Bluto

Bluto is a cartoon character created in 1932 by Elzie Crisler Segar as a one-time character, named "Bluto the Terrible", in his Thimble Theatre comic strip. Bluto made his first appearance September 12 of that year. Fleischer Studios adapted him the next year (1933), to be the recurring villain in their theatrical Popeye animated cartoon series. Bluto is the antagonizing protagonist of the series.

Character
Bluto is Popeye's nemesis; he, like Popeye, is attracted to Olive Oyl, and usually attempts to kidnap her. However, with the help of some spinach, Popeye usually ends up defeating him.

On most cases, name "Bluto" is used as an apparent first name; however in Fleischer Studios 1934 cartoon "Axe Me Another" his full name is given on screen as "Pierre Bluto". This is the only occurence of such name and can be a nom de plume, as Bluto is portrayed in this cartoon as a Canadian lumberjack.

Bluto is a large, bearded, musclebound man. He mostly uses his physical brawn to accomplish what he is trying to do, but does display some ability for tactical planning. Neither Popeye and Olive Oyl, nor any other characters, think of him as anything more than a worthless scoundrel, although Olive seems to forget this in the beginning of an episode, only to discover it later. However, there are some cartoons that show Popeye and Bluto as friends and Navy buddies, with Bluto usually turning on Popeye when an object of interest (usually Olive) is put between them. A prime example of this is the cartoon We're On Our Way to Rio in which the two pals are singing together, "Tell all the girls in Rio that Popeye and Bluto are coming." In some cartoons and comic strips, Wimpy is portrayed hanging out with Bluto and usually appears to have nothing against him.

In more recent Popeye cartoons, such as the computer-animated movie Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy, Bluto and Popeye are back to being good friends with Bluto being somewhat afraid of Popeye, although Bluto getting mind-controlled puts a wedge between them once again.

In some cartoons it was directly shown that, unlike Popeye, Bluto hates spinach, which is the primary reason he will not use it against Popeye. However, in Twisker Pitcher Bluto eats spinach to win a baseball game against Popeye. A couple of times Popeye has tricked (or forced) Bluto into eating spinach, in order to benefit from his extra strength during tense situations.

In certain "fourth wall breaking" episodes it is revealed that Popeye and Bluto are actually good friends who enjoy brawling together, but who simply portray themselves as adversaries for the sake of drama in their various adventures.

In Italian produced Popeye comic-books, he is identified as the Sea Hag's son.