PRIMUS

Real Name: Primus

Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial (Martian);
    active circa 1955 A.D., at least

Occupation: Scout

Group Membership: None known

Affiliations: Jordan

Enemies: None known, although a large number of people decried him, believing him to be trying to perpetrate a hoax

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Unidentified US city;
    presumably formerly somewhere on the planet Mars

First Appearance: Astonishing#39 (June, 1955)

Powers/Abilities: Primus did not demonstrate any special abilities, but he apparently had a spaceship that allowed him to travel to Earth from Mars

    He may have had a vision deficit for which he wore eyeglasses, or it may just have been part of his human disguise.

History:
(Astonishing#39) - After traveling from Mars to Earth in an apparent solo mission, and he felt very lonely when he arrived on Earth and no one greeted him.

Astonishing#39) - Primus painted a banner on a building, "WELCOME MARTIANS HEADQUARTERS."

    Fascinated reporters asked him if this was a gimmick promoting a new movie or book, but he introduced himself as Primus and told them that he was absolutely convinced that very shortly Martians would land on Earth and that when they did, they must be properly welcomed. He continued that he wished to get planetary-minded citizens to help him work out a program to greet the Martians when they touched down on Earth.

    Afternoon the newspapers reported the sign with mocking headlines, Primus stormed into the nearest newspaper office, the Star, asking how they dared to call his welcoming scheme a hoax. When a man at the Star asked if he had any proof, Primus told him that all of the flying saucer stories were Martians scouting for future landings. He then shared photographs of ships he had taken last night, but the photo expert at the Star determined them to be fakes, although he could not explain how he had done the job.

    After Primus stated that maybe ordinary people could help instead and then left, the editor assigned the reporter Jordan to follow Primus and get a front page story out of him.

    That afternoon, Primus mounted a platform, attempting to raise funds for a fitting welcome for the Martians as the first planetary force to reach their world. However, people in the crowd argued that Primus was just trying to rob them of their money, and despite his assurances to the contrary, they soon began to pelt him with eggs and tomatoes (who the heck carries eggs and tomatoes in their pockets during normal daytime activity?).

    After Primus fled back to his apartment, Jordan mockingly told him that a riot rated a front page story. When Primus expressed frustration that people wouldn't help him arrange the welcoming, Jordan suggested that perhaps they would if they understood why he was so eager to greet the Martians. Primus then brought Jordan to the roof and showed him his own spaceship, explaining that his reason was because he remembered how lonely he felt when he landed his Martian scouting ship and not one greeted him.
   

Comments: Created by unidentified writer and Ed Winiarski.

    Primus had what looked like a spacecraft, but it could have just been something he constructed from car or other parts. There is not anything that definitively confirms him to be a Martian
    For the purpose of this profile, I am assuming that Primus was indeed a Martian and not just some crackpot.

    Assuming he was indeed a Martian, there is nothing to exclude him from any of the other Martian races that either were human in appearance or used some means to appear as human...which means that his people were not necessarily a(n) unique race of "Martians."

    Regardless, 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 threatened Earth?
• We don’t have the answers to those questions, but maybe someone will answer them someday.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Primus should be distinguished from:

• PRIMUS - Flb'dbi, first among equals, led exploratory colonization party to earth thousands of years ago, stranded on Earth when magnetic poles reversed--Fantastic Four I#221
• PRIMUS - artificial humanoid, created by Arnim Zola, later served Baron (Helmut) Zemo + Mad Thinker, formerly merged with Doughboy. Alter form, superhuman strength, harden body to stone-like consistency, sentient--Captain America I#209
  
• PRIMUS - native of extradimensional realm (Archko) annexed by the Soul Masters of Shadow Realm, husband of Stara, brought Captain Mar-Vell to his dimension to train the natives to fight, died battling Soul Masters and returning Captain Mar-Vell to Earth--Marvel Spotlight II#4
  
• PRIMUS - white Kree, former pawn of Supreme Intelligence, led the underground militia--Imperial Guard#1
• other Martians....

First posted: 09/01/2026
Last updated: 03/07/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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