Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner Release: August 3, 1965 Cover: November 1965 12 cents Script: Smilin’ Stan Lee Art: Amiable Adam Austin Inks: Valiant Vince Colletta Lettering: Angelic Artie Simek 12 pages
Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner Release: July 1, 1965 Cover: October 1965 12 cents Written in majesty by: Stan Lee Drawn in grandeur by: Adam Austin Inked in splendor by: Vince Colletta Lettered in the suburbs by: S. Rosen 12 pages
A Prince of the Blood must be true to his duty… though the sorrow in his breast be more than he can endure!
Once again, Namor gets to dominate the cover. Only the slightest mention that this is also Hulk’s comic.
To be completely honest, stories with a repetitive format get a bit dull to discuss. I can only make fun of how identical the plots are in so many different ways. Last issue, Namor defeated the creature guarding a clue on his quest, found the clue, went to the next spot, found a creature guarding the next clue. To be continued. Guess the plot of this issue?
Meanwhile, the Krang/Dorma drama continues. We get a new development there as he banishes her to the realm of the Faceless Ones for rejecting him.
Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner Release: June 1, 1965 Cover: September 1965 12 cents Superlative story by: Stan Lee! Sensational art by: Adam Austin! Spectacular inking by: Vince Colletta! Sufficient lettering by: Artie Simek! 12 pages
For, no matter how long the quest shall be–no matter how deadly the dangers I face–naught but victory can be mine! I was born to rule!! I was born Namor, the Sub-Mariner!
His second issue and Namor gets the entire cover. Take that, Hulk.
Expected structure continues. Last issue, Namor found the first clue, met a threat, and it was to be continued. This issue, he resolved that threat, found the second clue, met a new threat, and now it’s to be continued.
Featuring: Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner Release: May 4, 1965 Cover: August 1965 12 cents Story by Stan Lee, unchallenged king of the spoken word! Art by Adam Austin, Marvel’s newest prince of pageantry! Inking by Vince Colletta, lordly emperor of embellishment! Lettering by Artie Simek (someone’s gotta carry the spear!) 12 pages
Namor has been flittering through the Marvel Universe as a villain or anti-hero, fighting enough different heroes to help serve as the glue binding the universe together. It has been a decade since his last ongoing series was cancelled. He now makes his triumphant return and will again star in his own title for the next decade before again facing the ignominy of cancellation.
Giant-Man and Wasp just had their regular adventures cancelled. Giant-Man in various guises had been the star of this title since issue 35, sharing it with the Hulk for the last 10 issues. Now the title will be shared by Hulk and Namor. A fitting combo. Neither a hero per se, both acting primarily as villains across different titles for the last couple years, even teaming up once against the Avengers.
A bit of a pattern is taking hold. Tales of Suspense features two of Marvel’s more traditional superheroes, Iron Man and Captain America, the former having long shed any initial horror roots. Journey Into Mystery is entirely Thor’s title now, with the backup features telling stories of Asgard’s past. This series will feature Marvel’s anti-hero characters, Namor and Hulk. Leaving Strange Tales for the not-quite-superhero characters, Marvel’s resident spy and sorcerer, respectively. The combined titles remain a necessity of longstanding distribution difficulties on Marvel’s part, but now there at least seems to be some thematic consistency amongst the titles.
Adam Austin is Gene Colan. He’s learning. Colletta’s inking perhaps doesn’t show Colan at his best. You have to squint or know what you’re looking for to see hints of someone who will soon become one of Marvel’s greatest artists.
The style of layouts will already be different, and reflects a move these comics are slowly making, away from very even grids of pages with 6-9 panels to larger panels of varying shapes and layouts.
Interesting to have a new artist without Kirby to assist. Who is plotting the story? Lee? Colan?
Here’s the plan. They’ve set up a pretty standard adventure here. Namor has lost his crown and needs to go on this quest. There will be various clues. The issue takes him to the first clue.
I guess that seems like a plot Lee could maybe have come up with without Kirby.
We’ll keep reading Namor’s story while this quest is going on. Meanwhile, Hulk is embroiled in the “Leader Saga”. So we’ll read both stories from the next several issues of this title. As will happen often, Hulk’s story will reach a natural breaking point sooner than Namor’s, so we’ll break the comics up and read a little ahead in Namor’s story, and then try to get them back in sync later.
The story opens with the phrase “Imperius Rex!”. What does that mean? Sounds almost Latin. Something like “Imperial King”. I don’t know. I don’t speak Latin. I suspect Stan doesn’t either. Whatever it means, it is now Namor’s official catchphrase and will be for decades to come.
