Revisiting my favorite card set of all time
MarsAttacks
Posts: 279 ✭✭✭
Have decided to refocus some of my card collecting energy on my favorite issue, the 1962 Topps "Bubbles" Mars Attacks set. I sold most of my set a few years back, and have missed those crazy aliens ever since.
Here are some fairly recent pick-ups. Hoping you enjoy them (and the journey to acquire more) as much as I do!
Think I read somewhere that Norm Saunders (one of the set's artists), actually posed for this card
Was this a preview of Brexit?
Go Dodgers!
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Comments
I'm a baseball card collector exclusively, but even I can appreciate the coolness of this set. Those are high-grade beauties you've picked-up, looking forward to seeing your progress.
Cool set for sure! Nice looking cards.
Another Norm Saunders triumph!
I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight, Merry Christmas to all, and to all...Mars Explodes!
I was looking through the recent PWCC auction results and saw this card yesterday and thought of this thread. Nice to see the card make an appearance in it.
Congrats on the Mars Explodes. Beautiful card and was fun to watch the auction unfold. AWESOME CARD!!
I love this set too and someday will get around to starting a NM one. Congrats on those pick-ups, it's AMAZING to see these cards in high grade!
HOLY CRAP ... Did you buy that Mars Explodes?
Doug
Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
Thanks for the very kind words gents - Really pleased to add #54 to the collection.
Now if I could only convince a certain board member to sell me his #21 card
Prize Captive or bust!
Some recent additions, thanks to an incredible set break offered up a few nights ago, including Prize Captive!
I never really looked closely at these cards before, but they look awesome.
Congrats on your recent pickups.
Donato
Donato's Complete US Type Set ---- Donato's Dansco 7070 Modified Type Set ---- Donato's Basic U.S. Coin Design Set
Successful transactions: Shrub68 (Jim), MWallace (Mike)
beauties. congrats!
That Martian on No. 21 certainly has good taste!
Painted, of course, by Norm Saunders, the same artist who did the Wacky Packages!
They're all beauties, and some of them a pure classics (such as #21.) I love them too! Just in more modest grades. Good luck in pursuing more high grade gems!
Beautiful cards michael, enjoy them!!!!
Thanks everyone for the really nice comments - really enjoying sharing these cards with everyone here as my better half is not nearly as enthusiastic about them, or the T-Shirt depicting them that I'll be sporting at the National (okay - it's a little obnoxious - LOL).
Here's a couple more classics from the set-
I actually measured this with a micrometer, hoping I could get it into a straight 8 holder, but alas, it's 72/28 on front. Still really love how the card presents though.
As a dog lover, this one has always disturbed me!
Beautiful cards and artwork. PSA 8.5 is my favorite grade and these show well for that grade.
Congrats on your recent pickups, they look fantastic.
Donato
Donato's Complete US Type Set ---- Donato's Dansco 7070 Modified Type Set ---- Donato's Basic U.S. Coin Design Set
Successful transactions: Shrub68 (Jim), MWallace (Mike)
I played Destroy All Humans on my newly aquired modded Xbox this saturday and i found myself in the 1950s in the middle of that card set you described.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/78-000-games-Modded-Xbox-1TB-COINOPS-8-MASSIVE-HYPERVISION-4-VISIONARY-5-/132189446179?hash=item1ec71ae023:g:3jsAAOSwYXVYypxv
If you collect this set you neeeeeed to play Destroy all humans 1 and 2 it is a must. You get to be that big headed alien.
here is a video
back to work
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_players_from_Panama
Have a feeling that the alien pickups are going to slow down soon as it's much easier to find the cards you need when starting at zero!
With a few more on the way, only 41 cards to go!
Who is the artist? Pretty cool cards!
Successful card BST transactions with cbcnow, brogurt, gstarling, Bravesfan 007, and rajah 424.
The OP mentions Norm Saunders as one of the artists. According to Wiki, Wallace Allan Wood was the other.
Donato
Donato's Complete US Type Set ---- Donato's Dansco 7070 Modified Type Set ---- Donato's Basic U.S. Coin Design Set
Successful transactions: Shrub68 (Jim), MWallace (Mike)
As Donato mentions, Norm Saunders was the primary painter, with some assists from others on a few of the cards. Early pencil sketches were done by Wally Wood, primarily to create the look of the martians, and the action scenes were penciled by comic book veteran Bob Powell. There's a great book released in 2012 for the 50th anniversary of the cards with some really cool insights and history from Len Brown, the co-creator.
One of my favorite things about collecting cards is the amazing stories that ensue when you start talking about collecting interests. Was recently chatting with a hockey collecting buddy, and I casually mentioned Mars Attacks cards being a focal point of my collecting interest. He proceeded to tell me all about his recollections of buying these cards in Maryland from vending machines in 1962, and how excited he was to get the checklist to complete the set. One more piece to the mysterious distribution story of this set. Those kind of memories really fuel the collecting passion for me.
A few recent pick-ups of these cardboard works of art -
These are really cool and must be rare. About as rare as a Dodger fan in North Cal.
I've enjoyed reading this thread.
Collecting Unopened from '72-'83; mostly BBCE certified boxes/cases/racks.
Prefer to buy in bulk.
Very nice! Always fun to read threads about non-sports set; it is a rare treat. Continued luck in piecing this together!
Matt
Really nice pickups Michael.
Have never thought of doing the set - let alone in that kind of quality. Well done buddy.
Awesome Cards!! Congrats!
Ack ack a-dak!
love this set
Thanks everyone for taking this fun journey with me and for sharing your thoughts and memories about this crazy alien cardboard. It's so cool to me how this issue seems to transcend the sports card/non sports card worlds.
Doing a little inventorying on a quiet Saturday morning, and had a few recently acquired, that I realized hadn't made an appearance here.
"Nice Planet, I think we'll take it!"
Your cards are beautiful. You have a great eye. I've always enjoyed this set from afar. What do they say, copying is the sincerest form of flattery?
The Argentinean version of Topps released this set around the same time, obviously in Spanish, named Marte Ataca. The cards are quite rare and extremely difficult to find in even mid-grade.
In 1987, the artist Bob Ting, who was a huge fan of the Mars Attacks set, created his own spoof set called Uranus Attacks. He painted all of the cards and even went so far as to create the pack wrapper and issue wax boxes of the cards. They've found a niche in and of themselves in the hobby. You know you've had an impact on a culture when people are creating homages decades later. The Mars Attacks set is truly an iconic trading card set, be it sport or nonsport.
For fun, here are a few of the Uranus Attacks cards:
Ack ack a-dak!
Thanks for sharing this awesome story! I had never heard of or seen these cards before your post. I'll have to pick up a set, or that cool looking 3D poster advertised on the wrapper! The ongoing emulations of Mars Attacks have definitely kept the story going for the past 50+ years. Bob showed some pretty serious dedication here - very impressive!
The Topps reissues over the past 5 years have also resulted in some fantastic artwork renditions.
Can't forget "Dinosaurs Attacks!" Special thanks to Mike @Stone193 for graciously sending this box to Sachi and I
Happy Holidays from Mars! All the best to you and yours - Looking forward to seeing everyone at the National in August!
The set continues its journey