Mars Attacks!, The Topps Company

Mars Attacks is a series of science fiction trading cards produced by Topps in 1962, depicting the gruesome invasion of Earth by Martians. The story unfolds over the course of the 55 card series, showing futuristic battle scenes with Martians, and their cruel, often bizarre methods of attack and torture. The series culminates with a human insurrection and the destruction of Mars. The short lived series retained it's devoted following and quickly became a collectors item and remains hugely popular and influential today. Tim Burton's 1996 movie adaptation of the story brought Mars Attacks back to the forefront of pop culture and the upcoming 50th anniversary in 2012 will do the same, introducing the story to a new generation of fans. Includes rare and never before seen material (sketches, concept art, test market materials), as well as an introduction by the series' creator, Len Brown, and an afterword by Zina Saunders, daughter of the original artist.

Like anyone with a vaguely geeky side, I love to collect stuff. As soon as there's more than one in a series, or multiple lines, I like to have them all. There's an element of completionist in anyone who's obsessive about their passions, whether that be Pokemon Cards (had every S1 card but Rapidash) or the Animorphs books (still missing much of the final set, but always looking).

For any child growing up in the UK, the first thing they will collect seriously are Panini stickers. These were the currency of the 90's playground. Before Pogs and Tazos, before YoYos and finger skateboards, stickers were the prized possession, with spares to be swapped, sold or bartered for those you still needed.

I have fond memories of the trip to the local corner shop to pick up pack of 6 Jurassic Park or football stickers (and then inevitably get 5 out of 6 I already own, made up for by a new shiny).

I am so grateful that we didn't have the American style 'cards' system that seems to have crept in since the big sticker companies folded. If we had, I suspect I would be living in a room filled with cards.

Instead, I live in a room filled with books, so the Mars Attacks! volume from Topps is the perfect purchase - collecting all of the initial 60's run of Mars Attacks cards, plus reproductions of the 1994 designs, and the 'lost' images that were never released.

Part art book, part oral history of the genesis and critical derision that greeted the cards, part record of a cult success that spawned comics books, action figures and a Tim Burton film, this is a great way of collecting an incredible collection cheaply.

The cultural history implicit in its pages is fascinating - the remaining first drafts of the cards show just how much had to be changed before they were released. Incredibly, the majority of the redesigns were less about the (incredibly rendered) gory violence, and more about the perceived immorality of scantily clad women. Scenes where people are decapitated by giant insects were altered to cover women's shoulders, whilst a burning dog, or spouts of blood escape censure (at least at first).

Also Try:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31558613@N00/sets/72157625601126001/ - Complete set of Mars Attacks! Cards on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nerdcoreblog/sets/72157622577125417/ - Complete set of Dinosaurs Attack! Cards on Flickr