Posts Tagged retro

Invading the Vintage

Aliens visit Switzerland?

Picture: Franco Brambilla / Rex Features

This odd image is by Franco Brambilla, combining science fiction and vintage postcards.

The aliens have landed, and they’ve sent back postcards from their journeys around Europe. That’s if you believe the work of Franco Brambilla, an artist who loves to add a sci-fi angle to old postcards he finds.

A weird one for your Wednesday. There’s many more at the above link!

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Another Science Fiction

Another Science Fiction: Advertising the Space Race 1957-1962 by Megan PrelingerWhen I was contemplating starting a “space and culture” blog back in 2006 (Common Themes, which became this blog you see here), one of my inspirations was “Space Age” advertisements from the 1950s-1970s. I have a collection of advertising books from those decades, and a copy of Science Magazine with the initial moon rock findings from Apollo 11 (basically, LPSC #1) with some spectacular examples of horn-rimmed-glasses-wearing, white-lab-coat-sporting scientists forging ahead in the name of PROGRESS. I love this stuff. I have a whole category here for advertising, because it’s just so darn fun.

I love the “future that never was” because hey, that future was pretty exciting, and a lot more optimistic than the grim realities of what’s happening right now at NASA. In fact, the “new vision” is so nebulous that one might say we don’t have a future in spaceflight at the moment. That may change, and certainly I hope it does… in the mean time, I have shelves of classic and modern science fiction to keep me dreaming.

Anyway, last week I was pointed to a fantastic upcoming book by two Twitter friends, linking to two separate, high-profile interviews and reviews — this author has a savvy publicist!! — and all I could think was, “at last, someone wrote a book FOR ME!” This book is Another Science Fiction: Advertising the Space Race 1957-1962 by Megan Prelinger. I must own this book, forthwith. Or, well, forthwith upon release.

Martin ad

From “Another Science Fiction”

With article titles like “The Space Program We Almost Had” and “Reaching for the Stars When Space Was a Thrill”, it’s clear that this book release has struck a nerve with the media and is uncannily timed (unintentionally, I’m sure.) Even impossibilities seem possible in hindsight, and I’d be willing to bet many people besides myself are looking backward and shaking our heads. (And in the mean time, Russia has realized they can charge whatever they want to ferry NASA astronauts to the space station, because hey, WHAT CHOICE DO WE HAVE? Um, none.)

I missed out on Apollo completely, and even most sci-fi I read was written before I was born. I long for the Space Age, having never experienced it personally. I’m a child of the Space Shuttle, and my era is ending, with nothing to replace it (on NASA’s part; full well I know that the next era will most likely be commercial, and I embrace that future with open arms. Maybe I’ll even get to go somewhere in my lifetime. Viva la space tourist!)

Which is all a really long way of saying, I really look forward to Another Science Fiction, and I can already tell I’ll be loving it from cover to cover. Preorder it on Amazon — it comes out on May 1st!

By purchasing this book through my links, I may possibly get an Amazon Affiliates payout… in another year or two. For more information, click here.

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Planet Posters

Bespin, by justinvg

All art on this post © justinvg.

I owe my finding of these fantastic Star Wars planet “poster” graphics to my friend Lexa (who makes me look like I have merely a casual interest in the Star Wars universe. Which, uh… is really not the case!!) I dearly hope justinvg gets these made as actual posters; they’d go so well with the IYA 2009 posters which I long to own.

UPDATE: Posters available here!!

Dagobah, by justinvg Hoth, by justinvg
Tatooine, by justinvg Endor, by justinvg

Alderaan, by justinvg

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Space-Rated Paints

Space-rated paints, by Martin Marietta

Okay, so I found an ad I wanted to post after all, because the thought of using space-rated paint at home is SO amusing to me. Y’know, just in case some random part of your interior or exterior decides to launch at rocket speeds… better yet, in case you happen to host a rocket launch in your home!

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The Future

Vintage advertising

Who knew the future had such groovy faux-wood-paneling refrigerators? (Via Vintage Ad Browser.)

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Vintage Ads

Aerojet-General Corporation

Saw these on Vintage Ad Browser. Bit of a rivalry going on here, take your pick: liquid or solid propellants.

Thiokol Chemical Corporation

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Retro Posters

These posters are actually new, made for the International Year of Astronomy last year. To me they’re a blast from the 70s and I love them all. (It was hard to choose just two to show you.) I saw them here, you can buy them here.

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Cool Rockets

Stretch Starliner Blue Fin Bolts

I just can’t get enough of Aaron’s Tin Toy Arcade and their amazing selection of rockets! Here, have some rocket-spam for your Friday.

The Moon ZX-1 Blast Streamliner No 5

I was surprised to find the Space Patrol Coin Bank, as I’ve seen an illustration of it before — I think Discover ran it as their cover a year or two back, alluding to some sort of “Can NASA Get Their Act Together?” feature article (paraphrased.) The cover art is on a collage-covered notebook I made about a year ago, front and center.

Rusty Space Bucket [CRACKS me UP.] Space Patrol Coin Bank

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Silver Rockets

Large Rocket Ship Pendant

The jeweler behind this silver rocket put it well, I think:

A great blast from the past. The classic rocket ship shape is one we all know and love from comics, cartoons and vintage Sci-Fi.

Indeed, I’m sure I’m not the only one with immense fondness for a shape that could not conceivably stand up on a launch pad… so this week it’s all about JEWELRY-SPAM! :D

Sterling silver rocket locket BLAST OFF Scrabble Tile Pendant - Rocket

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Junior Space Commander

Junior Space Commander Letterpress Print

I found this letterpress print last week and just adore him. When he gets back to his ship, he’s definitely going to sit down and have a bowl of Campbell’s soup or something.

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