Giant-Size Invaders #1 (June 1975)

The Marvel Universe has a long history of supervillains and superheroes. Many stories have unfurled and revealed this long history. One of the first major superhero teams in the Marvel Universe was forged in the fires of World War II: The Invaders. Funny thing is, the Invaders actually existed because of a retcon.

The core five members of the Invaders [Captain America (Steve Rogers), Bucky Barnes, Human Torch (Jim Hammond), Toro, and Namor] did actually have stories published during the 1930s and 1940s, but no comic of the era actually had them all team-up together. In Avengers #71 (December 1969), writer Roy Thomas and artist Sal Buscema revealed that yes, they did have adventures together during WWII. It was appropriate that Thomas be the creative mind behind the Invaders. After all, as has been discussed before when talking about his work on the Justice Society, Thomas loves Golden Age-era superheroes.

From there, the Invaders would have their own series. This series lasted from 1975-1979, 41 issues and 2 annuals. The comic we're going to be looking at here was essentially a "try-out" story, a way of testing the waters. Fans clearly wanted more Nazi-punching action, hence the first series. Let's look at Giant-Size Invaders #1!

The cover is a Frank Robbins, John Romita, and Gaspar Saladino piece. It's really cool. Yes, it is a bit basic, depicting our five Invaders, but it does work here. It feels like a Golden Age-era comic cover, which actually fits, considering the time period it's set in.

"The Coming of the Invaders!"
Writer: Roy Thomas
Penciler: Frank Robbins
Inker: Vince Colletta
Colorist: Petra Goldberg
Letterer: John Costanza
Editor: Roy Thomas
Editor-in-Chief: Len Wein

The story begins in an unrevealed city. The date: December 22, 1941. The time: 3:00 AM. Captain America and Bucky are handing a traitorous bund an early Christmas present: A good old-fashioned beating. After the beatdown, the two are approached by a group of FBI agents. They ask if Cap is familiar with a man named Dr. Anderson.

"THE NAMES! THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!"

The name gets Captain America's brain working. You see, Dr. Anderson was the man who was the head of projects in the US Government...including Project: Rebirth, the very operation that transformed the sickly Steve Rogers into the Sentinel of Liberty. We get a retelling of the origins of Captain America. So, why are they asking about him? Well, Anderson is staying at Walter Reed Hospital...because he may be dead.

Cap goes to the medical center, and thankfully, Anderson is still alive.

"They...kicked me in the boys...fifteen times..."

Where had Anderson been since the fateful experiment that created the Star-Spangled Man with the Plan? Well, in the time since, the Pearl Harbor attack happened, and the United States formally entered World War II as a result. Two nights earlier, Anderson was kidnapped by a Nazi spy dressed as a military policeman and taken to a farm in Virginia.

"They said something about milking me. I think they're very stupid."

The farm had been turned into a hidden Nazi lab. Run by a Colonel Krieghund ("War Hound" in German), he wanted Anderson to work on a little project for them: Master Man.

Hydrotherapy in the 40s was weird...

The Master Man here is Wihelm Lohmer, the original. He made his debut here. There have been a couple other Master Men in the comics since, both connected to Lohmer. The most recent Master Man (the third) was Lohmer's grandnephew Max, who debuted in Captain America #18 (July 2006). 

You see, seeing the success of Captain America, the Nazis naturally tried to duplicate him and create such a super-soldier of their own. However, they've not been able to get the formula exactly right, as Erskine died without ever writing it down. Anderson pointed out to Krieghund that the Americans also have failed to perfectly replicate the formula themselves (Captain America was intended to be the first of many super-soldiers, after all). Krieghund believes that since Erskine confided in him, he may know it himself. He places the scientist in a brain-reading machine.

"This is the ugliest hat ever!"

The Psyphon is able to extract the formula from Anderson's mind, very painfully. The Nazis then use it to awaken Master Man. The Nazi super-soldier is clearly not morning person, as he starts trashing the lab. Krieghund literally whips him into shape. They are then alerted to two objects flying towards them. 

The Torch and Toro were on their way to see a movie.

Jim Hammond, the Original Human Torch, is heading towards the farm. Naturally, at this time, he is accompanied by his trusty young sidekick, Thomas "Toro" Raymond. They came to rescue Anderson. Master Man is easily able to take down the two heroes. Krieghund tries to shoot them, but Anderson knocks him aside, causing him to accidentally shoot the lab equipment that Master Man previously damaged. This causes a fire, and Kreighund gives Anderson a bullet. Master Man and Krieghund escape. Hammond puts out the fire by absorbing it. And then he and Toro get Anderson to the hospital. And that's how he got here.

Torch and Toro are also at the hospital. Cap recalls he and Torch first met in Young Allies #1 (1941). Anderson realizes there was a reason why Krieghund wanted Master Man activated, and he tells the FBI agents to get the heroes to Chesapeake Bay. What is he up to? Well, it turns out that a British battleship is on its way to the inlet's naval base. Who knows why.

A Nazi U-Boat pops up nearby, with Master Man on board. The Nazi super-soldier stars wreaking havoc on the ship. However, one of the sailors on the ship is a disguised Namor the Sub-Mariner. The Atlantean king decides to treat the Nazi to a Mighty Punch.

"Ha! Your fishy fist cannot break THIS jaw!"

...which Master Man no-sells. Master Man knocks Namor into the water, but thanks to his Atlantean physiology, Mr. Imperius Rex is recharged. However, a fire on the ship makes him dry out quickly, weakening him again. 

However, Cap, Bucky, and the Torches arrive to back Namor up. Despite their help, Master Man proves himself to be a real powerhouse, easily taking them all on. Krieghund reminds the self-proclaimed Ubermensch that he has a mission. And his priority is getting it done and getting out of there. Master Man refuses, until he feels himself start to weaken. Realizing his power is temporary, he leaps away, his way of running for it.

Torch and Toro use their fire to heat up the sub and melt it, but the sub is able to fire a pair of torpedoes. Namor got those handled, though. He takes the torpedoes and sends them back to the sub, blowing it up.

The British ship is safe, chugging along on its way. But what of Master Man himself? Despite his fading power, he's able to make his way to shore, battling his way across traffic. Cap and Bucky pursue him. The chase ends quickly. Master Man's power runs out, causing him to shrink down into the smaller, skinnier Wilhelm Lohmer. 

Aren't the clothes supposed to shrink if you wash them wrong?

He underwent the Master Man empowerment as he was the physically smallest and weakest man in his local bund. And with that power gone, he was small and weak again. He is easily knocked out by Bucky Barnes.

With Lohmer no longer a problem, there still is one question remaining: why was Namor on that British ship? Well, he was there on a mission at the quest of the ship's very special passenger.

It was said after seeing this, Churchill really needed to get drunk.

Great Britain's then-Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. He was here to confer with then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt on how to deal with their common foe in the Nazis. He asks the five heroes to basically join forces to help take them down. The quintet of heroes agree to do so...and the Invaders are born. 

I enjoyed this story. It felt a bit like a Golden Age comic book, which I imagine was the point. It had plenty of action. I never realized this, but Master Man is very much the anti-Captain America. Which, considering his origins, is kind of the point. This story was action-packed, and all the Invaders get to do something cool. Frank Springer's art has a very rough style that very much fits this particular comic. It gives a Golden Age vibe, which fits a comic set in the 1940s starring a bunch of heroes from the time.

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2014 trade paperback Invaders: The Complete Collection Vol. 1. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, and wear a mask! See you next time!

Namor the Sub-Mariner #2 (May 1990)

Back in March 2018, I took a look at the first issue of a comic series focusing on one of Marvel Comics' oldest characters: Namor the Sub-Mariner. And since he will be finally coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the upcoming film Wakanda Forever, I thought "why not take a look at the second issue. So, here it is, Namor the Sub-Mariner #2!

The cover is a John Byrne piece, and I like it. It shows Namor fighting the monstrous Griffin over the Statue of Liberty. The only honest criticism I have is the text on the cover. It doesn't really seem to stand out to me in any way. 

"Eagle's Wing and Lion's Claw"
Writer: John Byrne
Penciler: John Byrne
Inker: Bob Wiacek
Colorist: Brad Vancata
Letterer: Ken Lopez
Editor: Terry Kavanaugh
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco 

The story begins in New York City. Caleb Alexander and his daughter Carrie, who we met in the previous issue, are discussing Carrie's social life. Evidently, some time has passed since the events of last issue, as she has developed some feelings towards our titular Atlantean monarch. However, their conversation is tabled. Being in the Marvel Universe, something...unusual ends it.

Meet Johnny Horton, aka the Griffin. A former hood who was mutagenically and surgically altered into the beast he is now. At this time, his mind had regressed back to being little more than a feral animal. He would eventually be revealed to be the father of superheroine Yo-Yo Rodriguez. The Griffin seems to be after Carrie. He grabs her, but Caleb tries to rescue her with the help of his jacket and a shard of glass. But then his bad heart acts up.

A weakened Caleb makes his way to the elevator, where he heads to the gym. It's there that we meet up with Namor's cousin, New Warriors member Namorita. 

Namorita is naturally a bit unimpressed with the workout equipment, as it's no challenge to her. After all, this stuff wasn't designed for the needs of an Atlantean. The weakened Caleb is able to tell her about the Griffin. Elsewhere, Namor is watching a TV report, about a woman's shoe falling from the sky, which he finds curious. 

Namorita alerts Namor to the Griffin's attack, and the two engage in the search. At the time, Namor is believed to be dead, and he flies in a way to keep people from seeing him. He's flying so fast that he won't be recognized. He figures that the Griffin is heading for the Statue of Liberty. He spots Carrie's other shoe, and the Griffin attacks.

Their fight is being observed by the Marrs twins. Phoebe is confused by this. Why did Namor fake his death? And why did he buy a company like the Parallel Conglomerate? Desmond notes that since Oracle Inc. bought Parallel, its stock has risen by 26 points. Desmond wonders how things would go down if it was learned that Namor was the man in charge, considering his...relationship with the surface world over the years?

But for now, Desmond wants this quiet. Why? Well, he wants to see how this fight goes down. The Griffin is practically feral, so it's not like he can tell Namor the Marrs recruited him to kidnap Carrie. The fight is not going well for Namor, so he decides to turn the tables on the monstrous supervillain by engaging him in his element: The sea. Elsewhere, Namor's battle makes the news, where another figure is taking interest in it.

This mysterious woman asks for advice about how to exploit this for profit. Back at the Statue of Liberty, Carrie is able to make her way through the giant landmark, worrying about the fight. Namor is tough, but the Griffin isn't exactly a pushover. She escapes via a fire exit and sees a churning in the water...as well as blood.

The story ends with the Griffin leaping out of the water at her.

I admit, I like this issue. It was more of an action-packed story than the last one. We get a bit of advancement of the schemes of Desmond Marrs, set up another new threat, and the ending is something straight out of a horror movie. The battle between Namor and the Griffin is intense, which Byrne shows well. I can't help but notice that Byrne's art style has become a bit "scratchier" here than his earlier work on X-Men. I wonder if that's because of the different inker or because of an evolution of his style. It is a better read as part of a larger story than on its own, but that's a necessary evil when it comes to serialized storytelling in any medium. 

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2011 trade paperback Namor Visionaries: John Byrne Vol. 1. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccination/booster! See you next time!

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Trailer, My Thoughts

In 2018, Marvel Studios released the 18th film in its Marvel Cinematic Universe, Black Panther. Based on the comic character of the same name, the story told the tale of T'Challa, the newest king of the African nation of Wakanda, as he battled former CIA operative-turned-terrorist Erik "Killmonger" Stevens, who wants to use the advanced technology of Wakanda to start a global revolution. 

Black Panther was highly praised by critics. Special note was given to Ryan Coogler's directing, as well as the cast's performances (especially of the late Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa, Michael B. Jordan as Killmonger, and Letitia Wright as Shuri) and production, but its VFX was criticized. Still the film would become the second-highest grossing film of 2018, as well as the highest-grossing film by a Black director. 

The film would also be seen as culturally significant for the Black community, and it would win numerous accolades. It would be the first superhero film to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture, and win three for Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score.

In 2019, it was announced the film would get a sequel: Wakanda Forever. Plans hit a snag when Chadwick Boseman passed away in 2020 from colon cancer, which he had kept hidden from others. As such, Marvel Studios opted not to recast T'Challa, and established that he had suddenly passed before the events of Wakanda Forever. Which is some real cosmic bad timing, as Wakanda has to deal with a new threat from under the seas...Let's look at the trailer!

Nakia contemplating the ocean. 

It's a tough time for the nation of Wakanda right now. Recovering from Killmonger, the Dusting, the big battle against Thanos, and now T'Challa being gone.

This shot of all those people in white had the vibe of a funeral. I remember seeing someone on Twitter saying this is a celebration of life. Yeah, I can see that.

That shot of Okoye and the Dora Milaje is awesome.

And we have Baby Namor!

I get the idea from these scenes that there is something more going down than just Talocan and Wakanda having a spat. That ship does not look Wakandan. Something is pushing these two nations to war...

And there's Ironheart! This film is setting up quite a bit of stuff.

I get the feeling that Angela Bassett was channeling some genuine grief in that delivery. Which is understandable. I can imagine that Boseman's death hit his castmates hard.

Namora looks awesome.

Personally, I think the idea to draw from Mesoamerican mythology for this version of Atlantis (or Talocan, as it will be called here) is a very clever idea. I don't think that mythology has been given a lot of spotlight in American media. It's a great way to make this version of it look truly unique.

I get the feeling Tenoch Huerta is going to kill it as Namor.

Looks like a new Black Panther will rise...

Well, this film looks like it will be very enjoyable, as well as rather emotional. Chadwick Boseman's death hit a lot of people hard. I loved him as T'Challa myself. I am also excited to see the Sub-Mariner make his live-action debut. This is going to be a roller-coaster.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccine/booster! See you next time!

Namor the Sub-Mariner #1 (April 1990)

Namor McKenzie, the Sub-Mariner. In the Marvel Universe, Namor is the king of the underwater kingdom known as Atlantis. He is also comics' first anti-hero. He also was one of the centers of comics' first crossovers, where he battled the original Human Torch, the android Jim Hammond. Created by the late writer/artist Bill Everett, he first appeared in Motion Picture Funnies Weekly (April 1939), which was intended to be a little promotional comic given away in movie theaters. When that giveaway idea fell through, the character would next appear in Marvel Comics #1 (October 1939), which also debuted the original Human Torch.

The character has been in the role of both hero and villain over the decades, being mainly associated with the Fantastic Four [The character was revived in Fantastic Four #4 (May 1962)]. He's been both ally and enemy to them, and also is known for carrying a bit of a torch for Sue Storm-Richards, the Invisible Woman. But the FF are not the only team he's hung with. He's battled and been a member of the Avengers, and also in the Defenders. In WWII, he allied himself with Captain America, Bucky, and the original Human Torch to become the Invaders. In recent years, he's been more closely associated with the X-Men, taking advantage of an old nickname for him "Marvel's First Mutant". This is true in print, but in-universe, there are several mutants who predate him, including Wolverine. I am not kidding.

In 1990, he got his own series again, which lasted for 62 issues. The final one was published in 1995. The first issue of it is what we're going to look at here. So, with that out of the way, let's take a look at Namor #1!

The cover is well-drawn, if a bit basic. It's Namor flying out of the water, screaming in rage about something. That's Namor in a nutshell, guy who lives in water and gets mad about stuff. Doesn't take much.

"Purpose!"
Writer: John Byrne
Artist: John Byrne
Inker: Bob Wiacek
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Letterer: Glen Lopez
Editor: Terry Kavanagh
Editor-In-Chief: Tom DeFalco

The story begins with a ship on the waters of the South Pacific. One of the boat's occupants remarks that there is nothing wrong with the equipment on board, so the blip the radar picked up had to be real. It's a fast-moving one, too. Nothing natural could move that quickly.

The young woman, Carrie Alexander, suggests that maybe it's some kind of Navy secret weapon test. The old man, Caleb Alexander, is not surprised. But then the blip turns ninety degrees, and it's heading straight up. A man bursts out of the water, revealing that he is Namor. The Sub-Mariner is clearly enraged about something. Both Caleb and Carrie are shocked by this, as Namor was believed to be dead. It was believed he was killed during the 1989 crossover Atlantis Attacks! during a battle with Iron Man and the forces of Attuma. Reports of his death have clearly been exaggerated.

The Alexanders pursue him on his boat and track him to an island. Namor is having trouble keeping his thoughts straight, and his head is killing him. Man, that Atlantean ale must have some kick if it can give Namor a hangover. He hears voices and finds a bunch of stereotypical natives worshipping an idol that looks like an airplane.

Namor gets mad because...well, he just gets mad. One of the natives spots him, and another tosses a spear at the King of Atlantis. Naturally, it only bounces off him. Namor loses it and wrecks the idol. He also decides to make like Braun Strowman and give the stereotypical tribe his hands.

Funny enough, this is similar to the revival of the Steve Rogers Captain America in the 1960s. No joke. Namor found a bunch of natives worshipping an idol that turned out to be a frozen Captain America. Being Namor, he lost his marbles, gave the tribe his hands, and threw Cap into the ocean, unaware of who it was. And they fought in WWII together as Invaders. Namor's temper is not very smart.

Carrie approaches Namor nervously, but Namor is clearly not well. Instead of Carrie, he sees Lady Dorma, then Marrina, both women who were part of Namor's life...and he had lost. However, Carrie doesn't understand him as he is speaking Atlantean. Caleb only knows a few words of it. Namor is rather disoriented, and Caleb thinks a theory he has about Namor's rage problem may have something to do with it. Caleb is able to convince the monarch to come aboard his ship, the Oracle. Later, Namor is resting, hooked up to an IV and an odd machine.

It has been an hour, but Namor is feeling much better. Namor admits he's unaware of the complete nature of the blood recycler he is hooked up to. Caleb says he will explain it...after he decides to recount Namor's origins. The year is 1920. On the seas near the South Pole, there was an icebreaker named the Oracle. It's captain? One Leonard McKenzie. The ship was dropping depth charges to break the ice around it. Unaware to the ship's crew, their charges were damaging the hidden city of Atlantis. In response, King Thakorr sent his daughter, Princess Fen, to lead a scouting party to check it out. Evidently the King didn't have anyone else in his army available to command the scouting party.

However, Fen, being the adventurous sort, basically said to the party: "I got this, go enjoy some Atlantean Ale at the tavern on me". Imbibing a special potion that would allow her to breathe in the air for five hours at a time, she climbs up to the ship and gets caught. Despite Atlanteans, or Homo mermanus as they have been called by the science set being physically stronger than normal humans thanks to their bodies being adapted to the pressures of the ocean, Fen is able to be held down and taken to Captain McKenzie.

When McKenzie and Fen's eyes meet, they are smitten. Fen spends some time with the handsome captain that has so captured her interest. Eventually, Captain McKenzie asks for Fen's hand in marriage and Fen eagerly agrees. They married on the Oracle, but it would sadly last long. King Thakorr would send a party to retrieve his daughter, and McKenzie was seemingly killed in the process. You'd think it would have occurred to Fen to actually return to Atlantis and basically say to her dad, "Yeah, I just found out what was going on. They had no idea we were down here, and they're very sorry about the depth charges. They're actually quite nice, and their captain is handsome." That would have saved a LOT of grief.

But not all was lost. Before his death, McKenzie and Fen did conceive a child: one Namor McKenzie, the Avenging Son. That's what "Namor" means in Atlantean.

Aww, isn't baby Namor cute? He's going to grow up into a great little walking rage problem. Namor confirms this as the account of his birth he gave to the United Nations in Fantastic Four Annual #1 (1963). Caleb explains that Namor is the reason he became a marine biologist. Namor was a special study for him. He believes that because of Namor's hybrid human/Atlantean physiology, his body chemistry is a bit messed up. If he's underwater or on the surface for too long, he starts to suffer from oxygen deprivation, which causes him to go crazy.

This retcon is an attempt to explain Namor's craziness when it came to his characterization over the years. Honestly, I do like the retcon, although I do think that Namor having rage issues shouldn't be completely discounted. I can't see why it can't be a bit of both. Namor can still have issues with his temper, it can be just his physiology doesn't help things.

Despite this, Namor is clearly grateful for the help, and is curious as to why Caleb would be so interested in him. Caleb explains that during WWII, he was a kid living in Harlem. He loved comics, as they gave him an escape from his dreary life. One day, he saw a special celebration the Mayor of New York (who would likely be Fiorello H. La Guardia at the time) was giving for the Invaders (Captain America, Human Torch, Toro, and Namor). When the young Caleb saw Namor fly off, he pursued him on his bicycle. The boy didn't pay attention, and ended up careening off a dock and into the water. He was unable to swim away, as a trouser cuff got caught in the bike chain and was dragging him under. He remembers the dock workers looking down and not helping him. Yeah, remember this. This was the 1940s, and Caleb was black. Luckily, young Caleb did have a savior.

Caleb doesn't expect Namor to remember it, as it was nearly fifty years ago (topical to 1990). Namor admits he is prone to memory failure. Caleb explains after Namor rescued him, he sold his bike and bought a book on marine biology. It was the proudest day of his grandfather's life. Carrie Alexander is following in her father's footsteps, as he's got a bad heart and can't dive anymore. Caleb asks Namor what he wants to do, as Caleb's discovery may have given him a new lease on life, and the world thinks he's dead. Namor admits he has much to think about.

Some time later, Carrie is sitting on the deck of her and Caleb's boat, when Namor bursts out of the water, carrying an object crusted over with sea grime and rust. The former King of Atlantis wishes to show her something.

Behold! TREASURE! Carrie is amazed, as this treasure could be worth millions. Namor explains that he found it in the wreck of an old Spanish brigantine that sunk a few miles nearby about 300 years ago. The Atlanteans have known of many such wrecks with treasures, and Namor himself has used them to fund certain...projects in the past. And he's going to do so again with this treasure.

Namor has done a lot of thinking, and he's come to a conclusion: Humanity has treated the world as if it was a vast disposable resource. It isn't. The Earth is a fragile little planet, and one day, humanity in its ignorance and greed, could end up damaging it in a way that could never be fixed. He believes that perhaps that could be prevented. He has a plan, and he needs the Alexander's help so he can maintain the idea that he is dead. That, and he has found Carrie Alexander quite an attractive woman.

Somewhere else, a woman is walking by, being greeted by people. One man, Gerrold, asks how her trip to Hong Kong was. She didn't have a great trip, and is all too eager to see China take the territory back from Great Britain (This was 1990, so the UK wouldn't return Hong Kong to China for another 7 years). She also notices a man leering at her and tells Gerrold if she catches him doing it again, he's going back to the mailroom. She takes an elevator to her brother's apartments. She asks him where he is, and the butler tells her he is in the Gun Room. She heads in and sees him...

Yup. Her brother is planning to put a bullet in his head. She is able to stop him. Desmond Marrs is feeling despondent. He feels his existence is inconsequential and boring. The woman, Phoebe Marrs, tries to convince her brother that his existence matters. He's one of the six richest men in the world. Desmond explains he feels like Alexander the Great at the peak of his conquest. There are no worlds left for him to conquer. Phoebe tries to perk him up by telling him about the old Parallel Conglomerate. Someone paid ten billion dollars for it.

Desmond is confused by this, as he felt the Conglomerate was worthless. Phoebe explains that a father-daughter team bought it, but everyone believes they're a front for a mystery man behind the scenes. Desmond seems to perk up at this. A new challenge for him, a new world to conquer. The story ends with him asking about the company that purchased it. Phoebe explains that the company's name is Oracle, Inc....

This issue was perfectly fine and enjoyable. I felt it did do some of the things a first issue should do: establish the new status quo, Namor got a couple of new supporting characters, we got a couple plotlines going with his forming a new company and his possible romance with Carrie. Not to mention we got a threat in the future in the form of the Marrs twins (yes, Desmond and Phoebe Marrs are fraternal twins). Some may not like the recount of Namor's origins, but I didn't mind it. Namor is not one of Marvel's famous characters, despite his being one of Marvel's oldest.

The whole environmentalism angle may seem strange, but to me, it does make an odd sort of sense. Namor is from an underwater kingdom, and Atlantis probably would be affected hard by environmental damage. I can imagine that Atlantis is far ahead with environmentally-friendly technology. I think it's a great angle for Namor, and one that would make him stand out from other superheroes. And I have no real complaints about John Byrne's artwork.

Next time, we join Namor's fellow Invader, Captain America, as he celebrates an anniversary in the middle of a Galactic Storm...