"WANDERERS"

Classification: Extraterrestrial (race unidentified; see comments)

Location/Base of Operations: Joyland Amusement Park (somewhere near the town of Wakefield, somewhere in America); formerly mobile throughout the universe;
   originally from another unidentified planet (destroyed, see comments)

Known Members: At least fifty members in their group, including at least three children (none identified)

Affiliations: Dave Miller (employer)

Enemies: None

First Appearance: Spellbound I#29/6 (August, 1956)

Powers/Abilities: The "Wanderers" displayed no paranormal abilities other than their advanced technology, which included four "flying saucer" spaceships, and a universal translator machine.

Traits: They appeared to be peaceful and non-aggressive--whenever they reached a planet where they were not wanted, they willingly left and continued their search for a new home.

Type: Semi-humanoid
Eyes: Two
Fingers: Five (including opposing thumb)
Toes: Unrevealed
Skin color: Green
Hair color: Bald
Average height: 6'

History:
(Spellbound I#29/6 (fb) ) - Ten years earlier, the star around which the "Wanderers'" homeworld orbited suddenly evaporated (see comments). The last fifty members of their once-great advanced civilization evacuated the planet just before it was atomized.

(Spellbound I#29/6 (fb) - BTS) - The "Wanderers" traveled throughout the universe in search of a new home, but they were unwanted by other planets and were always chased away. Finally, they found a world that they thought would be their last hope: Earth.

(Spellbound I#29/6) - Dave Miller had just lost the concession for his "Flying Carpet" ride at Joyland Amusement Park, and had to close it down because it wasn't bringing in enough money; many people considered the ride too slow and too tame, but mostly the soft-hearted Dave's monetary problems were due to the fact that he loved children, and he would often give free rides to any kid that smiled at him. The news of Dave's financial woes greatly distressed his fiancée Jean Rogan, and she refused to marry him until he found steady work.

   That night, as he walked aimlessly from the park, Dave spotted four flying saucers landing in a clearing. Fearing an alien invasion, he first went to report his sighting to the police, but they only laughed him off. Miller next went to the local newspaper, but the editor thought he was just trying to get free publicity for his failed "Flying Carpet" ride.

   Word spread throughout Wakefield of Miller's claim, and he quickly gained a bad reputation for either being crazy, or a liar. When Jean broke off their engagement, Dave decided to take matters into his own hands to prove he was telling the truth.

   Arming himself with a shotgun, Dave went back to the site where he saw the saucers land and confronted the aliens. The leader of the "Wanderers" tearfully told Dave his account of their planet's destruction, and of their years of wandering throughout a hostile universe; at first, Dave was unmoved by the aliens' plight--but then he saw the friendly smiles of three alien youngsters, and the leader told Dave that his people were willing to risk everything for the sake of their children. Dave--having a soft spot in his heart for kids--was so moved by this that he came up with an idea that would be to everyone's mutual benefit...

   One month later, Dave and his new bride Jean went to Joyland to check on Dave's prosperous new attraction that paying customers flocked to see--the "Flying Saucer" ride (which used the "Wanderers'" actual flying saucers) and the "phony" space creatures who operated the ride (actually the "Wanderers" themselves, who now had a permanent home).

Comments: Created by Carl Wessler and Steve Ditko.










While telling Dave Miller his people's story through the translator, the leader stated: "The star we lived on suddenly began to evaporate"--my guess is that their translator device had a glitch in it for translation to English, and he really meant to say that the star that their planet orbited went nova.
Also, I didn't notice any obvious females amongst the "Wanderers," but I guess it's possible that they could be an androgynous race.
--Ron Fredricks

Maybe their spaceships were low on fuel, so that's why the "Wanderers" considered Earth their last hope, and Dave just incorporated the now-useless vehicles into the ride.

The "Wanderers" were never actually identified in this story--I just gave them that name because their leader said they had "wandered through the universe".

Note: An old woman in the last panel of this story bears a striking resemblance to May Parker--it's probably not her, though... just a generic Ditko character.

And a big THANK YOU to the Atlas Tales site for allowing me to use the scans of this story!

Profile by John Kaminski. Expansion by Ron Fredricks.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The "Wanderers" have no known connections to:

Dave Miller has no known connections to:

"Wanderer" children

Three youngsters of the "Wanderers'" race (genders unrevealed, see comments), their smiles swayed Dave Miller's opinion of the homeless aliens.

--Spellbound I#29/6

"Wanderer" spaceships

Four "flying saucers" that were capable of interstellar travel, they were used by the "Wanderers" to flee the destruction of their homeworld. The "Wanderers" traveled to various planets seeking refuge, but they were always chased away; they eventually landed on Earth.

Dave Miller utilized the spaceships for the mutual benefit of the homeless extraterrestrials and himself--Miller incorporated the four spaceships into the machinery of his failed "Flying Carpet" ride at Joyland Amusement Park, and thus created his new and successful "Flying Saucer" ride; Miller also employed the "Wanderers" to operate the ride.

--Spellbound I#29/6

"Wanderer" universal translator

A device utilized by the leader of the "Wanderers," it allowed him to communicate with the inhabitants of the various worlds on which the nomadic extraterrestrials landed.

When they reached Earth, the leader used it to speak with Dave Miller.

--Spellbound I#29/6

Dave Miller & Jean Rogan

Dave was the owner and operator of the "Flying Carpet" ride at Joyland Amusement Park. But he lost the concession for the ride when it wasn't bringing in enough money--the soft-hearted Dave loved children, and he would often give free rides to any kid who smiled at him.

Jean Rogan was Dave's fiancée, and she refused to marry him until he got a steady job and could support her.

But Dave's life would change for the better after his close encounter with the homeless extraterrestrial "Wanderers"--when he saw a trio of the aliens' children smile at him, he got an idea that would be to all their mutual benefit.

Dave incorporated the "Wanderers'" spaceships into the machinery of his failed "Flying Carpet" ride, and thus created his successful "Flying Saucer" ride; he also employed the "Wanderers" as "phony" aliens to operate the ride, and thus gave the nomadic extraterrestrials a permanent home on Earth.

Following Dave's new prosperity, he and Jean were eventually married. One month later, Dave and his bride went to Joyland to watch the crowds of people who flocked to the "Flying Saucer" attraction--apparently, Dave never shared the secret of the ride with Jean.

--Spellbound I#29/6

images: (without ads)
Spellbound I#29/6, p4, pan1 (Main Image - in narrative flashback, "Wanderers" fleeing from their homeworld)
Spellbound I#29/6, p3, pan7 (Headshot - leader of "Wanderers" speaking to Dave Miller)
Spellbound I#29/6, p2, pan4 (Dave Miller first sees "Wanderers" arrive on Earth)
Spellbound I#29/6, p4, pan3 (leader of "Wanderers" tearfully tells Dave Miller their story)
Spellbound I#29/6, p4, pan7 (May Parker-lookalike (in yellow circle) by Dave Miller's "Flying Saucer" ride; Dave and Jean Miller (right))
Spellbound I#29/6, p4, pan4 (three "Wanderer" children)
Spellbound I#29/6, p4, pan2 (as their homeworld is destroyed, "Wanderers" leave in spaceships)
Spellbound I#29/6, p2, pan3 (Dave Miller sees "Wanderers'" spaceships)
Spellbound I#29/6, p4, pan6 ("Wanderers'" spaceships used as amusement park ride; Dave and Jean Miller (left))
Spellbound I#29/6, p3, pan6 (leader of "Wanderers" uses universal translator device to communicate with Dave Miller)
Spellbound I#29/6, p1, pan1 (Dave Miller and Jean Rogan, standing amongst disappointed children at Joyland Amusement Park)
Spellbound I#29/6, p1, pan3 (Dave Miller and Jean Rogan)

Appearances:
Spellbound I#29/6 (August, 1956) - Carl Wessler (writer), Steve Ditko (pencils and inks), Stan Lee (editor)

First Posted: 9/23/2007
Last updated: 05/13/2021

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

Special Thanks to http://www.g-mart.com/ for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

Back to Races