How Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull Should Have Ended


"I was having the worst nightmare. There were aliens, fake Russian accents... and millions and millions of heartbroken fans." And what was that about Blade Runner 2: Attack of the Replicants? (How It Should Have Ended)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Nuke The Fridge
How Lost Should Have Ended
Star Trek: How It Should Have Ended

Bite-Sized Bard: Shakespeare In Two Panels



"Eric Kim tackles all 36 of the playwright’s productions in his recently-released book, The Complete Plays of William Shakespeare. The 33-year-old Toronto cartoonist describes it as Cole’s Notes for Cole’s Notes. 'I know I’m no Shakespeare scholar, but in doing this it’s fun to have reduced Shakespeare to something a little more approachable.'"
Read the full interview at The Afterword | Eric Kim's site Inkskratch

Previously on Popped Culture...
Shakespeare A-Z 
Green Eggs and Hamlet
Scooby-Doo And The Prince of Denmark 

The Picture Of Dorian's Grey


The latest re-imagining of classic literature, in the vein of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. Says author Chip Zdarsky: "Listen, I’m not going to lie to you. I really need some of this old-book-meets-whatever money."


Previously on Popped Culture...
Jane Austen’s Fight Club
Space Invader Autopsy
Law & Order: Gary Busey

Muppets Kick Ass


Where is the new Muppets Show? This is the sort of parody we need to see!
Muppets Kick Ass: Green Ass, Hit Pig, Blue Daddy & Red Prawn, from the always talented pop culture mashup artist James Hance.

Previously on Popped Culture...
The Creation Of Kermit
Bert & Ernie & Picasso
C Is For Chewie

How Chewbacca Defeated The Nazis And Won World War Two


Chewbacca riding a giant squirrel killing Nazis. Yup, that's pretty much how I remember it from history class. It's what Inglourious Basterds was actually based on, but you know Quentin Tarantino and his loose ways with historical truth. (By Tyler Edlin via gamefreaks)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Betty White as Slave Leia Wielding a Flaming Chainsaw While Riding a John Ritter Centaur
Wil Wheaton And The Unicorn Kitteh Of Death!
Inglourious Plummers 

Jane Austen’s Fight Club


The first rule of Fight Club is one never mentions Fight Club. No corsets, no hat pins and no crying.
(Link via The Ampersand)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Medieval Fight Club
Calvin And Hobbes Fight Club
The Breakfast Fight Club

St. Donkey Kong At The Pearly Gates


That reckoning is not going to end well. So who would be the devil? Wario? Zero Lives Left by penneydesign is up for vote at Threadless. (Link via Shirtoid)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Suddenly Last Supper
Arcade Expressionism
Good Guys In Bad Games

Carl Vader And The Up Death Star


Poor old Carl Vader, all he dreamed of his entire life was a Death Star the size of a moon floating in space ready to destroy planets on a whim, but those annoying rebels kept blowing it up. (Photos via zero-lives)



Previously on Popped Culture...
Up, Up And Away!
Lunchtime Atop a Death Star
Three Ewok Moon

Super Col. Sanders Mario


There really isn't a recipe of eleven secret herbs and spices, Col. Sanders just knocks it out of special fried chicken coin boxes and out pops the KFC. It's so obvious!

From Glen Brogan, who gives a fascinatingly detailed account of the Japanese obsession with Kentucky Fried Chicken and the meaning behind Tanooki suits.

Previously on Popped Culture...
And I'll Whisper, "Would You Like Fries With That?"
Famous Mustaches
Super Mario's Closet

Serenity Now: The Seinfeld Thriller


With a few choice edits Newman turns psychotic. Umm, more so. (Link via The Ampersand)

Previously on Popped Culture...
These References Are Making Me Thirsty
These Pretzels Are Making Me Racist
A Show Even Less About Nothing

Monkey Knife Fight Club


"If this is your first time at Monkey Knife Fight Club, you have to fight."

I love the idea that a bunch of bored superheros pit Blip and Gleek, two otherwise pointless monkeys, against each other. What else do they have to do all day anyway. What will be really scary is when thy move on to Project Mayhem.

From an illustration by comic artist Frank Cho for Wizard Magazine #151, May 2004. (Link via Comic Book Junkie)

Previously on Popped Culture...
The Breakfast Fight Club
Heavyweight Animation Champion Of The World
Super Emo Friends

Mr. Potato Head Anatomy


It's a good thing that Mr. Potato Head doesn't actually talk because his screams of agony when kids pull off his feet and arms would be too much to bear. (Jason Freeny at Moist Productions)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Bite My Starchy Tuberous Ass
Anatomy Of A Gummi Bear
Gingerbread Man Dissected

The Good, The Bad And The Woody


Toy Story 4: High Plains Woody. Sure, life with Bonnie was good, but just like Andy, she grew up. Disillusioned after losing another friend and with most of the other toys broken or lost, Woody became the Toy with No Name, wandering playgrounds, avenging wronged playthings. (Redemption by lily-fox; link via Neatogeek)

Previously on Popped Culture...
A More Magnificent Seven
Forgiven
Toy Story Wire: Way Down In The Hole

C Is For Chewie


Pop artist James Hance has a "new exhibition of new and classic works by James Hance - Muppets, Fraggles, Goblins from the Labyrinth, Goonies, Superheroes, imaginary friends and childhood idols come to life (not literally, that would be terrifying) on canvas, for one night only - come enjoy a visual and audible feast for your misbehaving inner child!"

Saturday Morning Glory - Doodles From the Naughty Step is showing in Jacksonville, Fl., this Saturday, so I don't know how many of you could actually attend, but hopefully some of the prints will be on display at his site.

I don't know if c is for chewie is part of the show but his latest painting, Dr. Teeth & The Electric Mayhem is.


Previously on Popped Culture...
The Creation Of Kermit
Bert & Ernie & Picasso
Jimi Hendrix: Guitar Hero

The Don't Care Bears


Even gray, scowling and wielding weaponry, these bears are unbearably cute. (Don't Care Bears by Alex Solis)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Care Bear Carnage
It's Hard Out There For A Smurf
Birth Of The King

Death Of A Comic Strip


Newspapers are filled with comic strips that have long past their prime and should be immediately put of their misery. Several artists had the same thought at WWA gallery's show, Off the Strip.

Garfield as a hat? Seems like something Mr. Burns would appreciate, especially with some Odie boots and a Nermal boutonniere. (Blue Monday by Casey Weldon)



Dennis has never really been much of a menace, but once he beheaded his frenemy Margaret the strip took on a whole new meaning. (Dennis the Menace to Society by Damian King)



Woodstock was always kind of annoying, but he wouldn't make much of a meal. To paraphrase, eating Woodstock would only arouse my appetite without bedding it down. (Unfriended by Scott Stulen)



And here I figured Hagar would die of cirrhosis of the liver or be stabbed in the back by "Lucky" Eddie. (Hagar's Horrible End by Keith Noordzy)

Previously on Popped Culture...
ABC — Always. Be. Cartooning.
A Blockhead Died In New York...
A-Z of Awesomeness

Law & Order: Gary Busey


My fired and colleague Chip Zdarsky's painting for a Law & Order art show curated by Brandon Bird running July 24-30 in Los Angeles! Says Chip: "I like painting Gary Busey."

Each piece is an artist's interpretation of a one-line episode summary of Law & Order from the DirecTV program guide. Like the series that inspired them, they are sometimes straightforward and sometimes offer a twist; sometimes they contain no easy answers, and sometimes they are just plain goofy.

Chip's line: The Wife of a Once-Popular Singer (Gary Busey) is Found Dead. Seems like that really was an episode too.

Previously on Popped Culture...
Meme-tastic Update: Keyboard Cat's Last Supper
Gary Coleman Vs. Webster
The Origin Of Casper

Film Classics on Vuvuzela


"This is like listening to a dying walrus trying to moan your favourite movie themes." Thanks to my friend and colleague Erin Valois for the tip in the quote.

Previously on Popped Culture...
Vuvuzela Hero – Legend of Africa
Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship of The Vuvuzela
The Dreaded Double Shyamalan

Sugar Smack: What Kids Crave


I know it's a damning of the food industry and how it preys on kids, but I'm so tired these days I'm pretty sure I'd eat this at breakfast. (Sugar Smack by Ron English)

Previously on Popped Culture...
And God Created Sugar
The Breakfast Cereal Club
Cereal Monsters 

Mystery Machine Transformer


"Sometimes those meddling kids are much more than meets the eye."
And we would have gotten away with it if it weren't for you meddling Autobots.
(Mystery Mech by Captain RibMan)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Scooby-Doo And The Prince of Denmark
Fear And Loathing In The Mystery Machine
I Know We'll Catch That Villain

They Saved Mickey's Brain!


Sure, injecting Colt 45 directly into Mickey Mouse's disembodied brain might bring him back from the dead, but if the Stephen King and The Ramones have taught me anything is that you don't want to be buried in a pet cemetery. You won't like what comes back. On a related note, Minnie has certainly, um, filled out over the years. (My Beloved by Dave MacDowell)

Previously on Popped Culture...
I'm Going To Miseryland
Disney Fashionistas
Big Cartoon Hunter 

Scent Of A Politician


This will only make sense to Canadians or those who are disturbingly well informed about our political party leaders. Of course some of these scents might be easily applicable to any politician and not just those who suggest they "can smell the whiff of sulphur" on the other. (Graphic via Steve Murray)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Fantastic Forefathers
Star Trek: Smells Like Certain Death
Private Eyes, They're Watching You...

Robocop Bear


Dead or alive, you are cuddling with me. Aww, so cute, so deadly. From King Panpan, who is creating one bear illustration a day for all of 2010. (Link via Geek-Art)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Back Away From The Donuts, RoboCop!
Robocorn
The Man Machine

Video Games: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle


You know all the characters you've defeated in video games? Yeah, it doesn't end well for them. (Let the Game Continue by Eduardo San Gil)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Super Mario Bros: Mario's Mass Grave
In Soviet Russia, Tetris Builds You!
Choose Your (Video Game) Weapon

Ronald McDonald Purge

Oh sure, it implies that it was the food from McDonalds that made old Ronald toss it in an alleyway, but I don't think so. I've seen how that clown parties and it looks like he was into the same stuff as the pandas. Damn sanctimonious kid. (Not So Happy by Lora Zombie)

Previously on Popped Culture...
The Wrath Of Old Big Boy
Ronald McBuddha
Super Sized Last Supper

Lunchtime Atop a Death Star



A few questions — can stormtroopers breath in space and if so, how would they eat? And what's keeping them from floating away? (zero-lives via Shirtoid)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Last Supper Atop A Skyscraper
Stormtrooper Army
Imperial Stormtroopers... Wheeee!

Edward Scissorhands: Delight in Paper Chains


My last posting from Gallery 1988's Crazy 4 Cult show is May Ann Licudine's Delight in Paper Chains, which is wonderfully whimsical. You can see all of May's process here and be sure to check out all the artwork at the gallery. I have found some great new artists to follow.

Previously on Popped Culture...
Poor Predictable Edward, Always Chooses Scissors
The Depp Hatter's Tea Party
Edward Simpsonhands

Come And Play With Us, Danny


Hello Danny. Come and play with us. Come and play with us, Danny. Forever... and ever... and ever.

Scenes from The Shining is a popular subject at this year's Gallery 1988 Crazy for Cult show. Above: Come Play With Us by Israel Sanchez.



"My girls, sir, they didn't care for the Overlook at first. One of them actually stole a pack of matches, and tried to burn it down. But I 'corrected' them sir. And when my wife tried to prevent me from doing my duty, I 'corrected' her. "

Above: A Father's Duty by Audrey Pongracz. To this day this movie scares the crap out of me.



"Danny, I'm coming! Come out, come out, where ever you are." Above: The Caretaker by Lucas Gluesenkamp.

Previously on Popped Culture...
All Work And No Reese's Pieces Makes E.T. A Dull Boy
Heeere's Cookie Monster!
Heeere's Johnny!

Flaming Lips: Do You Realize?


Do you realize?
That everyone you know someday will die
And instead of saying all of your goodbyes - let them know
You realize that life goes fast
It's hard to make the good things last
You realize the sun doesn't go down
It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round

I saw an amazing performance this week by The Flaming Lips in Toronto, a true spectacle that left me in awe. These aren't my videos — my camera phone isn't up to the job, but they give you a great sense of being there.




One of the highlights was the sing-along to Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.



And Wayne Coyne did crowd surf in his space ball / hamster ball and @phrichards got a great shot. If you ever get a chance to go see this bad don't pass it up.

Previously on Popped Culture...
Pavement? Rattled By The Rush

Unusual Suspects


"Keaton always said, 'I don't believe in God, but I'm afraid of him.' Well I believe in God, and the only thing that scares me is Keyser Soze."

Augie Pagan takes on one of my favourite movies, The Usual Suspects and recreates in for Gallery 1988's Crazy 4 Cult show, making reference to past movies that some of the actors have been in. I think these are the six: Willow, Che, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Wolfman, Cool World and Excalibur.

So hand me the keys, you fucking cocksucker.

Previously on Popped Culture...
Fear And Loathing On Sesame Street
Che's Big Adventure
How To Spot A Wolfman

Japandering Celebrities


Dan Meth looks at some Hollywood stars appearing in Japanese commercials. While many of them rival Homer Simpson's Mr. Sparkle they really don't seen like parodies.

Previously on Popped Culture...
Cyborg Sex Machine
Emomelon Days
Stanley Kubrick Bloopers

Something Strange In Your T-Shirt Drawer


Two Threadless tees that I have previously featured have been printed this week and are now available for purchase, if that's the sort of thing you're likely to do.

Above: Something Strange, In Your Beverage by David Staffell.
Below: Zombies In Wonderland by Alice X. Zhang and Donald Lim


Previously on Popped Culture...
Who Ya Gonna Telegraph? 
Pulp Fiction Wonderland
Through The Remixed Looking Glass 

Adult Toy Story: Unrated


Oh the things that toy has seen and done... (Link via Medium Large)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Toy Story Wire: Way Down In The Hole
Toyz Noise
Toy Story 3: Inception

The Tweet of Twithulhu


Cthulhu fhtagn! Don't wake the Elder Twit for its tweets would be unpronounceable horrors. (Warren Ellis via Fashionably Geek)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Cthulhu And Hobbes
Santa Cthulhu
The Original Fail Whale 

A Clockwork Smurf


Ready for a bit of the old ultra-smurfness? Maybe if the new movie was something like this I'd watch it. (A Clockwork Smurf by Captain RibMan, via Shirtoid)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Reservoir Droogs
A Clockwork Clownfish
Frakkin' Smurfs

Hot Butter Swedish Chef


Füür måkkïn dê pöpcørn!
Är dîî måkkïn dê pöpcørn.

It's nice to see that the Swedish Chef knows a good synthpop instrumental if nothing about popcorn shrimp. (Be sure to watch it with the Closed Captions on.)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Muppets Last Supper
The Creation Of Kermit
Wokka Wakka Wonka

Worf Is Beautiful, No Matter What They Say


Actually, that's not true at all — Klingons should never wear makeup. By Joshua and Nathan Flynn and won ‘Best Stop Motion’ award category of the 2009 University of Glamorgan Glammies Awards. (Link via Neatogeek)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Are You For Panda Rape?
M-M-M-M-Make It So
It's Worse Than That, He's Dead, Jim!

Shakespeare A-Z


Outside of Macbeth I've just never been much of a Shakespeare aficionado, but I know a great concept when I see one and SeedUvPain's Shakespeare A-Z for Shirt.Woot more than fits the bill.

For those of you who need a refresher (like me) here is a who's who:

A-J: Antony (Julius Caesar), Bottom (Midsummer Night’s Dream), Cleopatra (Antony and Cleopatra), Dromio (Comedy of Errors), Edmund (King Lear), Falstaff (Henry IV), Goodfellow (Midsummer Night’s Dream), Hamlet (Hamlet) Iago (Othello), Julius Caesar (Julius Caesar)

K-T: Kate (Taming of the Shrew), Lady M (Macbeth), Macbeth (Macbeth), Nurse (Romeo and Juliet) Ophelia (Hamlet), Prospero (Tempest), Quintus (Titus Andronicus), Richard III (Richard III), Shylock (Merchant of Venice), Tybalt (Romeo and Juliet)

U-Z: Ulysses (Troilus and Cressida), Valentine (Two Gentlemen of Verona), Weird Sisters (MacBeth), eXit, pursued by a bear (Winter’s Tale), Yorick (Hamlet), Z (Shakespeare)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Green Eggs and Hamlet
Scooby-Doo And The Prince of Denmark
William Shakespeare's Pulp Fiction

Canadian Stereotype Comics



Man, I remember when I got my first canoe. Good times. And I hope nobody was offended. I'm sorry. (Hark, a vagrant via The Adventures of Accordion Guy in the 21st Century)

Previously on Popped Culture...
Happy Birthday Canada
With Influences That Range From A To Zed
Canadian History: The Video Game

Happy Birthday Canada!

I made this a couple of years ago, but I still like it, so let's have another go. And really, who was I going to add, Justin Bieber? Have a great day everyone!

Previously on Popped Culture...
With Influences That Range From A To Zed 
This Book Decapitated Michael Ondaatje
Canadian History: The Video Game 
Subscribe
Google+