namor – Coke ⊕ Comics

Tales to Astonish #91

Outside the Gates Waits.. Death!

Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner
Release: February 14, 1967
Cover: May 1967
12 cents
A shocking submersible saga by: Smilin’ Stan Lee and Wild Bill Everett
Inked by Dandy Danny Adkins
Lettered by Swingin’ Sammy Rosen
12 pages

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Tales to Astonish #90, Story B	Reading order	Tales to Astonish #91, Story B
Tales to Astonish #90, Story B	Tales to Astonish	Tales to Astonish #91, Story B

But ’tis no longer any concern of Namor’s! My subjects have forsaken me! Thus, they are deserving of their fate!

Dan Adkins is a mostly new name to us, though we’d seen his work when we checked out the THUNDER Agents. He was new to comics then, and has been Wally Wood’s assistant and artistic partner since. In addition to Tower, the pair has been doing work for Warren, Gold Key, and Harvey. Here’s a sampling of Adkins’ work after just over a year in the industry, all art drawn with Wally Wood in some combination.

THUNDER Agents #3, Tower, 1966
Creepy #9, Warren, 1966
The Munsters #8, Gold Key, 1966

Having defeated Namor in combat, Byrrah is crowned Prince Byrrah, Lord of Atlantis. Krang and Attuma join Byrrah by his side.

Imagine electing a leader who sides with your nation’s enemies so blatantly.

Tales to Astonish #90

To Be Beaten By Byrrah!

Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner
Release: January 10, 1967
Cover: April 1967
12 cents
Produced with pageantry– presented with pride– by: Stan Lee and Bill Everett
Lettered by: Sherigail
Water ballets staged by: Irving Forbush
12 pages

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Sub-Mariner #35, Story B	PRELUDE
Tales of Suspense #88	Reading order	Tales to Astonish #90, Story B
Tales to Astonish #89, Story B	Tales to Astonish	Tales to Astonish #90, Story B

For years, Prince Namor has kept Atlantis on the brink of war! His reign has been a series of endless battles– battles against the surface men– against the savage hordes of Attuma, the barbarian– even against Warlord Krang, who had once been our Prince’s most trusted military leader! I say the time is come to put an end to the tyranny of this war monger– this power-mad despot who wears the glorious crown of Atlantis! The reign of Namor has been one of danger– disaster– and never ending despair! We, the free citizens of Atlantis, are weary of Namor, the war-monger!

The rare lettering not from Sam or Artie. We’ve seen the lettering of Sherigail a couple times before, an alias for Morrie Kuramoto, the alias being a concatenation of his wife and daughter’s names.

We had just read the 1950s stories that introduced Byrrah. Now we see his return.

Here, he’s described as Namor’s cousin, and later his “blood-cousin”. Hmm… Byrrah is the Emperor’s stepson and Namor is his grandson, son to the Emperor’s daughter Fen. So maybe Byrrah is Namor’s… step-uncle?

He also gets referred to as Lord Byrrah this issue, when he had been Prince Byrrah before.

It’s honestly never made sense to me that Namor is still Prince Namor. It made sense in the 1950s when the Emperor was still around, but now that he’s the monarch, is “Prince” still the right title?

PRELUDE: Sub-Mariner #35, Story B

The Dawn of the Sub-Mariner

Featuring: Sub-Mariner
Release: June 2, 1954
Cover: August 1954
10 cents
Bill Everett
3 pages

Previous		Next
Sub-Mariner #35	PRELUDE
Tales of Suspense #88	Reading order	Tales to Astonish #90

It’s because I’m part American! I– and only I– of all the Sub-Mariners, can live indefinitely out of water!!!

The next 3 issues feature stories from Namor’s childhood. This is a short and simple story, but shows us the rivalry between Namor and Byrrah goes back to childhood.

PRELUDE: Sub-Mariner #35

Invasion!

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.

Tales to Astonish #89

The Prince and the Power!

Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner
Release: December 8, 1966
Cover: March 1967
12 cents
Story by Smilin’ Stan Lee
Art by Wild Bill Everett
Lettering by Adorable Art Simek
12 pages

Previous	#645	Next
Tales to Astonish #88	Reading order	Tales to Astonish #89, Story B
Tales to Astonish #88, Story B	Tales to Astonish	Tales to Astonish #89, Story B

I? I am Prince of the Realm! I am Atlantis! Thus, here do I stand!

Recall that passing aliens accidentally dropped a robot on Earth, which landed in the ocean. Attuma has taken control and turned it into a weapon against the Sub-Mariner. I think that’s literally all that happened last issue.

This issue Namor actually fights the robot.

My life belongs to the people– to the Realm Eternal! I do what I must– I cannot do less!

Tales to Astonish #88

A Stranger Strikes from Space!

Featuring: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner
Release: November 3, 1966
Cover: February 1967
12 cents
Written by: Stan the Man Lee
Illustrated by: Wild Bill Everett
Lettered by: Swingin’ Sammy Rosen
12 pages

Previous	#644	Next
Ghost Rider #1	Reading order	Tales to Astonish #89
Tales to Astonish #87, Story B	Tales to Astonish	Tales to Astonish #88, Story B

There must be no new battle till our fighting strength has been restored! Else, the death knell of fair Atlantis may be at hand!

We read the second half of this issue some time ago. It’s a thing that happens. Namor and Hulk share a title. When there are ongoing stories, I try to group a few issues together, looking for decent pause points within the series. But what happens when a good pause point for Namor isn’t a good pause point for Hulk?

Well, I make the reluctant decision to read an issue ahead for one of the characters. Even though that means picking up this comic, flipping to the middle, putting it down, then later picking it up again and reading from the beginning. Almost certainly what nobody reading this comic in 1966 did.

Ah well. I try to balance a lot of things when choosing the reading order and some things have to give.

PRELUDE: All-Winners Comics #19

The Crime of the Ages!

Featuring: All Winners Squad
Release: July 24, 1946
Cover: Fall 1946
10 cents
43 pages

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Human Torch #8	PRELUDE	Marvel Mystery Comics #92
Fantastic Four #56	Reading order	Fantastic Four Annual 4

Dictators! We’ve had enough of them! Atomic power must be used for peace, not war! It must be used to make life better for all people! The coming Atomic Age is not for one man– it is for the common man– for all mankind!

No credits are given. The GCD credits the writing to Batman/Green Lantern co-creator Bill Finger and some of the pencilling to Syd Shores. The Bill Finger credit comes from the writer’s own recollections in the 1960s, related to historian and “father of comic book fandom” Jerry Bails.

I’d been debating when to read this. We’ve done some overview read-throughs of Captain America and Sub-Mariner, and are in the middle of one for the Human Torch. The other main characters to appear in this issue are Miss America and the Whizzer, whom we haven’t met yet. And I don’t have a good reason to introduce them anytime soon. The best excuse will probably be their return in Giant-Size Avengers #1 from 1974, but this blog won’t be getting there anytime soon at the rate I’m going.

This would also pair well with the introduction of the Invaders, but that’s not until 1975.

So let’s read this now along with our Human Torch read-through. It’s an important comic in Marvel history. We’ll just try to figure out who Miss America and the Whizzer are as we go. Something something mongoose something.

Roy Thomas described this comic as “a great idea whose time had gone.”

PRELUDE: Human Torch #8

Human Torch vs. Sub-Mariner

Featuring: Human Torch
Release: June 26, 1942
Cover: Summer 1942
10 cents
52 pages

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Marvel Mystery Comics #31	PRELUDE	All-Winners Comics #19
Fantastic Four #56	Reading order	Fantastic Four Annual 4

You two big lugs oughta be ashamed of yourselves! Spies are all around, threatening our country! The Python is on the loose! Democracy is in danger– and you fight each other instead of fighting the common enemy!

No credits are given. The GCD discusses the research into who is behind this based on later interviews, recollections, art analysis, etc. They credit the writing to Mickey Spillane and Ray Gill. They credit the art to Allen Simon, Harry Sahle, Al Gabriele, and possibly Eddie Robinson, Carl Pfeufer, and others.

Mickey Spillane is best known for his graphicless novels featuring Mike Hammer.

Notably, Torch creator Carl Burgos, who told the first few years of Torch stories is not involved, because he’s off fighting in World War II.

PRELUDE: Marvel Mystery Comics #17

Fighting Side by Side!

Featuring: Human Torch and Sub-Mariner
Release: January 13, 1941
Cover: March 1941
10 cents
By Carl Burgos & Bill Everett
26 pages

Previous		Next
Human Torch #2	PRELUDE	Marvel Mystery Comics #31
Fantastic Four #56	Reading order	Fantastic Four Annual 4

“Are you ready to fight for Uncle Sam under any conditions?”
“You know I am!”

We’ve now seen Namor and the Human Torch battle twice. But between those two encounters, they were sometimes on the same side. This is the story of their first team-up. Their first meeting since that first epic battle.

Usually, this title features a Human Torch story and a Sub-Mariner story. This issue combines them into a single double-length feature that both creators worked on together.

It’s not clear to me precisely which creator did what.

What unites them? Why, patriotism and love for America, of course.

Tales to Astonish #87

Moment of Truth!

Featuring: Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner
Release: October 11, 1966
Cover: January 1967
12 cents
Story: Stan (The Man) Lee
Illustration: Wild Bill Everett
Lettering: Adorable Artie Simek
12 pages

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Tales to Astonish #86, Story B	Reading order	Tales to Astonish #87, Story B
Tales to Astonish #86, Story B	Tales to Astonish	Tales to Astonish #87, Story B

Rise, my lady! Let your head be lifted– avert not your eyes! From this moment forth–by imperial decree– the Lady Dorma may never again kneel in the presence of her liege! She stall stand at my side–with all due honor– as one who shall someday be princess of the realm! –As one who is truly a peer! And, know you, my lady– whatever befalls– the gratitude– the trust– and the heart of your prince shall be yours– while Atlantis endures!

Big day for Bill Everett, creator of the Sub-Mariner. He had half-returned to his creation, supplying finishes to other artists’ pencils. But starting this issue, he becomes the regular artist on the character who in any world with sensible laws would have belonged to him all along.

We’ve been following not quite a story, but let’s call it a sequence of events that has propelled us from issue 77 to here. Across 11 issues, Namor has had a lot of misadventures unified by the scheming of Krang, and his kidnapping of Dorma, which Namor mistook for Dorma’s betrayal. It finally comes to and end, and we can put Namor’s arc down for a while.

Krang and Dorma have been captured by the military. Krang’s serum has worn off, revealing their blue skin, and leaving them unable to breathe on land. Namor comes to them, but the military has a trap for him. Because they blame Namor for Krang’s flooding of Manhattan.