(Robert Gibson Jones’ cover for the June 1948 issue of Amazing Stories)
This post is somewhat thematically similar to my earlier post on humans trapped in mysterious vials (here). The glass or crystal pillar is often just another way for a heroine to be imprisoned by some malevolent entity — waiting for the hero to come to rescue. For example Robert Gibson Jones’ wonderful pulp cover for the June 1948 issue of Amazing Stories. Although, the countless similar pillars across the horizon imply an entire city of people imprisoned in ice…
Some of the covers are even more mysterious — in Gray Morrow’s cover for the March 1965 issue of Fantastic Stories of Imagination hundreds if not thousands of people are crammed into the pillars (or carved, but, I haven’t read the John Jakes short story). Pillars of warning? Pillars memorializing tragedy with the actual bodies of the victims?
Harold S. De Lay’s cover for the May 1939 issue of Weird Tales invites speculation as well — couples are trapped in large ice mounds, mouthes open, eyes fearful, clutching each other….
Yes, one of the covers is an ice block, and another a more natural looking ice formation…
Enjoy! (what are your favorites?)
(Edward Valigursky’s cover for the September 1957 issue of Fantastic)
(Norman Saunders’ cover for the Febuary 1953 issue of Famous Fantastic Mysteries)
(Gray Morrow’s cover for the March 1965 issue of Fantastic Stories of Imagination)
(Terry Maloney’s cover for the 1952 edition of The Thing and Other Stories (1952), John W. Campbell)
(Harold S. De Lay’s cover for the May 1939 issue of Weird Tales)
For more cover art posts consult the INDEX
Science Fiction and Other Suspect Ruminations 
I like the first one best for sure!
For someone trapped in a block of ice, she sure is hot.
Nyuk nyuk nyuk. 🙂
How many years has the author been waiting for someone to make that joke! lol
I agree. I especially like the implications generated by all the other pillars in the background.
Haha…
You forgot the most famous one of all. The Captain America cover.
Well, you’re welcome to provide me with a link to an image….
I do not believe that there was ever an actual cover showing Captain America frozen in a block of ice. I’ve been a fan of the character for over 25 years, and have a huge number of back issues, and I think every time Cap was shown on ice, it was inside the comics.
My favorite cover is the Norman Saunders’ cover. Especially well executed with quite a bit of drama in it.
Yeah, I’m really curious what’s actually happening…
The cover by Gray Morrow is certainly eerie. He really gave the figures frozen in the pillar such anguished expressions.
Robert Gibson Jones’ cover for Amazing Stories is brilliant and definitely the best one…
Reblogged this on phillideethree and commented:
whoah.. And amazing body of long haired babe.