Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner! Release: March 3, 1966 Cover: June 1966 12 cents Story by Smilin’ Stan Lee Pencils by Grinnin’ Gene Colan Inks by Dazzlin’ Dick Ayers Lettering by Snarlin’ Sam Rosen 12 pages
Where were we. Krang and Puppet Master have teamed up to control the Behemoth. Hank Pym and Janet were around at some point. We’ll catch up with them next time in the pages of Avengers.
We’re supposed to believe that because Krang is controlling the Behemoth through the clay puppet, the creature has better reflexes than it would otherwise. That makes little sense to me.
Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner Release: February 3, 1966 Cover: May 1966 12 cents Now this is a story! By: Stan Lee Now this is pencilling! By: Adam Austin Now this is delineation! By: Bill Everett Now this is lettering! By: Artie Simek 12 pages
Without much fanfare, we have Bill Everett inking Gene Colan. Bill Everett is the creator of the Sub-Mariner. Of course, for whatever reason, it’s the publisher and not he that controls the character. So Marvel gets to publish and profit off Sub-Mariner stories, and he only gets paid if he does more work. So here he is inking Colan’s pencils with Stan adding dialogue. Once Everett wrote and drew Namor’s adventures entirely on his own.
He’s slowly coming back to do more work for Marvel. The last thing he did for them was create Daredevil. But his Daredevil comic was drawn with immaculate detail and unfortunately not within deadline. So he got immediately removed from his own character, and only now 2 years later is starting to get regular work with Marvel again.
As of last issue, he’s the regular finisher on the Hulk stories within this title. He’s just filling in on this Namor story, but will be returning to Namor regularly soon.
I was down to two choices for the pull quote at the top of this quote. I went with one that best exhibited Namor’s personality. I could have gone with the more standard Stan Lee heroic purple prose: There is a time to flee– and a time to fight! While life endures–I shall ever choose the latter course!
I’m never quite clear on what the powers of all these characters are. Namor sometimes seems like Superman. But we see here he’s not bulletproof. He gets shot in the shoulder, and is wounded and losing blood.
Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner Release: January 4, 1966 Cover: April 1966 12 cents Blue ribbon story by: Stan Lee Prize winning pencilling by: Adam Austin Academy Award winning inking by: Vince Colletta Booby prize lettering by: Artie Simek 12 pages
Fire! The one element which is alien to me! The one element I fear!
Austin had unmasked as Gene Colan last issue. Not sure why were are back to the pseudonym.
We are into Namor’s second story arc in his new series. Though it will turn out to be less of an arc than a bunch of loose threads. Surface experimentation is threatening Atlantis; Namor resolves to go to the surface to stop it; the earthquakes created unleash the Behemoth; Namor finds Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne–formerly Giant-Man and Goliath–responsible for the testing.
Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner Release: November 4, 1965 Cover: February 1966 12 cents Story: Stan Lee Pencilling: Adam Austin Delineation: Vince Colletta Lettering: Sam Rosen 12 pages
Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner Release: October 5, 1965 Cover: January 1866 12 cents Story by: Smilin’ Stan Lee Pencilling by: Admirable Adam Austin Delineation by : Valorous Vince Colletta Lettering by: Sagacious Sam Rosen 12 pages
Though I hold life most dear to me, I shall show how a Prince faces death!
It turns out abandoning the quest was the way to complete the quest.
Per Neptune: Every attribute of a Prince is yours… courage, strength, honest… and, most important of all… a heart which can love… a soul which can sacrifice!
Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner Release: September 2, 1965 Cover: December 1965 12 cents Devastating drama by: Stan Lee Shattering spectacle by: Adam Austin Explosive embellishment by: Vince Colletta Cataclysmic Calligraphy by: Sam Rosen 12 pages
Though I am an Ancient of Atlantis, this one last deed can I do for the land we hold so dear!
After five pretty repetitive issues, finally we’re getting somewhere. Still two more issues after this one to resolve Namor’s dust-up with Krang, but at least the structure is starting to change.
Namor has abandoned his quest to save Dorma from the Faceless Ones. Since he had no idea where to go next in his quest anyway, why not.
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.
