A little over a month ago I was inspired by a contest held over at the Retroist as well as Eclectorama’s traveling Spock campaign, and decided that I wanted to introduce a slightly more tactile section to Branded.  I’d been sitting on a great gift from a friend, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles book of postcards, and it just seemed like it might be fun to send out some vintage postcards to readers of the site.  I was really happy with the response and I ended up finding a home for all of the postcard and though it may have taken a little over 20 years, these cards finally completely their destiny traveling through the postal system to locations all over the world.  I also put out a call to everyone who received one, that they could send back a photo and I’d post it on the site with some link love.  So thus, a new column has been born, the Post Card Project.

The invitation is still open for anyone who received a card this past March, but I did receive a bunch of responses, so from time to time I’ll be posting some pictures and highlighting readers of Branded in the 80s.  I’m also getting ready to announce a second installment of mailings as I’ve come across some other great vintage postcards that need to fulfill their postal destiny. 

Anywway, getting to the heart of the matter, today’s postcard spotlight is on Christopher Tupa, an amazing artist, podcaster, and comics storyteller who hails from the great state of Texas (birthplace of yours truly)…

When Chris sent in this picture of his local classic movie theater I was all sorts of jealous.  There are no theaters around these parts that look that cool!

He also sent in some candid shots of the shell-heads in some more familiar environments…

   

If you get a chance, stop by and take a gander at some of Christopher’s superb artwork (a lot of which tugs on the heart-strings of my childhood), as well as his blog where he talks about some of the cool stuff he finds in his area like toys, books and art.  If you’re a fan of stuff like G.I. Joe, Knightrider, M.U.S.C.L.E.S., and the Goonies, stop by his store.  I have some of his original art and it’s so much cooler in person!