The Gorillaz is a fictional band created in 1998 by Blur front man, Damon Albarn and comic book artist, Jaimie Hewlett who felt that there was “nothing of substance on MTV.” The members of the band are 2-D, the lead singer, Murdoc, the bass guitarist, Russel, the drummer  and Noodle, the lead guitarist. The idea for the project was not only to create a band and music with substance, but also to create an elaborate fictional world or “Gorillaz Universe” across media platforms. The members are cartoon characters. Utilizing multiple platforms, each member of the band has been provided with an elaborate back story and a detailed ongoing, complex life story that continues until today. The band exists not only in their fictional world but also in the real world. The band members are given a real life presence, for example, as they interact with fans on Reddit and participate in interviews as animated characters. “The band members exist in a middle ground of being fictional characters but having a presence in our lives that resemble our own.” (Brown, 2018, p. 7). The success of this project is reflected in the extraordinary number of albums sold and their  many media awards.