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
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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.
We see again that old man we met in issue 71; the dude who was loyal to Namor. Still unnamed. But we see him ride a seahorse. The largest known seahorse is like a foot long, so Atlantis has some special breeds.
Meanwhile, Krang holds his ground against a people in revolt.
While we seem to finally be getting somewhere, there wasn’t much forward progress. The story ends with Namor against the Faceless Ones and Krang fighting the revolution. That’s basically where the story began.
I guess Namor does seem to be recognizing his own feelings for his maybe-cousin Dorma.
It occurs to me we failed to give Gene Colan a proper intro. We hinted his art was going to get better, but failed to take a look at a sampling of his past work. I was too focused on introducing Namor. Let’s rectify that.
We’ve actually seen his work before, though I failed to note it. We’ve mentioned a few times about the end of Marvel’s superhero era and the transition to horror and other comics, best epitomized by the final issue of Captain America being rebranded Captain America’s Weird Tales and not featuring Captain America at all. Gene Colan drew the cover for this milestone issue.
His first work on Captain America was likely Captain America Comics #72, a few issues earlier.
His first comic work may have been Lawbreakers Always Lose #1, published by Marvel in 1948.
He then did war, horror, western, and romance comics for Marvel and DC in the 1950s and into the 1960s.
- Marvel Tales #93, Marvel, 1949
- Love Adventures #2, Marvel, 1950
- War Comics #1, Marvel, 1950
- Our Army at War #5, DC, 1952
- Hopalong Cassidy #86, DC, 1954
- Falling in Love #24, DC, 1959
He is 39 years old as he’s drawing these Sub-Mariner stories, and his best work is still ahead of him. Maybe there’s some hope for me, after all.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Significance: ★★★☆☆
I read this story in Marvel Masterworks: The Sub-Mariner vol. 1.
Characters:
- Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner
- Lady Dorma
- Ancient of Atlantis
- Warlord Krang
Story notes:
- That old man brings news Namor lives.
- Krang fights the rebellion from his control room; sends robo-tank driver.
- Dorma lies near death in Namor’s arms as Faceless Ones approach.
| Previous | #387 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Tales to Astonish #73, Story B | Reading order | Tales to Astonish #74, Story B |
| Tales to Astonish #73, Story B | Tales to Astonish | Tales to Astonish #74, Story B |
Shout out Gene. His Daredevil was a fun book.
Yup. Looking forward to getting there in the not-too-distant future. Romita Daredevil coming up.
Gene Colan’s best work in my mind was his work with Tom Palmer on “Tomb of Dracula.”
Unfortunately this blog won’t get there for many years to come.