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TED KARSON

Real Name: Ted Karson

Identity/Class: Extradimensional (Earth-60751) normal human

Occupation: Astronaut

Group Membership: Earth space exploration mission (exact name unrevealed)

Affiliations: Earth humans

Enemies: "Spider-Things" (giant extraterrestrial arthropods)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Outer space;
   briefly "Planet X"
   formerly Earth

First Appearance: Tales to Astonish I#10/4 (July, 1960)

Powers/Abilities: Ted Karson is a healthy and fully trained astronaut with sharp scientific skills and a keen mind for exploration. He is also willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good.

Height: 5'8"
Weight: 140 lbs.
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Brown

History:

(Tales to Astonish I#10/4 (fb) - BTS) - On Earth-60751, Ted Karson was selected as the first astronaut to explore space beyond the galaxy.

(Tales to Astonish I#10/4 (fb)) - Ten months into his mission and having started his return to Earth, Karson found a planet he dubbed Planet X. Landing his spaceship there, he encountered thousands of "gigantic spider-like creatures," but felt they emanated savageness and hatred. Karson ran back to his spaceship but found small versions of these "spider-things" had appeared inside. They were impervious to his gun's blasts and were attracted to his radio equipment, so he surmised that the small creatures traveled on radio waves and then grew once the waves stopped. Karson was bitten by one and slowed the infection with onboard medication. He locked the creatures, now larger, in an outer compartment and expected them to die of asphyxiation but they did not; they merely stopped growing. So he tried exhaust fumes, poisons, fire and acids, but the "spider-things" proved indestructible. Instead, he found the creatures were absorbing the ship's energy, thereby limiting its travel (Karson initially hoped to impact the sun to incinerate the threat). Karson found the infection was a highly contagious virus and he resolved never to land on Earth due to the extreme danger the creatures posed to humans. He could not transmit a radio message to Earth because the creatures could travel by that means, so he wrote about his encounter, along with a warning about the planet's location, into a contaminant-free book isolated from the ship's cabin and placed into a lead capsule.

(Tales to Astonish I#10/4) - A year later, Karson's spaceship finally returned and settled into Earth's outer orbit. He refused to respond to radio hails and the humans became increasingly paranoid; they eventually chose to destroy Karson's spaceship, killing the astronaut. His log was jettisoned at the last minute and made it to Earth in a secure capsule. Upon reading, the Earth people realized Karson's heroic actions to protect them from the dire "spider-creatures" and erected a large statue in his honor.

Comments: Created by uncredited writer & Steve Ditko.

It's assumed that the massive explosion in the obliteration of Karson's spaceship also destroyed the "spider-things" on board (maybe some burnt up entering Earth's atmosphere like meteors).

Oddly, Karson narrates this adventure after his death. Is he a ghost at this point? Had he been mutated with higher dexterity to survive an explosion in space?

Karson referred to the creatures as "Spider-Things"; it's not my name choice, but it's not very inventive and more born from terror than a rational analysis.

I think this is another example where travel to another "galaxy" actually meant a neighboring solar system.

Profile by Grendel Prime.

CLARIFICATIONS :
Ted Karson has no known connections to:

images: (without ads)
Tales to Astonish I#10/4, p4, pan1 (main image)
   p3, pan3 (headshot)
   p5, pan2 (in protective gear)

Appearances:
Tales to Astonish I#10/4 (July, 1960) - uncredited writer, Steve Ditko (art), Stan Lee (editor)

First posted: 11/02/2025
Last updated: 11/02/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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