Planet Stories, Summer, 1954, featuring “Dawn of The Demigods”, by Raymond Z. Gallun [Frank Kelly Freas]

“It’s us, Scharber…”

I’ve not yet read “Dawn of the Demigods” from the Summer ’54 Planet Stories – it’s never been anthologized – but, well, I do like Herman Vestal’s lead illustration…

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Cover by Frank Kelly Freas

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…which is very unusual, for the era, in its depiction of spacesuit. Rather than the elongated-cylinder-with-a-faceplate not uncommonly found in space art of the 50s, Vestal’s illustration evokes the bulbous helmets worn by Apollo astronauts … specifically, while inside the Command Module and LEM (rather than the Primary / Portable Life Support System used while on the lunar surface). This is in terms of being molded as a single piece with 360-degree visibility, without antenna or other protrusions sticking out. Vestal’s astronaut is also wearing a “Snoopy” type head covering with integral earphones, and, a microphone in front. Hmmm… Come to think of it, there is a certain Buzz Lightyear look going on here!