History really could use more superheroes. In the crazy times we’ve witnessed in the last century, from revolutions galore, to the World Wars and nations wielding nuclear power, the thought of having someone super powered standing guard is a welcome thought. These photos bring that reality to life, placing superheroes in iconic vintage photographs alongside famous figures from history — Heinrich Himmler getting a lecture from Captain America, Superman protecting art treasures from looters and Batman looking over the shoulder of Fidel Castro. It’s not all perfect though… it seems you get your super villains along with your heros. Darth Vader hangs out at the meeting of Yalta with Stalin, FDR and Winston Churchill and the Joker messes with the SS.
Who’s responsible for these historical remixes? Agan Harahap, a photographer from Indonesia, has seamlessly inserted the pop culture icons into these major world events in such a way that you’d almost believe they really happened. The shadows match up, the interactions look genuine, it’s really a perfect job. For more about Harahap’s work, which includes a host of other digital photo manipulations, check out his Flickr page.