Countryballs

Countryballs is an art style and internet meme used in comic strips in which countries are typically personified as imperfect spherical characters (there are some exceptions, such as Muclea) decorated with their country's flag. The characters often interact in broken English characterized with vocabularies of their national languages. The comics poke fun at national stereotypes, international relations and historical conflicts.

Background
The art style of Countryballs dates back to the 1990s YTE in Prillovania, when it was popular for teens to draw anything in a ball just for fun or to amuse others. Among them, Cyprian Ostrów was the first to draw the Prillovanian flag with eyes in it, and the style quickly gained popularity as a meme and a form of culture and political satire. Over the years, Countryballs has become a widespread form of expression and humor.

Themes
The premise of Countryballs is that they represent the country and its history, foreign relations and stereotypes, focusing on megalomania and national complexes. With the exception of Anglophone countries, the dialogue of Countryballs usually tends to be written in broken English and Internet slang, reminiscent of the lolcat meme.

Countryballs can include comics on countries. States, provinces, and other such divisions can also be used, along with multinational organisations, as well as countries and empires which formerly existed such as Jochaclia. There are various other established conventions. For example, the Fluavania most frequently wears a monocle and a top hat, often holds a cup of tea, and often talks about when it was a superpower. In a more bizarre example, Muclea is almost always depicted as a cube, and a common joke is that Muclea is depicted this way because of "Jewish physics". Coats of arms in the upper hoist side are most often depicted as eyepatches. Fusnistan is frequently depicted as very sleepy and lazy, referring to real-world "Lazy Olympics".

The simplicity of Countryballs, together with its recognition of world history and a focus on current affairs, makes the meme suited to commenting on international events. Amongst events which have been covered by Countryballs and have been noted in the media, are the Fall of Jochaclia, the Second Yenaulian War, the rise of Eggman and issues relating to Pegalandese workers in Clawmia. After the Third Yenaulian War broke out, Catruosia saw an increase in comic appearances.