Pepe: How a frog became the main meme of the internet

When it comes to the most influential internet memes, one cannot overlook Пепе the Frog. This unassuming character from a little-known comic has long ceased to be just a funny picture — today, it is one of the main symbols of online culture and cultural movements, uniting people from different generations and communities. The story of the Пепе meme begins long before it took over the internet.

The Birth of the Frog: From Matt Furie’s Drawings to the Internet

In 2005, American artist Matt Furie created the comic “Boy’s Club,” where Пепе first appeared. The character was far from the main hero — just one of four friends living together. A key moment occurred in one of the issues when the frog utters the phrase “Feels good, man” while relieving itself with its pants down. This scene became the first meme that began to spread across the internet.

Three years later, in 2008, an image of Пепе made its way to the 4chan forum. Here, a miracle of internet culture happened: thousands of users began actively remaking the original image, creating new variations. Sad Пепе emerged with a sad expression, Smug Пепе with a self-satisfied smirk, and Feels Bad Man with a distressed look. Each new version of the frog embodied different emotions and states.

Meme as a Universal Language of Feelings

Пепе quickly transformed from an ordinary drawing into a powerful tool for expressing emotions. Internet users utilized various versions of the frog to convey sadness, loneliness, anger, joy, irony, or disappointment. Unlike other memes, Пепе possessed versatility — for every mood, there was a suitable variation.

However, in 2015–2016, the story of the Пепе meme took an unexpected turn. Alt-right movements in the U.S. began to appropriate the image of the frog, using it in political campaigns and statements. Пепе started appearing in the context of supporting Donald Trump and other extremist political initiatives. This sparked huge controversies in the online community. The Anti-Defamation League even included some versions of Пепе in its list of hate symbols, despite vigorous objections from Matt Furie himself, who had always opposed the politicization and radicalization of his character.

From Rare Пепе to Digital Assets

The crypto community played a key role in the revival of Пепе the Frog. A movement called “Rare Пепе” emerged on the 4chan platform — enthusiasts began creating and collecting rare, unique versions of the meme. These collectible images gained status as valuable items, and they were even bought and traded like rare artifacts.

As the NFT and cryptocurrency project ecosystem rapidly developed, Пепе became a natural source of inspiration. Entire series of Пепе tokens and NFT projects emerged based on the Counterparty blockchain platform. The frog, which started as a simple element of a comic, has now become part of the crypto economy — its images were valued as digital assets with real worth.

Thus, the journey of the Пепе meme from a drawing in a forgotten comic to one of the most recognizable symbols on the internet demonstrates the unique nature of online culture. Пепе the Frog remains a testament to how online communities can transform a simple image into a powerful cultural phenomenon capable of crossing boundaries, platforms, and even meanings.