Retrofuturistic Topps Space Cards from 1958

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1958, fried eggs, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, meteor, Moon, outer space, planets, topps, trading cards, vintage space art

Space travel ain’t what it used to be! Technology, design, and planetary knowledge have evolved since these beautiful Topps trading cards came out in 1958. But if you are like me and easily amused by vintage space art, these cards are worth checking out.

Below is a slideshow featuring a few dozen of my favorites. You can find a complete collection, including scans of the text on the back of the cards, at http://www1.coe.neu.edu/~dan/tsc/go.html

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Meteor Peril! Isn’t space travel exciting?! The only thing that could make it more fun is fried eggs.

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gravity

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earth, gravity, Moon, planets, poems, poetry, writing

gravity

the moon burns for the ocean
when no one else can see the sun

he cares nothing for what her tides erode
with violent patience

nor the animals lost
in her limitless depth

he only wants her
closer

they hold each other
across unchartable distance

never touching
but never pulled apart

 

This poem appears in the collection Inner Planets: 50 Poems by Matthew Howard. Available in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook.

frontier

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animal inside you, frontier, Moon, planets, poems, poetry

Frontier

Luna, our beloved crescent,
you swell until you are full enough
to hang heavy against the horizon
like the breast of a pregnant woman.

You will be the first we settle,
our laboratory to test survival
on other stones that fill the sky and
telescopes. How could we resist touching you?

Will you shudder with pleasure
beneath our fingertips, or recoil
at the machines and metallic intrusions,
the rivets and girders of our civilization?

You have been our goddess
since before the dawn of history.
Now we will bring you atmosphere
and mark you with our scent.

We have always been inseparable.
Now we will be close.

This poem appears in the collection Inner Planets: 50 Poems by Matthew Howard. Available in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook.

 

Alarming Tales 6: Moon Descent!

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Alarming Tales, dinosaur, Harvey Comics, Moon

This one page story from Alarming Tales showcases two of our favorite things: going to the moon, and dinosaurs! We’re not really sure who gets the credit for this, but feel free to enlighten us.

Collector’s Guide:
– From Alarming Tales #6; Harvey, 1958.

Issues #1-3 are now collected in a Kindle version!

Life on Other Worlds – The Moon!

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golden age, Life on Other Worlds, Moon, Planet Comics, Trip to the Moon

In the future, women will not wear much clothing. But they will be in awe of man’s ability to ride ferocious beasts and kill really ugly monsters. In other words, it will end up being a lot like the past… At least that’s what we got from reading Planet Comics!

From 1948-1950, Planet Comics included one and two-page features called “Life On Other Worlds.”

A little bit of science and a whole lot of fantasy, they still make for fun reading – and some of the rocket ships and aliens are outta sight! This month, we share with you the complete “Life On Other Worlds” features. So strap on your space helmet – and remind your girlfriend to undress before departure!

Life on Other Worlds appeared in Planet Comics #49-51, #54-61, and #64.