Mars Attacks

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This article is about the trading card series. For the 1996 film based on it, see Mars Attacks!.

Mars Attacks is a highly popular lurid science fiction trading card series.

1 Trading cards
2 Film adaptation
3 See also
4 External links
5 Mars Attacks cards fan sites

[edit] Trading cards

The Mars Attacks trading card series was created by Topps and painted by Norman Saunders over pencil roughs by Wally Wood and finished pencil art by Bob Powell. Originally released in 1962, the cards, written by Len Brown and Woody Gelman, told an outrageous story of the invasion of Earth by cruel, hideous Martians. Scenes depicted usually showed the bizarre methods of attack, torture and slaughter the Martians used. They included being fired at with rayguns, attacked by Martian-controlled giant robots and insects, and flying saucers. The 55-card series developed a cult following and has been reprinted occasionally.

[edit] Film adaptation

In 1996, Tim Burton's movie Mars Attacks!, based on the cards, was released by Warner Bros. The film combines the storyline and tone of a B-movie spoof with the budget of a blockbuster movie and features an ensemble cast of major stars including Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Pierce Brosnan, Joe Don Baker, Annette Bening, Danny DeVito, Martin Short, Michael J. Fox, Natalie Portman, Lukas Haas, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jim Brown, Pam Grier, Tom Jones and Jack Black.

The film was panned by American critics when it was first released, but it was better received and more successful in Europe. It has since acquired a small cult following and can often be seen on cable TV in North America.