Launched in 1926, Amazing Stories was the first magazine to be devoted exclusively to science fiction. The magazine helped to launch the careers of a number of writers, including Isaac Asimov, John W. Campbell, and Ursula K. Le Guin.
This cover is from the October, 1958, issue of Amazing Science Fiction Stories. Interestingly enough, this was one of the first issues of the magazine to include a complete novel. In addition to the novel, This Crowded Earth by Robert Bloch, the issue contains short stories from Robert Wicks, Al Sevcik, and Winston K. Marks.
The cover depicts a scene from “The Delegate from Venus” by Henry Slesar, which was illustrated by Irving Novick.
The politically-themed cover art was created by Edward Valigursky, a prolific freelance artist who was best known for his pulp magazine art. In addition to creating a number of covers for Amazing Stories, Valigursky drew covers for Saga Magazine, Fantastic Adventures and IF Magazine.
Valigursky also worked with publishers such as Ballantine Books and Bantam Books, providing covers for titles like Clans of the Alphane Moon by Phillip K. Dick and The Currents of Space by Isaac Asimov. In the 1960s, Valigursky provided illustrations for Batman trading cards.
The magazine also features artwork from Virgil Finlay and William Llewellyn.