Artie, the Strongest Man in the World

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This article is about the Adventures of Pete & Pete character. For the Strongest Man competition, see World's Strongest Man.

Artie, the Strongest Man in the World was a character on the television show The Adventures of Pete & Pete, played by Toby Huss. He was Little Pete's "personal superhero". He appeared in the specials, shorts, and first two seasons of the series, as well as the two five-minute Pete & Pete short films "The Artie Workout" and "Staremaster" which appear on the "Classic Petes" and "School Dazed" Pete & Pete videos, respectively.

The character of Artie was originally created by Huss for one of his No Shame Theatre comedy routines.

Contents 1 Costume 2 Origin 3 Known Superpowers 4 Known Weaknesses 5 Notable events 6 Other Facts 7 Quotes 8 External links

[edit] Costume

Artie's "costume" consisted of a red-and-blue striped long-sleeved shirt and red form-fitting pants. He also wore glasses. According to the Pete & Pete short "Artie, the Strongest Man... in the World!", his shirt is made of 60% titanium and 40% cotton.

[edit] Origin

The origin of Artie and how he became Little Pete's own personal superhero will forever be a mystery. However, from dialogue gleaned from the episode "Farewell My Little Viking", it can be inferred that he goes around and helps kids who need him.

[edit] Known Superpowers

• Artie Vision - Used to help locate Mr. Tastee
• Artie Boogie - Artie's dancing abilities help the Petes in 'The Nightcrawlers' and 'Day of the Dot'
• Super Sleep - A special kind of sleep reserved only for superheroes.
• Super Strength - His most well-known ability, used once to move a house by one inch in "Apocalypse Pete", and is able to lift cows (referenced in Mom's Plate short).
• Super Speed - Which he once used to locate the soundwaves emitted from the younger Pete's favorite song (Hard Day's Pete)
• Thermal Heat - By placing small objects in his armpits, such as moist towlettes, Artie Is able to use his superpowers to make the object as hot as "Mexican Toad" in his own words. (Farewell My Little Viking)
• Impervious to summer heat, and is thus able to walk across really hot asphalt along with the younger Pete (The Call)

[edit] Known Weaknesses

• Rolling Thunder (When Petes Collide)
• The sound of a whammy bar (Hard Day's Pete)

[edit] Notable events

Artie aided Little Pete in many of his exploits, including his attempt to break the world record for staying awake. Some of Artie's other notable doings include:

• Once moving the entire Hickle house one inch. (Apocalypse Pete)
• Helping Little Pete beat up the Atlantic Ocean as punishment for allowing summer to end. (What We Did On Our Summer Vacation)
• Artie was once commissioned by Little Pete to use his powers of strength to help win a bowling contest; Artie was subsequently spotted and signed by a professional bowling scout and became a bowling superstar. (New Year's Pete)
• Artie has an epic battle with Rolling Thunder (The famed Wrigley family bowling ball) to stop its mysterious powers causing the maddening rivalry between the brothers Pete. Despite being the strongest man in the world, he was unfortunately defeated by the bowling ball.(When Petes Collide)

Once Skipped Stones on Neptune (Nightcrawlers)

[edit] Other Facts

• Artie's favorite smell is that of tire air.
• While he is the Strongest Man in the World, Artie is not invincible. He was once defeated by an evil bowling ball, and is as affected by Whammy Bars and E Guitar Chords as Superman is by Kryptonite.
• "Love Rollercoaster" by The Ohio Players (and perhaps funk in general) attracts Artie like a "giant funk magnet." Artie regards this song as "Music of the Gods!"
• Invented the sport of "land canoeing."
• Artie likes armpit noises, as they remind him of his mother.
• Artie has a past with Clark (a turtle), Ernest Hemingway, and Gertrude Stein.
• During the show, Artie lives in an isolated Port-a-john-like "Port-a-Home" when he was not with the Petes. It is actually somewhat like the TARDIS from Doctor Who, because it's apparently bigger on the inside than on the outside, and in "Farewell, My Little Viking" he was seen hosting a party with over a dozen people inside.
• Artie has an affinity for pressed slacks.
• Artie, after being tricked by the International Adult Conspiracy, once became an aluminum siding salesman until saved by Dad.
• Artie thinks of himself as lemon-scented. (Space, Geeks, and Johnny Unitas)
• Artie has an unofficial constellation named after him.

[edit] Quotes

• "Begone with you, Pulpy, before I fold you into some kind of brochure!" - Artie, fending off Papercut (Farewell My Little Viking)
• "I caught my son trying to arm wrestle with a slab of bacon. He said Artie taught him how." - A member of the International Adult Conspiracy on Artie (Farewell My Little Viking)
• "That psycho Artie dared my Nona to go two days saying only the word 'boing!'" - Another member of the Conspiracy. (Iggy Pop)
• "Lifting your house, or your neighbor's house, is great for your upper abs!" - Artie (The Artie Workout)
• "Don't... eat... metal. Don't eat metal!" - Artie (The Artie Workout)
• "Ah, yes, everything is pipe" - Artie, noting that it is indeed a pleasant day.
• "Pipe" - a word known to chronically pepper Artie's vernacular
• "Unpipe" - Artie, upon hearing of something unpleasant
• "Your weapons are useless against me!"
• "Three.......two........ONEEUUUUUUUH...........BELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL"- Artie, awaiting the school bell to be rung in "Space, Geeks, & Johnny Unitas".
• "Your kind never learns, does it, laddie!?" -Artie, fending off a maniac schnauzer.
• Younger Pete: "Artie, you should have been there! I crippled Paper Cut. It was great. It was like you were there, with me. I could feel you there. Where were you? What happened to you? Artie? What is it?"

Artie: "Well...I had a thing, that I did...you and me, for years..."

Older Pete Voiceover: "Artie had something to tell Pete. It wasn't just the story of being tricked by Dad, or hired by McFlemp, or working for ten percent commission. It was the story of a superhero and a kid, who ruled at dodgeball, waltzed the lunar landscape, and beat up the Atlantic Ocean. Until one day the kid finally learned all there was to learn from his friend, and it was time for the superhero to move on."

Artie: "...just not the same, and you are a different Viking now. Yes, I have to go."

Younger Pete: "No!"

Artie: "Yes. Everything you need to learn is in here (pointing to Pete's heart). Out there is some boy who needs me. He's small. He's puny, as you were."

Younger Pete: "But Artie, you're my best friend!"

Artie: "And I always will be, my little Viking."

Younger Pete: "But, but will I ever see you again? "

Artie: Worry not, boy. Worry not...for I am Artie, the Strongest Man..."(strikes his superhero pose) "...IN THE WORLD!"

Exit Artie

Younger Pete: "I'll leave the light on for you."

• "Tweet!"

[edit] External links

• Toby Huss at the Internet Movie Database