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I’ve been writing about pop culture for almost 20 years and I can’t imagine stopping any time soon. Here you’ll find all of my current articles and an archive of the stuff I wrote for my defunct site, Branded in the 80s.
Peel Here 127: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!
Diving back into some sticker fun here at Branded, I thought it would be fun to break out this...
Now Playing: 30 Years of Cinema Advertising
Over the past year, 1984 Publishing and author/ex-Fangoria editor Michael Gingold have released...
We’re All in the G.D. Club!
On August 22nd, 1987 I saw a movie that changed my life. I didn't realize at the time how much...
Peel Here 126: BMX stickers are Rad
I'll be the first person to admit that most times Hallmark non-branded stickers from the 80s...
Of Hype and Closure…
It's funny, having just written a piece riffing on the idea that I don't "go in" for many...
Peel Here 125: Mom Stickers
When you find yourself perusing the internet looking for 30 year-old stickers, sometimes you...
Peel Here 124: Pass the Mustard
You know what I haven't talked about in a long time? Stickers. In the early days of this site I...
Why I Hope Cobra Kai Never Dies…
I tend to sidestep talk of modern nostalgia-themed pop culture here at Branded because nine...
A Closer look at Conky-2000
I've been a fan of Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens) since I first saw his HBO special with my...
The Allusions of Pop Culture
Most times when I watch movies and TV I can't help but go into a sort of Knight Rider-esque...
Mementos from the Abyss
If there's one thing that running an 80s-themed website has taught me over the last 13 years...
Wax Paper Pop Art #36: Zero Heroes!
It's been a few years since I added an entry into my wax wrapper museum here at Branded, but I...
Party at Ground Zero
When it comes to Branded, I typically like to stick to writing and reminiscing about the late...
If You Build It, They will Rent…
There are a million things that I love about my wife, but one of the things that I am coming to...
Parenting Advice from a Ghostbuster
To say that I have been through some "change of life" events over the past few years would be...
Making Due with G.I. Joe
We live in a pretty amazing time when it comes to pop culture fandom. It seems like these days...
Bootlegging Dreams Into Reality
The world is a very weird and wonderful place sometimes, and on occasion a convergence occurs...
It’s the End, the End of the Century
Wall to, wall-to-wall toys, Lets Go! Wall to, wall-to-wall toys, Lets Go! Wall to, wall-to-wall...
An Ecstasy of Ghoulish Visions
I first stumbled on the work of Gary Pullin a few years ago when we crossed paths on social...
Finding the “Truth” in Collecting
I've been thinking a lot lately about how and why I collect. Whether it's refining and...
Going Back to Next Saturday Morning…in 1985!
I've written before about a personal hole in my pop culture nostalgia when it comes to certain...
The warm embrace of the 80s, literally.
As a kid growing up in Florida for most of my formative years, winter was more of a concept...
Totally Awesome: The Greatest Cartoons of the 80s is, well, Totally AWESOME
Over the past year Publisher Insight Editions has comes across my radar a lot. In addition to...
Walter Kellog Cereal Detective (Branded Podcast Archive)
On this new episode of the Branded in the 80s podcast I’m going to attempt to solve a mystery,...
Masters of the Universe Vs The A-Team: Or What’s in a Pose Anyway…
One of the aspects that I adore about collecting and sifting through 80s era ephemera is...
Clearing the guilt cache, or Fortress Maximus is the MAXIMEST!
I want to preface this piece by bringing up a simple fact. Sometimes real life sucks. It's...
Essential 80s Cartoon Logos and Title Screens
Not only am I a professed lover of the 80s, and in particular 80s era cartoons and animation,...
Breaking into The Impossible Fortress
I think it’s fair to say that I am pretty well versed in the pop culture of the 1980s, and...
I’m in the Gosh Darn Club, right?!
I wanted to take a second and point to something very awesome, the Halloween 2016 release from...
Cartoon Anxiety
Though I mainly enjoy flipping through old "mom" magazines to find cool vintage advertisements...