Tales to Astonish #70Tales to Astonish #70
Title: "The Start of the Quest!”
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Adam Austin
Inker: Vince Colletta
Namor swims towards Atlantis. He says that
he hopes that he is not too late to save his throne from Warlord
Krang who tried to seize it in his absence. Namor sees Atlantis
and says that his heart soars just to see the land that he was
born to rule. Namor says that he has to find Dorma because she is
the one that warned him that his throne was in danger. Dorma
spots Namor and says that he has returned at last. Namor asks
Dorma how things are in his kingdom. Dorma says that it is his
kingdom no longer, and that Krang has seized the throne. Dorma
puts her hand on Namor and says that it isn’t too late. She
says that the people stand with him, and that with her help he
can still regain his crown. Namor tells Dorma to get her hands
off of him, and that no one can touch his royal personage. Namor
says that he needs no help, and that she presumes too much. Dorma
says 
that again Namor
rejects her heart and scorn her love. Dorma says that if she
cannot have him that no one will. Dorma says that it is
Namor’s crown that stands between them, and so she wants it
to be lost to him forever. Dorma calls out to the guards to come
seize Namor.
Namor starts fighting his royal guard and asks how they dare attack their prince. The guards say that he is no longer prince, and that the scepter is Krang’s. Namor starts whipping the guards around. One of the guards says that Namor is too strong, and that the only way to stop him is with the hydro-ray. Namor calls the man a coward as the man shoots him. He says that he would attack him with a weapon stolen from his own arsenal. The guard says that Namor leaves them no choice. Namor breaks through the chains so the guard calls for the electron-clamps. Namor is finally captured and Dorma tells the guard to bring Namor before Krang so that Namor can see that his throne is lost to him forever. She thinks to herself that only then can she hope to win his heart.
Namor is brought before Krang as Krang sits on the throne. Namor says that such regal trappings ill becomes a traitor like Krang. Krang says that Namor has deserted his people for the last time, and that it is Namor that is the traitor. Namor shouts back at Krang, but the guard tells Namor to be silent while the king is talking. Krang says that while Namor was born a prince of Atlantis that his heart belongs to the surface and that while his people cried for vengeance that he tried to plead the cause of peace. Krang says that he will plead no longer. Krang says that when they are ready that he is going to lead an invasion against the surface world, and that Atlantis will once again rule the world. Krang says that Namor is going to spend his remaining days in a dungeon to remind everyone that he is the master. Namor says that Krang is going to pay for this, but Krang orders him to the dungeon.
Namor tells the guards that walk him to the dungeon that he swears that they are all going to answer for this one day. The guards tells Namor not to be mad with them. They say that they are just following the orders of the one that holds the throne. Namor says that they will all be brought to task because they all betrayed him. The guard throws Namor into his cell and says that he is going to stay until he rots then. The guard says, “Farewell, Prince of Nothingness!”
Namor lies in his cell wishing that the sands of the sea would cover over him to hide this ignominy. Namor says that he created this prison, but that even he cannot break the bars or the device that binds his wrist. Namor says that he will escape and regain his throne. Namor says that he must be true to his destiny. Namor says that every chain has its weakest link and that Krang’s chain of dark deception’s approaches. Dorma rides a shark up to Namor’s cage. Dorma says that she offered Namor her heart, but that he spurned her. She asks Namor if this cage is more to his liking. Namor asks Dorma if she has come to gloat. Dorma says that she has come because her heart would not let her stay away. Namor says that it will take more than empty words to purge her guilt, but that there is still time for her to erase her treasonous deeds. Namor says that with Dorma’s help he can still vanquish Krang. Dorma says that the people now support Krang, and that Namor can’t fight all of Atlantis. Namor says that he can win their loyalty again, and asks her if she has forgotten the enchanted trident of King Neptune. Namor reminds her of how Neptune told the people of Atlantis that the trident was the symbol of his power, and that it would be again one day. Neptune took his trident with him when he left Atlantis and hid it where it was to remain until a pretender seized the throne of Atlantis. Neptune says that the rightful heir will find the trident, and that the people will know that the crown is his. Dorma says that of course she remembers the trident, but that Neptune left deadly clues as to where the trident was, and that the one who accepts the quest must face fantastic dangers every step of the way. Namor reminds her of who she is talking to and asks what danger is to him when he only longs to strike for justice and to battle for his heritage. Namor says that there is only one thing that can free him, and that he commands her, by the love that she professes for him, to bring him the vibra-key that is located in the Desk of State in the Great Hall of Atlantis. Dorma shows Namor that she already has it. She says that even though Namor’s heart is cold and he spurns her love that her heart would wither and die without him.
Dorma frees Namor’s hands and then blasts the bars down. Namor says that when he is prince again that he will not forget and that she will not find his gratitude wanting. Dorma thinks to herself that it is not Namor’s gratitude she wants but his love. Namor wishes Dorma farewell and says that he will not stop in his quest to get the trident until he has the trident or death. As Namor swims away, Dorma says for Neptune to watch over Namor.
Namor sneaks out of Atlantis and says that it isn’t until he faces his first obstacle that his quest officially begins, but that when he begins his quest that no one can interfere because it is legendary law. Namor heads to the Cave of Shadows where the first clue as to where the trident is hidden.
Dorma looks out her window and thinks that
countless others have sought the hidden trident, but that none
have ever gotten further than the Cave of Shadows. Dorma says
that if Namor’s destiny is to die on the quest that she will
know until the end of her days that she is partly to blame. 
Suddenly Krang
and his guards are standing behind Dorma. One of the guards says
that Namor is about to approach the Cave of Shadows. Krang says
that is good because when Namor is killed there the people will
finally realize that he was never fit to rule. Krang asks Dorma
if she thinks that he is a fool. He says that he has had her
watched every moment since Namor’s return.
Namor swims into the Cave of Shadows and says that no matter what he encounters that he must not falter. Namor says that if Krang is left to rule that it will result in a war that could mean the end of humanity and the end Atlantis. Namor spots a shell with Neptune’s mark, and then notices that a giant killer squid guards the shell. Namor says that though he holds dominion over all that swims that the squid will not bend to his will because it is doing Neptune’s work. Namor swims through the squid’s tentacles and says that if one of the tentacles caught him that even his strength could not free him. Namor swims right up to the squid’s eye and hits it right in the eyeball. As the squid swims away, Namor grabs the shell and swims towards the entrance. Namor arrives at the entrance to find it sealed shut. Namor says that Krang must have learned of his quest because only he could do this. Namor says that this is the only way out, and that a squid whose strength dwarfs that of a hundred Sub-Mariners is almost upon him.
Prince of the Realm rating: 8 out of 10
You gotta hand it to Stan on this one. Namor is so far removed from the standard hero and yet he pulls it off. Namor exudes his royal nature and has begun a mythological quest. You gotta love Stan Lee (4.5 out of 5). Adam Austin’s pencils have a very good Namor feel to them, but as it is his first issue with Namor it seems a little sketchy. I’m sure his skills will sharpen as the quest goes on.
Title: “To Live Again!”
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Jack Kirby
Inker: Mickey Demeo
Ross, Talbot, and the soldiers begin looking around through the Leader’s lair. Talbot tells them not to touch anything because there might be booby traps. One of the soldiers says that the Leader has escaped and that the place is deserted. Ross says that Banner’s greatest invention, the Absorbatron, has been destroyed and that the Hulk has escaped. Ross says that Talbot is batting a zero. Talbot says that isn’t true. He says that Bruce Banner is dead and he will never be able to betray his country again. A soldiers rushes in and says that something has happened and that Banner’s body is gone. Ross says that they need to check into this. Ross says that maybe Banner wasn’t really dead. The soldier says that he inspected Banner himself and that he was dead. Talbot orders the other men to start searching, and that a wounded man could not have gotten far.
Rick Jones drives away with Bruce
Banner’s body in the passenger’s seat. Rick says that
there is still a chance to revive Bruce if he can just reach the
laboratory in time. Rick carries Bruce down the steps into the
lab. Rick says that perhaps if he can get Bruce to transform into
the Hulk that he may live again. Rick puts Bruce on the platform
before the gamma ray machine. Rick says that he can’t afford
to make any mistakes. Rick sets the control and blasts Bruce with
a thousand volts of gamma ray energy. Bruce takes a breath and
begins to change. The Hulk’s eyes open and he starts to get
up. Rick tells Hulk to wait and hopes that he can make him
understand. Hulk says that he does understand. Hulk says that
Rick saved his life and that the debt between them is cancelled.
Rick listens to the Hulk’s voice and realizes that it is the
mind of Bruce Banner controlling the Hulk. Hulk says that he
remembers everything, and that the bullet that is lodged in his
skull must have affected his mind. Bruce says that his brain is
no longer clouded. Hulk says that it is only the power of the
Hulk that can keep him alive. 
Hulk says that
if he transforms back into Bruce Banner that the bullet in his
brain will kill him. Rick says that he has to find a way to keep
from changing back, but asks what if he fails. Bruce says that he
can’t fail as his life depends on it.
Leader is getting chewed out by one of his employers. They say that he failed to deliver the Absorbatron to them. Leader says that the accursed Hulk ruined his plan, but that he has something equally valuable to them. Leader says that the Absorbatron is a defensive weapon, but that he has an offensive weapon that will only cost them one billion dollars. Leader’s employers say that if he can prove the weapon to them by destroying the southwest missile base that the money is his. Leader says that they can consider it done.
A short time later, the Leader stands outside the edge of the southwest desert. Leader says that once he has their billion dollars that he will attack them just as he will the Americans. Leader says that he will not rest until the entire world bows down to him. There is a giant plastic membrane covering Leader’s weapon. He fires a burst of electron particles into the membrane and a five hundred-foot humanoid steps out of it. Leader says that the humanoid is completely and unalterably subject to his control. Leader tells the humanoid that his first task is to destroy the missile base in the valley. He orders the humanoid to walk right through a mountain. The mountain crumbles as the humanoid kicks it over. Leader sees that army patrol planes have spotted the humanoid. The jets start blasting the humanoid with rockets.
The Hulk is leaping along and lands next to a house. He says that if his calculations are correct that the potion he drank will keep him as the Hulk for the next two days, but that he’ll have to renew every two days to stay alive. Hulk says that if he is destined to live out the rest of his days as the Hulk that he must see the woman that he loves once more before he leaves her forever. Hulk looks into the house and sees Betty talking with Talbot. He is telling her that Bruce is dead. Betty says that it can’t be. Talbot tells her to forget Banner and says that he was a traitor unworthy of her love. Hulk thinks to himself that it might be better if she believed he was a traitor to ease the pain of their never getting to see each other again. Talbot tells Betty to let him take Banner’s place, and that she will see that they were meant for each other. Betty says that she loved Bruce, and that she will never believe that he was a traitor. She knows that he had a secret that tormented him, but that he was not a traitor. The phone rings and Talbot is ticked because he asked not to be disturbed except in the case of extreme emergency. Talbot picks up the phone hears about the giant humanoid that is coming to destroy the base. Talbot says to alert all security details, and that he will report to General Ross at once.
The humanoid continues to advance as the military keeps firing shells at it despite the fact that they do nothing. Someone says that it is going to take missiles to make a dent in that. The soldiers keep firing their guns as they withdraw for the missile strike. The missiles launch into the sky. They are dead on target, but all of a sudden the Hulk is in the way and his leap deflects the missile. Hulk says that he was trying to help, and that he didn’t see the missile until it was too late. The humanoid grabs the Hulk out of the air. Hulk strains and strains. He says that the madder he gets the stronger he gets, and he finally manages to force the humanoid’s hand open. Hulk grabs a pillar of rocks to try and angle back at the humanoid, but a shell blast hits the pillar and knocks the Hulk to the ground.
Ross says that the Hulk must be in league with the humanoid, and that must be why he deflected the missile. Ross says that they can’t take anymore chances and orders that all missiles be fired at once at point blank range. Ross says that if they don’t do the trick that they will have to use the “Sunday Punch Super Rocket”. Talbot says that the humanoid was built to be unstoppable, and that he doesn’t think that missiles are the answer. All the missiles hit the humanoid together. Ross says that was enough force to destroy a fleet of battleships. Hulk braces against the explosion as he tries to figure out why they were firing at him. The humanoid is staggered by the missiles, but it just gets right back up unharmed. Hulk says that he has to stop him force against force. Hulk says that he is going to slam into it with all his might just to get it out of his system. Hulk hits the humanoid and knocks it over. Hulk knows that it is not hurt, but he hopes to keep it off balance.
Ross has the “Sunday Punch” missile brought out. Talbot orders everyone to get back as the countdown is about to begin. Ross says that if they hurry that they might be able to get the Hulk and the humanoid with the same missile.
Rick rushes towards Hulk and the humanoid. He says that he has to warn Hulk about the countdown. Rick shouts to hulk, but Hulk keeps leaping towards the humanoid.
No Excuses rating: 8.5 out of 10
Jack Kirby’s pencils are so powerful and with such intriguing composition that it is truly amazing. The scale and angles he takes with the giant humanoid is incredible (4.5 out of 5). While I love the story as it stands there isn’t much to it really. Still Leader attacks with a giant humanoid is a good plot as far as I’m concerned. The only thing which is a little distracting is that Stan keeps forgetting that not everyone in the story is privy to the word boxes. A soldier says that the Leader is long gone… who? They weren’t after the Leader they were after the traitor Banner. That and Ross calling the giant pink monster a humanoid are just little things. Still a great book packed with excitement and twists.