The Donnie Darko Of Oz

We're off to see the wormhole! Funny, the lion looks a lot different than I remember him. Longer ears too. (Hillary White)

Previously on Popped Culture...

The Wizard of Toy Story

Follow The Bloody Brick Road

Wicked Witch Of The Westside

So You Want To Be An Evil Villain...

Eight simple steps to becoming a evil villain by EveryGuyed in honour of Free Comic Book Day. Turns out I'm only 28 Flying Monkeys short of my goal, but the breeding program has really slowed down.

They also have a guide for becoming a hero, but what fun would that be?

Previously on Popped Culture...

Sopranos Supervillains

Birth Of A Super-Villain

The Villainous Penitentiary Football Team

Head North Through Wonderland, Then It's Straight On To Narnia

I had no idea how close Whoville is to Mordor. It's amazing that Sauron didn't destroy the Who's, what with all the noise from their Jingjinglers, Floofloobers, and Blumbloopas. (The Fantasy World Map from Dan Meth)

Previously on Popped Culture...

Sailing The Sea Of Memes

Topographical Map Of Marge Simpson

Take Your Stinking Maps Off Me, You Damned Dirty Ape!

The Wizard of Toy Story

There's No Place Like Andy's! Pop artist Sam Carter paints the cast of Toy Story as the characters from The Wizard of Oz. Woody is the Scarecrow; Jessie as Dorothy; Buzz Lightyear as the Tin Man and Rex as the Cowardly Lion. The barrel full of monkeys as the flying monkeys is a nice touch.

Previously on Popped Culture...

The Good, The Bad And The Woody

I'll Be Back To Infinity And Beyond!

Follow The Bloody Brick Road

King Kong Is Ape Amongst Apes

Finally the King felt like a king. Poor beast was just lonely. And the flying monkeys look pretty happy too. (Ape Amongst Apes via Scott Campbell, featured in the Amicvs Monstrvm exhibit at Gallery1988.)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Take Your Stinking Maps Off Me, You Damned Dirty Ape!
Curious George Takes Manhattan
Great Movie Showdowns 

Follow The Bloody Brick Road

Someone might think that all these post-apocalyptic visions of happy childhood memories that keep cropping up all over unveil a deeper truth about our society. Not me, though — I just like girls with guns.  (The Road from a Wizard of Oz art contest at ConceptArt.org, via Super Punch)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Wizard Of The Hellmouth
Velma The Vampire Hunter
The Toy Rebellion

Robot Spare Parts

An R2-D2 coffee maker would probably be really popular whereas a Bender fabric steamer would steal everything in your home and somehow leave your clothes more wrinkled than when you started. (Question, is the Tin Man a robot?) (Used Parts by Dale Austin via The Daily What)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Robot Evolution
The Android Team
I Fought The Laws...

Wicked Witch Of The Westside

"West side when we ride, come equipped with game..." The Land of Oz is now more like the prison than wonderful these days, but despite the Wicked Witch of the Westside's fearsome nature, she can be easily defeated by a drive-by super soaking. (Phil Jones at Threadless, via The Daily What)

Previously on Popped Culture...
How The Wizard of Oz Should Have Ended
Wizard Of The Hellmouth
And Now I Have A Heart

Wizard Of The Hellmouth

Buffy, meet Dorothy. Seems she is the new slayer, plucked out of the University of Kansas to fight demons in Oz, with a steampunk Tin Man, a wolfman-esque lion and a scarecrow that bears more than a passing resemblance to Batman's nemesis.

I don't know if that is actually the background, but it is the concept art for a movie pitch by ColtNoble. (Drawn With a Different Style via The Zeray Gazette)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Velma The Vampire Hunter
Cereal Killer, Qu'est-ce Que C'est?
And Now I Have A Heart 

And Now I Have A Heart

If the Wizard of Oz can't get you a new heart then you go out and get one. And now we know what really happened to those twin girls in the Overlook Hotel. Not sure why he killed both of the them, but a Tin Man has got to do what a Tin Man has got to do. (Nick Holmes via Paul Scheer )

Previously on Popped Culture...
Tin Man vs C-3P0
Crime Lords of Oz
The Shandling

You're A Heartbreaker, Dream Maker, Love Taker

When it comes to hearts, one size doesn't fit all. Some like the Grinch have a heart "two sizes too small," while others like Frankenstein's monster have one that is broken. Get They Beat The Same from shirt.woot.

Previously on Popped Culture...
Crime Lords of Oz
Away In A Monster Mash
David Croenenburg's Cabbage Patch Kids

In Case Of Cliche Emergencies

Every home should be equipped like this, because I've seen a lot of movies and attacks by witches, zombies, dinosaurs, vampires, aliens and the like happen way more often than you'd imagine. Better safe than sorry. (From webcomic Geist Panik, via fandeb)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Velma The Vampire Hunter
THIS Is How The World Ends
Space Invader Autopsy

Tin Man vs C-3P0

I can't imagine what would have brought these two metal men together or what would lead them to fight, but once the smackdown began, C-3PO wouldn't stand a chance. The Tin Man carries an axe and is literally heartless, while C-3PO is a gay protocol robot. While he was built by the young Darth Vader there is no evidence any of the evil wore off on him. (Tin: Old Skool via @El_Pagano)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Crime Lords of Oz
How The Wizard of Oz Should Have Ended
Vive La French Star Wars Différence

How The Wizard of Oz Should Have Ended

How The Wizard of Oz Should Have Ended
Let them eat lollipops? Beware the Munchkin revolution! Get more at How It Should Have Ended.

Previously on Popped Culture...
Crime Lords of Oz
Popaganda: The Pop Culture Revolution
The Future is Terminated

Crime Lords of Oz

Go and ask the wizard for a heart, for a brain? Hell no! You want something, you just go and take it!

Above: Heartless by graphic designer Juan Carlos Bueno, at Threadless.
Below: The shocking footage you were never meant to see, from cartoonist seemikedraw.

Previously on Popped Culture...
Popaganda: The Pop Culture Revolution
Superuseless Superpowers
Rihanna's 15 Minutes Of Unwanted Fame

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