Astounding Stories June 1934 – Rocket Attack and Ray Guns, Sidewise in Time
Likely executed in gouache by a Street & Smith house artist working in the bold, kinetic style of early pulp cover painting, this cover blazes with a sleek orange rocket ship streaking diagonally across a dark sky while multicolored ray beams slash the composition. Foreground artillery-style cannons fire upward in a chaotic space battle, suggesting planetary warfare. The dynamic diagonal composition, vivid orange-against-black contrast, and explosive energy are hallmarks of mid-1930s pulp illustration at its most visceral and commercially aggressive.
This cover cranks the dial closer to Buck Rogers than Flash Gordon — a full-throttle space battle with ray beams slashing every direction and a rocket blazing at full thrust. Pure mid-thirties pulp aggression with no apologies.
“A STREET & SMITH PUBLICATION ASTOUNDING STORIES JUNE 20¢ SIDEWISE IN TIME by Murray Leinster CRATER 17, NEAR TYCHO by Frank K. Kelly FEARN - GALLUN - KOSTKOS - ERNST”
