MARTIANS

Classification: Alternate reality (Reality-53763, 2958 AD) extraterrestrial semi-humanoid reptilian race

Location/Base of Operations: Mars

Known Members: At least ten million (including Ttyrpff, Rrghhp, Warlord Xxrth)

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Earthlings (including Ryerson)

First Appearance: Mystery Tales#13/2 (July, 1953)

Powers/Abilities: These Martians displayed no paranormal abilities of their own, but possessed advanced technology. Their weaponry included atomic-powered rifles and handguns, which could kill or disintegrate, depending upon the degree of setting; they also used "nerve destroyers" to discipline their human slaves.

They came to Earth aboard their rocket cruisers.

Traits: Having scaly green skin, these Martians appeared to be two-legged reptilian/serpentine humanoids; their snakelike arms terminated in a pair of long and highly flexible "fingers".

While on Earth, they wore transparent helmets, a possible indication that they couldn't breathe Earth's atmosphere.

Type: Semi-humanoid
Average height: 6' (by approximation)
Eyes: Two (on head)
Fingers: Two
Toes: Unrevealed
Skin color: Green

History:
(Mystery Tales#13/2 (fb) - BTS) - The past of these Martians is unrevealed, but they developed superior weaponry, and they desired to make Earth their new home-world.

   At some point, the people of Earth became aware of the the hostile Martian race; circa 2941 AD, mankind feared that there would be war between Earth and Mars, so Earth scientists constructed the nearby orbiting Asteroid "X".

(Mystery Tales#13/2) - In the year 2958, an invasion force of ten million Martians conquered Earth in a devastating attack, and humans had no choice but to surrender. Subsequently, all Earth men who were strong enough were put in slave labor camps, while women and children were put in concentration camps.

   On the third day of the Martian conquest of Earth, Warlord Xxrth made a televised broadcast to announce that all Earthlings would be exterminated, and the mass executions began; however, the Martians spared mankind's top scientists, so they could learn all their secrets.

   But in one of the labor camps, the captives were planning to put Plan "X" into effect -- if it didn't work, it would mean the end of mankind! One of the men, Ryerson, went to a guard and requested an audience with Xxrth, under the pretense that he had information to sell.

   When Ryerson stood before Xxrth, he claimed Earth underground fighters were plotting to destroy the Martians, and he would tell all if the Martians swore not to execute him; Xxrth agreed to the deal and promised Ryerson he'd be richly rewarded. Ryerson then told the Martian warlord that the other scientists had smuggled some atomic weapon onto Asteroid "X", and they planned to use the asteroid as a base from which to blow up the entire planet Earth; Ryerson also warned him that the asteroid was booby-trapped. Afterward, Xxrth "rewarded" Ryerson for the information by killing him with his ray-gun.

   Twelve hours later, Xxrth and all ten million Martians boarded their rocket cruisers and headed toward Asteroid "X" -- they left the remaining Earthlings alone and unguarded, because they were weaponless, so the Martians had nothing to fear from them.

   When their spaceships landed on Asteroid "X", the Martians saw no sign of life, and since their anti-trap devices detected no booby-traps, they began to search for hidden weapons.

   Meanwhile on Earth, many pairs of eager eyes scanned the heavens as the bright light of a tremendous explosion filled the sky; Earthlings then breathed a collective sigh of relief, for there was nothing left for them but the rebuilding. The Martians had searched for a booby-trap, never suspecting that the entire asteroid was the booby-trap...the largest atom bomb ever created!

Comments: Created by Stan Lee and Joe Sinnott.

This 4-page story--Booby Trap--began just as Earth surrendered to the Martians, so very little was revealed about the Martians.

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

Profile by Ron Fredricks.




CLARIFICATIONS:
These Martians have no known connection to:

Asteroid "X" (Reality-53763, 2958 AD) should not be confused with:

Ryerson has no known connection to:

Martians' rocket cruisers

In the year 2958 AD of Reality-53763, an unspecified number of these spacecrafts transported ten million Martians to Earth -- the spaceships were capable of at least interplanetary travel, and were armed with unspecified weaponry.

The invading Martians easily conquered Earth, and were about to exterminate all humans; but Ryerson tricked the Martians into flying to nearby Asteroid "X", which was supposedly an Earth base for hidden atomic weapons.

After their rocket cruisers landed on the asteroid, the Martians began their search for the weapons; but they were unaware that the entire asteroid was actually a huge atomic bomb -- consequently the entire invasion force of ten million Martians, along with their rocket cruisers, were all destroyed when the bomb was detonated.

--Mystery Tales#13/2

Ryerson

On Earth-53763, in the year 2958 AD, Ryerson (first name unrevealed) was a scientist in some unspecified field, and he may have played a part in the construction of Asteroid "X" seventeen years earlier.

After the Martians conquered Earth, Ryerson was placed in a slave labor camp with other scientists. When the Martians began exterminating Earthlings, Ryerson willingly agreed to put Plan "X" into operation by himself.

Ryerson went to the Martian Warlord Xxrth and told him that the nearby Asteroid "X" was a secret base for Earth's atomic weapons; Xxrth subsequently "rewarded" Ryerson for the information by executing him.

But Ryerson's sacrifice had not been in vain, because the entire Martian invasion force flew to Asteroid "X", which was actually an immense atomic bomb -- the bomb was detonated, the Martians were destroyed , and humanity was spared.

--Mystery Tales#13/2

images: (without ads)
Mystery Tales#13/2, p3, pan4 (main image - Warlord Xxrth)
Mystery Tales#13/2, p2, pan1 (headshot - Warlord Xxrth delivers televised speech to Earth)
Mystery Tales#13/2, p1, pan3 (Warlord Xxrth, Rrghhp, and unidentified Martian; executed Earth woman)
Mystery Tales#13/2, p4, pan5 (Warlord Xxrth and two unidentified Martians on Asteroid "X")
Mystery Tales#13/2, p4, pan7 (Asteroid "X" explodes, destroying entire Martian invasion fleet)
Mystery Tales#13/2, p4, pan3 (Martian rocket cruisers fly from Earth to Asteroid "X")
Mystery Tales#13/2, p4, pan4 (Martian rocket cruisers land on Asteroid "X")
Mystery Tales#13/2, p3, pan3 (Ryerson requests Martian guard to speak to Warlord Xxrth)
Mystery Tales#13/2, p4, pan2 (Ryerson gets shot by Warlord Xxrth)

Appearances:
Mystery Tales#13/2 (July, 1953) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Joe Sinnott (pencils/inks)

First Posted: 05/15/2026
Last updated: 05/15/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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