Tales from the Island of Serendip 4 4

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Mars Attacks

 

Eventually, Saunders took up work for Topps, most famously for the classic ‘Mars Attacks’ series.

 

The story goes that product developer Len Brown, inspired by Wally Wood's cover for EC Comics' Weird Science #16, pitched the idea to art director Woody Gelman. Wood fleshed out his and Gelman's initial sketches, and Bob Powell did the final designs. Saunders painted the 55-card set.

 

The cards were test marketed by Topps through a dummy corporation called Bubbles, Inc. under the name Attack From Space. Sales were sufficient to expand the marketing, and the name was changed to Mars Attacks. The cards sparked parental and community outrage over their graphic violence and implied sexuality. Topps responded initially by repainting 13 of the cards to reduce the gore and sexuality; then, following inquiries from a Connecticut district attorney, Topps agreed to halt production.

Here in the UK, I would have been ten years of age when the Mars Attacks craze hit my school. [many sets were confiscated by police going door-to-door.] I did manage to collect the set - twice [there must have been a later reissue I think!]

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For anyone who's interested, there is a pretty cool book [and a facsimile set was published some years back, which I'm grateful to have!].

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According to a note in the book, this is the only known unopened pack - imagine!

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More from the book...

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