TALLUS
Real Name: Tallus
Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial
(Martian
(Red Martian)) (late 19th
Century)
Occupation: Scientist
Group Membership: Helium scientific community
Affiliations: None
Enemies: John Carter
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Helium, Barsoom (Mars)
First Appearance: John Carter, Warlord of
Mars#15/1 (August, 1978)
Powers/Abilities: Tallus is a genius inventor,
particularly in neuroscientific devices. He is recognized for his
scientific achievements in his city state of Helium. Despite his
advanced scientific mind, Tallus is culturally conservative and abhors
disruptions to Barsoomian (Martian) traditions. He can handle a radium pistol
but has poor aim.
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 160 lbs.
Eyes: Gray
Hair: Black (with beard)
History:
(John Carter, Warlord of Mars#15/1 (fb) - BTS) -
Tallus was considered Helium's greatest scientist, but he greatly
disliked what the stranded and time-lost Earthman John Carter had done
to upset the traditions of Barsoom (Mars). He developed a machine that
could trap Carter's mind in a dreamworld of ancient Earth battle
scenarios where he was supposed to die, with the resultant shock
killing Carter's corporeal form too. Tallus incorporated it as part of
a science exhibition and duplicitously invited John Carter
exclusively to showcase his invention.
(John Carter, Warlord of Mars#15/1) - Although
disinterested in science, Carter attended as a formality. Carter and
Tallus were alone in the scientist's laboratory, and Tallus activated
his encephalopathic device and a green mist encircled Carter, rendering
him unconscious. Tallus placed him into a chamber. Carter was initially
cast as King Theodoric fighting Attila the Hun, but Carter's stubborn
refusal to die cast him next into the form of Antigonus alongside
Alexander the Great. However, a scuffle between a Greek soldier and a
woman prisoner drew his attention, but in his dream fugue, the woman
appeared as Carter's beloved, Dejah Thoris. This helped break Carter
free of Tallus' device and he smashed his way out. Astonished at
Carter's resilience but still hateful, Tallus fired a pistol but
missed. Carter punched
him down. Tallus' body lay inert at the angry Carter's feet.
Comments: Created by Marv Wolfman & Walt Simonson.
Tallus' fate is unrevealed; did he die at Carter's raging fists, or was he tried and executed as a traitor?
Carter reduced ethnic tensions between red and green Martians, so Tallus may have harbored ethnic elitism.
Unfortunately, no good clear image of Tallus in the story.
In Burroughs' books, John Carter is almost like a
constant soldier, dying only to be mysteriously reborn, yet never aging
in visage. In his first appearance (published in a 1912 pulp sci-fi
magazine), he claims to be unaware of his true age or birthplace. Maybe
Tallus' machine drew from Carter's memories and less on dreams?
Profile by Grendel Prime.
CLARIFICATIONS
:
Tallus has no known connections to:
images:
(without ads)
John Carter, Warlord of Mars#15/1, p2, pan1 (main image)
p1 (headshot in welding light)
Appearances:
John Carter, Warlord of Mars#15/1 (August, 1978) - Marv Wolfman
(writer/editor), Walt Simonson (pencils), Rudy Nebres (inks)
First posted: 10/12/2026
Last updated:
10/12/2026
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
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