From our in the studio feature from last summer

BLACK STAR RISING (1984) by Michael Whelan, cover for the book by Frederick Pohl

Aliens and comedy. We’ve seen this a few times from Michael in his early science fiction covers. In WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE, the aliens join Michael and Audrey for an ice cream party.

Here we have an alien police officer verbally unloading on the protagonist. And in the background? A monument to the shrimp legions raising the flag at Iwo Jima. Enjoy the absurdity of it all!