8:45 PM
Brad
Cover Date: May 1963
Plot Overview: The Fantastic Four return from the moon with much fanfare. They get absolutely mobbed by their adoring public and with the help of the Torch escape back to the Baxter Building. Reed catches Sue looking for Namor and realizes that for all of his accomplishments he can't totally win the heart of Sue.
We shift scenes to the Puppet Master leaving a clinic. He's been in hiding for ever since he last battled the Fantastic Four. He mulls over which of the FF's villains he should assume control of and finally settles on Namor. Namor falls under the spell of the Puppet Master and lures Sue into a trap. He captures her easily and encases her in this giant bubble.
Namor projects himself to the other members of the FF and challenges them to battle. Thing takes a brief diversion and grabs Alicia Masters. They search for Namor until he springs a trap on them. The Human Torch uses his intense flames to help them escape the first trap. Unfortunately a giant creature grabs their sub and they are presented to Namor. Sue is still trapped in the bubble and being held by a giant octopus.
He challenges them to battle. The Torch is first and Namor uses a creature called a Flame-Eater to absorb his flames. The Thing jumps in and Namor uses a fungus that entombs the Thing into a giant rock. The Thing breaks free and Reed joins the fight. He uses his elongation powers to hold Namor while the Thing rescues Sue from the giant octopus.
The Puppet Master has been watching all of this from a nearby submarine and is not amused. He wants Namor to kill the FF. Namor tries to resist but eventually has to obey. He uses a sort of fish that spews gas on the FF. It has no effect as Reed used his hesitation to put gas masks on everything. Reed, Torch and the Thing charge but Sue steps in front of them. She wants them to stop because Namor was obviously under control.
Meanwhile, the giant octopus attacks the Puppet Master's submarine. It begins to crush the sub and the hold over Namor is broken. Namor is confused about the presence of the FF and tells them he has to continue searching for his people. The FF leave and everyone is a little confused as the issue comes to a close.
My Take: 14 issues in and this is the second time another villain has used Namor to try and take out the Fantastic Four. This is also his fourth or fifth appearance in 14 issues. Namor really isn't my favorite villain and I wish they would've had a more diverse cast of villains for these early issues. It gets a little boring having the same couple of villains show up over and over again. It also hurts that the Torch and Namor fought in a really fun battle in the last issue of Strange Tales.
This was still a fun issue despite those flaws. This felt like more like the Marvel I know and love. The characters are starting to feel right and the tone/pace of the stories are also starting to feel right. Some of these early Marvel books have been absolute chores to get through and it's nice that the books are starting to get fun.
The art was good in this issue. It's the usual quality you get from Jack Kirby.
I'll give this **1/4 out of *****.
Notes: Nothing of note really happened in this issue. They were heading back from what happened in issue 13. The continuity continues to build in the Marvel universe. You'll start to see more guest appearances from the various heroes as 1963 progresses.
Next Issue: Tales to Astonish #43
Posted in: Alicia Masters,Fantastic Four,Human Torch,Namor,Puppet Master,Reed Richards,Sue Richards,Thing
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