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Postcards: True Stories That Never Happened
“The inventive writers and illustrators who crafted these transporting stories just may convince you to trash your BlackBerry and buy some stamps.”
–Frank Warren, author of PostSecret
You’ve seen them at flea markets and in antique shops and used-book stores across the Vintage postcards inscribed with handwritten notes, evocative messages that capture a thought, an expression, a concern, a snapshot of someone’s life once upon a time. Jason Rodriguez, acclaimed editor of Elk’s Run, collected a remarkable array of these correspondences, dispersed them among thirty-three of comics’ greatest creators, and asked each to craft a story about the person who sent it. The result is a vividly imagined, gorgeously rendered graphic anthology illustrating tales of romance, adventure, hardship, and mystery. In Postcards, these gifted artists share some of the richest and most inventive work of their careers.
–Frank Warren, author of PostSecret
You’ve seen them at flea markets and in antique shops and used-book stores across the Vintage postcards inscribed with handwritten notes, evocative messages that capture a thought, an expression, a concern, a snapshot of someone’s life once upon a time. Jason Rodriguez, acclaimed editor of Elk’s Run, collected a remarkable array of these correspondences, dispersed them among thirty-three of comics’ greatest creators, and asked each to craft a story about the person who sent it. The result is a vividly imagined, gorgeously rendered graphic anthology illustrating tales of romance, adventure, hardship, and mystery. In Postcards, these gifted artists share some of the richest and most inventive work of their careers.
148 pages, Hardcover
First published July 24, 2007
8 people are currently reading
111 people want to read
About the author
Jason Rodriguez
36 books22 followersJason Rodriguez is a writer and editor, whose books have been nominated for an Eisner Award and 8 Harvey Awards. Jason is currently editing a three-book series of graphic novel anthologies about colonial New England and the Mid-Atlantic region for Fulcrum Publishing scheduled to start being released in 2014. His first sci-fi book, TRY LOOKING AHEAD, will be released Spring 2015 from Rosarium Publishing. Jason lives in Arlington, VA with his wife and their two dogs, four cats, and a parrot. You can usually find him on a street corner, staring out into the future.
Complete Bibliography
As Editor
Colonial Comics Volumes 1, 2, and 3 (2014 - 2015; Fulcrum Publishing)
Postcards: True Stories That Never Happened (2007; Random House/Villard)
Elk's Run (2007; Random House/Villard)
Western Tales of Terror #1-5 (2003-2005; Hoarse & Buggy Productions)
As Writer
The Boy Who Could See Through Mountains and Other Stories (2012; Self Published)
The End of Stars (2012; Self Published)
"The Stars Are Not Wanted Now" in Once Upon a Time Machine (2012; Dark Horse Comics)
The Monster Hunter (2012; Self Published)
"The National Pastime" in District Comics: An Unconventional History of Washington DC (2012; Fulcrum Publishing)
The Little Particle That Could (2012; Self Published)
The Girl Who Could Live In Yesterday (2012; Self Published)
"The New Attrition" in Horrors of War (2010; DC Conspiracy)
"The Tell-Tale Scissors" in Shear Terror Anthology (2009; DC Conspiracy)
"Quarantined" in Postcards: True Stories That Never Happened (2007; Random House/Villard)
"All the Wrong Choices" in Elk's Run #2 (2006; Hoarse & Buggy Productions)
"Six Shots" in Western Tales of Terror #5 (2005; Hoarse & Buggy Productions)
Complete Bibliography
As Editor
Colonial Comics Volumes 1, 2, and 3 (2014 - 2015; Fulcrum Publishing)
Postcards: True Stories That Never Happened (2007; Random House/Villard)
Elk's Run (2007; Random House/Villard)
Western Tales of Terror #1-5 (2003-2005; Hoarse & Buggy Productions)
As Writer
The Boy Who Could See Through Mountains and Other Stories (2012; Self Published)
The End of Stars (2012; Self Published)
"The Stars Are Not Wanted Now" in Once Upon a Time Machine (2012; Dark Horse Comics)
The Monster Hunter (2012; Self Published)
"The National Pastime" in District Comics: An Unconventional History of Washington DC (2012; Fulcrum Publishing)
The Little Particle That Could (2012; Self Published)
The Girl Who Could Live In Yesterday (2012; Self Published)
"The New Attrition" in Horrors of War (2010; DC Conspiracy)
"The Tell-Tale Scissors" in Shear Terror Anthology (2009; DC Conspiracy)
"Quarantined" in Postcards: True Stories That Never Happened (2007; Random House/Villard)
"All the Wrong Choices" in Elk's Run #2 (2006; Hoarse & Buggy Productions)
"Six Shots" in Western Tales of Terror #5 (2005; Hoarse & Buggy Productions)
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
February 8, 2017
I'm kind of disappointed that this book has so many negative reviews for this anthology because I really enjoyed it.
I work in a library and as everybody knows who has ever worked in a library, you come across a lot of found objects (mostly because people forget to check the books they're returning for their book markers); playing cards, bills, odd, rambling letters, and on occasion a postcard. That's kind of why I liked this book so much--it reminds me of my shelving days and finding things in the stacks or in recently returned books.
I also love the idea of inventing a story to go along with a postcard. Postcards are pretty small so there's never really much of a message as far as length is concerned. Content is another story. These authors and illustrators really proved that a lot can be read into a small message.
I truly loved about half of the book and the other half I liked. I can honestly say there weren't any stories in this anthology that I didn't enjoy to some extent.
Seriously folks, if you want to read a book, just read it--don't let bad reviews scare you away. You might miss out on some real gems!
I work in a library and as everybody knows who has ever worked in a library, you come across a lot of found objects (mostly because people forget to check the books they're returning for their book markers); playing cards, bills, odd, rambling letters, and on occasion a postcard. That's kind of why I liked this book so much--it reminds me of my shelving days and finding things in the stacks or in recently returned books.
I also love the idea of inventing a story to go along with a postcard. Postcards are pretty small so there's never really much of a message as far as length is concerned. Content is another story. These authors and illustrators really proved that a lot can be read into a small message.
I truly loved about half of the book and the other half I liked. I can honestly say there weren't any stories in this anthology that I didn't enjoy to some extent.
Seriously folks, if you want to read a book, just read it--don't let bad reviews scare you away. You might miss out on some real gems!
February 5, 2024
I thought this was super imaginative. I enjoyed the vignette stories birthed from comic imagination, sparked only by a few cryptic lines on antique postcards. This would be an excellent exercise for new writers and illustrators.
March 31, 2009
I liked the premise of this book more than I liked the book itself.
Premise: The editor offered real postcards (old ones that had been sent through the mail) to comic book writers and illustrators. The writers let their imaginations run wild in writing stories inspired by the messages written on the postcards. The illustrators did the art work.
The book was a good read, a good way to pass the time, but I didn't find anything in it spectacular.
Premise: The editor offered real postcards (old ones that had been sent through the mail) to comic book writers and illustrators. The writers let their imaginations run wild in writing stories inspired by the messages written on the postcards. The illustrators did the art work.
The book was a good read, a good way to pass the time, but I didn't find anything in it spectacular.
June 23, 2015
I'm surprised by the number of negative reviews for this book, it was a bit of a tough call for me to put 4/5 rather 5/5, in fact.
I picked this book up and flipped to one of the (many) sad, moving stories and immediately bought it as a gift for my then-boyfriend-now-husband. It's true many of the stories are sad, but I find this makes sense with the medium they're derived from: postcards of people that the artists don't know, almost all of whom have certainly died, and a sense of loss and "missed connection" between the present-day reader of the card and the unknown author. I think this inevitably results in a more sober view. That said, many of the stories are not just similar in that regard, but a bit over the top dramatic and tragic, which is where I deducted a star. I think more creativity could've drawn out different types of stories, even if they all had this level of seriousness.
I don't read a lot of graphic novels (not now at least), but I really enjoyed the artwork styles, and liked the fact that they fit well with each other. I also appreciated being able to see the postcard at the beginning of each story, but I would've rather had a full page view of the postcard so that I could read and appreciate the postcard better, rather than having the editor's comments about and reason for picking that card, which were often redundant.
Tl;dr This anthology is a pleasure to read and have, and is a nice gift for anyone, whether or not they're "into" graphic novels, because the content is universal, sentimental and lovely.
I picked this book up and flipped to one of the (many) sad, moving stories and immediately bought it as a gift for my then-boyfriend-now-husband. It's true many of the stories are sad, but I find this makes sense with the medium they're derived from: postcards of people that the artists don't know, almost all of whom have certainly died, and a sense of loss and "missed connection" between the present-day reader of the card and the unknown author. I think this inevitably results in a more sober view. That said, many of the stories are not just similar in that regard, but a bit over the top dramatic and tragic, which is where I deducted a star. I think more creativity could've drawn out different types of stories, even if they all had this level of seriousness.
I don't read a lot of graphic novels (not now at least), but I really enjoyed the artwork styles, and liked the fact that they fit well with each other. I also appreciated being able to see the postcard at the beginning of each story, but I would've rather had a full page view of the postcard so that I could read and appreciate the postcard better, rather than having the editor's comments about and reason for picking that card, which were often redundant.
Tl;dr This anthology is a pleasure to read and have, and is a nice gift for anyone, whether or not they're "into" graphic novels, because the content is universal, sentimental and lovely.
May 29, 2016
A really cool anthology concept: you take some of the hottest indy talents around, give them an old-timey postcard, and have them craft a story based on the piece of mail. Editor and writer
Jason Rodriguez is an amateur deltiologist (he collects postcards.) Taking from his personal collection, he assigned some of his peers to create stories that might be true but aren't necessarily.
Some of the stories are based solely on the image on the front of the postcard. Some epics involved only the shorts messages scribed on the back and a couple is a combination of both front image locale and on-the-back greeting.
Accepting Rodrigeuz's challenge include Michael Gaydos, Stuart Moore, Phillip Hester, and underground comix legend, Harvey Pekar. There's a real mix of themes and emotions in these stories. Some are quite beautiful while others are downright tragic. There's high drama in just about every tale. Yet, I don't recall laughing once, as none of these not-so-true stories are what you would consider comedies. Even the Pekar story which is based on how he meet his wife via postcard correspondence is twinged with sadness. And to my chagrin, more than one story ends with that blasted pet peeve of mine- the open-ended ending!
If you are looking for a smile, you won't find them in this book. Yet, despite the sadness that colors every story, there's something that just made me keep turning the page wanting to know what happens next. With some explicit language and adult themes, this is not a book for kids. But this is duly worth a read if you can find this 2007 collection published by Villard.
Jason Rodriguez is an amateur deltiologist (he collects postcards.) Taking from his personal collection, he assigned some of his peers to create stories that might be true but aren't necessarily.
Some of the stories are based solely on the image on the front of the postcard. Some epics involved only the shorts messages scribed on the back and a couple is a combination of both front image locale and on-the-back greeting.
Accepting Rodrigeuz's challenge include Michael Gaydos, Stuart Moore, Phillip Hester, and underground comix legend, Harvey Pekar. There's a real mix of themes and emotions in these stories. Some are quite beautiful while others are downright tragic. There's high drama in just about every tale. Yet, I don't recall laughing once, as none of these not-so-true stories are what you would consider comedies. Even the Pekar story which is based on how he meet his wife via postcard correspondence is twinged with sadness. And to my chagrin, more than one story ends with that blasted pet peeve of mine- the open-ended ending!
If you are looking for a smile, you won't find them in this book. Yet, despite the sadness that colors every story, there's something that just made me keep turning the page wanting to know what happens next. With some explicit language and adult themes, this is not a book for kids. But this is duly worth a read if you can find this 2007 collection published by Villard.
December 20, 2011
The premise of this book seems interesting--starting with old postcards, various writers and artist tell short stories about what might have happened. Unfortunately, most of the stories are just as ambiguous and curious as the postcards themselves. Only a tiny handful are at all memorable--some of them are just a random moment in time, like the postcard is, but without adding anything really interesting. Some of them just don't make sense (tic tac toe hustlers?) The art ranges from good to pretty terrible, which doesn't help. Overall, these stories are exactly as satisfying as digging through a random box of postcards; if you like that sort of thing, this is the book for you. Otherwise, there are many, many better collections.
February 25, 2018
I LOVED the concept of this book. Find an old postcard, draw/write a story to explain/go with it. Awesome. I just found the follow-through... kind of weak. And it was oftentimes too difficult to even read what was on the postcard. And then he writes a spiel about "wow, when i read this postcard, i though that's crazy, and i knew that my good friend [fill in the comic's name:] would know what to do..." I don't know. Conceptually great, maybe just not executed how I would have wished.
July 2, 2023
Even though a few stories are beautiful, and a few moved me to tears, I wouldn't revisit it.
The biggest complaint: the postcards inspiring the stories should have been transcribed. Sometimes the cursive is messy, sometimes it's too faded... I think I lost a lot of the charm from not being able to read so many of the fabled postcards.
A mixed bag with only a few really good stories, but ends and closes with bad ones, so it does not leave a favorable impression. A lot of the various stories use a certain type of digital art, which is really not to my tastes (the people always look so strange and ugly [they remind me of a free webtoon creator I had to use in French class one year]).
Individual thoughts and ratings under the spoiler. 2.3 rounded down.
The biggest complaint: the postcards inspiring the stories should have been transcribed. Sometimes the cursive is messy, sometimes it's too faded... I think I lost a lot of the charm from not being able to read so many of the fabled postcards.
A mixed bag with only a few really good stories, but ends and closes with bad ones, so it does not leave a favorable impression. A lot of the various stories use a certain type of digital art, which is really not to my tastes (the people always look so strange and ugly [they remind me of a free webtoon creator I had to use in French class one year]).
Individual thoughts and ratings under the spoiler. 2.3 rounded down.
August 25, 2024
The premise of this anthology is fantastic but the execution was just okay. There’s nothing wrong with any of the stories but none are amazing either and the overall tone of the book felt grimmer than I expected. I really wish they would have transcribed the postcards so I could actually know what they said!
October 11, 2025
It was an interesting concept, but for some reason, it just didn't hold my interest. I think the main reason is there weren't real clear images of the original postcards that inspired the story that followed.
May 13, 2018
A group of graphic writers take old postcards and extrapolate what their lives were about.
April 4, 2023
This was just meh. I only liked a couple of the stories, and the postcards themselves (which is what the stories are based off) were practically illegible. Good concept, poos execution.
March 17, 2013
http://andalittlewine.blogspot.com/2013/01/review-postcards-true-stories-that.ht...
Postcards: True Stories That Never Happened is a graphic novel short story collection, built around a premise that I love- each author (or collaborative team) in the collection was given a vintage postcard, and then asked to write a story about how the postcard came to be.
The trouble with postcards is that they're too short. What's there time to say, really? Hello, how are you, all's well, see you soon.
And that's the trouble with the short stories, too.
It's not so much that the 16 stories are bad (though a couple are) or boring (though a few of them are). It's that all of them drift towards the predictable. For everyday life to look interesting, we have to see enough of it to appreciate the tension the characters feel.
I think about American Splendor, Harvey Pekar's opus. Here we see Harvey fretting is way through life: his bills, his marriage, his job, his art. Any of them would be boring without the context that helps us understand that Harvey is consumed by being Harvey.
And I don't get that feeling from more than one or two of these stories. The best one, Joshua Hale Fialkov and Micah Farritor's "Homesick", follow a couple trying to live the sweet life in Paris during the Great Depression. The tension between the husband and wife is palpable- the realization that the dream they have achieved might not be a thing that can make them both happy, and the unspoken wondering when it will end and how.
I also enjoyed "The Midnight Caller's Holiday in Hades" by Robert Tinnell and illustrated by Brendand and Brian Fraim, about a superhero, told in the style of an old-time radio broadcase. Tom Beland's "Time," about a man who knows he is about to die and how he has come to peace with that, offers the sort of vanilla heaven that plagues The Night Bookmobile, but at least I was interested in the characters.
Which is, sadly, more than I can say for the rest of the collection. A great premise, inexpertly executed.
Postcards: True Stories That Never Happened is a graphic novel short story collection, built around a premise that I love- each author (or collaborative team) in the collection was given a vintage postcard, and then asked to write a story about how the postcard came to be.
The trouble with postcards is that they're too short. What's there time to say, really? Hello, how are you, all's well, see you soon.
And that's the trouble with the short stories, too.
It's not so much that the 16 stories are bad (though a couple are) or boring (though a few of them are). It's that all of them drift towards the predictable. For everyday life to look interesting, we have to see enough of it to appreciate the tension the characters feel.
I think about American Splendor, Harvey Pekar's opus. Here we see Harvey fretting is way through life: his bills, his marriage, his job, his art. Any of them would be boring without the context that helps us understand that Harvey is consumed by being Harvey.
And I don't get that feeling from more than one or two of these stories. The best one, Joshua Hale Fialkov and Micah Farritor's "Homesick", follow a couple trying to live the sweet life in Paris during the Great Depression. The tension between the husband and wife is palpable- the realization that the dream they have achieved might not be a thing that can make them both happy, and the unspoken wondering when it will end and how.
I also enjoyed "The Midnight Caller's Holiday in Hades" by Robert Tinnell and illustrated by Brendand and Brian Fraim, about a superhero, told in the style of an old-time radio broadcase. Tom Beland's "Time," about a man who knows he is about to die and how he has come to peace with that, offers the sort of vanilla heaven that plagues The Night Bookmobile, but at least I was interested in the characters.
Which is, sadly, more than I can say for the rest of the collection. A great premise, inexpertly executed.
May 20, 2008
Postcards isn't a single graphic novel. Rather, it is sixteen graphic short stories. Jason Rodriguez gave an old postcard to sixteen different writer and artist teams to see what they could create given the information contained on their card. The stories included in this volume are:
* "Blue" by Chris Stevens and Gia-Bao Tran
* "Time" by Tom Beland
* "Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland" by Jay Busbee and Tony Fleecs
* "Taken on Faith" by Ande Parks and Joseph Bergin III
* "Send Louis His Underwear"
by Matt Dembicki and Jason Copland
* "Res Libero" by A. David Lewis and Danielle Corsetto
* "Homesick" by Joshua Fialkov and Micah Farritor
* "Cora's Dress" by James W. Powell and Drew Gilbert
* "A Joyous Eastertide" by Phil Hester
* "Tic-Tac-Bang-Bang" by Stuart Moore and Michael Gaydos
* "Quarantined" by Jason & RJ Rodriguez and Seamus Heffernan
* "Best Side Out" by Antony Johnston and Noel Tuazon
* "Intersections" by Neil Kleid and Jake Allen
* "The Midnight Caller" by Robert Tinnell and Brandon & Brian Fraim
* "Operation Torch" by Rick Spears and Rob G
* "A History of a Marriage" by Harvey Pekar, Joyce Brabner, and Matt Kindt
From this diverse list, my favorites are "Blue" for its magical take on an old memory, "Send Louis His Underwear" for its gory counterpoint between the humorous text and the pictures, and "A History of a Marriage" for its bittersweet look at widower's recollection of his marriage.
As the postcards used in the book were all very old (mostly dating from the 1910s), the stories frequently deal with death and loss. It's only natural to see ghosts in ephemera.
Postcards is now nominated for an Eisner Award. Read the details on Jason Rodriguez's blog.
* "Blue" by Chris Stevens and Gia-Bao Tran
* "Time" by Tom Beland
* "Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland" by Jay Busbee and Tony Fleecs
* "Taken on Faith" by Ande Parks and Joseph Bergin III
* "Send Louis His Underwear"
by Matt Dembicki and Jason Copland
* "Res Libero" by A. David Lewis and Danielle Corsetto
* "Homesick" by Joshua Fialkov and Micah Farritor
* "Cora's Dress" by James W. Powell and Drew Gilbert
* "A Joyous Eastertide" by Phil Hester
* "Tic-Tac-Bang-Bang" by Stuart Moore and Michael Gaydos
* "Quarantined" by Jason & RJ Rodriguez and Seamus Heffernan
* "Best Side Out" by Antony Johnston and Noel Tuazon
* "Intersections" by Neil Kleid and Jake Allen
* "The Midnight Caller" by Robert Tinnell and Brandon & Brian Fraim
* "Operation Torch" by Rick Spears and Rob G
* "A History of a Marriage" by Harvey Pekar, Joyce Brabner, and Matt Kindt
From this diverse list, my favorites are "Blue" for its magical take on an old memory, "Send Louis His Underwear" for its gory counterpoint between the humorous text and the pictures, and "A History of a Marriage" for its bittersweet look at widower's recollection of his marriage.
As the postcards used in the book were all very old (mostly dating from the 1910s), the stories frequently deal with death and loss. It's only natural to see ghosts in ephemera.
Postcards is now nominated for an Eisner Award. Read the details on Jason Rodriguez's blog.
September 19, 2016
This a wonderful book of vignettes - mini graphic novels - perhaps the equivalent of short stories - inspired by antique post cards the editor began picking up at antique stores. The messages, which he likened to texts in an era before the widespread adoption of telephony - were often cryptic but part of an ongoing conversation, or perhaps were the turning point in peoples' lives. Some of these stories these writers and artists produced were so moving I found myself crying - stories of messages sent home masking the reality of what the sender was going through, or a card sent to a buddy who was no longer alive, or a card sent by a soldier who had just landed in North Africa. Both the artwork and the writing are of exceptional quality - the editor truly assembled an incredible line-up of talent, and the talent came through in researching, reconstructing, and creating stories that skillfully tie into the postcards. I definitely recommend this book to anyone - it's definitely different, as it's created almost as a memorial, resurrecting the (imagined) lives of these random people who left brief traces of their existences in postcards the editor picked up at antique stores.
None of these stories disappoint - they are all wonderfully creative, and it's also fascinating/engrossing to see how each creative team dealt with the challenge of the cards. This is a unique production - really remarkable and definitely worth reading.
None of these stories disappoint - they are all wonderfully creative, and it's also fascinating/engrossing to see how each creative team dealt with the challenge of the cards. This is a unique production - really remarkable and definitely worth reading.
July 2, 2010
With this book, I was looking at the illustration/story design style of a variety of authors and illustrators in one collection to see what appealed to me and what didn't. I'm still figuring it out, but I think I'm drawn more to a simple, rather than busy frame, but with the more "comics" style of text with thought/speech/description bubbles, rather than a bunch of typed text at the bottom of a frame. I really don't like drawings that are full of black ink and lots of motion in a small frame, because I find it hard to follow.
The idea for this book came about when the editor started collecting postcards he found at flea markets and the like and wondered what kind of stories would be behind each one, given what was written on the back and the picture on the front. Each of the author/illustrator teams got a postcard and created a story surrounding it. It was a pretty neat approach, and I enjoyed both seeing how each postcard's "story" came to life and also the brief introductory comments from the editor, explaining how his thoughts and often (pleasant) surprise at what stories were created. The book is a little bit historical fiction, a little bit fake memoir, and a little bit short story. It would appeal to all those audiences.
The idea for this book came about when the editor started collecting postcards he found at flea markets and the like and wondered what kind of stories would be behind each one, given what was written on the back and the picture on the front. Each of the author/illustrator teams got a postcard and created a story surrounding it. It was a pretty neat approach, and I enjoyed both seeing how each postcard's "story" came to life and also the brief introductory comments from the editor, explaining how his thoughts and often (pleasant) surprise at what stories were created. The book is a little bit historical fiction, a little bit fake memoir, and a little bit short story. It would appeal to all those audiences.
February 14, 2015
The quality of art and storytelling was inconsistent
Blue -- good art, but felt like ithe story was trying to come off as deep instead of just being so 3
Time -- I love Tom Beland, great art and great story 5
Meet me in dreamland -- I like what the story addresses , however, the story would have been more enjoyable if they made it more clear of what happened to the missing girl 3
Taken on Faith -- wasn't that interesting to me, but decent 3
Send Louis -- hard to read, and poor quality of editing the image on the postcard in 2
Res Libero -- Really?! thus 2
Homesick -- an okay story 3
Cora's dress -- touching, I suppose 3
Joyous Eastertide -- oddly wonderful 4
Tic-Tac Bang-bang -- not bad 3
Quarantine -- I wish I could see this go further 4
Best Side Out -- quite enjoyable when a woman 4
Intersection -- delightful in a manner similar to the last tale 4
The Midnight Caller -- fount it to be too much/too campy 2
Operation torch -- I liked it 3.5
History of a Marriage -- not the most moving of a life collage, but not bad 3
Blue -- good art, but felt like ithe story was trying to come off as deep instead of just being so 3
Time -- I love Tom Beland, great art and great story 5
Meet me in dreamland -- I like what the story addresses , however, the story would have been more enjoyable if they made it more clear of what happened to the missing girl 3
Taken on Faith -- wasn't that interesting to me, but decent 3
Send Louis -- hard to read, and poor quality of editing the image on the postcard in 2
Res Libero -- Really?! thus 2
Homesick -- an okay story 3
Cora's dress -- touching, I suppose 3
Joyous Eastertide -- oddly wonderful 4
Tic-Tac Bang-bang -- not bad 3
Quarantine -- I wish I could see this go further 4
Best Side Out -- quite enjoyable when a woman 4
Intersection -- delightful in a manner similar to the last tale 4
The Midnight Caller -- fount it to be too much/too campy 2
Operation torch -- I liked it 3.5
History of a Marriage -- not the most moving of a life collage, but not bad 3
Read
May 14, 2009Ever found a folded-up, trampled-on, mud-soaked note in the middle of the Target parking lot? Did it say something like “See u at 5:00. Bring your sponge!”? And did you find yourself really wanting to know who the intended recipient was, the purpose of this recipient’s early-evening rendezvous, why in God’s name he or she needed a sponge, and if they’d actually remembered to bring one? If so, or if something close to that has happened to you, I may have a book for you. Postcards is a collection of graphically told stories inspired by real found postcards. Editor Jason Rodriguez has unearthed them from who-knows-where and passed them off to different artists, who, using their individual styles, have postulated on the stories behind them. Conceptually brilliant and perfectly executed, this book brings the reader into the midst of the creative process, allowing him or her to see how the artists draw on misspellings, handwriting, initials, or idiosyncratic phrasings in order to generate a heart-breaking, shocking, or triumphant graphic tale for our enjoyment. This is a must for anyone interested in graphic storytelling…or in nosey speculation.
May 19, 2008
The concept came about serendipitously — a guy dragged along antiquing with his girlfriend, whom he had taken to Hershey, Pa., for her birthday. Amid all the trinkets, Jason Rodriguez unearthed a shoebox full of old, used postcards.
The graphic-novel editor took these brief, often cryptic snapshots of the lives of regular folks and assembled a talented group of artists, including Harvey Pekar, to extrapolate on the postcards’ stories.
Before each short piece, the postcard is displayed with its original penmanship, containing fragments of sadness, hope, humor, intrigue and love.
A touch of voyeurism steeped in Americana, these stories play out like mini-noirs of everyday lives from a bygone era. The artwork sweeps a variety of styles, from traditional comic form to clean spartan lines, rich shading to impressionistic sketchwork.
Skip that trashy novel before going poolside — “Postcards” is the perfect light read without the empty calories.
The graphic-novel editor took these brief, often cryptic snapshots of the lives of regular folks and assembled a talented group of artists, including Harvey Pekar, to extrapolate on the postcards’ stories.
Before each short piece, the postcard is displayed with its original penmanship, containing fragments of sadness, hope, humor, intrigue and love.
A touch of voyeurism steeped in Americana, these stories play out like mini-noirs of everyday lives from a bygone era. The artwork sweeps a variety of styles, from traditional comic form to clean spartan lines, rich shading to impressionistic sketchwork.
Skip that trashy novel before going poolside — “Postcards” is the perfect light read without the empty calories.
November 18, 2009
I bought this book a few years ago at SDCC and I finally got around to reading it. Writers and artists come together to tell stories based off of older postcards and the messages written on them. It's an interesting exercise, and the stories range from sweet romances to creepy murder mysteries, histories and childhoods to campy superheros. My two favorites were "A Joyous Eastertide," a man's memory of his devoted stepmother, who had Tourette's Syndrome, and "Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland," a story of a lost romance, discovered only after a funeral unearths an old, hidden postcard. There are a couple of stories/artwork that is hit-and-miss, but overall I enjoyed this collection so much, particularly compared to other collections like Comic Book Ink. There's a lot more to relate to in this collection, and it will have you thinking about the stories behind postcards... and those that could have been!
October 4, 2012
This is a graphic novel that involves several stories. The stories are told but different authors. The creator behind the book had all these old postcards and sent them to different people so that they could make up a story that "never really happened" to go along with the writing on the postcards and the meaning for the picture. They put a story together by looking at the postcard picture and reading the words that were written by people who once lived and sent the postcard for some reason or another.
I was not sure how well I would like this book for it truly looks like a comic book and they have always confused me. I really do love this novel though and find it so interesting on how the different authors made up stories to fit a different postcard. I love the idea and the made up stories. It makes me want to go out and buy old postcards and make up stories for people to find one day. Just such a neat idea that they share with the world.
I was not sure how well I would like this book for it truly looks like a comic book and they have always confused me. I really do love this novel though and find it so interesting on how the different authors made up stories to fit a different postcard. I love the idea and the made up stories. It makes me want to go out and buy old postcards and make up stories for people to find one day. Just such a neat idea that they share with the world.
August 2, 2011
I was so excited when I got this book! I really was, I was like this is perfect, because I collect postcards, and the thought that this book was a collection of stories created by graphic novel authors and artist creating stories based on old used postcards I was so excited. What a horrible disappointment! I mean, every single one of the stories was horrible and depressing, and that is the very last thing that I want to read, I guess if you are into sad, and depressing, and death and despair, then this book would be right up you alley, but not for me. There was one story at the very end that was good, about a 1940s-esque superhero, but that was it. The art was great, but I couldn't enjoy it really when it was all so sad. I feel especially bad because my friend gave this book to me for christmas, and if she asks me how it was I don't know what to say :(
Read
June 7, 2012Okay, this was good because it consists of short clever stories taken from the real messages on the backs of old postcards. The artists and writers take what is written and expand to make a short story. Easy to follow and I have trouble with the direction the panels go sometimes. I'm not a big fan of the dark pen, and the clarity of the message being conveyed is obscure to me in many cases, but this one was fun. There's probably a print novel in one of these stories, sorry, I couldn't see a lengthy graphic novel here.
I also read another anthology edited by William Ward called "Fablewood", not listed on this site and no ISBN number that I can find. Great use of color panels and clever stories, with good artwork. Again, I just can't get interested in them. Give me "Calvin and Hobbes" any day.
I also read another anthology edited by William Ward called "Fablewood", not listed on this site and no ISBN number that I can find. Great use of color panels and clever stories, with good artwork. Again, I just can't get interested in them. Give me "Calvin and Hobbes" any day.
December 14, 2014
The concept behind this anthology of short comics is intriguing: the editor bought a bunch of antique postcards at various flea markets and sent them out to contributors. The contributors then each picked a single postcard and crafted a story out of the picture on the front and the words on the back.
The results are. . . mixed. Many of the stories are cramped, as if forced to detail complicated characters and situations in too small of a space. Others are difficult to interpret. Constraining a highly personal vision within a real-life physical object turns out to be somewhat hit-or-miss. I will say that the few hits are pretty good though, my favorite being "Cora's Dress".
In summary I'd have to say that 'Postcards' doesn't quite work. But it's still a great concept, a reminder of all the snippets of humanity hidden in the mementos all around us.
The results are. . . mixed. Many of the stories are cramped, as if forced to detail complicated characters and situations in too small of a space. Others are difficult to interpret. Constraining a highly personal vision within a real-life physical object turns out to be somewhat hit-or-miss. I will say that the few hits are pretty good though, my favorite being "Cora's Dress".
In summary I'd have to say that 'Postcards' doesn't quite work. But it's still a great concept, a reminder of all the snippets of humanity hidden in the mementos all around us.
August 27, 2007
Somewhere in the vein of Found, this is a more often tragic or bitterweet than funny journey through the imagined stories behind old discarded postcards. The amount of research put into recreating the bygone era of these postcards was sometimes lost on me, because many a story hinged on some unseen custom from that age. Sometimes the stories just seemed to trail off without an end. This might be artistic license by these mostly indie writers, but it left me unsatisfied after a few of the stories. That being said, the ones that click REALLY click, and remind me of wha a great idea this is behind this book. Here's hoping for Postcards, Vol. 2!
March 5, 2008
I'm a frequent postcard writer, so I was intrigued by this book of old abandoned postcards turned into comic stories. Most of the 5-10 page stories are pretty good, though as in any anthology, there are some weak entries. I was particularly put off by Harvey Pekar and Joyce Brabner's comic, which was a cursory summary of their lives that added little from the movie American Splendor. On the other hand, my favorites were Phil Hester's story about a stepmother with Tourette's Syndrome, and Stuart Moore and Michael Gaydos's tale of tic-tac-toe sharks.
November 14, 2007
well, it wasn't the greatest book ever, but it was good bus reading. real old postcards paired with comics imagined out of them...good concept, but sometimes I felt like the stories were a bit forced, and that maybe I wouldn't mind taking a stab at writing some of them. Most of the illustrators seemed to be regular comic book artists (i.e. not the artsy bunch), which was a bit refreshing.
Also, it seemed a little too easy for some of the writers to read lesbian undertones in things written 100 years ago. Sometimes language changes. Some people forgot that.
But whatevs.
Also, it seemed a little too easy for some of the writers to read lesbian undertones in things written 100 years ago. Sometimes language changes. Some people forgot that.
But whatevs.
January 16, 2009
I love the conceit of this book: take an antique postcard, and then create a comic based on the message, picture or both. All the stories are so different from one another, and so different from what I would have come up with if I had been given the postcard. They brought in some wonderful artists and writers for this book. (Although, honestly, I was less than impressed with Pekar's story at the end.) I really hope that they do another collection of these comics, and I would love to read more of these stories!
July 5, 2011
I found this a really interesting idea. The editor, a collector of vintage postcards, enlisted his comic book writer and artist friends to present short graphic stories based on the postcards. The concept is so cool and the postcards chosen are fascinating in and of themselves. It was really cool to see where the authors/artists took the stories. I think in nearly every introduction, the editor was saying "well they didn't see the same thing I did when I read this one," which is what makes this anthology so cool. A couple were misses for me, but on the whole, I really liked this.
February 13, 2008
Finished this graphic novel in a cozy evening in bed. The premise is that the various authors/artists each had an old postcard and then developed a story around the written text. One thing I miss about living in Las Vegas is that there are few antique shops. Back east, every dusty antique place has a box or two of old postcards that you can thumb through. Each one tells a story. Finally, this book attempts to imagine what those stories could be. I highly recommend this book.
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