Sandman Reviews

Born William Baker, Flint Marko is one of Spider-Man's biggest foes: Sandman. As his name would imply, Sandman's body is formed with sand, allowing him to manipulate his body into any shape.

Victim of a poor environment, Marko grew up in the slums and quickly found his way into organized crime. Long before he had his incredible powers, he was a no good thug. During a stint in prison, Marko's girlfriend, Marcy Conroy, left him for another member of gang. This infuriated Marko, who, upon release from prison, killed Conroy's new lover and then went on a crime spree.

It wasn't long before Marko found himself back in jail. He managed to escape, an act which would change his life forever. Marko took refuge on a beach near a nuclear test site. One reactor malfunction later and Marko was bathed in radiation, fusing his molecules with the sand. In real life, this event would have looks a bit more like the ending of Raiders of the Lost Ark, but in the world of comics, it meant Marko was now a super-villain.

When in sand form, Sandman can take any shape he wishes and increase his density and strength to lift up to 85 tons. Marko can form his hands into weapons, such as a hammer or mace, form a near-impenetrable wall of sand or create a dust storm. He has long been a fan-favorite foe of Spider-Man.