SARTO

Real Name: Sarto

Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial (Martian; 1950s era)

Occupation: Invasion scout

Group Membership: Martian military

Affiliations: "The Chief"

Enemies: Earthlings

Known Relatives: John Shannon (foster father), Sally Shannon (foster mother)

Aliases: "Baby Shannon" (as referred to in captions)

Base of Operations: John and Sally Shannon's home, somewhere in the suburbs of America; originally an unidentified Martian city

First Appearance: Marvel Tales I#120/2 (February, 1954)

Powers/Abilities: Although a fully grown adult Martian, Sarto physically resembled a Caucasian human infant of about one year of age (a trait shared by others of his extraterrestrial race); but unlike human infants, he was able to speak, walk, and had a highly intelligent mind.

As a graduate of the Martian School of Art, he was a skilled artist; he painted a realistic portrait of his foster parents, and by stabbing it with a pair of scissors, he was somehow able to kill them (see comments).

Height: Unrevealed (24"; by approximation)
Weight: Unrevealed (20 lbs.; by approximation)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blond

History:
(Marvel Tales I#120/2 (fb) - BTS) - As a scout for an impending Martian invasion, Sarto was transported to Earth in a spaceship. Impersonating an infant wrapped in a blanket, he waited on the doorstep of John and Mary Shannon's house.

(Marvel Tales I#120/2) - Late one night, the Shannons were awakened by the sound of a loud wailing; John got out of bed to investigate, and found an abandoned baby on their porch. Sally immediately fell in love with the child, whom she estimated to be about a year old; she wanted to keep him, so they became the abandoned baby's foster parents.

   The baby soon demonstrated the ability to walk, so the Shannons had to confine him in a play-pen to keep him out of mischief; but one day, Sally was stunned when the infant spoke to her and requested that she let him out. The baby soon moved on from speech and became a voracious reader, which the Shannons found to be more than a little unsettling.

(Marvel Tales I#120/2 - BTS) - Using his artistic skills, Sarto painted a portrait of the Shannons.

(Marvel Tales I#120/2) - Sally Shannon showed the baby's painting to her neighbor Mrs. Chester, who was quite impressed by the infant's artistic talent (...yet .neither of them seemed to think that it was unusual that a baby should be so extraordinarily gifted; see comments).

   But hours later, Sarto took a pair of scissors and stabbed the painted images of the Shannons--at that instant downstairs, both John and Sally collapsed dead.

(Marvel Tales I#120/2 - BTS) - With the Shannons dead and his mission completed, Sarto removed his diaper and put on his Martian military uniform.

(Marvel Tales I#120/2) - Sarto met with a spaceship which transported him back to his home-planet. When he reached Mars, Sarto made his report to "The Chief," telling his superior that Earth was ready for invasion, and adding that the language, knowledge, and customs of Earthlings could be easily learned. The Martians then proceeded with their plans.

   Meanwhile, back on Earth, the neighbors of the deceased Shannons were horrified--they believed that someone had murdered the married couple and kidnapped their baby.

   And at another suburban home, a married couple--Mac and Martha--discovered an abandoned baby left on their doorstep (...a scene apparently duplicated by the thousands around the world).

Comments: Created by an unidentified writer and Tony DiPreta.

In this 4-page story--Too Smart For His Age--none of the word-balloons, thought-balloons, or captions ever mentioned what planet Sarto came from--the only reference to Mars can be found in the background of this one story-panel.

My guess is that maybe Sarto also had some psychic ability and was able to dull the minds of the Shannons and any other humans with whom he came into contact, such that they didn't find it too unusual that a "baby" was so developmentally advanced.

In regards to the portrait painting: Possibly Sarto was able to envision his thoughts and was able to kill the Shannons by concentrating as he stabbed the portrait of them, and thus projected his killing thoughts; or perhaps the paint he used had some connection to the Painter of 1000 Perils.

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

Profile by Ron Fredricks.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Sarto / "Baby Shannon" has no known connections to:

"The Chief" has no known connections to:

John and Sally Shannon have no known connections to:

"The Chief"

His real name unrevealed, he was apparently a military leader on the planet Mars; he sent Sarto to scout on Earth for an invasion. Much like Sarto and others of his race, "The Chief" resembled a Caucasian human infant, with the exception of having facial hair (goatee beard and mustache).

He greeted Sarto when Sarto returned to Mars. While he drove him in his vehicle, "The Chief" asked Sarto if Earth was ready for invasion; Sarto reported that the language, knowledge, and customs of Earthlings could be learned in a matter of weeks.

Later, "The Chief" spoke to graduates of an advanced art course at the Martian School of Art; he prepared them for "a very special mission".

--Marvel Tales I#120/2

unidentified Martian city

A metropolis located on the planet Mars, it was populated by Martians who resembled human infants.

The city included ultra-modern structures, roadways for single-wheeled vehicles, and a landing pad for spacecraft.

--Marvel Tales I#120/2

John and Sally Shannon

A married couple living somewhere in the suburbs of America, John was "an up-and-coming government official," and Sally was a housewife.

Late one night, they were awakened by a wailing coming from their porch. John went out and discovered an abandoned baby left at their doorstep. Sally immediately fell in love with the child, so they became the baby's foster parents.

But the baby seemed to be extraordinarily developed--both physically and mentally--compared to other infants.

The baby eventually painted a portrait of the Shannons, then stabbed it with a pair of scissors, which resulted in the deaths of John and Sally.

The Shannons were unaware that the baby was actually Sarto, an adult Martian who came to Earth to act as an invasion scout.

--Marvel Tales I#120/2

portrait of John and Sally Shannon

A painting done by the Martian Sarto, it was a realistic image of his human foster parents.

When Mrs. Chester, a neighbor of the Shannons, saw the portrait, she was quite impressed with the "baby's" talent, and compared his artwork to that of Rembrandt.

But hours later, Sarto began to stab the portrait with a pair of scissors, which resulted in the death of the Shannons (see comments).

--Marvel Tales I#120/2

Mac and Martha

Mac and Martha (last name unrevealed) were a married couple living somewhere in the suburbs of America.

Late one night, Mac discovered a baby left on their doorstep--Martha was delighted to see the "precious bundle," and the excited Mac thought the baby would be "a real little cut-up".

--Marvel Tales I#120/2

(Comment: Although it was never actually confirmed, the "baby" was likely an adult Martian.)

images: (without ads)
Marvel Tales I#120/2, p4, pan3 (main image - Sarto)
Marvel Tales I#120/2, p2, pan7 (headshot - Sarto reading a book)
Marvel Tales I#120/2, p3, pan7 (Sarto, about to be picked up by spaceship)
Marvel Tales I#120/2, p4, pan3 (sign for Martian School of Art)
Marvel Tales I#120/2, p4, pan3 ("The Chief")
Marvel Tales I#120/2, p4, pan4 ("The Chief" addresses graduates of Martian School of Art)
Marvel Tales I#120/2, p4, pan1 (in Martian city, "The Chief" greets returning Sarto)
Marvel Tales I#120/2, p4, pan2 ("The Chief" and Sarto driving through Martian city)
Marvel Tales I#120/2, p2, pan1 (John Shannon brings abandoned baby to Sally Shannon)
Marvel Tales I#120/2, p2, pan2 (John and Sally Shannon; "baby" [Sarto])
Marvel Tales I#120/2, p2, pan6 (Sally and John Shannon concerned about "baby" [Sarto])
Marvel Tales I#120/2, p3, pan5 (John and Sally Shannon react to Sarto stabbing portrait of them)
Marvel Tales I#120/2, p3, pan1 (Sarto's painted portrait of the Shannons; Mrs. Chester, Sally Shannon [background])
Marvel Tales I#120/2, p3, pan3 (Sarto stabs painted image of John Shannon with scissors)
Marvel Tales I#120/2, p3, pan4 (Sarto stabs painted image of Sally Shannon with scissors)
Marvel Tales I#120/2, p4, pan5 (Mac)
Marvel Tales I#120/2, p4, pan6 (Mac and Martha with abandoned baby)

Appearances:
Marvel Tales I#120/2 (February, 1954) - unidentified writer, Tony DiPreta (pencils/inks), Stan Lee (editor)

First posted: 06/30/2025
Last updated: 06/30/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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