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
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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.
That’s the story so far. This issue will add Puppet Master to the mix.
Namor fears fire. Guess it’s not common under the sea. In fact, Namor is vulnerable to fire. So is DC’s Martian Manhunter; so are most people.
Last time Human Torch and Thing battled Puppet Master was weird. He’d had plastic surgery, so looked very different, and now controlled large mechanical toys instead of his radioactive clay.
He was so different, that I theorized it was not the Puppet Master. I claim that Stan has after the fact claimed new villains were actually pre-existing villains, not intended when the story was drawn. I claim this about Zemo in Avengers and Red Skull in Sgt. Fury. And about Puppet Mater. I claim that character was not supposed to be the Puppet Master.
Also, Puppet Master seemed to be back to looking like his old self in Fantastic Four Annual #3.
Yet, here we are seeming to double down. Admittedly it can be hard to tell, as styles vary amongst artists, but Colan seems to be looking to the new Puppet Master as a model rather than the old. Though he is back to his old tricks of controlling people with clay.
Puppet Master notes he has always failed against the FF and other foes. I think he’s mostly just fought the FF. He did encounter the X-Men, but it was in an attempt to manipulate them to destroy the FF.
Puppet Master is an obnoxious villain in these early stories, because he’s very powerful, yet not treated as such. His plan is to control Namor to destroy the FF. But why not just take control of the FF?
Where did Puppet Master even come from anyway. Namor and Pym facing off could have been a much more interesting story , that is now derailed. Pym wants to do science. His science threatens Atlantis. This brings him and Namor into an interesting conflict. But the conflict is cut short as the plot takes a sharp left turn.
Pym warns Wasp to be careful of their identities; but they have never been careful of their identities.
So here’s where it gets odd. Wasp shrinking and having wings isn’t odd. But the idea that in her Wasp form, she can somehow cross however much ocean there is to get to New York. Unless New York is in sight, this seems impossible. And they are clearly deep at sea. Yet they decide the best course of action is for her to fly to New York by herself to warn them Namor is on the way. She notes she can fly and then take breaks floating in the ocean. None of this sounds remotely safe. Can she possibly get there faster than Namor? If not, what’s the point?
Unsurprisingly, this will not go well. And a story about Pym’s search for the missing Wasp will spin out of this dumb decision in the pages of Avengers. We’ll follow Namor’s and Hulk’s stories for a bit longer and then tune into Avengers to learn the fate of the Wasp.
What is the logo on Puppet Master’s chest? A puppet, I guess. Better than a big letter P.
Puppet Master orders Namor to rob a bank. Do you see why I think this is off the rails a bit? Atlantis crumbling due to earthquakes; the Behemoth unleashed; Wasp lost at sea; Giant-Man in conflict with Namor. And here we have Namor robbing a bank.
Though in a hilarious twist, Namor brings back bonds instead of cash, and Puppet Master has no way to trade in them.
The next issue blurb warns us about Krang and the Behemoth. The Behemoth wasn’t even mentioned this issue. And Krang was in exile last we saw him.
Rating: ★★½, 47/100
Significance: ★★★☆☆
Characters:
- Namor, the Sub-Mariner
- Henry Pym
- Miss Janet Van Dyne
- Puppet Master
Story notes:
- Pym tries to stop soldier from shooting Namor, and accidentaly gets an oxygen tank hit, creating a fire.
- Namor is vulnerable to fire.
- Radio too busted to call for help about the fire; did get out message about Sub-Mariner in time.
- Puppet Master can control Namor with his clay.
- Puppet Master commands Namor to swim to New York; Pym can tell something is wrong.
- Wasp will fly after Namor to warn America of the danger.
- Wasp was getting bored of retirement; she decides to head for the Avengers.
- Editor’s note tells us Wasp’s story continues in Avengers #26.
- Puppet Master’s first task is to have Namor rob a bank, because he’s low on funds.
- Namor repeats his fear of fire.
- Water increases Namor’s strength, feeds his muscles, nourishes his cells, excites his blood.
- Namor accidentally returns with non-negotiable bonds, when Puppet Master needed cash.
- Soldiers ambush Namor.
| Previous | #488 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Tales to Astonish #77, Story B | Reading order | Tales to Astonish #78, Story B |
| Tales to Astonish #77, Story B | Tales to Astonish | Tales to Astonish #78, Story B |
