The Battle of the Comic Century!
Featuring: Human Torch vs. Sub-Mariner
Release: May 17, 1940
Cover: July 1940
10 cents
Credits: Bill Everett, Carl Burgos, and John Compton
22 pages
It’s not quite clear how Everett and Burgos split up the art duties. I’m sure they both pulled their weight, though most of the issue reminds me of Everett’s work.
John Compton is most likely on hand to assist with scripting. I don’t know my Golden Age creators well, so can’t tell you much about John Compton. And Google at a glance doesn’t know much more than me.
One thing to note about the very fancy title page is the phrase, “Marvel Comics Presents”. Almost seems anachronistic, as the company wasn’t yet called Marvel Comics (it still isn’t necessarily, even in 1963; every cover has that “MC” on it, but the word Marvel isn’t evident). Though it was the name of the first issue of this series, before the word “Mystery” was inserted. But it’s a very prescient phrase.
As I reflect, that title is a bit hard to parse. “The Battle of the Comic Century”. “Comic Century”. I might think they mean that this is the battle of the century told in comic form, or perhaps that this is the battle of the century, at least within comics. But it doesn’t really say either of these things. Perhaps they mean that the 20th century is the century of comics. Or perhaps that of the current century the comics are depicting, this is the great battle.
22 pages is quite the epic for 1940. Even in 1963, Marvel is usually opting for shorter stories than that, except for their Fantastic Four comics.
And this was a good issue. Finally, the battle that had been teased for 2 issues. Each combatant seems to gain the upper hand at times, only to foolishly lose it. Namor had the Torch unconscious and underwater. That should have been the end. Then Torch had Namor trapped by flame in a reservoir where the chlorine was poisoning him. Only foolishness on their opponent’s part allowed either character to escape.
Sub-Mariner goes out of his way to save a pilot who attacked him. He is again capable of compassion, but has also been on a destructive spree, killing who-knows-how-many.
Betty Dean spends the issue trying to convince the Human Torch and the Commissioner to let her peacefully resolve the situation. Nobody listens.
The Commissioner is sometimes called the Chief. They seem to be the same person.
Now Torch is trapped in a tube. Without air, he can’t flame on. The tube is too heavy to lift and too rubbery to smash. But if Namor tries to move the tube, the Torch could escape. Quite the conundrum. The issue asks fans what they would do.
Rating: ★★★½, 65/100
Characters:
- Jim Hammond/Human Torch
- Prince Namor/Sub-Mariner
- Police Commissioner
- Betty Dean
Minor characters:
- Mr. Frasier (works in police chemical lab
Story notes:
- First encounter at Statue of Liberty
- Compressed air puts out Torch’s flame
- Even underwater, Torch manages to escape Namor
- Betty Dean tries to convince the Commissioner to let her talk to Namor
- Next battle at Radio City Music Hall
- Chlorine in water poisonous to Namor; Namor trapped in reservoir by Torch’s flames
- Torch has army planes bomb reservoir, but they just free Namor
- Namor’s wings get singed, so he can’t fly
- Sub-Mariner steals plane, but opens pilot’s parachute
- Torch retrieves sulphuric acid from Torpey Chemical works
- Betty Dean repeatedly begs to be allowed to talk to Namor
- Namor can lift 2 tons
- Torch trapped under 2-ton translite cylinder
- Note asks readers what they would do.
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