Playing on that era's popular post-apocalyptic sub-genre of science fiction, Planet of Vampires manages to incorporate elements of Planet of the Apes, Omega Man, and Buck Rogers into a very interesting concept.

Launched in 2010, a manned Mars mission returns to Earth after a five-year journey. The six astronauts aboard are tense, arguing with each other, and they can't raise Mission Control. They're forced to make a water landing just outside of New York, a city they find in ruins.

Following a nuclear war, society has split in two. Those who live in a protective dome, and the savages outside it. The folks from the dome rescue the astronauts (well, five of them anyway) and present themselves as the saviors of mankind. Only the savages are actually the good guys, the "domies" have been mutated into vampires who prey on humans.

Two great Pat Broderick-Neal Adams covers were followed by a Russ Heath cover.