MARTIANS

Classification: Extraterrestrial (Martian, 1950s era)

Location/Base of Operations: An abandoned house at 236 Elm Drive, somewhere in America; originally from Mars

Known Members: Six (including their king; none identified)

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Rupert Witlow

Aliases: None

First Appearance: Uncanny Tales I#40/3 (February, 1956)

Powers/Abilities: Other than their advanced technology (in comparison to Earth's), these Martians displayed no paranormal abilities. They seemed to be armed with handguns holstered at their waists, but never actually used them.

They traveled to Earth in a rocketship.

Traits: Having stout and stocky bodies, they also had pointed ears.

Type: Semi-humanoid
Eyes: Two (on head)
Fingers: Five (including opposable thumb)
Toes: Unrevealed
Skin color: Pink, with black hair (see comments)
Average height: 5'6" (by approximation)

History:
(Uncanny Tales I#40/3 (fb) - BTS) - Desiring to see what an Earthling looked like, the Martian king sent five of his subordinates to Earth so they could capture one and bring him back to Mars.

   The five Martians traveled to Earth in a rocketship, and disguised their spacecraft inside an abandoned house on Elm Drive. To attract a human specimen, they enclosed a note inside an empty wallet that read: "TO THE FINDER OF THIS WALLET, A REWARD AWAITS THE ONE WHO RETURNS IT TO 236 ELM DRIVE"; they then placed the wallet on the sidewalk of a nearby city.

(Uncanny Tales I#40/3) - On the morning of April 1st, the wallet was found by Rupert Witlow as he walked to work. Since he could use the extra reward money promised in the note, Witlow took a bus to a strange looking house at the Elm Drive address. The door swung open at Witlow's knock--he hesitated, but then entered the dark interior of the house. Suddenly, after the door slammed shut behind him and the lights came on, Witlow learned of his startling predicament when he was confronted by the five Martians; they told him that since he brought back the wallet, he would receive his reward--a free trip to Mars!

   But not wanting to go on the interplanetary voyage, Witlow told the aliens they could forget about "rewarding" him. The Martians explained that they were on a mission for their king, and told Witlow it was useless to struggle, but they assured him he would not be harmed because he would live out the rest of his days on Mars.

   However, just as they were about to launch, the Martians discovered that their rocket's controls weren't operating because of a short-circuited wire. While the Martians turned their attention to making the repair, Witlow used the distraction as his opportunity to make his escape, so he climbed out a window and got away; Witlow eventually made his way back home and told his wife about his attempted abduction.

   With their human specimen gone, the Martians had no choice but to return to Mars--although they explained the circumstances of their botched mission to the king, he was displeased by their failure.

Comments: Created by Carl Wessler and John Severin.

In this 3-page story--A Day to Remember--the Martians seemed to have balding heads, while their king was the only one depicted with a full head of hair--I guess it could be some weird Martian royalty custom.

Like many other "Martians" claiming to be from Mars, these aliens may not be natives of that planet, and may have just been using it for a base of operations; they may actually come from another world outside Earth's solar system. Considering their pink skin and pointed ears, maybe they're a shorter and chunkier offshoot of the Kallusians.

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

Profile by Ron Fredricks

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Martians have no known connection to:

Rupert and Thelma Witlow should not be confused with:

Martians' rocketship

It transported the Martians from Mars to Earth so they could capture a human specimen for their king.

While on Earth, it was disguised inside an abandoned suburban house on Elm Drive, and the "nose" of the rocket protruded from the roof.

The Martians captured Rupert Witlow and were going to take him back to Mars; but the rocket developed a short-circuit in its controls just as they attempted to launch, and while the Martians attended to repairs, Witlow made his escape.

After repairs were made, the Martians noticed Witlow was gone, so they returned to Mars in the spacecraft and reported the failure of their mission to their king.

--Uncanny Tales I#40/3

(Comment: The rocketship was never fully depicted.)

Rupert Witlow

Married to Thelma, he was an absent-minded man who worked in an office environment of a nearby city.

He had previously asked Thelma to remind him of the significance of a certain day's date; when that day arrived, he asked his wife what he wanted to remember about the date before he left for work, but Thelma couldn't remember either.

As he strolled to work, the elusive something that evaded Rupert's memory nagged at him. Then he noticed a wallet laying on the sidewalk--although it was empty, a note inside promised a reward if it were returned to a certain address. Figuring he could use the extra money, Rupert took a bus to the address, where he found a strange looking house. But when he he went inside the house, Rupert learned it contained a rocketship, and the residents were Martians!

The aliens explained that their king wanted to see what Earthlings looked like, so they came to Earth to capture one for him. The Martians promised Rupert that he would not be harmed, and he would just have to accept living out the rest of his days on Mars; but Rupert didn't want to go--he had a wife and a job, and insisted he was happy on Earth.

Just as the Martians were about to launch their spacecraft, it developed a short-circuit; while the Martians attended to repairs, Rupert used the distraction to escape out a window of the house.

Rupert made his way back home and told Thelma about his attempted abduction by aliens. But an hour earlier, Thelma had finally remembered what Rupert had wanted to be reminded about the day's date, so she told him it was April 1st--April Fool's Day; upon hearing that, Rupert figured he had just been the victim of an elaborate prank, so they both enjoyed a good laugh about it--both were unaware that the "prank" and the Martians were real.

--Uncanny Tales I#40/3

Thelma Witlow

The wife of the absent-minded Rupert Witlow, Thelma was a bit forgetful herself.

Previously, Rupert had asked Thelma to remind him of the significance of a certain day's date; while he was preparing to go to work on that day, Rupert asked his wife what he wanted to remember about the day, but Thelma couldn't remember either.

After Rupert left, Thelma finally remembered that it was April 1st--April Fool's Day--and that Rupert wanted to be reminded of it because he didn't want to fall for any pranks that might be pulled on him.

When Rupert returned home later, he told her that he had nearly been abducted by Martians, and Thelma reminded him that it was April Fool's Day; upon hearing that, Rupert figured he had just been the victim of an elaborate prank, so they both enjoyed a good laugh about it--both were unaware that the "prank" and the Martians were real.

--Uncanny Tales I#40/3

images: (without ads)
Uncanny Tales I#40/3, p2, pan6 (main image - Martians restraining Rupert Witlow)
Uncanny Tales I#40/3, p2, pan5 (headshot - Martian)
Uncanny Tales I#40/3, p3, pan7 (Martian explains their failure to their king [right])
Uncanny Tales I#40/3, p2, pan2 (Rupert Witlow walks up to house containing Martian rocketship)
Uncanny Tales I#40/3, p2, pan7 (interior of Martian rocketship; Rupert Witlow)
Uncanny Tales I#40/3, p1, pan1 (Rupert Witlow)
Uncanny Tales I#40/3, p3, pan5 (Rupert Witlow realizes it's April Fool's Day)
Uncanny Tales I#40/3, p3, pan6 (Rupert Witlow laughs about falling for the "prank")
Uncanny Tales I#40/3, p1, pan1 (Thelma Witlow)
Uncanny Tales I#40/3, p3, pan6 (Thelma Witlow)

Appearances:
Uncanny Tales I#40/3 (February, 1956) - Carl Wessler (writer), John Severin (pencils/inks), Stan Lee (editor)

First Posted: 08/14/2025
Last updated: 08/14/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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