MARTIANS
Classification: Extraterrestrial (Martian [supposedly, see comments], 1950s era)
Location/Base of Operations: A cemetery, somewhere
near New York City;
originally from Mars [supposedly,
see comments]
Known Members: At least six (names unrevealed)
Affiliations: None
Enemies: Earthlings, Nick Kent
First Appearance: Uncanny Tales I#1/1 (June, 1952)
Powers/Abilities: During the darkness of night, these vaguely humanoid extraterrestrials were able to shapeshift their bodies into human form (see comments); but they were extremely sensitive to Earth's bright sunlight, and were unable to maintain their human disguises at the break of day.
Having advanced knowledge of space-travel, they came to Earth in a flying saucer.
Traits: Although they usually crawled around on their four legs, their worm-like bodies were able to stand erect on their hind legs. They also seemed to have a taste for human flesh (see comments).
Type: Unrevealed
Eyes: Two (on head)
Legs: Four
Skin color: Green
Average height: 6' (when standing erect; by approximation)
History:
(Uncanny Tales I#1/1 (fb) - BTS) -
For months, Martians came to Earth with the intention of conquering the
planet. They raided graveyards and substituted their own forms with the
bodies of Earth's dead (see comments), and thus began infiltrating human
society.
(Uncanny Tales I#1/1) - Late one night, FBI agent Nick Kent was stationed in a cemetery, where he was investigating reports of flying saucer sightings; he was stunned when Martians landed their flying saucer nearby. A number of the creatures emerged from the spacecraft and began to burrow down into the silent waiting graves; shortly afterward, the ground began to rise over each grave, as the hands of the dead clawed to the surface. Having assumed the forms of dead men and women, the Martians made their way back to their spacecraft--in that split-second, Kent gambled that he wouldn't be noticed and joined with the procession of formerly dead "humans" so he could investigate further.
Once inside the flying saucer, Kent and the group were addressed by the Martian leader -- Kent learned that the aliens had been conducting their plot for months, so they could mingle with "stupid, unsuspecting Earthlings" and eventually destroy them. As he and the others filed out of the flying saucer and into the night, Kent was horrified -- he wondered how many people on Earth were really Martians, and how would they be able to recognize the alien invaders? Splitting away from the group, Kent went to the city so he could warn the world.
But when no one would believe him about the alien invasion, Kent got a camera with infra-red film, then drove back to the cemetery to get photographic proof. Reaching the graveyard shortly before dawn, Kent found that the flying saucer was still there, and the group of disguised Martians were returning to it. Mixing with the crowd once again, Kent climbed back aboard the spacecraft; but the Martian leader announced that they would be returning to Mars until the next night, because they couldn't maintain their human forms in bright sunlight. As the other disguised Martians began to shift back to their normal forms at the break of day, they discovered Kent to be a human.
Despite Nick Kent's pleas, the slithering worm-like Martians surrounded him...with their salivating mouths open...and a hungry look in their eyes...
Comments: Created by Stan Lee and Russ Heath.
...and the final panel of this 7-page story--While the City Sleeps--depicted the Martians standing around Kent's camera on the floor, with no sign of Kent, so I'm guessing they apparently devoured him.
I don't believe the Martians were simply possessing and/or "wearing" the bodies of dead humans--the "corpses" looked too fresh and didn't seem to be undergoing any stages of decay; also, one panel depicted them changing from human appearances back to their normal forms (see fourth image above). Considering Kent's apparent fate, I'd speculate that these Martians were shapeshifters who consumed the corpses in the graves, then assimilated the human DNA into their bodies and altered their forms to take on the appearance of the dead people.
Like many other "Martians" claiming to be from Mars, these worm-like beings may not be natives of that planet, and may have just been using it for a base of operations; they may actually come from another world outside Earth's solar system.
The plot of this story--using the dead to invade Earth--sort of reminds me of the "classic" movie Plan 9 from Outer Space.
This profile was completed 02/12/2024, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the March, 2025 Mars event.
Profile by Ron Fredricks.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Martians has no known connections to:
Nick Kent has no known connection to:
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A spacecraft capable of at least interplanetary travel, it was able to traverse the distance between Earth and Mars within the span of a 24-hour period. While flying through the atmosphere, it made a soft, steady sound "like the droning of a thousand bees". Its interior was described as being "moldy and thick with slime". Late one night, the Martians landed their flying saucer in a cemetery, where their invasion was witnessed by FBI agent Nick Kent. --Uncanny Tales I#1/1 |
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An FBI agent, he was stationed in a cemetery late one night to investigate claims of flying saucers sightings. Kent watched as the worm-like extraterrestrials burrowed into the graves; moments later, the aliens emerged with the appearance of dead humans. Summoning his courage so he could investigate further, Kent mixed in with the group and climbed aboard the flying saucer, unnoticed with the rest of the disguised Martians. He then learned that the invaders had been conducting their plot for months, and they had been infiltrating human society disguised as deceased humans. Racing back to the city, Kent reported his story to the chief of his regional office, and to the editor of the GLOBE newspaper, but neither man believed him. Determined to get photographic proof of the Martian invaders, Kent got a camera with infra-red film and returned to the flying saucer's landing site. But when the disguised Martians reverted back to their normal forms at daybreak, they discovered that Kent was actually a human, and they apparently devoured him (see comments). --Uncanny Tales I#1/1 |
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images: (without ads)
Uncanny Tales I#1/1, p2, pan5 (main image - Martians emerging from flying saucer)
Uncanny Tales I#1/1, p4, pan3 (Martian leader reveals their invasion scheme)
Uncanny Tales I#1/1, p2, pan6 (Martians burrow into graves)
Uncanny Tales I#1/1, p7, pan3 (Martians change back to their original forms; Nick Kent [foreground])
Uncanny Tales I#1/1, p7, pan4 (Martian leader tells Nick Kent about their weakness to sunlight)
Uncanny Tales I#1/1, p2, pan1 (Martians' flying saucer above cemetery; Nick Kent [foreground])
Uncanny
Tales I#1/1, p4, pan2 (interior of Martians' flying saucer; Martian
leader addresses disguised Martians and Nick Kent [foreground])
Uncanny Tales I#1/1, p1, pan1 (Nick Kent in cemetery)
Uncanny Tales I#1/1, p7, pan2 (Nick Kent, surrounded by disguised Martians)
Uncanny Tales I#1/1, p7, pan5 (Nick Kent, surrounded by Martians)
Appearances:
Uncanny Tales I#1/1 (June, 1952) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Russ Heath (pencils/inks)
First Posted: 03/30/2025
Last updated: 03/30/2025
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
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