several months worth of comics was a cross-over with the webcomic Schlock Mercenary, now considered a dream sequence).
Eventually, Ben and Lily get married and the title of the comic changed to Goblin Hollow, named after the arcade they start up after Ben's eccentric great-uncle[1] leaves him over a thousand vintage video games[2]. The plotlines now deal with the goings-on in the arcade and the new characters that pop in and out of it. There's an on-and-off running plotline about some regulars joining Ben for a role-playing session of Dungeons & Dragons.
[edit] The Retcon
When the comic began, Ben's goblins were actually anthropomorphic animals created by Ben's brain. Later in the series, they were referred to as tulpas, living embodiments of bits of Ben's personality.
In September of 2006, the author decided to do a retcon. The transition was made when Ben had a hallucination caused by painkillers following work on his ingrown toe-claw.[3] A large rubber otter clued Ben in that he was a comic strip character and that the plot of the comic over the last six years had become too complicated. After the hallucination ebbed, the tulpas became goblins and Penny explained what has changed.
The only real change was to Ben's "posse people", as they stopped looking like animals and started looking like green, big-eared, bat-winged creatures which shared vague characteristics with the animals they once were. It is explained that the goblins hatch from eggs and imprint parts of the personality of the "keeper" while in the egg. Ben got his goblins when someone sent him eggs. Thinking it was an early birthday present, he put them in his closet and forgot about them until they hatched. Ben's goblins also have clothing that match the part of Ben's personality that they imprinted. Other than that, everything else remains the same.
Another main reason for the retcon was the author's religious beliefs. Hayes holds strong Christian beliefs, but main characters in the comic were based on Tibetan mysticism. He felt a crisis of conscience as he poked fun at Wiccans and otherkin and, yet, included other religious mysticisms. So part of the reason for the retcon was to eliminate any allusions to other religions.
[edit] Characters
[edit] Introduced in Under The Lemon Tree
- Ben Bruin
- The main character of the series. A brown bear who worked at Bullseye's Convenience Store before starting the Goblin Hollow arcade. Current owner of seven goblins. Husband to Lily. Lover of video games, RPGs, animated shows and Japanese monster flicks. Can be a bit impulsive at times and, at times, prone to violence. Speaks Navaho
- Lily Feldspar Bruin
- Mountain lioness. Former "counter girl" at Bullseye's before helping Ben start the arcade. Wife to Ben. Can be easily made upset, but just as easily forgiving. Was a "late-bloomer" and was treated as a sex object once she did, so she was very cautious about her romantic life before Ben came along.
- The Boss
- Beaver. Manager of Bullseye's. Typical PHB, fairly disgruntled. Uncle of Merry.
- Fred
- Rabbit. Friend of Ben's and co-owner of Goblin Hollow as a "silent partner". Severe gun advocate, as he was a slash-and-grab victim (not to mention that he's a "prey animal").
- Merry
- Beaver. Niece of The Boss. Exceedingly clumsy and shy. Once had a crush for Ben, now spends her time with Rico. Currently works in Goblin Hollow.
- Rico
- Chihuahua. Stereotypical Hispanic, complete with temper that overshadows his size. Rico fell for Merry (or, more accurately, Merry fell ON him when they first met) and they now work for Ben at Goblin Hollow.
- Beltane
- Dog. Employee at Bullseye's. Considers herself a Wiccan and demanded that all holiday decorations be removed from the store. This eventually led to Ben's firing from Bullseye.
- Rosaline
- Poodle. Elder "counter girl" at Bullseye's. The voice of reason among the employees there.
- Detective Gelarid
- Shadow dragon-dog crossbreed. Works for the city police department. Arch nemesis is master thief Ookami Lobo, who had a whole boxful of boggarts. Can dissolve into shadows, making him an expert at stealth.
[edit] Introduced in Goblin Hollow
- Ronnie, Gus and Charlie
- A skunk, a tiger and a dog respectively. They visited Goblin Hollow the night before the grand opening and have been going there ever since.
- Walksfar
- Dragon. Expert on goblins and bogarts. Helped Lily with understanding the nature of the goblins (and the boggart) living in Goblin Hollow.
- Penny
- Teenaged mountain lioness. Sister to Lily. Went goth and has moved into Goblin Hollow to get away from the influence of her bigoted grandfather.
[edit] Ben's goblins
Also known as "Posse People"
- Sheldon
- Based on a turtle. Wears a turtle shell and glasses. Ben's "left-brain" analytical intellect. He is always thinking things through and is the supposed leader of Ben's goblins.
- Velvet
- Based on a bunny. Wears pajamas. Ben's inner child. Sweet, innocent, cuddly... and subject to traumatization from the others, particularly Slick.
- Slick
- Based on a tiger. Wears a leather jacket, jeans and shades. Ben's "machismo". Hates Velvet with a vengeance and groans whenever Ben messes up being "cool".
- Zoot
- Based on a coyote. Wears a lampshade and boxer shorts. Ben's "party animal". Unfortunately, Zoot's idea of a "good time" is still stuck in the 1970s. He has been getting better in helping Ben have a good time in the present, though. Sticks with Slick a lot.
- Gunther
- Based on a bulldog. Wears armor and a pot for a helmet. Ben's hostility. He is always looking for a reason to use a nearly endless arsenal.
- Morty
- Based on a vulture and a bat. Wears a top-hat. Ben's negative emotions. Always there when Ben is feeling depressed, anxious, scared...or just in need of a reminder of his inevitable death.
- Epiphany (or Piff, for short)
- Based on a ferret. Wears a painter's smock and has a paintbrush-shaped tail. Ben's "right-brain" side, capable of inspirational leaps. First appeared during the Schlock Mercenary cross-over (which happened pre-retcon; is assumed now he was late-hatched).
- The Boggart
- "The thing in the basement". A creature that sprouts out of nowhere and takes the form of the nightmares of people who live nearby. The boggart in Goblin Hollow is a multi-eyed purple gelatinous blob who is more annoying than really scary. Was left in Ben's care after its release by Ookami Lobo.
[edit] Other goblins
- Syn
- Based on a snake. Belongs to Ben's childhood friend, Frisky. Represents the lessons and mistakes of her past.
- Flick
- Based on a pheonix. Frisky's hopes and ambitions for the future.
- Wordsworth
- Once based on an owl. Belongs to Warhorse, a friend of Ben's he met at a convention. Represents Warhorse's scholarly side.
- Beowulf
- Based on a honey badger with a broadsword. Warhorse's "warrior within".
