Number 287

The Face On Mars

When this picture was released by NASA in 1976, showing the famous face on Mars, I knew I'd seen it before. Sure enough, Jack Kirby had covered it back in 1958 in Race For The Moon #2.

"The Face On Mars," which concludes this issue, is among my personal favorites of great Kirby short stories. Al Williamson did the dynamic inking.

In 2001 NASA debunked its own picture. They spoiled the fun by showing us the face is a natural formation, and our imaginations were filling in the details. With all due respect to the joykillers at NASA, I'll always prefer the Jack Kirby version.