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The EC Artists' Library #12
Spawn of Mars and Other Stories
Wallace Wood fans love his sleek, preternaturally lush art, but they especially love the wonderment of his spectacular science fiction. This highly anticipated mouth-watering collection features over two dozen stories brimming with Wood’s meticulously detailed, genre-defining brushwork—all save the one Wood wrote himself on the typewriter of EC editor Al Feldstein. And with titles like “Spawn of Mars,” “The Dark Side of the Moon,” “A Trip to a Star,” “The Invaders,” “The Secret of Saturn’s Ring,” and “The Two-Century Journey,” how can you go wrong? This is EC science fiction at its finest. Like every book in the Fantagraphics EC line, Spawn of Mars and Other Stories features essays and notes by EC experts on these superbly crafted, classic comic book masterpieces.
The 1950s were also a launching pad for some of the greatest comic book artists in history, many of whom worked for EC — including Wallace Wood, whose hypnotically detailed, lushly expressive brushwork brought to life menacing thugs, ominous cityscapes, and small-town America, as well as Everymen grappling with profound moral issues — not to mention some of the most heart-stoppingly beautiful women ever to sashay across a comic book page.
Like every book in the Fantagraphics EC line, Spawn of Mars features extensive essays and notes on these classic stories by EC experts — but the real “meat” of the matter (sometimes literally, in the grislier stories) is supplied by these ofted lurid, sometimes downright over-the-top, but always compelling and superbly crafted, classic comic-book masterpieces.
The 1950s were also a launching pad for some of the greatest comic book artists in history, many of whom worked for EC — including Wallace Wood, whose hypnotically detailed, lushly expressive brushwork brought to life menacing thugs, ominous cityscapes, and small-town America, as well as Everymen grappling with profound moral issues — not to mention some of the most heart-stoppingly beautiful women ever to sashay across a comic book page.
Like every book in the Fantagraphics EC line, Spawn of Mars features extensive essays and notes on these classic stories by EC experts — but the real “meat” of the matter (sometimes literally, in the grislier stories) is supplied by these ofted lurid, sometimes downright over-the-top, but always compelling and superbly crafted, classic comic-book masterpieces.
216 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2015
11 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
About the author
Wallace Wood
735 books35 followersWallace Allan Wood was an American comic book writer, artist and independent publisher, best known for his work in EC Comics and Mad. Although much of his early professional artwork is signed Wallace Wood, he became known as Wally Wood, a name he claimed to dislike. Within the comics community, he was also known as Woody, a name he sometimes used as a signature.
He was the first inductee into the comic book's Jack Kirby Hall of Fame, in 1989, and was inducted into the subequent Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame three years later.
In addition to Wood's hundreds of comic book pages, he illustrated for books and magazines while also working in a variety of other areas — advertising; packaging and product illustrations; gag cartoons; record album covers; posters; syndicated comic strips; and trading cards, including work on Topps' landmark Mars Attacks set.
For much of his adult life, Wood suffered from chronic, unexplainable headaches. In the 1970s, following bouts with alcoholism, Wood suffered from kidney failure. A stroke in 1978 caused a loss of vision in one eye. Faced with declining health and career prospects, he committed suicide by gunshot three years later.
Wood was married three times. His first marriage was to artist Tatjana Wood, who later did extensive work as a comic-book colorist.
EC editor Harvey Kurtzman, who had worked closely with Wood during the 1950s, once commented, "Wally had a tension in him, an intensity that he locked away in an internal steam boiler. I think it ate away his insides, and the work really used him up. I think he delivered some of the finest work that was ever drawn, and I think it's to his credit that he put so much intensity into his work at great sacrifice to himself".
EC publisher William Gaines once stated, "Wally may have been our most troubled artist... I'm not suggesting any connection, but he may have been our most brilliant".
He was the first inductee into the comic book's Jack Kirby Hall of Fame, in 1989, and was inducted into the subequent Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame three years later.
In addition to Wood's hundreds of comic book pages, he illustrated for books and magazines while also working in a variety of other areas — advertising; packaging and product illustrations; gag cartoons; record album covers; posters; syndicated comic strips; and trading cards, including work on Topps' landmark Mars Attacks set.
For much of his adult life, Wood suffered from chronic, unexplainable headaches. In the 1970s, following bouts with alcoholism, Wood suffered from kidney failure. A stroke in 1978 caused a loss of vision in one eye. Faced with declining health and career prospects, he committed suicide by gunshot three years later.
Wood was married three times. His first marriage was to artist Tatjana Wood, who later did extensive work as a comic-book colorist.
EC editor Harvey Kurtzman, who had worked closely with Wood during the 1950s, once commented, "Wally had a tension in him, an intensity that he locked away in an internal steam boiler. I think it ate away his insides, and the work really used him up. I think he delivered some of the finest work that was ever drawn, and I think it's to his credit that he put so much intensity into his work at great sacrifice to himself".
EC publisher William Gaines once stated, "Wally may have been our most troubled artist... I'm not suggesting any connection, but he may have been our most brilliant".
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 4, 2019
Spawn of Mars and Other Stories collects 25 of Wally Wood's EC stories, plus five more featuring Wood and Harry Harrison.
In stories written by Al Feldstein, Harry Harrison, and Wood himself, this volume tackles topics like time travel, androids, nuclear war, overpopulation, prejudice, racism, and the Wood specialty, space travel.
The black and white artwork lays bare Wood's artwork, showcasing his talent. Wally Wood's cramped spacecraft and clunky equipment give his subjects a harder edge than a lot of science fiction tales. Wood could draw anything and draw it well, and he does in this volume. In Spawn of Mars, we get sexy women, mutants, monsters, and dashing heroes. As good as he is as a penciller, I have to say Wally Wood is probably the best inker comics have ever had. The black and white format emphasizes his inking skill. His use of black is unparalleled.
The stories are a lot of fun, in and of themselves, but the Wood artwork is what really sells them. There are some great tales in here, like Enemies of The Colony, The Black Arts, The Two Century Journey, The Sinking of the Titanic, hell, most of them are really. The reversal of fortune endings are in full effect.
Wallace Wood was a comic legend and Spawn of Mars and Other Tales is a great example of that. Five out of five ray guns.
In stories written by Al Feldstein, Harry Harrison, and Wood himself, this volume tackles topics like time travel, androids, nuclear war, overpopulation, prejudice, racism, and the Wood specialty, space travel.
The black and white artwork lays bare Wood's artwork, showcasing his talent. Wally Wood's cramped spacecraft and clunky equipment give his subjects a harder edge than a lot of science fiction tales. Wood could draw anything and draw it well, and he does in this volume. In Spawn of Mars, we get sexy women, mutants, monsters, and dashing heroes. As good as he is as a penciller, I have to say Wally Wood is probably the best inker comics have ever had. The black and white format emphasizes his inking skill. His use of black is unparalleled.
The stories are a lot of fun, in and of themselves, but the Wood artwork is what really sells them. There are some great tales in here, like Enemies of The Colony, The Black Arts, The Two Century Journey, The Sinking of the Titanic, hell, most of them are really. The reversal of fortune endings are in full effect.
Wallace Wood was a comic legend and Spawn of Mars and Other Tales is a great example of that. Five out of five ray guns.
December 30, 2023
Beautiful artwork.
I wasn't a big fan of the stories written by Feldstein/Gaines which make up the bulk of the book. They're sci-fi stories with a little twist at the end. Pretty formulaic -- basically just imagine the twist of Planet of the Apes told in 6 pages.
The first page of all the stories are wonderful. I love the large title caption and Wood always delivers a striking image.
I enjoyed the stories that Wood drew with Harry Harrison. The art was a bit more simplistic but there's so much more breathing room on the page.
I wasn't a big fan of the stories written by Feldstein/Gaines which make up the bulk of the book. They're sci-fi stories with a little twist at the end. Pretty formulaic -- basically just imagine the twist of Planet of the Apes told in 6 pages.
The first page of all the stories are wonderful. I love the large title caption and Wood always delivers a striking image.
I enjoyed the stories that Wood drew with Harry Harrison. The art was a bit more simplistic but there's so much more breathing room on the page.
October 22, 2016
I've learned three things from Spawn of Mars
1. Never ever go to space. It never ends well, but it always ends ironically.
2. Putting Caucasian males with 1950's sexist/racist attitudes into situations where they need to be our representatives/ambassadors is always a mistake.
3. Earth's overpopulation/imminent destruction problems can be solved by building extravagantly expensive spaceships for a surprisingly few number of select people. Also, people are really very altruistic about who gets to go. Maybe because they know in space there is only ironic horror.
1. Never ever go to space. It never ends well, but it always ends ironically.
2. Putting Caucasian males with 1950's sexist/racist attitudes into situations where they need to be our representatives/ambassadors is always a mistake.
3. Earth's overpopulation/imminent destruction problems can be solved by building extravagantly expensive spaceships for a surprisingly few number of select people. Also, people are really very altruistic about who gets to go. Maybe because they know in space there is only ironic horror.
January 27, 2018
So much fun: though the stories are forgettable, the art by Wally Wood is top-notch. I read most of these in the Russ Cochran complete reprinting in early 1980s, some again in 1990s, and forgot all story details. But I love the way these Fantagraphics anthologies have grouped the EC stories by artist, and Wood was prime, the top of the science fiction and comics talent.
Here you get five stories dominated by his collaborator Harry Harrison for comparison.
Thanks to Atlanta-Fulton Public Library for the loan!
Highly recommended.
Here you get five stories dominated by his collaborator Harry Harrison for comparison.
Thanks to Atlanta-Fulton Public Library for the loan!
Highly recommended.
February 7, 2023
This fascinating collection of science-fiction comics from the early 1950s set the stage for many of the science fiction tropes that are common today like self-causation in time travel (as evidenced in popular movies like 12 Monkeys and Looper), AI androids turning on human masters (I.e. Ex Machina), and many more.
Though I’m not a comics buff, I do appreciate some of them, and it was entertaining how these illustrators and writers from 1950 and 1951 imagined space travel (everyone smoked!) and the future (capes are in!).
It’s important to remember that these comics came out a full decade before the first manned mission to space. So much was unknown, and it’s refreshing to see how their imaginations weren’t bound by what we now know about space travel.
Overall, I found this sensationalized collection of comics to be quite entertaining.
4 / 5 stars
Though I’m not a comics buff, I do appreciate some of them, and it was entertaining how these illustrators and writers from 1950 and 1951 imagined space travel (everyone smoked!) and the future (capes are in!).
It’s important to remember that these comics came out a full decade before the first manned mission to space. So much was unknown, and it’s refreshing to see how their imaginations weren’t bound by what we now know about space travel.
Overall, I found this sensationalized collection of comics to be quite entertaining.
4 / 5 stars
January 14, 2018
An extensive collection of Wallace Wood’s science fiction comics from the 1950s, filled to the brim with his gorgeous black-and-white line work. Definitely an inspiration for aspiring sci-fi comic artists like myself!
September 23, 2022
Important, but also good! If the Al Williamson book is a little prettier and the stories a little stronger, then this one is still more vital historically, because Wood was first. The book starts off with the first work Wood did solo, then has a section at the end for his first few with Harrison. His evolution is worth following, and interesting in it's own right.
The stories themselves are, interestingly, better toward the beginning (with Wood himself having a few of the best ideas), with more action, explosions, and space zombies. Later, plots become more serious as the drawings get tighter and Wood enters his 'beautiful clutter' period.
The best (mostly from issues 5-10 of Weird Fantasy), starting with "Rescued", "Enemies of the Colony", "Spawn of Mars", "Grey Cloud of Death", "The Secret of Saturns Ring" are still highly re-readable, and even the drearier ones have interesting ideas and are full of visual splendor.
The stories themselves are, interestingly, better toward the beginning (with Wood himself having a few of the best ideas), with more action, explosions, and space zombies. Later, plots become more serious as the drawings get tighter and Wood enters his 'beautiful clutter' period.
The best (mostly from issues 5-10 of Weird Fantasy), starting with "Rescued", "Enemies of the Colony", "Spawn of Mars", "Grey Cloud of Death", "The Secret of Saturns Ring" are still highly re-readable, and even the drearier ones have interesting ideas and are full of visual splendor.
May 26, 2020
I’m not a huge comic book fan, but I love Cold War history. My main reason in reading this book was to get a contemporary view at a world immersed in Cold War paranoia. All these stories were written in 1950 and 1951, and some of the stories were pretty good. One, called “Deadlocked!” as I recall, was about a human spaceship coming across an alien spaceship for the first time. Both ships had peaceful intentions, but feared the other didn’t. And even though neither wanted to fight, they ended up destroying each other.
A similar one has people exploring a new planet where they come across a strange and violent people. The explorers rush home to their own planet to make plans to go to war with the people of this new planet. It is then revealed that the explorers are from Venus and they were exploring Earth where they met belligerent explorers from Mars. The Martians thought the Venusians were Earthlings and also plan to attack Earth.
Another was about a group of spacefarers coming back to the planet their ancestors had left millennia ago in order to avoid imminent nuclear war. When they arrive they find our Earth on the brink of nuclear war. The scientists they meet decide that they too need to flee Earth to avoid annihilation.
An interesting change of pace story is about a scientist who develops sex change drugs. He’s also very possessive of his daughter, and when she brings home a fiance he secretly injects him with sex change drugs. Eventually the marriage is broken off and the fiance moves away for mysterious reasons. The daughter ends up reading her father’s lab notes and leaves him to find her fiance. In the end the scientist is invited to the wedding where he finds his daughter has taken his sex change drugs to turn herself into a man in order to marry her/his now female fiance. Seems pretty edgy for 1950.
Most of the stories have surprise endings. The book is front loaded with the best stories and they get silly toward the end. But as a window into how people viewed the world back then, it’s a great read.
A similar one has people exploring a new planet where they come across a strange and violent people. The explorers rush home to their own planet to make plans to go to war with the people of this new planet. It is then revealed that the explorers are from Venus and they were exploring Earth where they met belligerent explorers from Mars. The Martians thought the Venusians were Earthlings and also plan to attack Earth.
Another was about a group of spacefarers coming back to the planet their ancestors had left millennia ago in order to avoid imminent nuclear war. When they arrive they find our Earth on the brink of nuclear war. The scientists they meet decide that they too need to flee Earth to avoid annihilation.
An interesting change of pace story is about a scientist who develops sex change drugs. He’s also very possessive of his daughter, and when she brings home a fiance he secretly injects him with sex change drugs. Eventually the marriage is broken off and the fiance moves away for mysterious reasons. The daughter ends up reading her father’s lab notes and leaves him to find her fiance. In the end the scientist is invited to the wedding where he finds his daughter has taken his sex change drugs to turn herself into a man in order to marry her/his now female fiance. Seems pretty edgy for 1950.
Most of the stories have surprise endings. The book is front loaded with the best stories and they get silly toward the end. But as a window into how people viewed the world back then, it’s a great read.
August 8, 2018
I realize the blasphemy of giving any book by Wallace Wood only three stars. It's Wallace Wood, who's an icon, for cryin' out loud; it's Fantagraphics, a company that publishes stellar work; it's science fiction. Yet many of these stories were some of Wood's first work for EC Comics, a time when he was still developing, finding his way. Yet, in many of the tales, Wood has fully come into his own with spectacular results; the problem is that much of the writing is not very good, not even for 1950s standards. But the book is definitely worthwhile for the handful of spectacular story/art combinations and as a chronicle of Wood's development.
June 28, 2019
The art alone is amazing. Words can’t explain how much I love it. Wally Wood has talent and imagination beyond anyone else except for Jack Kirby. But definitely an equal in my book. The stories are all short seven pagers so it’s a great book to pop open for a quick read whenever you need a little sci-fi. I only wish this was a series that allowed you to really dive deep into a group of characters or offered some balance between the thought provoking stories and pulpy action. Unfortunately there never is enough action in the stories for me.
June 5, 2022
These reprints of EC comics are excellent from a production-quality point of view. It was a good idea to collect them in themes and by artists; otherwise, they can get hard to read. I started with this one, because Wood was an otherworldly talent in Sci-fi and he was like 20 years ahead of his time. Plus the stories are pretty good also; it is a shame what happened to EC comics with the censorship; we are lucky to still have these gems.
August 21, 2018
Stories like the one in Spawn of Mars are why EC comics in the 1950's were so amazing and better than literally all their competition. If it had not been so many comics being banned later in the '50's who knows where the comic industry might have ended up. This was a great read.
August 2, 2020
This says much, much more about the fears and prejudices of the time period than any ideas about what the future might hold - I think a historian or sociologist would get more out of this than a sci-fi fan.
January 2, 2016
How do we envision our future? Will we ever get of this earth? What lies beyond our planet? Beyond our galaxy? These are the questions that drive our childhood fantasies. These are the questions that science fiction writers love to probe. And comic book artists as well. And what we discover as we dive into this trove, "Spawn of Mars and Other Stories," is that other questions come to light: Where is God in the universe beyond? What are our moral/ethical obligations to occupants of other planets? How do we deal with our racist tendencies when it comes to mutants or citizens of other galaxies? What need have we to care for planets other than our own? Plenty of depths to be mined and fun to be had as you immerse yourself in this dense book of sci-fi oddities illustrated by the great Wallace Wood.
March 31, 2017
Illustrated by my comic book idol, what Wally Wood does with ink is mind blowing! His Science fiction environments are so futuristic and detailed that they look believable. From a Layout perspective there is a lot of text hindering some of the art but it is kind of expected for that era of comics. Even though there is a lot of text the stories are well written and I enjoyed them.
April 18, 2015
Wallace Wood was a great comic book artist. I found his work inspirational and motivating. The stories, almost all not written by him, were old guard classic SF and horror themes. They were entertaining and nostalgic. Took me back to my youth.
May 25, 2015
I've heard wonderful things about EC's sf comics, but I'm unimpressed by this collection — way, way too much reliance on twist endings and "biter bit" stories. I'll take DC's strange adventures any day.
July 4, 2015
Cheesy, sexist SF and horror comics without a single minority present. Also included free, horrible puns, snap, ironic or cynical endings and in some cases, better artwork than many of today's comics. A fun read once, though since it's not printed on rotting pulp, not a total nostalgia trip.
December 29, 2015
OUTRAGEOUSLY GOOD. This is everything I want from pulp science fiction stories. So, so, so good. I'm now on a mission to gather all of Fantagraphics EC comics collections.
AWESOME.
AWESOME.
July 13, 2015
Fantagraphics' artists editions are among the absolute best reproductions of EC comics out there ... essential series.
September 3, 2015
Wally Wood at the top of his game. Beautiful.
August 8, 2016
It's all about the drawing.
March 26, 2017
Corny classic sci-fi with gorgeous art. Wallace Wood's artwork is crisp high contrast and stunning.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews