Tales to Astonish #29
In "When the Space Beasts Attack!!," a tormented, Quasimodo-like scientist, scorned by society and betrayed by love, unleashes a cobalt bomb in orbit with the intent to destroy humanity. Written by Stan Lee and Larry Lieber, and brought to life with dynamic art by Jack Kirby and inks by Dick Ayers, the story unfolds as the scientist’s desperate act spirals into unintended chaos—his weapon detonates against the rocket itself, leaving Earth’s skies alight with a spectacle no one could have predicted. The cover by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers captures the moment of explosive revelation, a 12-cent marvel from 1962 that blends cosmic dread with a haunting, unexpected beauty.
Sell my copy
Have this issue — or a whole collection? Get a fair offer from us, skip the marketplace fees and the hassle.
We Buy Collections ▸Full credits
Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers
A jilted Quasimodo-like scientist devotes all his energy into producing a cobalt bomb which is so powerful that it can shatter the Earth. He wants to destroy all of mankind for jeering at his ugliness. He sneaks on board a rocket that is going into orbit and releases the bomb, but forgot about the lack of gravitational pull, and so the bomb just remains in place until it detonates against the side of the rocket. On Earth, the woman who laughed at him when he proposed marriage, gazes skyward at the explosion and exclaims "Isn't it the most beautiful sight you've ever seen?"
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).