Toar

Toar

Profile
Aliases	Toar the Caveman
Age	20,000
Species	Caveman
Gender	Male
Residence	Sweethaven
Production Information
First Appearance	Thimble Theatre ("The Pool of Youth")

Toar is a character first introduced in E. C. Segar's Thimble Theatre comic strip in 1935. A massive brute thousands of years of age, he possesses eternal youth from having drunk from the "Pool of Never Die", although he could still be killed in combat. He and Popeye met and fought as enemies, but have since become close friends and allies.

Character history

Creation and development in Thimble Theatre

Toar was created by E. C. Segar, making his debut in the 1935 Thimble Theatre strip "The Pool of Youth". After his first appearance, Toar would remain as a recurring character and a trusted friend and ally to Popeye, who he would refer to as "Poo-Poo".

Toar would return as a recurring character in the 1948 comic book series by Segar's former assistant Bud Sagendorf, where he would usually pay a visit to Popeye and his friends or join them on their adventures. His comic book appearances would continue for decades until the title's end in 1984.

While having been a prominent character in the comics, Toar never got to appear in theatrical Popeye cartoons.

Popeye's first TV series

Toar made his screen debut in the 1960s Popeye animated television series, this time as the Sea Hag's minion. He would appear in a few shorts, but not as many as other characters. Some episodes also portrayed him as having gray skin.

Revivals

Toar would re-appear in IDW Publishing's revival of the Popeye comics in 2012 as a major recurring character, often appearing alongside Alice the Goon in issues and aiding Popeye when needed on either his adventures or taking care of Swee'Pea. These comics also touch upon Toar's desire to gain official citizenship in the USA.

Biography

Pre-History

Over 20,000 years ago, Toar was a simple-minded caveman who would be one of the few souls to discover the legendary "Pool of Never Die" (otherwise known as "The Fountain of Youth"). Since then, he has lived for many millennia. One day, he would be unfortunate enough to cross paths with the Sea Hag.