GEORGE ASHTON

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial (Martian) (1950s era)

Occupation: Secret agent

Group Membership: Martian intelligence agency

Affiliations: Fellow Martian intelligence agents

Enemies: Those opposed to Martian invasions

Known Relatives: Wife, child (names unrevealed)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Earth;
   formerly Mars

First Appearance: Space Squadron#3/3 (October, 1951)

Powers/Abilities: George Aston is an advanced  Martian crustacean lifeform, but has used the Martian shapeshifting trait of adopting the shape and language patterns of native inhabitants of alien species. Ashton is ruthless in eliminating threats to Martian invasion forces and does so more because he longs to return to his family on Mars.

Height: Unrevealed (presumably average male human height)
Weight: Unrevealed (presumably average male human weight)
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Unrevealed

History:

(Space Squadron#3/3 (fb) - BTS) - A Martian Intelligence officer was assigned to Earth ahead of a planned Earth invasion from Mars; his covert mission was to intercept any traitorous Martians to the military Martians' cause. Using the crustacean Martians' innate language-thought patterns, he adopted the identity of George Ashton on Earth and took additional effort to carefully blend in with human society (location unrevealed; presumably USA). Meanwhile, a Martian scientist who had developed a powerful force screen to repel Martian forces fled Mars to warn and equip Earth; however, the scientist's disguise was clumsy.

(Space Squadron#3/3) - Ashton had been waiting several hours in the bar, moderately drinking and smoking, when the disheveled but human-looking scientist came in and blurted to Ashton that he was a Martian and warned of an imminent invasion. Ashton pretended to humor him and said he would call the local psychiatric hospital to be sure the scientist wasn't an escaped patient and he was okayed. Ashton feigned disbelief at life on Mars and space travel, but this got the scientist more agitated, just as the ambulance arrived. Ashton indicated the unkempt"man" was the patient, and he was easily restrained by the two attendants and taken away in a straitjacket. Ashton walked out into the street and wondered how many other fugitives were on Earth, trying to tell humans, but then he saw in the distance a torpedo-like object he interpreted as a Martian spacecraft and was excited that the Martian invasion would begin soon and he could return home to his family.

Comments: Creator(s) not credited.

It's unrevealed if "George Ashton" was a completely new identity or one stolen from an existing human.

This text story was later reprinted in Spaceman#5 (May, 1954). There were three images in the original print, but I suggest that they're not actually intended for the story, but instead plundered from another story or were unused art. The reprint has a small panel showing distinctly old-school armed mechanical robots standing amid ruins; these do not relate to the story (unless the robots were part of the invasion force).

It remains to be explained how so many different races/beings allegedly originated from Mars:

Profile by Grendel Prime.

CLARIFICATIONS :
George Ashton has no known connections to:


Appearances:
Space Squadron#3/3 (October, 1951) - uncredited writer, editor


First posted: 07/14/2026
Last updated: 07/14/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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