Archive - Pop Cultural Precursors

Forget the Winter Soldier—check out this IRL 16th-century cyborg

Wave hello to Götz of the Iron Hand. Over 500 years ago, this fierce knight sported a fearsome articulated prosthetic

Apr 29 •

Pop Cultural Precursors

Before the Humane AI Pin, There Was the Power Glove

The 2024 virtual assistant and the 1989 wearable controller both promised a radical new form of interactivity. One problem: neither actually worked

Apr 24 •

Pop Cultural Precursors

The 45th Anniversary of Gaming's First "Easter Egg"

The console game Adventure popularized the practice of burying hidden features in media

Apr 6 •

Pop Cultural Precursors

Mickey Mouse is a serial killer now... and that's a good thing

The 1928 incarnation of the character stars in the gory new slasher flick Screamboat. Welcome to public domain, Disney!

Apr 2 •

Pop Cultural Precursors

March 2025

How Andor Got its Backstory from a Tabletop RPG

In 1987, 'Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game' added vital details to the sci-fi universe that are still used today in movies, games, novels, and streaming…

Mar 23 •

Pop Cultural Precursors

December 2024

The TV Cowboy Who Built the Modern World of Merchandising

75 years ago, Hopalong Cassidy became the first superstar of the small screen. Then he built a gargantuan product licensing and sponsorship empire.

Dec 19, 2024 •

Pop Cultural Precursors

110 Years Ago, The First Animated Dinosaur Transformed Movies Forever

The original cinematic sauropod was an animation milestone. It also broke the fourth wall in ways that still seem revolutionary over a century later.

Dec 15, 2024 •

Pop Cultural Precursors

November 2024

The Classical Composer Who Created Godzilla's Roar

Exactly 70 years ago, Akira Ifukube crafted the most iconic and memorable sound effect in cinema history: Godzilla's roar.

Nov 24, 2024 •

Pop Cultural Precursors

October 2024

The Progenitor of All Pop Culture Zombies

This writer introduced zombies to America. He also ATE HUMAN FLESH.

Oct 30, 2024 •

Pop Cultural Precursors

September 2024

The Moment that Defined Esports

Exactly 20 years ago, the frenetic climax of a Street Fighter match helped video games become one of the top spectator sports

Sep 3, 2024 •

Pop Cultural Precursors

May 2024

You should skip "A Man in Full" and watch the first film adaptation of Tom Wolfe's work. PLUS: A complete guide to the writer's onscreen oeuvre

May 9, 2024 •

Pop Cultural Precursors

April 2024

The First Film to Break the Fourth Wall

100 years ago, Buster Keaton released a singular metatextual masterpiece

Apr 22, 2024 •

Pop Cultural Precursors

#nojs-banner { position: fixed; bottom: 0; left: 0; padding: 16px 16px 16px 32px; width: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; background: red; color: white; font-family: -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; } #nojs-banner a { color: inherit; text-decoration: underline; } This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. Please turn on JavaScript or unblock scripts