Jan 19
Click for full imageDon’s Art Direction: We’d like an electrified Gabby Hayes riding a rhino-walrus-fish with a crank-operated tongue. In space. Just put the necessary drugs on your expense chitty.
Published 1970
Many thanks to Don!
(Average: 7.80 out of 10)
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January 19th, 2011 at 9:09 am
Ah 1970…Some people were still on acid back then after Woodstock. And I think this explains the cover.
January 19th, 2011 at 9:47 am
Which one is the Starchild, the hobo or the hippo? And is that a helmet at his hip or a bottle of moonshine?
January 19th, 2011 at 11:36 am
Everybody now:
An old spaceman went space-riding one dark and windy day
Upon an asteroid he rested as he went along his way
When all at once a mighty herd of aliens he saw
A-plowing through the ragged sky and up the nebula
Their antennas were on fire and their hands were made of steel
Their tentacles were shiny and their hot breath he could feel
A bolt of fear went through him as they thundered through space
For he saw the aliens coming, wailing in their mournful race:
Yippie yi Ohhhhh…
Yippie yi yaaaaay…
Ghost Aliens in the sky…
January 19th, 2011 at 11:38 am
They seem to be escaping from a huge fireball!
January 19th, 2011 at 11:45 am
Well, of course he’s happy. If you had all that head, hair and beard tucked up into that tiny little space diving helmet, wouldn’t you be grateful for a breath of fresh air?
On second thought, perhaps his hair clogged up his breathing tube and these are his hallucinations as he asphyxiates.
January 19th, 2011 at 12:27 pm
Don’t you just love that Brian Blessed?
January 19th, 2011 at 12:52 pm
“Did somebody order a LARGE HAM?? Ha-ha-ha!”
January 19th, 2011 at 1:24 pm
Also titled, The Russian Astronauts Bad Trip
January 19th, 2011 at 2:13 pm
Sure it’s bad but not in a bone-chilling evil way like the other Gary Viskupic cover is for “The Heinlein Trio”. I like the Mad Cossack.
Anyone read this? Respected authors.
Great photo of the cover Don – can zoom in very clearly to the details. The creature has asymmetrical snout horns.
January 19th, 2011 at 3:11 pm
Wasn’t this the original poster design for “8 Seconds” starring TV’s Luke Perry?
January 19th, 2011 at 3:32 pm
Well, i think its awesome.
January 19th, 2011 at 4:49 pm
How does it land? It’d be like a 747 doing a belly-flop.
January 19th, 2011 at 6:44 pm
“Wasn’t this the original poster design for “8 Seconds†starring TV’s Luke Perry?”
Starring Luke Perry as the Mad Cossack, and Tori Spelling in an unforgettable turn as The Flying Whatsitsname.
January 19th, 2011 at 6:57 pm
I don’t want to think about how nasty all that space hair must get underneath his space helmet. Man, the space 70s were crazy…
January 19th, 2011 at 10:03 pm
Having second and third thoughts. How on earth does that thing fly? It has flippers rather than wings. Maybe this is an underwater shot… but then how does Brian Blessed/Gabby Hayes/Desperate Dan survive underwater? He could put his space helmet on, but he obviously has chosen not to do so.
Or is it in the vacuum of space?
But then, Flipper’s flippers would be useless and Brian/Gabby/Dan/Hippy/Luke Perry still wouldn’t be able to breathe. Without his helmet. Which he COULD put on. But hasn’t.
Oh dear.
Jack Williamson must be turning in his grave. Fred Pohl doesn’t yet have a grave, but may feel decidedly unwell when he sees this cover.
January 21st, 2011 at 8:31 am
Actually, it’s pretty true to the text, which says more about the story than the artist. Pohl had his off days.
January 23rd, 2011 at 2:21 pm
Is this is what Alan Moore does in his spare time?
January 23rd, 2011 at 4:49 pm
Re: Comment #7
“GORDON’S ALIVE…????!!!!”
(Sorry, but I couldn’t resist the temptation…).
January 27th, 2011 at 9:19 pm
I have to say I like this cover! I’ll like a poster sized print to hang in my office! Also lol @ Raygunslinger’s comment. I could totally see this as Alan Moore save the critter’s saddle should be hung with a bunch of skulls and anarchy symbols. But I think he would appreciate this cover’s complete disregard of the rules of physics.