SANDMAN

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial (Unidentified)

Occupation: Would-be conqueror

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Steve Bronson, Bobby Bronson, humanity, water

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Outer space; later Mexico 

First Appearance: Journey Into Mystery I#70/1 (July, 1961)

Powers/Abilities: The Sandman had an incredibly long life-span and the ability to remain in a state of suspended animation; being composed of an organic substance very near like sand in form, the Sandman's body could reform into various shapes and could withstand gunshots, poisonous gasses, and bombs.

History: (Journey Into Mystery I#70 (fb) ) - The Sandman crash-landed on Earth in the area that would become Mexico.  The natives (Aztecs?) believed it to be an evil spirit, and, while it was still weakened from its crash, they buried it alive in a cave, where, without light and air, it went into a state of suspended animation.

(Journey Into Mystery I#70) - Former U.S. Marine Steve Bronson brought his family to Mexico in an attempt to open his son Bobby's eyes up to a more adventurous life.  While trekking through the local area, Bronson and his family came upon a system of caves and decided to explore them.  In one, they found an iron door.  Blasting it open, Steve found what looked to be a large statue formed out of hard sand.  However, the "statue" soon began to move, then spoke.  Upon revealing its origin, The Sandman took upon itself the mission of conquering the world.

Forcing the Bronsons to work as its slaves and condensing its form to look more human, the Sandman made its way to the United States, where it balked at the weaknesses of humanity. Steve soon exposed the alien’s identity by starting a fight between it and some U.S. soldiers in town for a parade.  The monster quickly disposed of the soldiers and revealed its master plan -- to reach the nearby beach, where it would absorb the sand there and become enormous and powerful beyond belief.  Unable to stop the monster, the army ordered it to be bombed before it could reach the shore.  After that, it still reformed itself and was only stopped when the quick-thinking child Bobby realized that water would stop it.  He then splashed the creature with a bucket of sea-water, immobilizing it.  He quickly shoveled the creature into a box.

At last report, the creature had been turned over to the military, where it remained incapacitated.

Comments: Created by Jack Kirby.

The Marvel Atlas' entry for Mexico confirms this story as 616.
--David A. Zuckerman

Based upon this inference, Cody proposes:

Wouldn't it be something if it turned out that William Baker had been serving as an unwitting host body to this alien's psionic essence, all these years?  Sort of like Grottu? Myrmidon, I mean.   
Yours truly:  Carycomic@aol.com

Image of him posing as human added by Markus Raymond (Gammatotem pointed out an image of this form was missing)

Profile by MD Carter.
Updated/edited by Kyle Sims

CLARIFICATIONS:  
Sandman should not be confused with:

• Sandman (William Baker a.k.a. Flint Marko )@Amazing Spider-Man I#4 – the Spider-Man villain with very similar powers
• Sandman – the 5 or 6 DC characters of the same name