• About/Contact
  • Handmade Works
  • The Main Event
Menu

WFDJ

  • About/Contact
  • Handmade Works
  • The Main Event
×
mars.jpg

Mars Attacks! Original 1962 Topps trading card set scans as JPG files

Chris Burns April 6, 2019

From the 1962 original Topps trading card set: MARS ATTACKS! Included are the fronts and backs of the 55-card set as well as several images of the box and pack design.

Mars Attacks - A SHORT SYNOPSIS OF THE STORY
Planning to conquer the Earth, Mars sends flying saucers through space carrying deadly weapons. Burning the cities, the Martians destroy much of Earth’s population. The enemy then enlarges insects to over 500 times their normal size and releases them on the helpless planet. People go into hiding, knowing that death is the consequence if they are discovered by the creatures. Despite its losses, Earth launches a counterattack that shatters the Martians on their home planet, Mars.

01a_5315367121_o.jpg
01b_5315367477_o.jpg
02a_5315087011_o.jpg
02b_5315678002_o.jpg
03a_5315677680_o.jpg
03b_5315085929_o.jpg
04a_5315086741_o.jpg
04b_5315682216_o.jpg
05a_5315679978_o.jpg
05b_5315678276_o.jpg
06a_5315090021_o.jpg
06b_5315678810_o.jpg
07a_5315090329_o.jpg
07b_5315084819_o.jpg
08a_5315684362_o.jpg
08b_5315681378_o.jpg
09a_5315085661_o.jpg
09b_5315084223_o.jpg
10a_5315084515_o.jpg
10b_5315089107_o.jpg
11a_5315088829_o.jpg
11b_5315680274_o.jpg
12a_5315083687_o.jpg
12b_5315087945_o.jpg
13a_5315087673_o.jpg
13b_5315088513_o.jpg
14a_5315683102_o.jpg
14b_5315677428_o.jpg
15a_5315086207_o.jpg
15b_5315089743_o.jpg
16a_5315670900_o.jpg
16b_5315667998_o.jpg
17a_5315667684_o.jpg
17b_5315669630_o.jpg
18a_5315668636_o.jpg
18b_5315667412_o.jpg
19a_5315074493_o.jpg
19b_5315666858_o.jpg
20a_5315670660_o.jpg
20b_5315671198_o.jpg
21a_5315072225_o.jpg
21b_5315671558_o.jpg
22a_5315668880_o.jpg
22b_5315668330_o.jpg
23a_5315669144_o.jpg
23b_5315067089_o.jpg
24a_5315065517_o.jpg
24b_5315661218_o.jpg
25a_5315660702_o.jpg
25b_5315066763_o.jpg
26a_5315067355_o.jpg
26b_5315067669_o.jpg
27a_5315660016_o.jpg
27b_5315660928_o.jpg
28a_5315062181_o.jpg
28b_5315062419_o.jpg
29a_5315656696_o.jpg
29b_5315061603_o.jpg
30a_5315656118_o.jpg
30b_5315653442_o.jpg
31a_5315653230_o.jpg
31b_5315654002_o.jpg
32a_5315653778_o.jpg
32b_5315010001_o.jpg
33a_5315009413_o.jpg
33b_5315010269_o.jpg
34a_5315604148_o.jpg
34b_5315011081_o.jpg
35a_5315605730_o.jpg
35b_5315010779_o.jpg
36a_5315009709_o.jpg
36b_5315011349_o.jpg
37a_5315604426_o.jpg
37b_5315600592_o.jpg
38a_5315601100_o.jpg
38b_5315600206_o.jpg
39a_5315004079_o.jpg
39b_5315601362_o.jpg
40a_5315600848_o.jpg
40b_5315004369_o.jpg
41a_5315003803_o.jpg
41b_5315596444_o.jpg
42a_5315000643_o.jpg
42b_5315596970_o.jpg
43a_5315000391_o.jpg
43b_5315596718_o.jpg
44a_5315595584_o.jpg
44b_5314997365_o.jpg
45a_5314997621_o.jpg
45b_5315593246_o.jpg
46a_5314997117_o.jpg
46b_5314998081_o.jpg
47a_5315590628_o.jpg
47b_5315590414_o.jpg
48a_5314995449_o.jpg
48b_5315591162_o.jpg
49a_5315588922_o.jpg
49b_5314993001_o.jpg
50a_5314993249_o.jpg
50b_5315587146_o.jpg
51a_5315586902_o.jpg
51b_5315586076_o.jpg
52a_5314990371_o.jpg
52b_5314989555_o.jpg
53a_5315584730_o.jpg
53b_5314988311_o.jpg
54a_5314972549_o.jpg
54b_5315567322_o.jpg
55a_5314971245_o.jpg
55b_5315565030_o.jpg

While other scans of this set exist, this used set represents the true-to-life nature of the cards as they exist today. Supposing they were actually collected by a kid when they came out, and weren't kept in collectable sleeves in a drawer for the past few decades.  

This set comes from Keith Bates at https://www.flickr.com/photos/31558613@N00/albums 

15_19569a_lg.jpeg
1962-topps-mars-attacks-display-box-wrapper.jpg
mars attack display box1.jpg

 

Initial marketing for the set was done through dummy corp Bubbles, Inc with name "Attack from Space". Production was halted by Topps when a Connecticut District Attorney initiated an inquiry into the violent nature of the artwork.

attackfromspace.jpg marsattacks4.jpg marsattacks7.jpg marsattacks2.jpg marsattacks6.jpg marsattacks3.jpg marsattacks1.jpg

Inspiration: Weird Science #16 (EC Comics) cover by Wallace Wood
Story and rough sketches: Topps Product Developer Len Brown, Topps Editor and Art Director Woody Gelman.
Further Fleshing Out of Sketches: Wallace Wood
Even Further Fleshing Out of Sketches: Bob Powell
Final Artwork / Painting: Norman Saunders

weirdscience13.jpg
← ALIEN Covenant Movie Materials and ReviewLondon Prop Store Harry Lange Star Wars Auction Catalogue →