Pepe the Frog started as a chill comic character in 2005. Created by Matt Furie in Boy’s Club, Pepe’s famous line—“Feels good man”—was just a simple, carefree shrug in a silly panel. No politics, no drama, just pure fun.
Things changed when 4chan picked him up in 2008. Pepe’s face became a versatile reaction image—Sad Frog, Smug Frog, Angry Pepe—and the “Rare Pepe” economy emerged. Fans treated the frog like trading cards, and by 2016, Rare Pepes became some of the first NFTs, eventually selling for millions.
Then came the hijacking. Trolls turned Pepe into a symbol for the alt-right during the 2016 US elections. The Anti-Defamation League labeled certain variants a hate symbol, shocking millions who just saw a funny frog.
Furie fought back. Through #SavePepe, legal action, and even a comic “killing” Pepe only to resurrect him, he reclaimed the frog’s identity. Today, Pepe wears three hats: meme legend, crypto mascot, and global protest icon.
Pepe shows how the internet can twist, destroy, and resurrect culture. 
But at the core? He’s still that carefree frog, reminding us all: Feels good man.$PEPE
