The trollface, a fairly recent popular icon that's been reappearing all over the web to piss off your everyday average internet user. To be more elaborate it is an illustration that came to represent the expression people make who are 'trolling.' Trolling is a internet slang to describe a person who posts off-topic message or inflammatory message on online communities. This illustration has been overused everywhere on deviantart and other online sites, that I have even caught myself using it as well.
The trollface was first created by a deviantart user named Whynne when he made a MSPaint comic to illustrate the pointless nature of trolling on a website called 4Chan on September 19, 2008. This simple drawing of a face with a big mischievous grin soon became the symbol or emoticon to show someone 'trolling.' I found it really interesting that Whynne's trollface was originally a failed attempt to imitate a comic character known as "Rape Rodent." This failed attempt soon became its own icon that has become more popular that what it had imitated. It really shows how mistakes can be good.
Rape Rodent Illustartion
The First Trollface Appearance Comic
This thing creeps me out. I've seen it on deviantart a lot too, and every time it just kind of makes me cringe.
ReplyDeletehahahaha, im glad someone posted this...
ReplyDeleteThe whole set of rage faces that are floating around right now as memes have become their own visual language that allows normal people who can't draw to quickly transmit stories... I for one wish they'd all go away, but who knows. Maybe English and memes will merge to create a new sort of hieroglyphic writing...
ReplyDeleteWow,I never knew things like Trollface had a real history. It's one of those things I never really thought about. Interesting.
ReplyDeletethanks for explaining this... i still hate seeing it everywhere tho. i will say, clever to whoever created it.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago people would express emotion on the internet with emoticons like :) =[ ^.^ or things like *rage* or *is so happy*
ReplyDeleteBut now all you need to say is "trollface" or FFFUUUUU and people understand exactly what you're conveying. In a way, Trollface and other meme-comic faces are the new emoticons of the internet.