The Fantastic Covers of Fantastic


by Ed Valigursky

Fantastic was a magazine that featured stories of fantasy, horror, and science fiction.  It ran from 1952 to 1980, outlasting the majority of its competition and spinning off several other “Fantastic” magazines.  Eventually, after sells started to slow down in the 70s, Fantastic merged with Amazing Stories.  Today, issues of Fantastic are highly sought after by collectors, both for their stories and their covers.

Here are a few of the fantastic covers of Fantastic!

by Ed Valigursky

by Ed Valigursky

by Edmund Emshwiller

by George Schelling

by George Schelling

by Leo Summers

by Leo Summers

by Lloyd Buckingham

by Lloyd Buckingham

by Robert Frankenberg

Artwork of the Day: Doomsday 1999 (by Ed Valigursky)


by Ed Valigursky

I guess we really got lucky!

This was originally published in 1962, when 1999 was 37 years away and many people probably thought it would be doomsday. Today, it’s been 22 years since doomsday and the world’s still here. This cover was done by Ed Valigursky, whose work has been featured on this site in the past and will be featured again in the future.

Artwork of the Day: Wandl The Invader (by Ed Valigursky)


by Ed Valigursky

This was originally published in 1961.  I love the alien, who actually looks like something from a different world as opposed to just being a humanoid with strange facial features or purple skin.  This cover was done by Ed Valigursky, who this site has often featured in the past and who will undoubtedly be featured again in the future.

The Three Covers of Dream World


Dream World was a magazine that existed, briefly, in 1957.  Each issue dealt with stories of men who had “incredible powers.”  Judging from the covers of Dream World, the only possible use for any of those powers was to either get laid or get rich.  Apparently, readers in 1957 didn’t feel that they needed special psychic powers to do either of those because Dream World only lasted for three issues.  Here are the three covers of Dream World:

by Ed Valigursky

This first issue is from February of 1957 and it features a cover by Ed Valigursky.  According to the cover, it featured a story called “Ways to Get A Gal.”  Apparently, in 1957, it helped if you had x-ray vision.  Then you could spend all day staring through a brick wall and seeing what books she had sitting on her book shelf.  I’m sure that’s what the man on the cover is focusing on, right?

by John Parker

This second issue is from May of 1957.  According to the cover, this issue featured a man who could make his dreams come true and apparently, he’s been dreaming about a startlet with sharp eyebrows and bountiful cleavage.  This issue also featured something called “You Too Can Win A Harem.”  Hopefully, this was a story and not an actual contest.

by Ed Valigursky

The third and final issue came out in August of 1957 and featured a cover by Ed Valigursky.  This one featured a story about a man whose touch turned stone to flesh, which I guess is what’s happening on the cover.  It also features a story about Mr. Milford’s Magic Camera, which took naked pictures in the days before mirror selfies.

There would be no more issues of Dream World after this but a good cover, like a dream, never truly dies.