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
- 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
The Mars Attacks: Invasion trading cards were divided into five subsections. The first was for the base cards, which covered a total of 95 cards.
The base cards were split into three distinct categories: 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 the 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. Mars Attacks: Invasion is one of the best trading card sets ever.
Not only did each card boast artwork which deserved to 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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