Not Even Waldo Is Safe From Batman

You just have to know that if Waldo is always on the run he must have done some seriously bad stuff. (Link via bandit-dart)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Werner Herzog Reads Where's Waldo? 
Kill Waldo
Find Waldo, Yet Again

Werner Herzog Reads Where's Waldo?

Hidden somewhere in this noisy, chaotic, morass of society is our fellow traveller, Waldo. A man unstuck from place and time, he travels the world on foot. His only lifeline to family and friends, a litany of dreary postcards, sent from arbitrary locations the world over. His postcards do nothing to convey the humanity, the madness of Waldo's adventures. For that we must go find him...

This whole German director Werner Herzog reads children's books series, by Ryan Iverson of Stupid is the New Awesome, leaves me with tears in my eyes each time. (Thanks to John at The Zeray Gazette for letting me know a new one was online.)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Curious George Learns A Hard Lesson About Desire
Werner Herzog Reads Madeline
Find Waldo, Yet Again

Where's My Lawyer?

So they finally found Waldo? I suppose it was only a matter of time. From From Daniel Lecky who is also trying to get it made at Threadless. (Link via The Daily What)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Kill Waldo
Find Waldo, Yet Again
The Waldo Ultimatum

Kill Waldo

Austin Madison sends a killer droid to find Waldo once and for all. (Link via Super Punch)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Find Waldo, Yet Again
The Waldo Ultimatum
The Android Team

Popaganda: The Pop Culture Revolution

Who needs world wars, political ideology and elections to delve into the world of propaganda? Papa Smurf needs you and Waldo is watching. I've got a thing for spoofs and parodies, and if you can tie together two disparate cultural elements, I'm sold. I attribute it to a lifetime of watching shows like The Simpsons and The Muppets. So behold, a collection of pop culture propaganda posters.

Invincible: An army of Berts couldn't hold me back. From Michigan illustrator Kevin Skinner. This was the image that set me off looking for all the rest.
Update: Kevin got in touch and he is selling his final print over on ebay. He says it is a reductive linocut, so it can't be printed again, so get bidding.

Waldo: Forget finding Waldo, Waldo's watching you. From Worth 1000's Fun with Propaganda 5)


Smurfs: Red Revolution. Come to think of it, the village really was a commune.


Smurfs: Of couse some take a more positive spin, and believe in the pro'papa'ganda. He will know if we are there yet.


Muppet Propaganda: Kermit the Gorf, from Thought Faucet. A Gorf appears to be a wonderfully obscure Muppet reference, and I love the poster.


Plant of the Apes: You maniacs! You blew it up! Damn you all to hell!"


Wizard of Oz: Fly my pretties, fly! From Worth 1000's Fun with Propaganda 2.


Spongebob: Fight for Bikini Bottom


Lord of the Rings: I want you for the fighting Uruk-Hai. Hmm, can Orcs read? From Worth 1000's Fun with Propaganda 5.


Mad: What me worry? Must be a poster from Cracked. From Worth1000's Fun with Propaganda.


Jack: Long live the American Nicholson Party. "Now all you have to do is hold the chicken, bring me the toast, give me a check for the chicken salad sandwich, and you haven't broken any rules." From Worth1000's Fun with Propaganda 3.


Willy Wonka: Oompa loompa doopadee dee, if you are wise you'll listen to me. From Worth1000's Fun with Propaganda 3.


G.I. Joe: You can't beat COBRA if you get VD. You'd figure that there would be way more G.I. Joe posters - seems the perfect subject matter. From Chris's Invincible Super-Blog.


Transformers: All hail Megatron. From the aptly named All Hail Megatron series from IDW Publishing.

Rocketeer: Some revisionist film history, as Cliff Secord lets the rocket pack fall into the hands of the Germans. From Something Awful.


Street artist Shepard Fairey created a series of Hope posters supporting Barack Obama's candidacy for President. They were quickly parodied into 150 different versions. These are four of my favourites:

Star Wars: Long before there was Barack Obama, there was a new hope. Luke Skywalker.


Debork Obama: Says the Swedish Chef, "Yom-yom-yommm, mit de chocolad. Bork, bork, bork!" By Sleeper Cell.


Winnie the Pooh: Wouldn' you trust a bear of very little brain? By Commissar Maksim.


ALF: It seems to be that ALF would be of very little hope for Melmac, as the planet has already blown up. Easier to keep your promises I suppose.


Animal Farm: Four legs good, two legs bad


Star Wars: Our Imperial Forces. There's no war like a clone war.


BattleStar Galactica: So say we all!


Gnomes: This ain't your garden variety revolution. I knew they were up to something.


South Park: Respect our authoritah. Really fits well with Cartman's fascist bent.


Star Wars: The Empire — Ensuring your safety by choice or by force


SuperMario: The Mushroom Guard


Pokémon: I choose you, Pikachu. Much like everyone else in the draft, he didn't really have a choice. From Worth1000's Fun with Propaganda 8.

Waldo: But where is Waldo? At least they let hi keep the hat. From Worth1000's Fun with Propaganda.

Star Trek: Stop this Klingon brute. Who knew Star Fleet was so xenophobic?


Futurama: You're not paid to think.


Spongebob: Are you sponge worthy? Loose lips sink ships to Bikini Bottom.


Kool-Aid: Oh yeah! From Worth 1000's Fun with Propaganda 4.


Mary Poppins: Just like a spoonful of sugar is all it takes to corrupt you children. Serves you right for letting some woman who blew in on the wind into your house. From Worth1000's Fun with Propaganda 6.

Previously Popped Culture...
Suddenly Last Supper
Would You Like Fries With That?
Find Waldo, Yet Again
Come as You Are: Nevermind The Parodies
Pillow Talk: 25 Strange Throw Pillows

Find Waldo, Yet Again

Waldo's back and, well, he's not exactly hiding this time. The candy-cane coloured dork is making a comeback, with a new book and a campaign to return him to the world of pop culture. Expect to see him showing up at unusual places, like New York's Fashion Week (see above).

Of course he's not really been hidden all that well. While Waldo books may not be flying off the shelf, he's been making regular appearances in other pop culture icons.

Waldo has made three appearances in The Simpsons through the '90s, including Bart's Comet and Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder.



Homer Simpson: “Waldo, where are you?”

Bizarro cartoonist Dan Piraro's Zen Waldo

In Sibling Rivalry", Stewie and Brian find diversity in an Abercrombie & Fitch catalog with an African-American man dressed like Waldo hidding in an one of the images.

In Imaginationland Episode III, the good imaginary beings fight the evil imaginary creature and Waldo is speared in the chest multiple times.

Of course, there is another explanation of where Waldo has been hiding. He may have lost his memory and now he's out for revenge...



I'll keep my eye out for where else he appears. Many thanks to the Waldo Wiki for all the help.

Previously on Popped Culture...
Suddenly Last Supper
Popaganda: The Pop Culture Revolution
Would You Like Fries With That?
Come as You Are: Nevermind The Parodies

The Waldo Ultimatum

His identity erased. His past stolen. His whereabouts unknown. Where is Waldo?


I'm fresh out of ideas, so I'm posting another great parody I came across. This is from The Impondrables, a Toronto improv group.