Featuring: Sub-Mariner
Release: June 2, 1954
Cover: August 1954
10 cents
Bill Everett
8 pages
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|---|---|---|
| PRELUDE | Sub-Mariner #35, Story B | |
| Tales of Suspense #88 | Reading order | Tales to Astonish #90 |
The Sub-Mariner’s loyalty to his own native race, whose home lies beneath the vast ice fields of the South Polar region, is often brought to a severe test when it comes in direct conflict with his almost equal loyalty to the people who inhabit the surface of the Earth! Frequently such conflicts have occurred– but never sone so terrible, nor so heartbreaking, as the incident known and recalled by Prince Namor with bitterness, as the Invasion!
This was during the attemped 1950s superhero revival by Marvel, where they brought back Captain America, Human Torch, and Sub-Mariner. Sub-Mariner had the most successful revival, his revived title lasting 10 issues, Sub-Mariner #33-42, coming out bimonthly over the course of a couple years. In contrast, Captain America and Human Torch lasted 3 issues apiece.
Before he makes his triumphant Marvel Age return, I felt now would be a good time to meet Prince Byrrah.
An unfortunate artifact of the way I do these preludes is that I jump around and pick single issues from the 1940s or 50s as they seem relevant. But sometimes we haven’t read all the necessary context for the issue. So we met Ka-Zar in a Human Torch story before meeting him properly. We saw Toro hanging around before we met him properly. And here we see Namora, whom we haven’t met properly.
And thus I don’t want to drill into confusions about her continuity too deeply. Suffice it to say this issue describes her as Namor’s cousin, and in the 1940s comics, she was plainly not. Namor’s cousin is Dorma, who in the 1960s comics seems to be his lover instead (or in addition). But we (I) haven’t read enough to drill into this discrepancy.
This issue seems clear that Namora is both Namor’s cousin and has a romantic interest in Namor.
Prince Byrrah is the Emperor’s stepson and seeking to promote conflict with the surface world.
To that end, he forges a declaration of war from Namor on some South American country. He then claims to the Emperor that the surface is planning to attack and convinces the Emperor to let him lead an advance assault.
Even Namora joins in Byrrah’s war.
Namor doesn’t believe their nation is powerful enough to conquer the surface. Though he himself came pretty close in Human Torch #5.
Namor’s old human girlfriend Betty Dean shows up to defuse the situation. But Namora is jealous of Namor’s affection for Betty and adds weight to the idea that Namor is behind this invasion.
Women, eh?
Betty Dean claims Namor wouldn’t do anything like this. Even though he has before. Repeatedly.
Namor sorts the issue, but seems to betray his own people to the humans in doing so.
He thus finds himself exiled from the kingdom. Which will be a common occurrence for him.
I think the deal to end the war involved giving the nation a few billion dollars and control of some waterway.
This isn’t the end of Namor’s conflicts with Byrrah. He’ll be a regular thorn in Namor’s side for the remainder of this 1950s series, usually trying to make war on the surface world.
I believe this to be the first appearance of Byrrah and most sources agree. The one site that claims otherwise is the Marvel Chronology Project, who claims he was introduced in Young Men #28. I don’t believe that and am not sure where they are getting it. I certainly don’t see him in that comic.
The only character in that issue who vaguely resembles Byrrah is a guard who confronts Namor, but Dorma clearly identifies him as a “guardsman” and not a prince of the realm.
I’m not generally clear on the line of succession for the kingdom here. Byrrah has not yet been mentioned in the 1960s comics, and Namor seems to be generally accepted as ruler of Atlantis. Byrrah is stepson to the Emperor, and Namor is his grandson, son to the Emperor’s daughter Fen. Fen has also not shown up in the 1960s comics. Can women inherit the crown? Can stepsons?
Rating: ★★★☆☆, 53/100
I read this story in Timely’s Greatest: The Golden Age Sub-Mariner by Bill Everett – The Post-War Years Omnibus.
Characters:
- Namor
- Namora
- Prince Byrrah
- Emperor of Sub-Mariners
- Betty Dean
Minor characters:
- Cogolla
Story notes:
- Namor is loyal both to his people and the surface world.
- Namora is apparently Namor’s cousin. But also perhaps romantically attracted to him.
- Prince Byrrah is stepson to the emperor.
- Byrrah tries to stir up trouble with the surface people and claims the Sub-Mariners should declare war on them.
- Namor confronts Byrrah, accuses him of just trying to gain favor with the Emperor. The two princes fight.
- Byrrah sends a message to an island outpost of a small military-governed country in the South Atlantic. Apparently a Spanish-speaking one in South America. The note is a threat, purportedly from Namor. A soldier receives the note and brings it to the Commandant.
- Byrrah warns the Emperor that the surface people are gathering to attack, and the Emperor places him in charge of a command to attack first.
- Byrrah leads an attack on the surface; even Namora joins.
- Betty Dean arrives in the combat zone on a special mission for the United Nations.
- Namora blames Namor for the attack as part of a ploy to break up him and Betty.
- Namor tries to dissuade the Sub-Mariners from their war, claiming their weapons are inferior to the surface people.
- Namor grazed by a bullet and captured.
- Betty thinks the note is Namor’s handwriting. Namor insists it’s a forgery.
- Namor convinces Byrrah to shift the forces toward an inlet. It’s a trap set by Namor.
- The South Americans let the Sub-Mariners retreat.
- The Emperor scolds Byrrah for his failure. Byrrah claims Namor’s betrayal is behind the failure.
- Namora apologizes for her jealousy and role in the misunderstanding.
- Cogolla is a sentry and old friend of Namor’s.
- Namor banished from the kingdom.
| Previous | Next | |
|---|---|---|
| PRELUDE | Sub-Mariner #35, Story B | |
| Tales of Suspense #88 | Reading order | Tales to Astonish #90 |
