Childhood Trauma

Shocking to mothers in 1962

Some of my childhood friends bought baseball cards, but I collected Topps' gory treatments of the Civil War and Mars Attacks. I carefully set aside nickels to buy the cards as they were issued each week, and one of my happiest moments was when I completed the Mars collection (I couldn't get all 88 cards in the Civil War set). One of the saddest was when my mother threw them out a few years later, but that's another story.

This year is the 50th anniversary of the release of Mars Attacks, and I'm going to pick up the commemorative book:

The new book "Mars Attacks" (Abrams ComicArts, $19.95) reprints the original cards, as well as sketches, concept art and the 1994 sequel cards. A full set in mint condition is now valued at $25,000, writes Len Brown, co-creator of the series, in the book's introduction.

$25,000? Mom, I hope you're satisfied!