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chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
chrisbaker1337
@chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
200 followers 650 following 60 posts
Writer and editor in the Bay Area https://linktr.ee/popculturalprecursors
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chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
For Shacklebound Book’s new #WeirdWest anthology, I examined a tragic event in Texas history through the lens of Mexican ghost ballads, dark fantasy pulp, EC horror comics, Swinging Sixties steampunk, spaghetti Westerns, sci-fi manga, & psychedelic Jodorowsky fever dream www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSPD4FP4
Colorful illustrated book cover shows a cowboy in silhouette who is striding towards a town that is being torn apart by some sort of glowing green cosmic vortex in the sky. TEXT: Twisted Trails: Tales of the Weird Wild West, Edited by Eric Fomley
November 11, 2025 at 4:12 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
Kozy Krampus is unleashed. The new cozy cosmic horror holiday anthology from Underland Press has a story by me about the real-life 16th-century cyborg Götz of the Iron Hand, the monk Martin Luther, and the titular Demon of Winter. Buy a print copy or ebook here: www.underlandpress.com/kozy-krampus/
An illustration in the style of Dr. Seuss depicts Krampus grinning devilishly as he tiptoes off with a Christmas tree covered with ornaments. Krampus is covered in purple fur and has goat horns atop his head, but other than that, the art style and pose are identical to "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!"
November 1, 2025 at 5:34 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
SPOOKY SEASON SPECIAL: Before Dracula or Nosferatu ever rose from their coffins, there was Theda Bara. In 1915, Fox film studio turned her into cinema’s 1st vampire, 1st sex symbol, & 1st scandalous superstar. Read more & see more amazing clips & photos: www.popculturalprecursors.com/p/the-first-...
October 19, 2025 at 5:05 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
I wrote about the DeYoung Museum’s fantastic new manga exhibit, and how the California Bay Area played a pivotal role in manga becoming a global phenomenon. chrisbaker1337.substack.com/p/manga-a-ba... #manga #sanfrancisco #bayarea
Colorful and surreal manga illustration by Keiichi Tanaami, “TANAAMI!! AKATSUKA!!” / Revolver 2 (Looking in the Mirror). Fujio Productions Ltd.
October 18, 2025 at 1:28 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
The travel writer who first introduced zombies to pop culture was also a cannibal who wrote about the smell, taste, and texture of human flesh with the relish of a restaurant critic. Read about his twisted life and legacy at the link below or in bio. www.popculturalprecursors.com/p/the-father...
1933 photo of William Seabrook by Carl Van Vechten. Black and White portrait of William Seabrook with his hand on some sort of death visage, presumably an African or Caribbean artifact. The image is annotated with the text: “Writer. Adventurer. Cannibal. ‘The aroma was wholly pleasant. It had no weird, startling, or unholy special flavor—it was mild, good meat.’—William Seabrook, the man who introduced zombies to America (and ate human flesh)”
October 5, 2025 at 1:40 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
My latest article pinpoints the original inspiration of all superheroes who got their powers from radiation, from the Hulk to the Fantastic 4: a bizarre thought experiment that ran in a 1953 mag. Read the unbelievable history at the link below or in bio.
www.popculturalprecursors.com/p/the-origin...
The opening illustration of the article “How Nuclear Radiation Can Change Our Race” that appeared in the December 1953 issue of Mechanix Illustrated. We see the jagged ruins of a human building in front of futuristic high-rises off in the distance. A group of feral, disheveled humans in ragged tattered clothing are being attacked by two superior mutant men. The mutant men are elongated, with giant swollen hairless heads. They wear futuristic garb that exposes their arms and legs, and one of them wields a laser rifle. He is in the process of blasting one hapless human man in the chest with a powerful burst of laser blasts. The headline for the article is written atop the image, and we see the dek and the byline: “An atomic war could produce an entirely new species of man. Would he be friend—or foe? By O. O. Binder”
September 14, 2025 at 2:49 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
I saw this coin-op E.T. at the annual Bell Plastics open house event in Hayward, CA. (They collect all kinds of weird and wonderful artifacts.) I was immensely bummed that it wasn’t plugged in and functional, as I couldn’t quite wrap my head around how a kid would “ride” this. Does anyone know?
Photo: Coin-operated E.T. that you ride, like the little coin-op horsies and rockets that you used to see outside of grocery stores. There is a yellow bollard behind it that’s kitted out to look like a Minion.
August 31, 2025 at 6:10 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
August 29, 2025 at 10:22 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
1901 comic imagines a future where zeppelins clog the skies. Click the link to see more amazing old illustrations and read about Society Is Nix: Gleeful Anarchy at the Dawn of the American Comic Strip 1895-1915, available from @fantagraphics.bsky.social. www.popculturalprecursors.com/p/how-newspa...
Eddie Eksergian’s 1901 comic in the St. Louis Star envisions a future where zeppelins clog our skies. We see over a dozen people traveling with aerial balloons, including a cop, a dog, a massive Astorbuilt Private Airline for the wealthy, and a floating bar called Milky-Way tavern.
August 21, 2025 at 3:52 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
An inventor tunnels to the realm of the elastic men. This 1910 comic is one of many amazing works unearthed in Society Is Nix: Gleeful Anarchy at the Dawn of the American Comic Strip 1895-1915, available from @fantagraphics.bsky.social. See more here: www.popculturalprecursors.com/p/how-newspa...
Panel from “Old Opie Dildock’s Stories” newspaper comic from April 17, 1910. The inventor Opie Dildock has reached a subterranean realm in his earth boring machine the Germanicholad. He peers out the window of his machine, puffing on a cigar, and ogles the strange stretchy race of colorful elastic people he sees there. Panel from “Old Opie Dildock’s Stories” newspaper comic from April 17, 1910. A cutaway reveals inventor Opie Dildock inside of his earth boring machine the Germanicholad, sitting at a writing desk, while the gyroscope in the compartment beneath him spins furiously. The caption reads: “The germanicholad was working beautifully. The gyroscope underneath the pivotal deck preserved the machine's balance absolutely, and I devoted much time to writing as we neared the center of the earth.” Panel from “Old Opie Dildock’s Stories” newspaper comic from April 17, 1910. Opie Dildock has befriended an elastic person. The caption reads: “Elongated Chico I called him, for he was long of body and limb. Talking with him, I forgot to calculate distance, and suddenly we shot through the outer crust of the earth at the south pole. Chico, assisted by the laws of gravitation, came to my rescue by hooking his feet in the earth. holding the machine in his hands and stretching about four miles before he could check our flight. He then dragged us back to earth and helped me climb a sheer wall of ice.” In these panels from “Old Opie Dildock’s Stories” newspaper comic from April 17, 1910. The inventor befriends one of the elastic men and gives him a cigar, which makes the creature melt. Caption reads, “Then I sat down on the pole, playfully called Chico the most flexible person I ever had met and gave him one of my favorite cigars. His puffing was ludicrous as well as fatal, for as he smoked, the fumes of the tobacco melted him and he flowed over the ice and was no more. Faithful servitor! Because of him I never have told the world the story of my discovery. On the spot where he had smoked I planted a huge cigar. Then sadly I wended my way homeward.”
August 19, 2025 at 12:58 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
We debate whether #Han or #Greedo shot first. Swiss artist Martin Panchaud diagrams the crime scene, leaving no doubt. It's part of his complete infographic remake of #StarWars: ANH. I write about Panchaud's unique aesthetic & his new book in this article chrisbaker1337.substack.com/p/from-above...
Illustration of Star Wars cantina scene rendered in pictogram form. We see dots representing Han Solo and Greed in an Infographic-style overhead view. Text emerges from each dot in a series of images. GREEDO: [produces DT-12 Heavy Blaster Pistol] HAN: !?! GREEDO: Going somewhere, Solo? HAN: Yes, Greedo. As a matter of fact, I was just going to see your boss. Tell Jabba that I've got his money. Illustration of Star Wars cantina scene rendered in pictogram form. We see dots representing Han Solo and Greed in an Infographic-style overhead view. Text emerges from each dot in a series of images. Unbeknownst to Greedo, a DL-44 Blaster is strapped under the table. GREEDO: It's too late. You should have paid him when you had the chance. Jabba's put a price on your head, so large that every bounty hunter in the galaxy will be looking for you. I'm lucky I found you first. HAN: Yeah, but this time I got the money. GREEDO: If you give it to me, I might forget I found you. Unbeknownst to Greedo, Han unhooks the clasp of the blaster holder under the table. HAN: I don't have it with me. Tell Jabba... GREEDO: Jabba's through with you. He has no time for smugglers who drop their shipments at the first sign of an Imperial cruiser. HAN: Even I get boarded sometimes. Do you think I had a choice? GREEDO: You can tell that to Jabba. He may only take your ship. Illustration of Star Wars cantina scene rendered in pictogram form. We see dots representing Han Solo and Greed in an Infographic-style overhead view. Text emerges from each dot in a series of images. Unbeknownst to Greedo, Han is unholstering a DL-44 Blaster strapped under the table. HAN: Over my dead body. GREEDO: That's the idea. I've been looking forward to killing you for a long time. Illustration of Star Wars cantina scene rendered in pictogram form. We see dots representing Han Solo and Greed in an Infographic-style overhead view. Text emerges from each dot in a series of images. Unbeknownst to Greedo, HAN Yes, I'll bet you have. Suddenly Han produces his blaster and fires a glowing red blast of energy at the alien’s dot, which disappears in a blinding flash of light. Steam and smoke rise from the shredded green half-circle representing Greedo.
August 12, 2025 at 1:17 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
I'm going to make my own version of Troy Hurtubise's bear-proof suit, but it will be covered in Merlins and Simons and Speak & Spells

ALSO—if Midjourney ever tried to create box art as good as the original 1979 Atari Video Chess, it would lose as well.
box art for the 1979 video game Atari Video Chess features a painting of a dude and several chess pieces and some computer-y mosaics. I'm not doing it justice, but it's an absolute banger
June 11, 2025 at 10:10 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
Oh no? This Electrolux Jubilee Deluxe says different.
Packaging for a bulky 1970s vacuum cleaner features a woman washing floors and mopping. Easy Cleaning the ELECTROLUX way ELECTROLUX® JUBILEE DELUXE VACUUM CLEANER For powerful, quieter Super Cleaning with Automatic Efficiency ELECTROLUX® DELUXE 3-BRUSH FLOOR POLISHER & CARPET BEAUTIFIER Shampoos rugs, scrubs, waxes, polishes floors easier, faster, better
May 28, 2025 at 1:19 AM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
THUNDERBOLTS FANS: Forget the Winter Soldier—check out this IRL 16th-century cyborg. 🇩🇪🦾⚔️🛡️Wave hello to Götz of the Iron Hand. 500 years ago, this fierce knight sported a fearsome articulated prosthetic.
www.popculturalprecursors.com/p/forget-the...
#thunderbolts #wintersoldier #cyborg #Marvel #MCU
IMAGE 1 DESCRIPTION: Frame from a Marvel film shows Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes with his gleaming metal prosthetic arm made of vibranium. ONSCREEN CAPTION 1 READS: Marvel’s Bucky Barnes is the latest in a line of fictional warriors who rebuild their bodies with machinery— Robocop, the Six Million Dollar Man, etc. But a real-life cyborg action hero did it first: German mercenary Götz von Berlichingen. IMAGE 2 DESCRIPTION: Vintage illustrations of Götz’s iron hand, showing the fingers balled into a fist. In addition to the articulated fingers, the metal prosthetic has a cylindrical forearm segment and some straps to hold the limb in place. ONSCREEN CAPTION 2 READS: And he did it over 500 years ago... IMAGE 1 DESCRIPTION: Two black and white photos of Götz’s iron hand, one showing the fingers splayed and the others showing them balled into a fist. In addition to the articulated fingers, the metal prosthetic has a cylindrical forearm segment and straps to hold the limb in place. IMAGE 2 DESCRIPTION: A series of illustrations give an exploded view of how the fingers on Götz’s iron hand extend and retract. ONSCREEN CAPTION READS: In 1504, a cannonball ripped off Götz’s right hand. So he had an armorer fashion an iron limb with articulated fingers that were able to grip anything from a sword to a quill pen to playing cards. The he got back to pillaging... IMAGE 1 DESCRIPTION: A brass effigy of Götz wearing his armor. He has a receding hairline with long blond locks and a full beard. He holds his iron hand over his chest so the mailed fist is visible. The accompanying text reads “ER ABER SABS IHM ER KANN MICH AM ARSCH LECKEN.” TRANSLATION: And as for him, he can lick my ass. ONSCREEN CAPTION 1 READS: Götz became a German folk hero. This brass effigy celebrates his defiant battle cry, “leck mich im arsch.” (Translation: “lick me in the ass.”) IMAGE 2 DESCRIPTION: Poster for the 1979 German film Goetz von Berlichingen of the Iron Hand. A photo montage of Götz shaking his fist at the camera and a battle scene. The film logo features an illustration of the iron hand balled into a fist. ONSCREEN CAPTION 2 READS: Goethe wrote a play about this 16th-century cyborg’s life. Götz also inspired films & TV series. ONSCREEN CAPTION 1 READS: Mozart composed several canons about Götz—imagine a chorus harmonizing as they chant the knight’s profane catchphrase. He also inspired a track by the Insane Clown Posse. [?!] IMAGE 2 DESCRIPTION: Artwork for the Insane Clown Posse’s single “LECK MICH IM ARSCH.” A photo of Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope spray painting the letters ICP. ONSCREEN CAPTION 2 READS: ONSCREEN CAPTION READS: Listen to those and read more at: popculturalprecursors.com
April 29, 2025 at 1:16 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
BEFORE THE HUMANE AI PIN, THERE WAS THE POWER GLOVE. The 1989 controller & the 2024 virtual assistant both failed within a year. What can they teach us? Why does the glove still have fans? Read my story.
www.popculturalprecursors.com/p/before-the...
#uxdesign #wearables #retrogames #nes #mattel
ONSCREEN CAPTION TEXT: When the Mattel Power Glove launched in 1989, the motion-sensing wearable promised to transform how we interact with technology. The ads claimed that when you plugged it into your NES console, “You don’t just guide the action—you ARE the action!” There was just one little problem: The Power Glove did not work.It was dis- continued in less than a year. Unsold units clogged the discount bins at Toys R Us. IMAGE: Full page magazine ad for the Power Glove. It shows a young kid wearing a black turtleneck and RayBan sunglasses grinning triumphantly as he displays a Power Glove strapped to his arm. Crackling bolts of glowing blue energy emerge from the glove, and they are reflected in the supercool kid’s sunglasses. AD COPY: “EVERYTHING ELSE IS CHILD'S PLAY. The Power Glove!" You plug it in like any joystick. But the similarity stops there. Because now you don't just guide the action. You are the action. 3-D sensors track the position of your hand, giving you free-flowing, instant response. Its a complete connection. Intense. And powerful. Plus, the Power Glove has a unique programmable keypad that gives you amazing new ways to play almost every Nintendo game. All your joystick games become different. More exciting. And with games specifically designed for the Power Glove, you'll be blown into another dimension. So look for the Power Glove when it hits stores this Fall. Once you put it on, everything else becomes child's play.” The Power Glove itself is a gray plastic gaming controller worn like a glove on the forearm and hand. It features a bulky gray forearm unit with 17 controller buttons and a cross pad. The glove itself has a metallic-looking mesh fabric with exposed finger tips and prominent sensors across the knuckles. IMAGE A: Frame from a circa-1990 promotional video for the The Dataglove developed by VPL Research. We see a person looking at a bulky old computer monitor while they manipulate onscreen objects using the wearable. It looks like a black glove with several protruding cables that assumedly connect to a nearby PC. ONSCREEN CAPTION TEXT A: Mattel was tapping into the virtual reality craze, and the fascination with the idea of manipulating onscreen objects with your hands. The toy company even licensed the tech in The Dataglove (created by the pioneering VR outfit VPL Research). IMAGE B: In a still from the 2002 film Minority Report, Tom Cruise manipulates objects on a huge touchscreen by means of a pair of black gloves with glowing blue lights on the fingertips. ONSCREEN CAPTION TEXT B: The Dataglove was the real-life inspiration for the gloves Tom Cruise uses in the 2002 film Minority.Report. IMAGE: A couple of comics-style panels from the instruction manual for the Power Glove. A cool grown-up guy in sunglasses and a Members Only jacket explains to a young kid in a striped shirt and a ballcap how to utilize the peripheral. The kid is wearing a Power Glove that is tethered to a nearby CRT TV by cables. DIALOGUE: KID: “What do all these buttons do?” COOL DUDE “Lots of things. Take a look at Panel 3.” KID: “Wow! It’s like having a NES controller right on my arm.” ONSCREEN CAPTION TEXT: But something vital was lost in the process of scaling down The Dataglove’s tech to be cheaper to manufacture (and to work with the 8-bit NES console.) The Power Glove had a very slow response time to the movements of your arm. The instruction manual explained how to configure the glove for different control schemes, but it was just too slow on the uptake for most games. IMAGE: Frame from the film Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare with the titular character brandishing his signature murder weapon: a weathered leather work glove with a metal apparatus attached to the back. The device consists of four long, curved steel blades extending from the fingertips, resembling sharp knives or razor claws. The blades are tarnished and stained, attached to individual metal finger plates which are connected by rivets and small metal joints. The leather portion appears worn, dirty and slightly burned, with frayed edges and dark stains. The twist is that this has been outfitted with the control panel of the Mattel Power Glove. ​​Freddy Krueger wears a slouchy, wide-brimmed brown fedora hat with a weathered, distressed appearance. His face is severely burned and scarred, with mottled reddish-pink skin that appears melted and textured with deep ridges, craters, and blisters. His ears are partially missing, and his lips are often pulled back in a permanent grimace. He wears a distinctive red and green horizontally striped sweater with frayed edges and signs of wear, which has become an instantly recognizable element of the character's appearance in the 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' horror franchise. ONSCREEN CAPTION TEXT: Despite its commercial failure, the cyberpunk promise of the Power Glove (and its cool retrofuturist design) made it a pop cultural touchstone. An active fan community still mods the device and makes games for it. Read more about why people refuse to let go of the glove in my newsletter. popculturalprecursors.com
April 24, 2025 at 1:21 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
BEFORE YOU WATCH ANDOR S2: Check out how the rich backstory of the acclaimed series came from a 1980s tabletop RPG! The surprising story of how Disney+ STILL uses Star Wars lore dreamed up by game devs. www.popculturalprecursors.com/p/how-andor-... #StarWars #Andor #DisneyPlus #TTRPG #TVWriting
IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Detailed schematics of the bulky Zero G Stormtrooper assault armor, designed to be worn during outer space combat. ONSCREEN CAPTION: Behold the badassZero G Stormtrooper assault armor! This schematic appeared in the 1989 Imperial Sourceboook, a supplement for players of the 1987 Star Wars Roleplaying Game. The tabletop RPG gave geeks a chance to go far deeper into the sci-fi universe than the films ever could… ONSCREEN CAPTION: Blueprints of the X-Wing fighter from the 1987 Star Wars Sourcebook. These RPG books gave players all the background details they’d need to stage their own epic sci-fi scenarios in the galaxy far, far away... IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Detailed blueprints of the X-Wing fighter. ONSCREEN CAPTION: In fleshing out the backstory of George Lucas’ universe, the RPG designers added storylines, characters, species names, and their own narrative flourishes. (These specs for the Millennium Falcon include the scribbled note “Modifications noted and approved—HS.” Han Solo himself signed your RPG handbook!) IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Detailed blueprints of the Millennium Falcon. ONSCREEN CAPTION: I wrote about how this all-but-forgotten TTRPG was the source of innumerable story details that still play a vital role in the ongoing Star Wars saga—especially the new season of Andor. Read about it (and see more cool excerpts from these books) at the Pop Cultural Precursors newsletter. popculturalprecursors.com IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Book cover of the 1987 title Star Wars the Roleplaying Game. Book cover features a montage of characters and vehicles and locales similar to the movie poster: Luke and Leia and Han Solo firing blasters, Darth Vader swinging a lightsaber, Obi Wan, Chewbacca, R2D2 & C3P0, X-wings and TIE fighters, the Death Star—the whole schmear.
April 19, 2025 at 1:35 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
The 1980 game Adventure established the term “Easter Egg” to describe a hidden feature. 🥚🎮Read about it in this image gallery & get the full story at the link below. What's your favorite Easter Egg? www.popculturalprecursors.com/p/the-45th-a... #atari2600 #easteregg #8bit #retrogames #videogame
ONSCREEN CAPTION READS: “Dig the amazing paintings featured on the boxes of classic Atari 2600 games! To say the least, this was not an accurate depiction of the low-res graphics of the games themselves.” ACCOMPANYING IMAGE IS BOX ART OF A CLASSIC ATARI 2600 GAME: The box art for the Atari game Missile Command is a vivid hand-painted artwork depicting a dramatic sci-fi scene: a futuristic control room with a determined operator at the helm, surrounded by glowing radar screens and missile trajectories. Explosions and streaking missiles dominate the background, illustrating the chaos of an intense battle. The vibrant colors and dynamic composition evoke a sense of urgency and action. ONSCREEN CAPTION READS: “But one of these games, Adventure, crammed a sophisticated fantasy role-playing adventure into just 4 kilobytes of ROM. It also originated the term “Easter Egg,” a secret bonus feature hidden in the code by the game’s developer.” ACCOMPANYING IMAGE IS BOX ART OF A CLASSIC ATARI 2600 GAME: The box art for Atari Super Breakout is red, and it features a dynamic hand-painted artwork showcasing a futuristic, colorful scene: vibrant streaks of light and geometric shapes representing bouncing balls and bricks in motion. There are also multiplu images of an astronaut with a bubble helmet, which is presumably a personification of the rectangular rebound bar the player controls in the game. The design captures the energy and excitement of the gameplay, with bold colors and abstract patterns creating a sense of speed and intensity. ONSCREEN CAPTION READS: “These hidden features spread from Adventure to other games, and then to software, DVD menus, and more. The plot of the book Ready Player One hinges on the Adventure Easter Egg, and so does Spielberg’s film adaptation.” ACCOMPANYING IMAGE IS THE MANUAL OF A CLASSIC ATARI 2600 GAME: The game manual for Atari Basic Programming is black, and it features hand-painted artwork featuring a futuristic, abstract design: vibrant geometric shapes and glowing lines evoke the concept of programming and digital logic. There is also a human using booth hands to manipulate an array of controllers, as if they were the operator of a gigantic retrofuturistic super computer. The composition is dynamic, with bold colors and patterns suggesting innovation and creativity in the realm of technology." ONSCREEN CAPTION READS: “In honor of the 45th anniversary of the first Easter Egg, I published an in-depth article about the phenomenon featuring an interview with the creator of the classic game Adventure, Warren Robinett. Read more about it in the Pop Cultural Precursors newsletter. popculturalprecursors.com” ACCOMPANYING IMAGE IS BOX ART OF A CLASSIC ATARI 2600 GAME: The box art for Atari Adventure is orange, and it features a highly detailed painting of a sword and sorcery scenario. At the top is an elaborate castle with towers and roofs and parapets. A road leads downward from the castle to an elaborate hedge maze, and two heroes in pointed caps with walking sticks walk down the road towards the maze. A giant orange dragon sits inside the maze holding a key aloft in its bony talons. The dragon’s snake-like body coils through the maze and wraps around a tree. Several other heroes in pointed caps are lost in the maze, and we can only see their heads. A gleaming bejewelled crown or chalice is visible in the foreground.
April 15, 2025 at 1:04 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
NEWSLETTER: The 1980 game Adventure established the term “Easter Egg” to describe a hidden feature. The practice quickly spread to other games, as well as to software and DVDs. I spoke to Adventure's creator Warren Robinett. #atari2600 #easteregg #8bit
www.popculturalprecursors.com/p/the-45th-a...
The box art for Atari Adventure is orange, and it features a highly detailed painting of a sword and sorcery scenario. At the top is an elaborate castle with towers and roofs and parapets. A road leads downward from the castle to an elaborate hedge maz, and two heroes in pointed caps with walking sticks walk down the road towards the maze. A giant orange dragon sits inside the maze holding a key aloft in its bony talons. The dragon’s snake-like body coils through the maze and wraps around a tree. Several other heroes in pointed caps are lost in the maze, and we can only see their heads. A gleaming bejewelled crown or chalice is visible in the foreground.
April 6, 2025 at 2:01 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
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 series. #starwars #andor #ttrpg
popculturalprecursors.substack.com/p/how-andor-...
Book cover of the 1987 title Star Wars the Roleplaying Game. Book cover features a montage of characters and vehicles and locales similar to the movie poster: Luke and Leia and Han Solo firing blasters, Darth Vader swinging a lightsaber, Obi Wan, Chewbacca, R2D2 & C3P0, X-wings and TIE fighters, the Death Star—the whole schmear.
March 23, 2025 at 7:05 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
NEWSLETTER: 75 years ago, Hopalong Cassidy became the first superstar of the TV era. Then he built a gargantuan product licensing and endorsement empire that put Walt Disney to shame. Read about it and see some of his 2500+ branded products here.
popculturalprecursors.substack.com/p/the-tv-cow...
Vintage advertising image of a boy dressed in full cowboy regalia gazing at a black and white image of Hoplong Cassidy on a gargantuan wooden Motorola 16K2 television console with a tiny 16-inch screen.
December 19, 2024 at 2:45 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
NEWSLETTER: Before Jurassic Park or King Kong, there was Gertie. A few months before World War I kicked off in 1914, audiences thrilled at the spectacle of the first realistic special f/x dinosaur.
popculturalprecursors.substack.com/p/110-years-...
#jurassicpark #kingkong #dinosaur
Movie poster for the groundbreaking 1914 animation Gertie the Dinosaur. It reads “Winsor McCay’s Gertie! Wonderfully Trained Dinosaurus. Windsor McCay: America’s Greatest Cartoonist! A Prehistoric Animal that Lived Thirteen Million Years Ago, Brought Back to Life. A Most Marvellous Work of Art, Science, and Humor. She’s a Scream.”
December 15, 2024 at 6:59 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
Exactly 70 years ago, the most iconic sound effect in cinema history debuted: Godzilla’s roar. It was created by a composer of classical symphonies who became obsessed with the biology of giant reptiles. Follow the link to read the full story. #godzilla #kaiju open.substack.com/pub/popcultu...
Manga-style illustration of Godzilla and Akira Ifukube, creator of Godzilla’s roar as well as the musical score for the original Godzilla and many classic kaiju films. Ifukube is holding a baton and conducting, and his birth and death years are given: 1914-2014.
November 24, 2024 at 5:24 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
William Seabrook introduced the term “zombie” to America. He was also a self-confessed cannibal who wrote in excruciating detail about the smell, texture, and taste of freshly cooked human flesh. I wrote about his legacy in my newsletter.

popculturalprecursors.substack.com/p/the-progen...
Page from William Seabroo’s The Magic Island, illustration by Alexander King. It shows a procession of zombies accompanied by the figure of Death.
October 30, 2024 at 3:44 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
I discovered this on my grandfather's bookshelf when I was 6 or 7, and it took me several years to work up the courage to look at it. (It's a fake joke cover.)
Book cover reads "101 Things to Make With Human Skin" by Ronald Skinemwell. Illustration of a human pelt on a hide stretcher next to a belt, lampshade, moccasins, and purse.
September 10, 2024 at 11:43 PM
chrisbaker1337.bsky.social
Netflix's adaptation of the 1998 Tom Wolfe novel "A Man in Full" is out, and...it's not very good! Skip it and watch the first adaptation of Wolfe's work, a 1973 film based on a classic Esquire mag feature. Follow the link in my profile to read it and subscribe to my newsletter!
poster for the 1973 film The Last American Hero
May 9, 2024 at 2:19 PM