MARTIANS
Classification: Humanoid
extraterrestrial race
Location/Base of Operations: Mars;
The Royal Family housed in the USA, Earth (1950s era)
Known Members: Aiila, Kwaa, Szh, princes and princesses
of the Martian Royal Family
Affiliations: None
Enemies: Don Bolling, Bruce Dawson, Jovians
First Appearance: Uncanny Tales I#37/3
(November, 1955)
Powers/Abilities: These Martians are virtually
identical to humanity as far as could be seen in terms of form and
appearance; the main difference lie in the hair type and color (white
and/or black). Males may have slightly exaggerated features
compared to their human counterparts. There seems to be at least very
close biological compatibility with humans for there to be heterosexual
marriage union so readily acceptable. Of note is that these Martians
are receptively telepathic, but do not communicate this power to others
and use it as a strategic advantage when they can.
These Martians possess saucers with
intuitive controls capable
of interplanetary travel and within Earth's atmosphere. They
communicate fluently in English, suggesting either learning or active
use of translator technology. These Martians can breathe and otherwise
be comfortable in Earth's atmosphere, climate, gravity, etc.
Traits: The Martian population generally fight
to defend their planet, although the Royal Family sought refuge from
targeted bombardments. They do not appear to be overly aggressive.
What's known as pigment magenta on
Earth may denote royal or senior standing on Mars.
Type: Bilaterally symmetric semi-humanoid
bipeds
Eyes: Two (on head; blue color seen)
Fingers: Four (plus opposing thumb)
Toes: Unrevealed
Skin color: "Pink" (comparable to Caucasian humanity, at least)
Average height: Approximately 5'9" (males); about 5'6" (females)
History:
(Uncanny Tales I#37/3 (fb) - BTS) - Mars and the much
more powerful Jupiter were in a war that raged for a century. Mars
nevertheless still explored nearby regions, including Earth, sending
disc-shaped spaceships, but withdrew as they were fired upon by Earth
forces and they consequently ignored contact from Earth.
(Uncanny Tales I#37/3) - Martian
Emperor Szh chose to respond to another signal from Earthman Bruce
Dawson, a brilliant but paranoid radio engineer who secretly wished to
escape Earth because he feared imminent war on Earth. Hoping to steal
their spaceship and flee, Dawson duplicitously invited the Martians to
visit and agreed to marry Szh's daughter Aiila as a sign of friendship.
It took a month for the Martians to arrive; the envoy comprised the
entire Royal Family and they secretly hoped to stay on Earth to escape
the Jovian attacks. Szh intended to officiate over the marriage
proceedings and sought a quick marriage. But over congenial
discussions, Szh and Aiila telepathically learned of Dawson's true
intentions, but didn't stop Dawson as they quietly wanted to stay on
Earth and recognized that other Earth people weren't all like Dawson.
Dawson and his friend Don Bolling stole
the Martian spaceship
the night before the marriage and fled to Mars where they were greeted
by Arch-General Kwaa, who informed the pair of the long war there. Kwaa immediately conscripted the pair into the Martian war
effort just as a Jovian raiding fleet approached
Comments:
Created by Carl Wessler & Mort Drucker.
Interestingly, the same Uncanny Tales issue had another
Martian
tale; Martians were also human in appearance (the rich socialite Sarah
Silvan to be wed to an Earthman), but the planet was in peace.
It remains to be explained how so many
different races/beings allegedly originated from Mars:
- Is there some Nexus of Realities on Mars through
which numerous Martians from other realities have traveled to Earth-616?
- Is there some cosmic manipulator (like the Stranger
or Immortus)
who is transporting various races to Mars and then removing them and
traces of their existence when they have served their purpose?
- Have the various incarnations of the Man
on the Wall been eliminating Martian races/colonizers after they
threaten Earth?
- We don't have the answers to those questions, but
maybe someone will answer them someday.
Profile
by Grendel
Prime.
CLARIFICATIONS:
These Martians should be distinguished from:
Aiila
Aiila was the daughter of Emperor Szh, ruler of Mars.
She was promised in marriage to paranoid Earthman Bruce Dawson as a
sign of friendship between the two planets. Aiila traveled to Earth
with the rest of the Martian Royal Family; they quietly hoped to remain
on Earth to escape their century-long war with Jupiter. During the
journey, she hoped she was sufficiently attractive for the Earthman.
Over friendly discussions, Aiila and Szh telepathically discovered
Dawson's duplicitous intentions to steal the spaceship and flee Earth.
The Martians did not stop him as they wished to stay on Earth; Aiila
was not bothered as she recognized not all Earth people were like
Dawson and there were many handsome men to meet.
--Uncanny Tales I#37/3
Don Bolling
Don Bolling was an Earthman and close of friend of
the alarmist and paranoid Bruce Dawson, who sought to escape what he
perceived imminent war on Earth. Bolling was with Dawson when he
contacted Mars again and finally received a response from its emperor
Szh. Dawson agreed to a sign of friendship between the two planets by
marrying Szh's daughter, but secretly Dawson intended to steal the
Martian spaceship and escape Earth. He bullied Bolling into joining him
and the duo took the month's journey to Mars, but there they found Mars
was in a century-long war with Jupiter and were immediately conscripted
into the Martian war effort.
--Uncanny Tales I#37/3
Bruce Dawson
Bruce Dawson was an Earthman and genius radio
engineer who had developed a communications device that could instantly
contact any planet "in the universe" (likely the solar system and nearby
solar systems). He was paranoid about imminent war on Earth and tried
to cajole others into his efforts to escape the planet, but found no
one agreed with his alarmist ideas and instead considered him a coward
for not facing up to problems. His friend Don Bolling joined him on
another attempt to contact Mars and this time its emperor Szh
responded. Szh agreed to visit and as a sign of friendship, Dawson
agreed to marry Szh's daughter Aiila. However, this was all a ruse to
entrap the Martians. Before the imminent marriage, Dawson bullied
Bolling into stealing the Martian spaceship and they journeyed to Mars
to escape Earth, not caring about the stranded Martian Royal Family.
But upon landing on Mars, Dawson and Bolling discovered the Martians
were in the midst of a long war with Jupiter and the pair were
immediately conscripted into the Martian war effort just as a Jovian
raiding fleet approached. Dawson immediately regretted running away.
--Uncanny Tales I#37/3
Kwaa
Arch-General Kwaa defended Mars during its long war
with Jupiter. He greeted the two Earthmen, Bruce Dawson and Don
Bolling, who had stolen a Martian spaceship and fled Earth.
Disappointed there no more from Earth to assist, Kwaa immediately
conscripted the pair into the Martian war effort just as a Jovian
raiding fleet approached.
--Uncanny Tales I#37/3
Szh
Emperor Szh was the ruler of Mars. He was contacted
by the brilliant but paranoid radio engineer Bruce Dawson of Earth, who
secretly wanted to escape his planet because he feared imminent war there. As
a sign of friendship, Dawson agreed to marry Szh's daughter Aiila. A
month later, Szh and the entire Martian Royal Family arrived, quietly
intending to stay on Earth to escape the century-long war with Jupiter
that saw the Martian surface bombed. Szh telepathically learned of
Dawson's duplicitous nature and intention to steal the Martian
spaceship and escape Earth, but continued with congenial discussions
that he intended to officiate over the wedding. Soon after,
Dawson stole the spaceship and fled to Mars, stranding the Martian
Royal Family. Szh was not overly concerned as Aiila recognized that
other people were not all like Dawson.
--Uncanny Tales I#37/3
images: (without ads)
Uncanny Tales I#37/3, p5, pan2 (main image)
p3, pan7 (headshots)
p3, pan4 (Martian spaceship)
p4, pan3 (Aiila)
p4, pan2 (Bolling)
p1, pan3 (Dawson)
p5, pan6 (Kwaa)
p3, pan1 (Szh)
Appearances:
Uncanny Tales I#37/3 (November, 1955) - Carl Wessler (writer), Mort
Drucker (art), Stan Lee (editor)
First Posted: 10/17/2025
Last updated: 10/17/2025
Any Additions/Corrections? please let
me know.
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