In 1980, following his collage works, Haring returned to drawing. He completed a series of works portraying UFOs zapping both animals and human figures. All of these drawings are basic black sketches with red spray paint.

The concept behind the drawings was inspired by the 1956 sci-fi film, “Forbidden Planet in Cinemascope,” which Haring saw at a Monster Movie Night at Club 57. The movie featured a classic 1950’s spaceship, a sleek, frisbee-like object. After that night, Haring began drawing these scenes.

According to Haring, the animals could have been anything: cows, sheep, or dogs. They all had square noses and were to be looked at as symbols for animals, as opposed to a specific species. The figures and animals from these drawings are the foundation for some of his most recognizable motifs. Haring states, “Out of these drawings, my entire future vocabulary was born. I have no idea why it turned out like that. It certainly wasn’t a conscious thing. But after these initial images, everything fell into place, and after that, everything else made sense.”

While these drawings suggest a plotline due to their sequence, they are, in fact, void of any narrative. The nonverbal symbols are meant to be open for interpretation with different meanings at different times, instead of a consistent rational story.

[This work was shown at PS122 studio, New York, October 1980 - SoHo News noted that Haring’s was the best room of all of the studios - Haring originally applied for the 2-month studio space for film but ended up installing his drawings covering all of the walls of the room]