1962 Bubbles INC (Topps) Mars Attacks

[LuckyLarry]

The Mars Attacks trading card series was created by Topps in 1962. Product developer Len Brown, inspired by Wally Wood's cover for EC Comics' Weird Science #16, pitched the idea to Woody Gelman. Gelman and Brown created the story — with Brown writing the copy — and created rough sketches. They enlisted Wood to flesh out the sketches and Bob Powell to finish them. Norman Saunders painted most of the 55-card set (Maurice Blumenfeld painted 10 - 20% of them, but Saunders provided the finishing touches to all of the images).

The cards, which sold for five cents per pack of five, were test marketed by Topps through the dummy corporation 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 55 cards to reduce the gore and sexuality. However, inquiries from a Connecticut district attorney caused Topps to halt production of the series altogether before the replacements could even be printed.

[LuckyLarry]

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[commishbob]

When the Sisters of Charity at St Mary’s in Nutley NJ confiscated your baseball cards in 1962 you were getting them back on the last day of school. When they nabbed your Mars Attacks (or Civil War News) cards you were guaranteed to get a whack in the back of the head, a note sent home to Mom, and the agony of watching your cards torn to pieces.

Maybe that’s why building the sets as an adult was so satisfying!

[LuckyLarry]

Thanks for the laugh Bob! I was nine years old back in 1962, and grew up in Southern California. I remember collecting CWN cards (still my favorite set) but don't think I ever saw Mars Attack cards.

Originally Posted by commishbob

When the Sisters of Charity at St Mary’s in Nutley NJ confiscated your baseball cards in 1962 you were getting them back on the last day of school When they nabbed your Mars Attacks (or Civil War News) cards you were guaranteed to get a whack in the back of the head, a note sent home to Mom, and the agony of watching your cards torn to pieces.

Maybe that’s why building the sets as an adult was so satisfying!

[LuckyLarry]

Where are we at in the story-line?

Life on Mars could not continue due to atomic pressures below the surface of the 4th planet, and an atomic explosion of Mars was imminent. Martian leaders decide to attack earth! After traveling 48,000,000 miles the saucers await instructions. The first attack was against an Army Base, and soldiers were cut down with strange rays. As news traveled the President declares a State of national emergency!

A squadron of jet planes was dispatched, and they fired on the saucers, but the ammo bounced off the exterior of the saucers. The alien ships downed two jets, and intentionally collided with another. The saucers then attacked Washington DC destroying the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. The entire city was set aflame, and all Americans wondered about the safety of our President. Then a fleet of Navy destroyers was attacked off the Philippine Islands.

The flying saucers aimed their potent rays at the Golden Gate Bridge melting the beams and cars plunged into the icy waters, people had no way of escaping their steel coffins. Death and destruction came next to New York City. Martian spaceships appeared without warning, and the people panicked fleeing to shelters. The death ray struck time and time again, and what was once known as the Great White Way had become a showcase of horror. The Army rushed units into the city with tanks and bazookas, but no known weapon could combat the saucers.

The Empire State Building crackled in flames and thousands of lives are lost. Fires sprang up everywhere, and police are helpless. NYC was burning down and no one can help. The Martians set about destroying the city and killing the citizens, meanwhile all communications are completely disrupted. The invaders gunned down any stray survivors without mercy. Additional US Army jet fighters are deployed, one brave Army pilot tried to follow the saucers but he got burned alive.

Martian leaders excitedly watched the progress of the invasion through TV cameras sending reports millions of miles through space. Paris is crushed, London is immobilized, Rome is destroyed. All this pleased the Martian leaders. Saucers chased a doctor driving home, reaching speeds of 100 MPH then the atomic beams struck the car, burst into flames, and ended up in a ditch.

The four corners of the earth were drenched in blood . In China people were terrorized by a weapon not even their folklore foretold. Believing the saucers were the will of angry gods, the Chinese peasants made little effort to escape. England’s House of Parliament was attacked, and falling debris injured many. Several officials were burnt alive. No barrier could withstand these powerful weapons, it cut through concrete like butter. Some invader grabbed this girl right out of her bed!

Army and Marine units are deployed, but the invaders destroyed all the humans they saw. One US soldier darted out of his hiding spot to attack, but a Martian ray ended his life.

Stay tuned for more tomorrow!

[commishbob]

Looking forward to more, Larry.

I backed the modern reboots of this franchise on Kickstarter. It was very well done, and I got carried away and spent far too much chasing the 'art cards' that were available.