Why Papers From The Boys Presents: Diabolical Episode 2 Sounds So Familiar
While audiences wait for "The Boys' to return in earnest, there is a new series to tide fans over. "The Boys Presents: Diabolical" is set to debut on Amazon Prime on March 4, bringing with it the same level of superhero insanity that audiences have come to know and love over the course of the series. In addition to bringing in fan-favorite characters like Antony Starr's Homelander, "Diabolical" will also introduce new characters to the screen, including Groundhawk, Areola, and Papers, the latter of whom appears in the show's 2nd episode.
Papers from "The Boys Presents: Diabolical" will likely sound familiar to fans who have kept up with the world of animation in recent years. That is because the character is voiced by Justin Roiland, a voice actor and showrunner who has appeared in numerous beloved animated projects in recent years and has amassed an incredible IMDb list of credits. For those who may not be too familiar with Roiland's body of work, here are some of his most notable credits to date.
He voiced Earl of Lemongrab in Adventure Time
Though Justin Roiland would eventually go on to voice some of the defining voices on Adult Swim (more on that later), some of his earlier iconic roles came in the daytime Cartoon Network lineup. One of the most notable of the bunch was his role as Earl of Lemongrab in the hit Cartoon Network series, "Adventure Time." Introduced as the ruler of the Earldom of Lemongrab, the character is a paranoid and easily-agitated antagonist who initially serves as an "Adventure Time" villain in the early seasons before becoming a supporting character in later episodes. He is perhaps most well-known for his signature catchphrase, "unacceptable!" which he frequently screams in his appearances.
Earl of Lemongrab quickly became a fan-favorite "Adventure Time" character, largely due to Roiland's arguably unhinged performance. Lemongrab appeared in a total of 14 episodes of "Adventure Time" during the run of the show. However, he also appeared in other "Adventure Time" media, with Roiland providing the voice in two additional "Adventure Time" video games.
He provided the voice of Blendin Blandin in Gravity Falls
Another major animated series on Cartoon Network to bring in the vocal talents of Justin Roiland was "Gravity Falls." Specifically, Roiland provided his voice to Blendin Blenjamin Blandin, a time traveler who vows vengeance after Dipper and Mabel Pines accidentally get him sent away to prison. As Blendin, Roiland made a total of seven appearances across the run of "Gravity Falls" from 2012 to 2015. Like many classic Roiland characters, he is identifiable by a high-pitched voice and an incredibly eccentric and manic personality, often stammering as he talks.
"Gravity Falls" has become widely praised in the years since its debut, and is highly regarded as an influential show in the sci-fi animation space. Specifically, the show has been cited as a major influence on other series such as "Steven Universe," as well as "Rick and Morty." "Gravity Falls" also continues to have a major presence in pop culture even though it has come to an end. In fact, as recently as Halloween 2021, the character Bill Cipher appeared in an episode of "The Simpsons," further showcasing the iconography of "Gravity Falls" as a series and a piece of IP.
He is the voice of Rick and Morty
In 2013, Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon teamed up to release "Rick and Morty," an Adult Swim series about an interdimensional scientist named Rick Sanchez and his grandson Morty Smith. Loosely inspired by the dynamic of "Back to the Future" for the framework of its core dynamic, "Rick and Morty" has been on for five seasons, with more on the way. Over the course of its run, the show has explored Rick's dark backstory, the truth behind his partnership with Morty, and most recently, the reason for the Central Finite Curve. Roiland provides numerous voice roles on the retro scripted series, but the two biggest roles are the two titular characters.
Though Roiland has provided his voice to numerous fan-favorite series over the course of his career as a voice actor, there is a strong argument to be made that his work on "Rick and Morty" is currently the defining work of his career. The show took off with its 1st season on Adult Swim and has retained a loyal fanbase ever since. Much of that can be attributed to Roiland's work as both Rick and Morty, which walks a fine line between unhinged sci-fi insanity and genuine pathos.
He played Doug Cheston in Invincible
Amazon made a big splash on the superhero genre with the debut of "The Boys," but it also kept that momentum going when it released the 1st season of "Invincible." Based on Robert Kirkman's comic series of the same name, the series presents an initially idyllic take on superhero lore (very similar to the DC Universe) but then quickly upends it by hinting at an incredibly dark and sinister side to the seemingly perfect hero Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons). Justin Roiland has a one-episode arc on "Invincible" as Doug Cheston -– a drunk college student who is kidnapped and turned into a Reanimen cyborg to face off against Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun).
Unlike many of the other roles present on this list, it is unlikely that fans will see Roiland reprise his role as Doug Cheston anytime soon. That is because (like many characters in the "Invincible" universe) Cheston did not survive his arc on the 1st season of the series. During his battle with Mark Grayson, Cheston sees the mutilation he has experienced as a result of the experiments done on him, and he kills himself. However, his episode ultimately serves as a tease for the Reanimen army created by Cecil (Walton Goggins) in an effort to put down Omni-Man once his true nature is revealed.
He voices Korvo in Solar Opposites
The final and most recent role that audiences may recognize Justin Roiland from is his lead performance on the hit Hulu animated series, "Solar Opposites." On the series, Roiland voices Korvo – a brilliant but socially awkward alien who brings his team to Earth from the dying utopian planet Schlorp. As the team of Schlorpian aliens tries to assimilate to Earth culture, Korvo largely remains committed to the traditions of his homeworld and often finds himself at odds with Terry (Thomas Middleditch), who has fully embraced the Earthling lifestyle and all of the excess that comes with it.
"Solar Opposites" has proven itself to be an incredibly popular series during the first two seasons of its run on Hulu. As such, a 3rd season is currently in development and is expected to hit the streamer in the coming months. With so much fan enthusiasm, all eyes are on Roiland to continue bringing the same level of intensity to his performance as Korvo that we have come to expect over the course of the last two years.