"MARTIANS"
Classification: Extraterrestrial humanoids ("Martians" [see comments], Pre-Modern era)
Location/Base of Operations: Daily Clarion Building, somewhere in America; originally from Mars (supposedly)
Known Members: At least four (including "Charles J. Wentworth", others unidentified)
Affiliations: None
Enemies: Earthlings (in general), Robot X and its robot army; Jonathan Wilkes
First Appearance: Amazing Adventures I#4/1 (September, 1961)
Powers/Abilities: Demonstrating no paranormal abilities, these aliens disguised themselves as humans by wearing realistic masks that covered their entire heads--they also apparently wore human-flesh colored gloves on their hands.
They were skilled at using both print and television media to play upon the fears and prejudices of humans regarding thinking robots.
Traits: They had large pointed ears.
Type: Semi-humanoid
Average height: 6' (by approximation)
Eyes: Two (on head)
Fingers: Five (including opposable thumb)
Toes: Unrevealed
Skin color: Green
History:
(Amazing Adventures I#4/1 (fb) - BTS) - After somehow
arriving on Earth, "Martians" (see
comments) were secretly planted as fifth-columnists for a
mission of conquest--they planned to ultimately take control of
influential newspapers and use their propaganda to play upon the fears
and prejudices of the human readers to weaken and undermine the defenses
of the planet, thus leaving it ripe for conquest. Wearing face-masks to
disguise themselves as publisher Charles J. Wentworth and his staff of
writers and editors, the invaders first took control of the Daily
Clarion newspaper building.
(Amazing Adventures I#4/1) - After inventor Jonathan
Wilkes created the sentient Robot X, the "Martians" feared that thinking
robots would not be deceived by their plot. Wentworth wrote daily
editorials which attacked Robot X, claiming that thinking robots would
put men out of work; he even appeared on television to voice his
opposition against Robot X, and he claimed robots would endanger
mankind's entire civilization. Although Wilkes went to Wentworth's
office at the Daily Clarion building and tried to convince him
otherwise, the newspaper publisher continued his constant cries of
alarm, which soon began to convince the public of the menace presented
by robots.
Having read Wentworth's anti-robot editorials, Robot X was suspicious of
him from the start; the more the publisher raved, the more X's
suspicions increased, until the robot became determined to expose
Wentworth's true nature.
Wentworth and his staff were finally captured by Robot X and its robot
army, then they were unmasked and revealed to be alien invaders; with
their plot exposed to the world, the attempted invasion of the
"Martians" was ruined.
The eventual fate of these captured "Martians" remains unrevealed.
Comments: Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
It's always possible that there actually was a "real" Charles Wentworth and his staff, and that the "Martians" were holding them prisoner while they impersonated them.
In comparison, these "Martians" looked very similar to Skrulls (who would first appear a few months later in Fantastic Four I#2 [January, 1962]--see accompanying image)--since these "Martians" never actually identified themselves as such (that was only the term by which Robot X referred to them), then maybe they were really Skrulls. Since they used masks and didn't appear to have shape-shifting powers, perhaps they were throwbacks/Skrull "normals" who didn't have that ability, or perhaps they just weren't that skilled at altering their appearances; if either case is true, then maybe they were sent on this mission because the Skrull empire considered them to be expendable. Maybe they were scouts for the Skrull invasion that ultimately lead to the deaths of the First Line members.
And "Wentworh's" anti-Robot X editorials remind me of J. Jonah Jameson's later anti-Spider-Man tirades... you don't suppose...?
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:
images: (without ads)
Amazing Adventures I#4/1, p12, pan5 (four captured "Martians"; one of Robot X's robot soldiers [background])
Amazing Adventures I#4/1, p3, pan5 ("Martian" disguised as Charles J. Wentworth)
Amazing Adventures I#4/1, p3, pan6 (inside Daily Clarion building, Johnathon Wilkes speaks with Charles J. Wentworth)
Amazing Adventures I#4/1, p12, pan4 (Robot X pulls off Charles J. Wentworth's mask, revealing him to be a "Martian")
Fantastic Four I#2, p4, pan8 (Skrulls)
Appearances:
Amazing Adventures I#4/1 (September, 1961) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (pencils), Dick Ayers (inks)
First Posted: 08/28/2025
Last updated: 08/28/2025
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
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