Overview

With the thrill of the summer's biggest blockbuster still fresh in your young minds, Marvel brings you the story of how it all

started for one of Spider-Man's greatest villains in SANDMAN: YEAR ONE. Plus a very special back-up story by Colleen Doran.

Sandman: Year One

The story of William Baker. Growing up without a father and a mother that drank, young Billy loved time spent at the beach. He would build sand sculptures while his mother passed out from drinking. Waiting for her to wake up to show her his masterpiece, he falls asleep next to her. Soon it starts to rain. When he drags her over to his sand palace, the rain has already begun to destroy it. He becomes determined to make something that will last.

In middle school, William becomes more talented at his sculptures. He has grown a fondness for his art teacher, Miss Flint. One day he notices that she has a new ring on her finger. She has become engaged and he asks if he has money. This throws her off but lets William know that it's guys with money that get the girl. As she leaves for lunch duty, the school bully and his buddies come in, smash William's sculptures then proceed to smash on him. He sneaks away from school and goes home. His mom blames herself for William getting beat up. She says if she was a better wife, his father wouldn't have left and he'd have someone to teach him to defend himself. William says that he is a man and will show everyone that he can defend himself.

Spending more time at the beach, he observes how the sand changes shape with the water. He sees how others are simply knock back by the waves. He spends the next month practicing moving like sand and water. At school he easily takes out the bully, Vic, and his two friends. Even though he gets in trouble, he has gained a new level of respect and a feeling of enjoyment over hurting others.

Everyone learns to follow William. Vic and his friends continue to stand behind him. He no longer goes by William. He takes on the name "Flint" as a reminder of the weak child he was. Still having lots of anger inside, he takes it out on the football field. Late one night, Vic comes to him telling him he's in over his head with his gambling debts. He started betting with the mob in order to get bigger payouts. They say they're going to kill him if he doesn't pay. Vic suggests Flint throws the next couple footbal games so they can make the money back. Finally, Flint agrees.

It becomes obvious to the coach that he threw the game. He asked Flint if he had money on the game but kicked him off the team before he could answer. Then the coach says he's going to try to get him expelled. The coach says he thougth Flint was going to leave a mark on the world. Flint leaves a mark as he beats the coach with his football helmut.

Flint and Vic turn to a life of crime. Robbing a store, they are chased by the police. Flint gets caught but doesn't turn in Vic. He goes to jail where he meets his father, Floyd Baker. Trying to show off for him, Floyd is impressed with Flint's punch and says he's nothing like what his son must be like. Flint introduces himself as "Flint Marko" thinking about what his coach said.

Flint kept going in and out of prison. One day he was in prison but his father wasn't there so he decided to escape. He swam his way to a beach where a nuclear reactor detonated. The Sandman was born.

Returning to his girl's place, he found Vic in bed with her. Using his new powers, he attacks them almost killing them both. He decided that they weren't worth it. He wanted enemies that were good enough for him and found one with Spider-Man. He claims that he allowed Spider-Man to capture him with a vacuum cleaner on their first encounter. Returning to prison, he broke free with his father.

They battle at the boardwalk. He begins tearing apart the amusement park, throwing pieces at Spider-Man. Throwing a roller coaster car at him, Spider-Man dodges it and it seems to smash his father. Sandman becomes enraged and mixes himself with the sand from the beach to increase his size. He gets struck by lightning and gets blown apart.

Spider-Man pulls off the roller coaster car. Sandman's father is still alive. Spider-Man couldn't stop the car but was able to make a web cushion before it hit him. He asks him why he was with Sandman. Floyd says he doesn't know who he was, he was just asking for directions to a bar. He walks away.

Later on the beach, a young child finds a huge sand sculpture. Admiring it, he sees an image of Sandman holding an unconscious Spider-Man over his head. Sandman says to himself that the "Death of Spider-Man" will be his masterpiece and that it will last forever.

Leah

A touching story of a young sick homeless girl that has a love for Spider-Man. The ending will not be revealed here...