Namor75: 365 Days With Namor the Sub-Mariner

[Reviresco]

Oh so great you are back Rev!

Oh, and respectfully Following your old numbering today should be 315 : )

But looking at the calendar I think its day 337?

Thank you! I haven't had time to go through and count. Will change them tomorrow.

And yes, I think I'm at least two weeks behind... which means I've got to do a massive posting spree very soon.

Time issues ? Feel free to use this if it helps !



Victor doesn't need it for the moment : he's no into power gems anymore. He just discoved potato chips, and as you know, when you eat one, it could take you some time to stop...

Oh, don't I wish!

[Reviresco]

I'd probably faint too if I found out that my outfit matched the floor.

But at least she is enjoying the fall--wheeeee! lol

What, isn't that the newest fashion? Clothing to match the flooring? Or was it to match your dog ....

EVERYTHING in that panel is MAGIC !!! Each time I see it, I can't help but WHEEEEE! and enjoy the fall ! Thanks for bringing it once more, Dermie !!!

I have to second the sentiment. How can anyone not smile and WHEEEEEE! upon seeing this panel?

[Reviresco]

Friday is the FABULOUS '50s & FANTASTIC TEAMS
Day 317




Invaders #26
by Gil Kane
Cover Date: March 1978

[Dermie]

This may not be the best looking cover I have ever seen...but I have a sentimental soft spot for it due to my (very small) part in its existence.

This was not the original cover solicited for that issue--originally there was just supposed to be some generic dramatic-pose cover by one of the New Invaders (USAgent, I think). Given that the issue was guest starring Wolverine, I was shocked that he wasn't being shown on the cover, since NEW INVADERS was in need of a sales bump...which is undoubtedly why Wolverine was guest starring in the first place.

So I emailed the series writer, Allan Jacobsen, and pointed out that it rather defeats the purpose of having a sales-boosting guest star if you don't put the guest star on the cover so people know he's there. He agreed with me--and apparently quoted my email when he raised the same concern with his editor. The editor saw our point...and a new cover was commissioned. Unfortunately it was a case of too little, too late since the series only lasted another 3 issues after that. But at least I can honestly say I did my part to try and help the book stay afloat. lol

[Abe]

Oh Dermie ! That's such a nice story !

Please, email some guys at Marvel. If we're lucky enough they will put Victor out of his current Bendis misery and with his help the Squadron Supreme will be easily defeated and the series replaced by ANAD SVTU... which will be of course a success like never-seen, and will lead to a bunch of Namor & Doom movies (solo, teaming up, battling... everything !) It would be so beautiful for Christmas... (I will try to reach Santa Doom... He can surely do something about that too!...)

[Abe]

Friday is the FABULOUS '50s & FANTASTIC TEAMS
Day 3??




Invaders #26
by Gil Kane
Cover Date: March 1978

All those guys are super nice on this cover - the giant ones and the smaller ! A special mention to "Agent Axis" of course (he looks like The Shadow ! So cool !) and to the original Human Torch : what a pretty face here ! I love it.

[Iron Maiden]

I never thought Reed had that much control with his powers. If so, you'd think he could be a master of disguise and change his body and face into anyone elses. Of course, I don't really see Reed actually exploring or practicing his powers much at all. His true superpower is his brain.
Yeah, I'm with string bean. Though Kirby wasn't the only one to give him more bulk. Remember Dale Eaglesham's Reed? O_O

If you notice not many writers have Reed using his powers any more. I think its a relic of the silver age...a power that kids considered cool back then really doesn't look all that interesting anymore. Reed did used to use his powers for disguises and I think the first time I recall that happening was towards the end of Byrne's run where Sue and Reed decided to make a home in suburbs for a while. Then later, when they did briefly enroll Franklin in an upstate academy just before Mark Waid's run. I believe Karl Kesel wrote that one....and Sue can disguise her hair a bit by making part of it invisible, so if she has long hair she can make it look shorter. But not many writers are very creative about how they use their powers these day....if they ever make their appearance in ANAD.

Sue and Reed take Franklin to a private school called the Stern Academy in FF #51 vol 3

[Abe]

These pages are really frightening, Iron Maiden ! But very instructive too...

It seems that Reed can even change his face to look like Jack Kirby - that's what many saw in the cover of FF 7 :



I do wonder if Sue likes him this way... Who knows, perhaps some nights she asks Reed to look a bit more like a Prince of the Sea ? He can grow little wings, muscles and shape his head in triangle. And she could help with the hair ! It would be so cute !... Hmmm... Maybe. Not that sure that everyone will agree..

[Dermie]

Attachment 27400

Ah, a loving slap to the face...a good sign of any healthy relationship!

From "wheeee" to "whack" in just a few panels. Quite the roller coaster relationship here. Who is this lady?

[Abe]

Ah, a loving slap to the face...a good sign of any healthy relationship!

From "wheeee" to "whack" in just a few panels. Quite the roller coaster relationship here. Who is this lady?

In fact from "whack" to "wheeee" ! In that order ! And before that she saves him : she's the "Strong Gal" !!!

Who is Strong Gal ? I will pull out the MMW All Winners vol 1 from my shelves and study the question a little harder... She's one of my favorite GA heroine, but I'm not even sure that she has a name ! Or a second appearance !... Who are you strong gal ?... Are you lost forever ?....

[Mantis Girl 94]

Saturday is the SWINGING SIXTIES
Day 339



TALES TO ASTONISH #70
script by Stan Lee, art by Gene Colan (as Adam Austin)
Cover Date: August 1965

I figure Rev will be all caught up by next week but I thought I would help her out one last time

The story behind TTA #70 is one I will remember. I was around 10 years old and my dad was spoiling his "little princess" by letting her sift through his 20 cent comics (but I wanted more) LOL

I found an old paperback book comic; it had like the first several issues of Fantastic Four in it.... I snuck and read it and fell in love with them and Namor and others.
I read something in a Sub-Mariner comic of the 70's that referred to TTA.... I had to read it!

I snuck into my dad's comic room when he was at work and found the earliest Namor TTA that I could find....#70!

I read it and was super happy that I did it without getting caught... About a week later my dad asked me; "when did I say you could look at the older comics"?

I was like; "What? I don't know what you mean father". He pulled out TTA #70 and showed it to me....I had put it back in the bag and board backwards!!!!

Oh the shame...I cried so much he didn't punish me.

Have a great Saturday night everyone!

[Abe]

Perfect little tale for Sunday morning's breakfast, with a Princess, a Prince - and even a nice green Monster on the cover ! Childhood comics memories are so nice and funny... Please keep on sharing them, Mantis Girl !

[Abe]

For the Strong Gal's fans like me. Here is her story. A few pages from this tale about a Lady and a Prince !

Fire & Water ! That's how they met in one of the 12 pages of this untitled story known as "The Torpedo Boat Terror"! Script, pencils, and inks signed by Bill Everett - perhaps with the help of Allen Simon for the inks. No infos on the colors and letters.

The plot ? Sub-Mariner's investigation uncovers Nazi mosquito boats on the U.S. coast in an unassuming boathouse, and discovers that the Nazis are using that facility to build more! But the Nazi boat collides with another one!...



WOW ! Dante's Inferno, indeed !... And the Sub-Mariner doesn't know yet that he's the one who will be saved !... Strong Gal is not exactly a damsel-in-distress... You've seen already two panels of the next page. The "Relax, Mister... I'm a strong gal", and the last one of the page : famous for the "good slap in the face" ! A few others are delightful... but maybe another day... So let's turn another page...



Good luck ? Perhaps it helped. The Sub-Mariner does his job, Nazis are defeated and our hero "RACES back to the tiny beach..." He doesn't swim by the way, but pilots the "torpedo boat". So, because he's a gentleman, he warns our heroine : "Hello there ! Don't be afraid... It's me.. Not the Nazis" (these words are of course still very pertinent). Strong Gal begins to understand the whole story : "Nazis ? Oh !"... But it's not her last surprise.... As you know already, at the very last panel of the page, learning the identity of the one she's saved, she faints and Wheeeee!

Let's turn the page to see what happens next...



THE END...

Is it her last appearance ? I don't know... Did she became a fellow reader of the Sub-Mariner Comics ? I'm pretty sure that she was still heroic in the following years : the story was published in All-Winners #1 summer 1941... And if war was a bad time for some clichés - and racism especially - it was also a time where women proved how strong they were... True heroines and all "strong gals"... I hope that she's still alive - and lurking around on CBR, in the Namor's threads, remembering old memories....

Strong Gal ! If you read me, I just want to thank you ! Saving Subby you helped him help the Allies win the war! We owe you so much, Strong Gal ! And you're not alone. There's so many Strong Gals here : I mean all the Ladies of the fandom of your scantily clad prince-in-distress !

[Sea Hound]

Brilliant Abe, thank you so much for posting. I was very taken with Strong Gal too.

And Mantis Girl, your story was gorgeous.

[Reviresco]

I have to agree with Abe and Sea Hound! Wonderful posts to find here in the thread! Mantis Girl you are so lucky to have such a dad, who shares his love of comics with you ... even if you have to sneak in to read the Silver Age goodness! Thank you sharing that memory with us and I'm glad Namor was a part of it. Also, thank you again for your post and help. I'm definitely still behind. But please, even when I do get back on track (and I will with only this month left! LOL!), post away! I try to keep it going, but it's for everyone's daily dose of Namor.

And thank you, Abe for finding the source of Strong Gal! I haven't really read the All Winners stuff, so I should definitely find some time to do so.