Space Adventures No. 23 Cover by Nicholas & Alascia
In May 1958 the US was still reeling from the kick in the rockets Sputnik gave them in October 1957. Suddenly, space was the first priority.
Two years earlier, in Space Adventures No. 20, Charlton Comics published the story “First Trip to the Moon” with a cover which owed more to Jules Verne and movie serials than science (love the perfectly globe-clear Earth hanging in the sky and the fanciful colours).
In addition to bringing out new comics to cash in on the new interest in space and science, Charlton reprinted “First Trip to the Moon” with an updated cover by Charles Nicholas and Vincent Alascia in Space Adventures No. 23, May 1958.
Original cover from No. 20.
Reprint cover from No. 23.
Scan from Heritage Auctions.
Restored art.
Trade dress re-created.
Original colour re-created.
New colour.
I thought the original type was overkill and a bit redundant in places. I stripped it back to something simpler so it would balance with the illustration. I also thought that Mars and Saturn were a little close to the Moon.
Bonus Page
The inside front cover, published page.
Scan from Heritage Auctions.
Cleaned-up art with type re-set.
New colour.
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I *thought* I recognized that rocket and space-suit! Not only was Charlton’s Space Adventures No. 23 in 1958 a reprint of the earlier Space Adventures No. 20 from 1956, but Space Adventures No. 20 was itself a reprint of Fawcett’s Movie Comic (nn) Destination Moon from 1950 (adapted from the film by Otto Binder), which had a nice photo cover from the film.
Appreciate the info, Dennis.