A comic's 50th issue wasn't often heralded in Marvel's titles--but with a book which could use every edge in sales, it didn't hurt to caption its cover with such a distinction. That was particularly applicable to Sub-Mariner, which would have only a little over twenty issues left in its run before being cancelled. But with its 50th issue, you could see an honest effort being made to change its course, and revitalize the character of Namor to have a greater appeal for whatever fan base he had remaining.
No easy task. Once Namor abdicated his throne and left Atlantis for good, Sub-Mariner floundered in direction, which stabilized when Namor's creator, Bill Everett, came aboard and set him more or less on track again--and this 50th issue was its bold beginning, from its very first page. In the previous issue, Namor had just concluded his encounter with Dr. Doom and Modok, and his growing relationship with a surface girl named Cindy had solidified into something which looked headed in a forward direction. Yet Everett, in one panel on page one, severs that relationship with a few words consisting of their worlds being incompatible and that Namor belongs in the world of the sea. Any other guy would likely react in a "whu...huh?" way at such an inexplicable and sudden development; but Everett returns Namor to his noble bearing, giving him a sort of Elizabethan thought and speech pattern that smooths the transition and makes it almost seem like he belongs in a solo state. "Nay! There is a ring of conviction in her voice! Comprehension fails my perplexed mind!" I don't know many of us who sort out our thoughts like that.Yet Everett maintains at least one thing from Namor's past issues: his state of amnesia, which also helps to motivate him to go in another direction (in this case, the sea) and seek answers to his confusion. And the first step he has to take is to discover whether he "belongs" in the sea in a literal sense, though it would be a rather drastic (not to mention suicidal) step for any of us:
Before Namor can explore his state further, he comes across an unconscious girl floating in the depths, whom he assumes is close to death. It would turn out to be an auspicious meeting between the two, though you wouldn't think so from its abrupt ending:
The girl, in case you haven't recognized her, would turn out to be Namor's cousin--Namorita, whom we'll see more of later in this story. For now, Namor is all too glad to see her depart--as he does himself, but in a direction both distant and nostalgic:
Yes, Namor has returned at last to the Antarctic, and his long-lost roots. But what meaning will they have for one who has no memory of them?
As Namor descends, the ruins of his ancestral home are compelling, as well as a frustrating mystery--a mystery he has little time to ponder, since he's almost immediately attacked by a giant crustacean. It's here that Everett's handling of Namor takes a turn for the reader, from curious excitement to uncomfortable winces--as Everett's undersea antagonists for the Sub-Mariner tend to be a little on the Hollywood monster side, and difficult to take seriously (as contradictory as that sounds, given that we're reading a comic book, after all).
"Salamar"--a talking, devious crab with crab lackeys to do his bidding. The monster obviously has knowledge of Namor's ancestry and an interest in seeing Atlantis return to its former, ancient glory--but the mystery of that knowledge is overshadowed by the injection of such ludicrous creatures into the life of the Sub-Mariner, a character who Marvel has taken pains to distance from his "Jumpin' catfish!" past and make a force to be reckoned with in its present-day world. Fortunately, Everett has several more surprises for Namor to keep our interest in this story--starting with a long-lost cousin from that past:
Salamar also formally identifies the young girl who walloped Namor before he embarked on his journey to the Antarctic--a girl Salamar also has plans for, as well as threats if necessary:
Finally, Salamar reveals one last figure from Namor's past, a figure who's been made an example of in the "oil-springs" which are now a part of the Atlantean landscape:
Despite Salamar's technological advantage, Namor escalates his assault on the crab and his aides--and eventually discovers Salamar to be a mere construct, remotely controlled. And when Namor destroys its circuitry, the feedback reveals Namor's foe in this deception, one whose tactic in using Namorita to ensure Namor's cooperation mirrors that of Salamar:
Yes, it seems Byrrah is not alone in this endeavor--he has a deadly ally, one whose appearance instantly restores Namor's memory and makes him instantly coil in a posture of revenge:
This haughty villainess makes a great entrance, though in her eagerness it seems she's mispronounced both her own name as well as that of her former kingdom. Just to set the record straight, this is Llyra, formerly of Lemuria. Though very shortly that's all going to be moot:
A curious "alliance" between Llyra and Byrrah, eh? Apparently Llyra didn't disclose to her ally that she had her own agenda concerning Namor and had no interest in Byrrah's plans for him. But as Namor's made quite clear, he only has one plan where Llyra is concerned, and her sense of vengeance pales beside his own:
Gee, it doesn't look like Llyra's going to "slip away" this time, does it? (At least in terms of escape. Heh heh. Sorry.)
At least Namor and Nita look like they finally have some time to catch up and compare notes. But you're probably thinking we've forgotten someone, and you're right:
There's more to discover about Byrrah, the monster crabs, Namora, those oil-springs, as well as Byrrah's other alliance (with a race of aliens we've seen before), when this story concludes. Everett's approach with the Sub-Mariner may be a bit dated in some respects, but with this fiftieth issue he's laid a decent foundation in place for a new direction for Namor, and there are some worthwhile stories to explore. Though, as we unfortunately know, the optimism wasn't to last.
 | Sub-Mariner #50 Script, Pencils, and Inks: Bill Everett Letterer: Jon Costa (a/k/a John Costanza) |