Spinachovia (also known as Nazilia, Nazilla, Spinachia, Spinachania, Splotovia, New Atlantis, Blozoland and Uncle Willy's Toupée) is the island kingdom ruled by King Blozo. The kingdom has had numerous names over the years due to Blozo's indecisive nature as well as his poor paperwork management, but ultimately "Spinachovia" became the permanent name of the country. Fitting, considering the kingdom's abundant spinach crop. The country is often under attack by threats both big and small, ranging from internal conflict and war to attacks from monsters like giants.
Population[]
Spinachovia is mainly home to a reasonably large number of people of presumably European descent. However, the current Spinachovian inhabitants were not the first men to dwell on the island. Before they first arrived, the place was home to the Big-Eared Pygmies, warring large-lobed dwarfs who lived in secrecy in the highest mountains of the island, not letting the settlers even know of their existence, something the pygmies used to their advantage as they enjoyed stealing from the farms of the Spinachovian settlers, that remained completely unaware of their presence. At least, until the pygmies became sick of the spinach crops, which was all the colonists ever bothered to farm. The island also receives many strange visitors and dangerous invaders from other islands, such as warring clans and giants.
Setting history[]
Thimble Theatre[]
In the original comic strip by E. C. Segar known as Thimble Theatre, Spinachovia first appeared under the name of "Nazilia" in the 1931 strip "The Great Rough-House War". There, it was a kingdom at war with neighboring Tonsylania, which led Nazilias's king Blozo to hire Popeye's services in hopes of ending the war. Originally, Tonsylania and Nazilia formed the fictional Addynoid Islands. Since its first appearance, Segar continued to use the kingdom on occasion. One story introduced the existence of hostile "White Savages" in Northern Nazilia. However, in future appearances, it would be renamed several times.
Confusingly, Popeye once formed his own nation on a small island adjacent to Nazilia known as "Spinachova" - which led to a feud between Popeye and King Blozo. Spinachova is presumably not the same as Nazilia/Spinachovia. Nazilia is also said to contain several landmarks, such as an aquatic tree holding a deadly snake.
In Bud Sagendorf's take on the comic, Spinachovia returned with more frequency, where it was an even more fantastical place and where Popeye's more amazing adventures took place.
Popeye's first TV series[]
Spinachovia made its screen debut in the 1960s Popeye television series under the name of "Spinachia" throughout the show's run, with episodes focusing on it being quite strange or fantastical, such as one episode featuring Spinachia being at war with a kingdom of living missile people.
Revivals[]
Spinachovia would re-appear in IDW Publishing's revival of the Popeye comics in 2012 as a recurring location. Its first appearance was in the fourth issue, where once again it was a location filled with war and unusual happenings. The comic also finally addressed the reason for the kingdom's many name changes, revealing that King Blozo is indecisive and bad at paperwork, and that he has even named it other extravagant names to help boost tourism, such as "New Atlantis" at one point.