Featuring: Sub-Mariner
Release: February 25, 1954
Cover: June 1954
10 cents
By: Bill Everett
8 pages
If the Nazis were the favorite enemy in the ’40s, by the ’50s it will be the Soviets. They are portrayed as rather silly here, believing their leader without question, constantly insulting capitalism, and generally being blind lemmings praising their fascist state.
Now, we read in Sub-Mariner Comics #1 how the Emperor died. Well, now he’s not dead. In truth, I haven’t read very many comics in the intervening 13 years, but I’ve done some internet research, and it doesn’t seem like the comics had explained this discrepancy. As far as I can tell, this is the first time we’ve seen the Emperor since his death. And nobody remarks on how alive he is. Eventually, we will come to a 1980s series called Saga of the Sub-Mariner that attempts to explain the wonky continuity on display.
Namor returns home, is immediately banished by the Emperor for helping humans rather than destroying them, but earns his way back by sinking a Soviet Antarctic expedition that was causing damage.
The story has a bit of a twist involving a mysterious ghostly woman who aids Namor. I don’t think we’re expecting to ever get much explanation about her.
This is the final issue of Young Men. The story of Sub-Mariner will continue with the revival of his own series, back for 10 more issues. But we will leave Namor here, and return to our scheduled reading, to see what Namor is up to in 1963.
Rating: ★★½, 47/100
You can find this story in Marvel Masterworks: Atlas Era Heroes vol. 1. Or on Kindle.
Characters:
- Prince Namor/Sub-Mariner
- Dorma
- Emperor of Sub-Mariners
Minor characters:
- Machinsky (Soviet sailor)
- Volotov (Soviet sailor)
Story notes:
- Set in Antarctic Circle, on edge of Ross Shelf ice.
- Soviets not explicitly identified, but it’s clear who they are.
- Sub-Mariner returns home for first time in a while. Greeted with disrespect.
- Explicit that Dorma is Namor’s little cousin.
- Emperor of Sub-Mariners is alive and banishes Namor.
- Namor destroys Soviet ship, presumably killing entire crew.
- Namor had thought Dorma was helping him, but it was a ghostly woman in white.
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