
This amazing cover for amazing stories is from 1957 and it was done by the amazing Ed Valigursky. No one brought science fiction to life like Ed Valigursky.

This amazing cover for amazing stories is from 1957 and it was done by the amazing Ed Valigursky. No one brought science fiction to life like 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.
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:
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?
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.
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.

by Ed Valigursky

by Ed Valigursky

by Ed Valigursky
Happy New Year and welcome to the future! Whenever we start a new year, I always like to go back and see what people thought the future would be like. While a visitor from the 1950s would be astounded by much of what we take for granted in 2020, they might still wonder why we don’t have a single lunar colony.
Here are just a few examples of what the pulp era expected from the future:
Snakes!
Are you scared of snakes? If so, you’re not alone. According to 2001 Gallup Poll, 56% of Americans said they were scared of snakes. By comparison, only 45% of Americans said they were scared of public speaking while 41% said heights. Only 36% said they were scared of spiders and only 7% were frightened by the prospect of going to the doctor.
There are nearly 3,000 different species of snakes in the world and only 25% of them are poisonous. Most snakes are harmless and even the poisonous ones usually won’t strike as long as they’re left alone. But people will always be scared of snakes. The sound of a hiss is enough to send most people into a panic.
Back in the pulp era, snakes used to regularly appear on the covers of magazines and paperbacks, often being held by a cultist or threatening a bound victim. When it comes to pulp art, snakes are never good news. Take a look:

by Ed Valigursky