Given all the conspiracy theories and faux histories out there these days, it’s hard to believe that there was a time when the idea that gods might just be spacemen wasn’t a belief so widely shared. That all changed with the publication of Chariots of the Gods? Unsolved Mysteries of the Past by Erich von Däniken in 1968, promoting his hypothesis that the technologies and religions of many ancient civilisations were given to them by ancient astronauts who were welcomed as gods.
Bolstered by the attention von Däniken’s theories gained through the cinema release of a German documentary of the same name, Britain went mythos-crazy in the 1970s, with books on UFOs, UFO conspiracies, Atlantis and other folklore rapidly filling the shelves of bookshops.
Daniken wasn’t the first to postulate such theories, but his were the most widely discussed and promoted at the time. They have since been robustly debunked, some arguing his theories are racist. (The manuscript for Chariots of the Gods? was significantly edited and rewritten by Wilhelm Utermann, a former Nazi propagandist who had edited the Nazi Party’s official newspaper under the pen name, Wilhelm Roggersdorf). But the impact of his work on popular culture was quite significant.
It was also something of a money spinner, Chariots of the Gods? and subsequent books selling in their millions – and not just in the UK. The huge sales of the Polish edition of Chariots of the Gods prompted Alfred Gorny, the director of the publishing house Sport i Turystyka, working with the German publisher Econ Verlag, to take up Däniken’s idea of a comic based on his theories and commission what are still sought-after comic books today.
The first edition was published in Germany between 1978 and 1983 and published in Poland since 1982. Four of the stories were published in English by Methuen Children’s Books.
Although credited to Erich von Däniken, the Comics in Poland web site notes the eight albums, launched in 1977 in Europe, were the work of Alfred Gorny, editor and script writer and Auschwitz survivor Arnold Mostowicz and artist Boguslaw Polch (suggested by Grzegorz Rosinski, who had been considered, but had begun work on his Thorgal series), now best known for the space detective comic, Funky Koval.
Popular across Europe, translated into 12 languages including Spanish and Swedish, ironically what’s one of the best-known Polish comics were not published there until 1982, by the Krajowa Agencja Wydawnicza, after the series had been published in full in Germany. Even then, only seven were released, until earlier this year.
The comics enthralled young minds, telling the tales of visitors from the space on the prehisoric Earth, creating human kind and responsible for its later development, suggesting, like Däniken’s books, that signs of this interference were still visible, such as the famous Nasca lines in South America. Many events described in the Bible and in the myths of different nations, were “explained” as the activity of visitors.
In 2015, Polish publisher Proszynski Media released Ekspedycja (“The Expedition”) a Polish collection of all eight stories – 400 pages in all.
(The stories were also published separately, incorporated into a wider series, under the umbrella title, “Kultowe polskie komiksy“)
Von Daniken’s theories have been widely discredited but there’s no doubt Chariots of the Gods has been a major influence on many a SF story over the past decades. (Stargate, anyone? Jack Kirby’s Eternals?). Let’s hope some enterprising British publisher picks up on the release and re-publishes it in English…
Gods from Outer Space: The Series in Polish
The Polish reprints launched in 2015 were incorporated into a wider series, under the umbrella title, “Kultowe polskie komiksy“ The series has also been published in German
1. “Lądowanie w Andach” (“Landing in the Andes”)
2. “Ludzie i potwory” (“Men and Monsters”)
3. “Walka o planetę” (“The Struggle for the Planet”)
4. “Bunt Olbrzymów” (“Giants’ Mutiny”)
5. “Zagłada Wielkiej Wyspy” (“Great Island’s Doom”)
6. “Planeta pod kontrolą” (“The Planet under Control”)
7. “Tajemnica Piramidy” (The Mystery of the Pyramid”)
8. “Ostatni Rozkaz” (“The Last Command”)
• The Collection: Ekspedycja (AmazonUK Afflilate Link)
• There’s a checklist of Polish publication of the series here (in Polish)
Gods from Outer Space: The English Editions
The original English language volumes were published by Methuen Children’s Books under their Magnet Books imprint. Secondhand copies do surface through third party sellers, as well as other second hand book sellers.
Do note that the links below may not always yield any current results, and where they do, the price being asked for some editions is mind-blowing!
• Descent in the Andes, 1978 (ISBN 0 416 87150 X) | AmazonUK Affiliate Link | Abe Books
• Atlantis, Men and Monsters, 1978 (ISBN 0 416 87160 7) | AmazonUK Affiliate Link | Abe Books
• The War of the Chariots, 1978 (ISBN 0 416 87170 4) | AmazonUK Affiliate Link| AbeBooks
• Revolt of the Titans (ISBN 0 416 87180 1) | AmazonUK Affiliate Link
Head downthetubes for…
• Erich von Däniken – Official Website
In addition to his contrioversial but influetial books, Däniken was the co-founder of the Archaeology, Astronautics and SETI Research Association (AAS RA). He designed Mystery Park, a theme park located in Interlaken, Switzerland
• Erich von Däniken: Condolence Book
From the Page: “On 10th January 2026, Erich von Däniken, born on 14 April 1935 in Zofingen, Switzerland, passed away. He is mourned by his family, his friends around the world, millions of readers of his books, and the many colleagues who had the privilege of working with him for decades. His Archaeology, Astronautics and SETI Research Association (A.A.S. R.A.) and all those interested in paleo-SETI research received the news with dismay. The bestselling author wrote 49 non-fiction books, which have been translated into over 40 languages with a worldwide circulation of approximately 80 million copies.”
• Wikipedia: Erich von Däniken
• Chariots of the Gods? Was God An Astronaut (AmazonUK Affiliate Link)
• The Smithsonian: The Idiocy, Fabrications and Lies of Ancient Aliens
Riley Black notes how The History Channel presents self-appointed challengers of science who take on the idea that aliens caused the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs
• We Are The Mutants: Ancient Astronaut Comics: ‘The Gods from Outer Space’, 1978 – 1982
This item, originally titled “Erich Von Däniken’s “Chariots of the Gods” comics re-published in Poland” was last updated on Monday 12th January 2026 following the death of Erich von Däniken on 10th January 2026
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: British Comics, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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Makes me want to read the English language books, but they are looking a bit pricey these days;
http://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-search/title/descent-in-the-andes/author/erich-von-daniken/
As I recall, the translation isn’t the best of the period. It would need tidying up if a UK publisher picked up English language rights to this new collection, in my view.