CLAM

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Unrevealed (see comments) (1950s era)

Occupation: Would-be world conqueror

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Mankind, in general (including Joe Jackson, Harry (last name unrevealed), and their wives)

Known Relatives: None (see comments)

Aliases: Temporarily mistaken for a "flying saucer" (by Joe Jackson and Harry)

Base of Operations: Mobile

First Appearance: Men's Adventures#21/3 (May, 1953)

Powers/Abilities: Having similar physical characteristics to an ordinary clam (albeit with gigantic proportions), this sentient creature demonstrated traits uncommon to typical clams, such as the ability to speak to humans, and the power to propel itself through the air--possibly it was endowed with vast psionic powers, and these abilities could be attributed to mental telepathy and telekinetic levitation.

Height: 10' (by approximation)
Weight: 10 tons (by approximation)
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Inapplicable

History: (Men's Adventures#21/3) - The origin of this Clam is unrevealed (see comments), but it was flying in the skies over an American seashore one day, when it was glimpsed by two men--Joe and Harry--who were digging for clams on the beach. At first, the men thought the creature to be a "flying saucer," but then dismissed it as nothing more than an army observation balloon. Later, after the men had collected a sackful of clams, they were walking back home and were engaged in a discussion regarding the possible evolutionary intelligence of the clams, and the possibility that perhaps the clams were waiting to take over the world. Somehow sensing that Joe and Harry were too close to the truth, the Clam circled back and apparently devoured the men.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee (writer) and Fred Kida (artist)

A short profile, but this endearingly goofy story--The Secret of the Flying Saucer!--was only 3-pages long. If it had been done a few years later, during the classic Lee/Kirby giant monsters era, they might have titled it: I Dared to Defy--KLAMM, the Mammoth Mollusk Monarch from the Murky Mire!!!

This basic plot--the "flying saucer" itself turning out to be the monster--would be reused a few times, such as for this "Flying Saucer".

It was never revealed where this Clam came from. It could be an alien, or maybe it was actually a Deviant mutate. The Clam's dialogue implied that there were others of its kind, but none of these giant clams have been seen since...although the Sub-Mariner once used giant non-sentient clam against the Fantastic Four (@ Fantastic Four I#14), so maybe that one was some relation.

Maybe the giant flying Clam could team-up with Zarko the Flying Squid.

A similar plot was used in Strange Worlds#1/1 (December, 1958) ("Flying Saucer"), Tales Of Suspense I#11 (September, 1960) "I know The Secret Of The Flying Saucer! ", Strange Tales I#10 (October, 1962) "The Impossible Ship!"
--Gammatotem

Profile by Ron Fredricks.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Clam has no known connections to:

Joe Jackson has no known connections to:

Harry, Helen, and the unidentified woman have known connections to:

Joe Jackson and Harry

These two men were on the beach one day, digging for clams, when they glimpsed what they thought was a "flying saucer" in the sky, but they lost sight of the object in the bright sunlight.  Harry figured it was probably just an army observation balloon, so the two resumed digging.  After collecting a sackful of clams, they were going to walk back home to their wives so they could cook up a feast.

Joe paused to tie his shoe, and he asked Harry a philosophical question--he wondered if clams had feelings, if they could think.  Harry dismissed Joe's question as ludicrous; but Joe pointed out that the earliest life started in the sea, so why shouldn't some form of sea life which could think and reason have evolved over the years?  Holding up a clam, Joe pointed out that clams had been around for centuries, and he wondered why shouldn't they have developed some intelligence by now, much like mankind did.  Harry then jokingly proposed the idea that maybe the clams were waiting to take over the world, which Joe found to be even crazier than his own theory. 

Just then, they saw the "flying saucer" again, and it was heading straight for them. But as the flying object got closer, they both realized it looked like a giant clam.  The giant clam spoke to them, telling them that mankind's time was drawing to an end, then it swooped down and seemingly devoured Joe and Harry.

--Men's Adventures#21/3




Wives of Joe and Harry

An unidentified woman and Helen were the wives of Joe and Harry (it is unclear who was married to whom (assuming, of course, that they were married)).  Their husbands had gone down to the beach to dig up some clams for dinner, and the women were awaiting Joe and Harry's return. They figured the men had lost track of time and were watching the "flying saucer" that had flown by earlier; they didn't know of their husbands' grisly fate.

--Men's Adventures#21/3







images: (without ads)
Men's Adventures#21/3, p3, pan4 (Clam (as "flying saucer") approaching Harry and Joe)
Men's Adventures#21/3, p3, pan5 (Clam reveals its true nature to Harry and Joe)
Men's Adventures#21/3, p3, pan6 (Clam devours Harry and Joe)
Men's Adventures#21/3, p1, pan1 (Joe Jackson and Harry see "flying saucer" while digging for clams)
Men's Adventures#21/3, p3 , pan2 (Joe Jackson and Harry)
Men's Adventures#21/3, p3, pan7 (unidentified woman and Helen)

Appearances:
Men's Adventures#21/3 (May, 1953) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Fred Kida (artist) 

First Posted: 02/19/2016
Last updated: 02/19/2016

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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