Sandman (Marvel Comics)
| Sandman | |
|---|---|
Sandman
Art by Mark Bagley |
|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The Amazing Spider-Man #4 (Sept. 1963) |
| Created by |
Stan Lee (writer) Steve Ditko (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | William Baker |
| Team affiliations |
Sinister Six Frightful Four Avengers Wild Pack Enforcers The Outlaws The Intruders |
| Notable aliases | Flint Marko, Sylvester Mann, Quarryman |
| Abilities | Superhuman strength, durability and endurance Flight (in sandstorm form) Size and mass manipulation Density control Shapeshifting Completely organic sand within body Earth manipulation |
Sandman (William Baker a.k.a. Flint Marko) is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. A shapeshifter endowed through an accident with the ability to turn himself into sand, he began as a villain and later became an ally of Spider-Man. The character has been adapted into various other media incarnations of Spider-Man, including animated cartoons and the 2007 film Spider-Man 3, in which he is portrayed by Thomas Haden Church.
In 2009, Sandman was ranked as IGN's 72nd Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.
The Sandman first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #4 (Sept. 1963), created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko as an adversary of Spider-Man. The character returned in The Amazing Spider-Man #18 and #19, and was soon depicted in other comics, such as The Incredible Hulk and The Fantastic Four.
The Sandman served as the villain of the first issue of the Spider-Man spin-off series Marvel Team-Up (March 1972), which gave him a more morally ambiguous depiction. Writer Roy Thomas later commented, "I've been pleased to see Sandman's gradual redemption, whose seeds perhaps I helped plant in that story. He just seemed to me like a character who might have that in him ..." Subsequent stories stuck with the character's original depiction, but a decade later the more sympathetic portrayal of the Sandman returned, starting with Marvel Two-in-One #86 (April 1982), in which the Sandman is given co-star billing with his nemesis the Thing. The Sandman was later an ally of Spider-Man, as well as a member of the Avengers and Silver Sable's "Wild Pack" team of mercenaries.
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