1994 Topps Mars Attacks Archives
It’s been 30 years since Topps brought back Mars Attacks with the 1994 Mars Attacks Archives set. This run was the third major release for the pulp sci-fi card series, which first gained a dedicated fan following with the original 55-card set in 1962. A reprint of that set was released in 1984 with a single bonus card, but the 1994 run nearly doubled the number of cards.
In addition to reprints of the initial 55, the Mars Attacks Archives set included 45 new cards — some previously unpublished, some brand-new in 1994 — a four-pack of Topps Matrix variants to collect, and a couple of other treasures to chase. The set is still a great target for collectors today, so for the 30th anniversary, let’s take a look at some of the best cards to collect from the 1994 Mars Attacks Archives set.
1994 Topps Mars Attacks Archives Cards
1994 Topps Mars Attacks Archives #1 — The Invasion Begins (1st Day Issue)
We have to start this list off with the first card in the set, though in the 1994 run, there’s technically a #0 title card that comes before it. To this day, “The Invasion Begins” is the image most people think of when they picture Mars Attacks, and for good reason. The militant alien art sets the stage for everything that follows, and the story on the back of the card establishes the high stakes of what’s about to unfold. This remains a great card for any collection, especially if you can nab one with the coveted “1st Day Issue” stamp.
1994 Topps Mars Attacks Archives Matrix 3/4 — Crushed to Death
We had to include at least one of the four Topps Matrix chase cards from the 1994 Mars Attacks Archives set. This one offers a variant for #20 of the base set, “Crushed to Death.”
1994 Topps Mars Attacks Archives #80 — Woman Blasts Martian / Tied to Rocket Tubes
This card from the Mars Attacks Archives “Visions” subset shows off the graphicness that made the series stand out from the crowd back in 1962. The front features new art of a woman fighting back against a Martian attacker with lethal success, while the back includes an original card concept from legendary comic artist Wally West. That image, which shows human prisoners being brutally blasted apart by cannons, was dubbed “too gruesome” for the original set.
1994 Topps Mars Attacks Archives #92 — Profile in Courage / Third Eye Martians
The front of this card from the Visions subset shows a John F. Kennedy look-alike being captured by a Martian invader, while the back shows off another concept sketch for the 1962 set. This particular card is notable because the front art was drawn by artist Zina Saunders, the daughter of Norm Saunders, who was one of the main artists behind the original Mars Attacks run. The younger Saunders contributed a lot of striking art for the 1994 release.
Mars Attacks Archives NNO — Zina Saunders Autograph Card
Arguably the biggest chase card in the 1994 Mars Attacks set was this special autographed card from artist Zina Saunders. Only 2,000 were included in the initial release, so it’s a great item for collectors to keep in mind.
