In 2013, Topps revived legendary trading card set Mars Attacks, for a stunning new collection of cards. Running under the name, Mars Attacks: Invasion, the series was described by Topps as a “bold revival of the iconic and infamous trading card set first published in 1962”.
The card set collected together a strong group of artists to retell the Martian invasion of Earth. Artists such as Fred Hembeck, Matt Frank, Earl Norem, and Walt Simonson all provided pieces to the series, resulting in some eye-popping imagery.
In addition to the main story of the Martian invasion, the set also included multiple subcategories and bonus cards. These cards were equally as impressive as the core story cards, and helped make this a truly magnificent throwback to the trading cards of yesteryear.
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Mars Attacks: Invasion 2013 Topps trading cards
The Mars Attacks: Invasion trading cards were divided into five sections. The first section was for the base cards, which covered a total of 95 cards.
The base cards were split into three distinct subcategories: The main story, and two focus sets.
Cards #1 to #58 depicted the entire Martian invasion of Earth, telling a story from start to finish. The cards featured gruesome images, and explained how the Martians decimated and conquered the planet, through deadly force and bizarre experimentation.
With the main story told in the previous 59 cards, cards #60 to #77 was effectively an artwork showcase. These cards featured a collection of art which had previously appeared in Mars Attacks comics published by IDW.
Cards #78 to #95 highlighted the work of various artists who have brought Mars Attacks to life. These cards were yet another impressive showcase of striking images and titanic talent.
As for the remaining cards in this trading card collection, these were divided into the following groups:
- Four Poster cards which played out as a riff on wartime propaganda.
- Six Early Missions cards, depicting early interactions between the Martians and Earthlings in the 1930s, ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s. All six cards were illustrated by Earl Norem.
- Five Masterpiece cards featuring nightmarish depictions of the Martians.
- Six Anatomy cards, which provided a cross section of Martian anatomy, through the use of transparent cards.
To say that this collection was impressive would be selling it short. In my honest opinion, Mars Attacks: Invasionis one of the best trading card sets I have ever seen.
Not only did each card boast artwork that could be framed and hung on a wall, the cards were also given premium printing treatment. The colours were bold and vibrant, some of the cards included foil stamping, and even the card stock was thick – highlighting this was a quality product.
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Simply the best
With pretty much every trading card set I have ever owned, there is something I can nitpick about the cards, even if it is minor issue. There is nothing bad about Mars Attacks: Invasion – this set is fantastic.
I didn’t buy it when it was originally released – I picked up on eBay a couple of years later – but it remains one of my favourite trading card purchases. I’m glad I added this set to my collection and I get plenty of enjoyment from thumbing through the deck every once in a while.
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Mars Attacks: Invasion 2013 movie trading cards stats
To recap, here are the vital stats for the Mars Attacks: Invasion 2013 trading cards.
- Produced by: Topps
- Released: 2013
- Total number of base cards: 95
- Poster cards: 4
- Early missions cards: 6
- Masterpieces cards: 5
- Anatomy cards: 6
- Total number of cards in set: 116
- Artists featured on the cards include: Eric Peterson, Ron Spears, Ed Repka, Joe Jusko, Greg Staples, Tom Kidd, Glen Orbik, Rafael Gallur, Dave Palumbo, Jim Nelson, Ralph Horsley, Alex Horley, Eric Wilkerson, John McCrea, Bill Morrison, Alan Robinson, Dean Haspiel, Fred Hembeck, Chris Giarrusso, Matt Frank, Nick Bradshaw, Simon Bisley, Ken Steacy, Brian Stelfreeze, Dan Brerton, Walt Simonson, Dimitri Patelis, Earl Norem, John Bolton, Jason Edmiston, Sam Keith, Ben Templesmith, Zina Saunders, Chris Mason, Sanjulian, Jeff Miracola, and Hillary Barta.
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Thank you for taking the time to read this post about the Mars Attacks: Invasion trading cards by Topps. For more trading card posts, please take a look at the recommended reads below.
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