Rat Boy
Encyclopedia
Rat Boy is a fictional character in the British adult comic Viz
. He is sometimes referred to as "Doll".
Rat Boy is an extreme caricature of the juvenile delinquent and criminal underclass
, who lives by theft, has a strong drug habit and defies the law as openly as his youth allows. Originally introduced as the younger half-brother of Tasha Slappa
, Rat Boy's age is variable from under twelve to mid teens. He always wears a track suit and goes barefoot in all weathers; his appearance is deliberately rat-like, with huge ears, a long nose, protruding front teeth and a scampering gait. He displays his irreverence by defecating everywhere, especially in the properties which he burgles, and is drawn with a permanent turd protruding from his behind, like the tail of his animal namesake. It is, in fact, a point of pride for Rat Boy to always befoul his crime scenes. The sheer volume of excrement he generates is absurdly unrealistic, which sends up an urban myth.
The inspiration of his character is from that of the real life career criminal, Tommy Laws, who is nicknamed Spiderboy by the police and the media due to his habitual climbing onto roofs and high places in order to evade capture.
His dialogue normally consists of northern English slang and constant profanity, with long offensive tirades often shouted at his victims or the police; sometimes, however, he shows himself to be highly intelligent and articulate, such as when making confessions and implicating others.
Most of his adventures involve breaking and entering
, vandalising
a place and taking anything of value, then usually either evading the law, or getting off very lightly because he is a child. When arrested at one house which he ransacked he is sent on a "self-esteem building for young offenders" programme, which turns out to be a holiday in Spain
. After another crime spree, he is put on trial by remote TV link to a detention cell (intended to be less traumatic than a courtroom trial); the kindly judge allows him to go free, whilst Rat Boy has already escaped through a sewer, somehow taking the TV with him, and is busy selling it as a stolen good. He was once subject to house arrest
, enforced by electronic tagging
on his ankle - unable to remove the tag, he gnaws his own leg off and hops outside to quickly rob several more houses . (Needless to say, his loss of limb is forgotten in subsequent comics). He even once managed to steal the Crown Jewels
.
The primary motive for Rat Boy's constant burglary and thieving is to acquire money for buying drugs, such as cannabis
, crack
and even heroin, or strong drink. On one occasion, he resorted to carol-singing to feed his habit ; another issue has him grassed up for attempting to buy cocaine
, then framed, beaten and imprisoned by the police when they found him without any - in his prison cell, he injects the heroin used to frame him and seems content. In yet another issue, burning and inhaling a huge lump of cannabis fails to affect him at all, since he had become immune to the drug after years of abuse. He proceeds to steal an old cruise ship used as a floating nightclub off the Newcastle
coast and abandon it (burnt-out and balanced on bricks, like a stolen car) in Amsterdam
, where he gets arrested for seeking drugs and underage sex. His punishment, ironically, is to be used as a lab rat in a drugs testing clinic, which he finds delightful... .
The supporting cast in the Rat Boy comic strip often includes other young criminals who look like him, plus his sister Tasha, her violent boyfriend Bobba, and various drug dealers. Exceptionally, he was once seen to have a permanent girlfriend and a brood of children, even more rodent-like than himself.
Viz (comic)
Viz is a popular British comic magazine which has been running since 1979.The comic's style parodies British comics of the post-war period, notably The Beano and The Dandy, but with incongruous language, crude toilet humour, black comedy, surreal humour and either sexual or violent storylines...
. He is sometimes referred to as "Doll".
Rat Boy is an extreme caricature of the juvenile delinquent and criminal underclass
Underclass
The term underclass refers to a segment of the population that occupies the lowest possible position in a class hierarchy, below the core body of the working class. The general idea that a class system includes a population under the working class has a long tradition in the social sciences...
, who lives by theft, has a strong drug habit and defies the law as openly as his youth allows. Originally introduced as the younger half-brother of Tasha Slappa
Tasha Slappa
Tasha Slappa is a character in the British adult comic Viz.The strip satirizes "chav" culture and the popular image of chav teenagers, including other fictional characters such as Vicky Pollard in Little Britain and Lauren Cooper from The Catherine Tate Show...
, Rat Boy's age is variable from under twelve to mid teens. He always wears a track suit and goes barefoot in all weathers; his appearance is deliberately rat-like, with huge ears, a long nose, protruding front teeth and a scampering gait. He displays his irreverence by defecating everywhere, especially in the properties which he burgles, and is drawn with a permanent turd protruding from his behind, like the tail of his animal namesake. It is, in fact, a point of pride for Rat Boy to always befoul his crime scenes. The sheer volume of excrement he generates is absurdly unrealistic, which sends up an urban myth.
The inspiration of his character is from that of the real life career criminal, Tommy Laws, who is nicknamed Spiderboy by the police and the media due to his habitual climbing onto roofs and high places in order to evade capture.
His dialogue normally consists of northern English slang and constant profanity, with long offensive tirades often shouted at his victims or the police; sometimes, however, he shows himself to be highly intelligent and articulate, such as when making confessions and implicating others.
Most of his adventures involve breaking and entering
Burglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
, vandalising
Vandalism
Vandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable...
a place and taking anything of value, then usually either evading the law, or getting off very lightly because he is a child. When arrested at one house which he ransacked he is sent on a "self-esteem building for young offenders" programme, which turns out to be a holiday in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. After another crime spree, he is put on trial by remote TV link to a detention cell (intended to be less traumatic than a courtroom trial); the kindly judge allows him to go free, whilst Rat Boy has already escaped through a sewer, somehow taking the TV with him, and is busy selling it as a stolen good. He was once subject to house arrest
House arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
, enforced by electronic tagging
Electronic tagging
Electronic tagging is a form of non-surreptitious surveillance consisting of an electronic device attached to a person or vehicle, especially certain criminals, allowing their whereabouts to be monitored. In general, devices locate themselves using GPS and report their position back to a control...
on his ankle - unable to remove the tag, he gnaws his own leg off and hops outside to quickly rob several more houses . (Needless to say, his loss of limb is forgotten in subsequent comics). He even once managed to steal the Crown Jewels
Crown jewels
Crown jewels are jewels or artifacts of the reigning royal family of their respective country. They belong to monarchs and are passed to the next sovereign to symbolize the right to rule. They may include crowns, sceptres, orbs, swords, rings, and other objects...
.
The primary motive for Rat Boy's constant burglary and thieving is to acquire money for buying drugs, such as cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
, crack
Crack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
and even heroin, or strong drink. On one occasion, he resorted to carol-singing to feed his habit ; another issue has him grassed up for attempting to buy cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
, then framed, beaten and imprisoned by the police when they found him without any - in his prison cell, he injects the heroin used to frame him and seems content. In yet another issue, burning and inhaling a huge lump of cannabis fails to affect him at all, since he had become immune to the drug after years of abuse. He proceeds to steal an old cruise ship used as a floating nightclub off the Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
coast and abandon it (burnt-out and balanced on bricks, like a stolen car) in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, where he gets arrested for seeking drugs and underage sex. His punishment, ironically, is to be used as a lab rat in a drugs testing clinic, which he finds delightful... .
The supporting cast in the Rat Boy comic strip often includes other young criminals who look like him, plus his sister Tasha, her violent boyfriend Bobba, and various drug dealers. Exceptionally, he was once seen to have a permanent girlfriend and a brood of children, even more rodent-like than himself.