{"id":30193,"date":"2024-07-18T08:00:54","date_gmt":"2024-07-18T08:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/?p=30193"},"modified":"2024-07-17T17:14:33","modified_gmt":"2024-07-17T17:14:33","slug":"sub-mariner-the-original-human-torch-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2024\/07\/18\/sub-mariner-the-original-human-torch-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Sub-Mariner & The Original Human Torch"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"\"\"
\nBy Roy Thomas<\/strong>, Dann Thomas<\/strong>, Rich Buckler<\/strong> with Bob McLeod<\/strong>, Richardson & Company<\/strong>, Mike Gustovich<\/strong>, Danny Bulanadi<\/strong>, Alfredo Alcala<\/strong>, Romeo Tanghal<\/strong> & various (Marvel)
\nISBN: 978-0-7851-9048-6 (TPB)<\/p>\n

Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner<\/strong> is the hybrid offspring of a sub-sea Atlantean princess and an American polar explorer; a being of immense strength, highly resistant to physical harm, able to fly and thrive above and below the waves. Created by young Bill Everett, Namor technically predates Marvel\/Atlas\/Timely Comics.<\/p>\n

He first caught the public\u2019s attention as part of an elementally electrifying \u201cFire vs. Water\u201d headlining team-up clash in Marvel Comics<\/strong> #1 (October 1939 and soon to become Marvel Mystery Comics<\/strong>) alongside The Human Torch<\/strong>, but had originally been seen in truncated form via monochrome Motion Picture Funnies<\/strong>: a weekly promotional giveaway handed out to moviegoers earlier in the year.<\/p>\n

Rapidly becoming one of the new company\u2019s biggest draws, Namor gained his own title at the end of 1940 (cover-date Spring 1941) and was one of the last super-characters to go at the end of the first heroic age. In 1954, when Atlas (as the company then was) briefly revived its \u201cBig Three\u201d (the Torch and Captain America<\/strong> being the other two), Sub-Mariner resurfaced with Everett returning for an extended run of superb fantasy tales. Even so, the time wasn\u2019t right and the title sank again.<\/p>\n

When Stan Lee & Jack Kirby began reinventing comic-books in 1961 with Fantastic Four<\/strong>, they revived and rebooted the near-forgotten amphibian as a troubled, semi-amnesiac, yet decidedly more regal and grandiose anti-hero. He was understandably embittered at the loss of his undersea kingdom, which had seemingly been destroyed by American atomic testing.<\/p>\n

He also became a dangerous bad-boy romantic interest: besotted with the FF\u2019s golden-haired Sue Storm<\/em>…<\/p>\n

Namor knocked around the budding Marvel Universe for a few years, squabbling with assorted heroes like Daredevil<\/strong>, The Avengers<\/strong> and X-Men<\/strong> – and villains like The Incredible Hulk<\/strong> and Doctor Doom<\/strong> – before securing his own series as part of \u201csplit-book\u201d Tales to Astonish<\/strong> with the aforementioned fellow antisocial antihero…<\/p>\n

In 1988, as part of Marvel\u2019s 50th<\/sup> Anniversary celebrations, that phenomenal half-century of comic book history was abridged, amended, updated and generally pr\u00e9cised by avowed fan and self-appointed keeper of chronology Roy Thomas and writing partner Dann Thomas who collaboratively commemorated the Avenging Son\u2019s contribution in 12-part Limited Series miniseries The Saga of the Sub-Mariner<\/strong>: rapturously drawn by Golden Age groupie Rich Buckler.<\/p>\n

Roy & Rich did the same with The Saga of the Original Human Torch<\/strong> – a 4-part series running April to July 1990 – and both sides of the tempestuous coin are triumphantly tossed together in this splendidly all-encompassing, no-nonsense textbook of historic Fights \u2018n\u2019 Tights mythology ideal for celebrating and commemorating the elemental odd couple\u2019s 85th<\/sup> Anniversary…<\/p>\n

It all begins thousands of years ago with \u2018A Legend a-Borning\u2019<\/em> from The Saga of the Sub-Mariner<\/strong> #1 (November 1988) with Buckler inked by Bob McLeod. A short history of the sinking of antediluvian Atlantis and its eventual reoccupation by nomadic tribes of Homo Mermanus<\/em> follows. The water-breathing wanderers flourish deep in the icy waters, and their story leads to a certain US research vessel sailing into icy waters in 1920…<\/p>\n

Its depth-charging and icebreaking has horrendous consequences for the citizens of the deep and in response Emperor Thakorr<\/em> organises a possibly punitive expedition. Instead, his daughter Princess Fen<\/em> uses experimental air-breathing serums to infiltrate the ship and forms a brief liaison with Captain Leonard McKenzie<\/em>. They even marry, but neither is aware the voyage has been arranged by unscrupulous telepath Paul Destine<\/em> who is drawn to the area by an uncanny device of ancient power and origins…<\/p>\n

Whilst Destine is being buried under a catastrophic avalanche trying to excavate the artefact, a raiding party from Atlantis boards the ship and drags Fen back home. She believes her husband has been killed in the attack. Months later a strange, pink-skinned baby is born beneath the deep blue sea…<\/p>\n

The story resumes years later with teenaged Namor experiencing prejudice firsthand whilst playing with his blue-skinned chums and royal cousin Prince<\/em> Byrrah<\/em>. The passing of his callow years are interspersed with his grandfather\u2019s disdain, his mother\u2019s tales of the fabled \u201cAmericans\u201d and the annoying girl Dorma<\/em> who is always hanging around…<\/p>\n

Every day seems to point out another way in which he differs from his people, such as his ever-increasing strength, ability to live unaided on the surface and the wings on his ankles which grant him the power of flight through the air.<\/p>\n

Life changes forever when the youngster scavenges a sunken ship and shockingly encounters a brace of clunky mechanical men from the surface world doing the same. Panicked, he attacks, severing control cables connected to a ship far above before proudly hauling them to Atlantis as his prize. For once grandfather is delighted, especially when the face plates are pried open and he sees dead surface-men within.<\/p>\n

The Emperor is ever more gleeful when Byrrah suggests Namor should go beard the Surfacers in their own realm to pay them back for the past destruction of Atlantis. Young, feisty and gullible, Namor sets off, ready to live up to his name which means \u2018Avenging Son\u2019<\/em>…<\/p>\n

\u2018A Prince in New York\u2019<\/em> spectacularly depicts the fantastic reign of terror and destruction Sub-Mariner wrought upon the city, until distracted and becalmed by plucky blonde policewoman Betty Dean<\/em>. It then reveals how he learns to despise Nazi Germany\u2019s maritime depredations before \u2018A Fire on the Water\u2019<\/em> details how New York Special Policeman The (Original) Human Torch is deputised to stop the fish-man at all costs…<\/p>\n

He never quite succeeds, but their ongoing clash resulted in some of the most astonishing scraps in comics history. With the city almost wrecked by their battles Betty Dean again steps in to calm the boiling waters and the next chapter – inked by Richardson & Company – introduced the \u2018Invaders!\u2019<\/em> as Hitler incomprehensibly decides to eradicate Atlantis with depth charges and U-boats. This rash act of wanton hatred merely secures Sub-Mariner\u2019s fanatical aid for the Allied Powers.<\/p>\n

With Thakorr wounded, the people elect Namor Emperor by popular acclaim before watching him swim off to crush the Axis and their super-powered servants. The young regent fights with and beside the Torch, Captain America<\/strong>, Bucky<\/strong>, Spitfire <\/strong>and Union Jack<\/strong>. By the time the war is won and Namor returns to his realm, Byrrah and his crony Commander Krang<\/em> have turned recuperating Thakorr against his interim substitute and Sub-Mariner finds himself banished. Only Lady Dorma\u2019s impassioned intervention prevents the homecoming becoming a bloodbath…<\/p>\n

With nowhere else to go Namor rejoins his surface superhero friends to create the post-war All-Winners Squad<\/strong>, before eventually being summoned home by his cousin Namora.<\/em> Atlantis has been ravaged by air-breathing gangsters…<\/p>\n

Seeking vengeance, they team up with Betty for a short-lived crusade against criminals, madmen and monsters until again recalled to the rebuilt underwater kingdom. Namor\u2019s years away had gradually diminished his mighty hybrid abilities, but now-recovered Thakorr orders Atlantis\u2019 greatest scientists to restore them so the Sub-Mariner can renew the Realm\u2019s war against all surface-men…<\/p>\n

Instead, Namor attempts diplomacy, but his State Visit to the United Nations results in violent protests and the death of a bystander.<\/em> He returns to his grandfather a bitter man, but still argues against war, no matter how hard General Krang and Byrrah urge it…<\/p>\n

When Atlantis is wracked by seaquakes, Namor leads a patrol to the polar cap above and discovers freshly-exhumed Paul Destine is responsible. The psychic had found a fantastic Helmet of Power which magnified his gifts exponentially, and decided to test his expanded abilities on the closest population centre…<\/p>\n

Enraged, Namor\u2019s physical might is useless against the tele-potent madman and Destine wipes his fishy foe\u2019s memories, sending him to live as an amnesiac amongst the dregs of New York, blindly awaiting his future \u2018Dark Destiny\u2019<\/em> (McLeod inks).<\/p>\n

The epic history lesson reaches the dawn of the Marvel Age decades later as \u2018Rage and Remembrance\u2019<\/em> recaps the epochal events after new Human Torch Johnny Storm<\/em> restores the memory of a weary derelict and unleashes the rage of the Sub-Mariner once again. With his mind and most of his memories back, Namor instantly heads home to find Atlantis razed and his people gone. Blaming humans, he launches a series of blistering attacks on the Fantastic Four whilst attempting to win the heart of the clearly conflicted Invisible Girl<\/strong>…<\/p>\n

As months pass he discovers his people had relocated to rebuild Atlantis. Namor is re-elected Emperor over the protests of Byrrah and betrothed to Lady Dorma, unknowingly earning the eternal enmity of Warlord Krang who has always wanted her…<\/p>\n

His war against the surface continues, escalating into a brief invasion of New York, a turbulent alliance with The Hulk and clash with \u2018Avengers!\u2019<\/em> (Mike Gustovich inks) resulting in the revival of his now-forgotten Invaders comrade Captain America…<\/p>\n

Sub-Mariner\u2019s pointless sorties against mankind continue as he forcefully adds The X-Men and Magneto<\/strong> onto his roster of enemies whilst still trying to take Sue Storm away from Reed Richards<\/em>.<\/p>\n

After repelling an invasion by sub-sea barbarian Attuma<\/em> he softens and again seeks official human recognition for Atlantis. Whilst making this embassage, Krang seizes control of Atlantis and after battling Daredevil, Namor returns to his kingdom, deals with the usurper and more-or-less dials back his campaign against the surface. Sadly, this peace is interrupted as Destine again strikes, inviting the new ruler to a \u2018Rendezvous with Destiny!\u2019<\/em> (McLeod inks).<\/p>\n

Time and events telescope from now on as \u2018Losses in Battle\u2019<\/em> traces Namor\u2019s showdown with the mental maniac, alliance with the Inhuman<\/strong> Triton<\/em> and battles Plantman, Dr. Dorcas<\/em>, Tiger Shark<\/em>, The Thing<\/strong> and a host of others, as well as enjoying a reunion with Betty Prentiss<\/em> (nee Dean) and facing the rise of the sinister antediluvian Serpent Cult of Lemuria<\/em>, which first devised the formidable Helmet of Power in eons past. Also revealed is how Namor\u2019s marriage to Dorma is thwarted by murderous Lemurian Llyra<\/em> and his subsequent agonising first and last meetings with his long-lost father…<\/p>\n

\u2018Blood Ties\u2019<\/em> then details his meeting with and adoption of Namora\u2019s teenaged daughter Namorita<\/em>, clashes with Doctor Doom and M.O.D.O.K.<\/em>, an alliance of Byrrah and Llyra and origins of The Defenders<\/strong> before \u2018Triumphs… and Tragedy!\u2019<\/em> (inked by McLeod & Co) brings us to a cameo-packed conclusion, relating Namor\u2019s enforced alliance with Doom, admission into the Mighty Avengers<\/strong> and loss of two of his greatest loves…<\/p>\n

Although appearing a tad rushed, the writing is strong and compelling: offering fresh insights for those familiar with the original material whilst presenting these chronicles in an engaging and appetising manner for those coming to the stories for the first time. Moreover, Buckler\u2019s solidly dependable illustration capably handles a wide, wild and capacious cast with great style and verve.<\/p>\n

Balancing the watery wonderment is the later and far shorter comics chronology of Sub-Mariner\u2019s arch ally and favourite frenemy, as first seen in The Saga of the Original Human Torch<\/strong>. It starts with \u2018The Lighted Torch\u2019<\/em> by Thomas, Buckler & Danny Bulanadi, showing how the Flaming Fury first burst into life as a malfunctioning humanoid devised by troubled and acquisitive Professor Phineas Horton<\/em>. Instantly igniting into an uncontrollable fireball whenever exposed to air, the artificial innocent was consigned to entombment in concrete but escaped to accidentally imperil the metropolis until it\/he fell into the hands of a malign mobster named Sardo<\/em>.<\/p>\n

When the crook\u2019s attempts to use the android as a terror weapon dramatically backfired, the hapless newborn was left a misunderstood fugitive – like a modern-day Frankenstein\u2019s monster. Even his creator only saw the fiery Prometheus as a means of making money.<\/p>\n

Gradually gaining control of his flammability, the angry, perpetually rejected android decides to make his own way in the world. Instinctively honest, the creature saw crime and wickedness everywhere and resolved to do something about it. Indistinguishable from human when not afire, he joined the police as Jim Hammond<\/em>: tackling ordinary thugs even as his volcanic alter ego battled such outlandish bandits as Asbestos Lady<\/em>. The Torch met Betty Dean when New York City Chief of Police John C. Wilson<\/em> asked him to stop the savage Sub-Mariner destroying everything. The battles are spectacular but inconclusive, only ending when Betty intervenes and brokers a tenuous ceasefire.<\/p>\n

Later, a brusque reunion with Horton sets the Torch on the trail of his creator\u2019s former assistant Fred<\/em> Raymond<\/em>. Hammond is too late to stop Asbestos Lady murdering the Raymonds in a train wreck, but adopts their little boy Toro<\/em>, who gains the power to become a human torch as soon as he meets the artificial avenger. The partners in peril become a team who set \u2018The World on Fire!\u2019<\/em>: battling beside Namor in The Invaders for WWII\u2019s duration.<\/p>\n

They even play a major role in ending the conflict in 1945, storming a Berlin bunker and incinerating Hitler, before rising \u2018Out of the Ashes…\u2019<\/em> (Alfredo Alcala inks) to battle Homefront hostiles, exposing Machiavellian android mastermind Adam-II<\/em> who, with knowledge of the future, attempts to assassinate a group of strangers who would all eventually be Presidents of the USA. The Fiery Furies formed the backbone of the All-Winners Squad, battling maniacs and conquerors from tomorrow, continuing their campaign against crime long after their comrades retired…<\/p>\n

When a family crisis benches Toro, the Torch soldiers on with new sidekick Sun Girl<\/em> until he returns. The reunion is destined to be short and far from sweet…<\/p>\n

The hot history lesson concludes in \u2018The Flaming Fifties!\u2019<\/em> (inked by Romeo Tanghal) as Jim Hammond bursts from a desert grave following a nuclear test explosion: revived from a chemically-induced coma mimicking death. His last memory was of being ambushed by gangsters and sprayed with a chemical inhibiting his flame and knocking him out. Blazing back to the ambush site he attacks his assailants only to discover four years have passed…<\/p>\n

When they employ the same solution as before, the compound no longer works on his atomically-charged form and when G-Men burst in the awful truth comes out. The Torch & Toro vanished in 1949 and when pressed, the crooks admit to having got their chemical cosh from the Russians. More chillingly, they paid for it by handing Toro over to the Reds…<\/p>\n

After spectacularly rescuing and deprogramming the Soviets\u2019 incendiary secret weapon, the Torch brings Toro home and they continue their anti-crime campaign against weird villains, Commie menaces and an assortment of crooks and gangsters. However, before long tragedy again strikes as the atomic infusion finally reaches critical mass in Jim\u2019s android body.<\/p>\n

Realising he is about to flame out in a colossal nova, The Human Torch soars into the desert skies and detonates like a supernova…<\/p>\n

The pre-Marvel Age exploits of the Torch end here, but devotees already know how Hammond was resurrected a number of times in the convoluted continuity that underpins the modern House of Ideas…<\/p>\n

This substantial primer into the prehistory of the groundbreaking Marvel Universe also includes a quartet of original art covers plus a brace of full-colour, textless cover reproductions. Fast, furious and fabulously action-packed, this is a lovely slice of authentic Marvel mastery to delight all lovers of Costumed dramas.
\n\u00a9 1988, 1989, 1990, 2014 Marvel Characters, Inc. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Roy Thomas, Dann Thomas, Rich Buckler with Bob McLeod, Richardson & Company, Mike Gustovich, Danny Bulanadi, Alfredo Alcala, Romeo Tanghal & various (Marvel) ISBN: 978-0-7851-9048-6 (TPB) Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner is the hybrid offspring of a sub-sea Atlantean princess and an American polar explorer; a being of immense strength, highly resistant to physical harm, … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Sub-Mariner & The Original Human Torch”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[191,94,85,175,317,54,98,320,189,355,79,127,107,155,231,70],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30193","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventure","category-avengers","category-daredevil","category-defenders","category-doctor-doom","category-fantastic-four","category-hulk","category-human-torch","category-inhumans","category-invaders","category-marvel-superheroes","category-nostalgia","category-science-fiction","category-sub-mariner","category-the-thing","category-x-men"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4AFj-7QZ","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30193","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30193"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30193\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30197,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30193\/revisions\/30197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30193"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30193"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30193"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}