cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/48917334

This artwork by Norm Saunders was created for the 1962 Mars Attacks trading card series from Topps. Based on sketches by Wally Wood and Bob Powell, Saunders painted the final image in oil for Card #17, “Beast And The Beauty”.

An earlier version featured a man in bed, but the published card replaced him with a woman, a common pulp convention of the time to heighten drama and appeal. The series, conceived by Len Brown and Woody Gelman, became infamous for its lurid sci-fi violence and was briefly pulled from stores before gaining cult status.

1962 Mars Attacks series cards