The Oatmeal

The Oatmeal
Name	The Oatmeal
Type	Webcomic
Owner	Matthew Inman
Author	Matthew Inman
Launch date	2009

The Oatmeal is a webcomic and humor website created and written by Matthew Inman. It became widely known for its illustrated essays, comic strips, and satirical takes on technology, science, and everyday life. The site has influenced internet culture, fundraising campaigns, and debates over online speech and copyright.

History

Matthew Inman launched the site during the late 2000s boom of webcomics alongside contemporaries such as xkcd, The Perry Bible Fellowship, Cyanide and Happiness, Achewood, and Questionable Content. Early visibility grew through social sharing on platforms like Reddit, Facebook, Tumblr, Digg, and Twitter. Crowdfunding and direct-to-fan sales paralleled models used by Kickstarter creators and independent artists like Aaron Draplin and Jeff Smith. The Oatmeal's timeline intersects with events such as the rise of mobile browsing driven by devices like the iPhone and platforms like WordPress, affecting distribution and monetization. Over time, the site expanded into print publishing and collaborations resembling partnerships seen between online creators and publishers such as Penguin Random House and Dark Horse Comics.

Content and Style

The site's content blends illustrated panels with long-form listicles and infographics, echoing visual strategies employed by artists like Randall Munroe and designers associated with the Information Is Beautiful studio. Stylistically, the work draws on influences from newspaper cartoonists such as Charles Schulz and Bill Waterson, and editorial cartoon traditions found in publications like The New Yorker and The Atlantic. Frequent topics include technology culture referencing companies such as Google, Apple Inc., Microsoft, Facebook, and Amazon (company), popular culture figures including Beyoncé, Elon Musk, Taylor Swift, and Barack Obama, and scientific subjects involving institutions like NASA, MIT, Caltech, and National Geographic. The visual language uses bold linework and expressive facial caricature akin to styles seen in works by Gahan Wilson and Gary Larsen.

Characters and Recurring Themes

Recurring characters and motifs appear throughout, paralleling serialized approaches used by creators like Matt Groening and Jim Davis. Anthropomorphic animals such as cats and owls, along with caricatured humans, recur similarly to animal-centric humor in Garfield and Calvin and Hobbes. Themes include internet etiquette resonant with discussions involving Anonymous (group), online harassment debates similar to cases involving Gamergate, and consumer technology critiques that reference products from Samsung and Sony. Science appreciation threads cite figures like Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, and institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution. Food, grammar, and pet ownership are motifs that echo cultural touchstones including Julia Child, Anthony Bourdain, Martha Stewart, and Rachael Ray.

Publications and Merchandise

The brand expanded into print books, calendars, and board games, following commercialization paths similar to Calvin and Hobbes collections and The Far Side compilations. Published works were distributed by mainstream publishers with channels comparable to Barnes & Noble and Waterstones and marketed through comics festivals like San Diego Comic-Con and New York Comic Con. Merchandise collaborations included apparel and tabletop releases reminiscent of tie-ins from Hasbro and Fantasy Flight Games. Fundraising and product sales used e-commerce platforms and fulfillment services analogous to those used by Etsy sellers and independent game designers on BoardGameGeek.

Reception and Controversies

Critical reception ranged from praise in outlets like Wired, The New York Times, and Time (magazine) to critiques in forums tied to Slate, The Guardian, and The Atlantic. The site sparked debates on content tone and political satire similarly to controversies involving cartoonists in Charlie Hebdo and opinion pieces in The Washington Post. Audience responses often played out on social media networks such as Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and Reddit, contributing to viral spread and occasional backlash akin to incidents experienced by influencers like PewDiePie.

Legal Issues and Notable Cases

The creator engaged in high-profile legal disputes, paralleling cases involving online creators and publishers such as disputes seen with Viacom and Gawker Media. One notable episode involved a defamation and copyright dispute that drew attention from media outlets including CNN, BBC, and The Guardian. The case highlighted tensions in online libel law and intellectual property debates similar to precedents involving Cariou v. Prince and disputes adjudicated in courts like the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Crowdfunding-driven legal strategies and public responses echoed actions taken by communities around projects on Kickstarter and platforms such as Indiegogo.

Impact and Legacy

The site's influence is observable in the broader webcomic ecosystem alongside peers like xkcd and Cyanide and Happiness, contributing to models for creator-led crowdfunding exemplified by campaigns on Kickstarter and patronage patterns later institutionalized by Patreon. Its fundraising victories and charitable initiatives paralleled high-profile campaigns by public figures and organizations such as Charity: Water, Red Cross, and celebrity-led drives by individuals like Oprah Winfrey and Bono. The work's blend of science communication and humor relates it to popularizers such as Bill Nye, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Sir David Attenborough, and its commercial trajectory influenced independent creators working with publishers like IDW Publishing and Image Comics.

Category:Webcomics