Tales to Astonish #73Tales to Astonish #73
Title: "By Force of Arms!”
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Adam Austin
Inker: Vince Colleta
As Namor lies on the ground trying not to
succumb to the weakening of the diamonds, a figure stands over
him. He says, “Ahh! A new victim whose waning strength shall
serve the Demon of the Diamonds. Namor thinks to himself that he
only has once chance. He summons the strength of all sea life,
from the flora to the fauna and even the humblest fish, to
support him. The Demon of the Diamond tells Namor to swear
eternal servitude to him or he will die. Namor feels the strength
returning to him, but doesn’t reply to his attacker. The
Demon says that Namor’s silence has sealed his fate. The
Demon swings his sword, but Namor moves out of the way. The Demon
asks how Namor found the strength to dodge his attack. Namor says
that he is the Avenging Son, and that he is strength. The Demon
says that no one has ever survived the Diamonds of Doom, but
Namor says that he has never faced a Prince of the Blood. Namor
says that he is fighting for his throne, his kingdom, and for his
birthright. He says that no force short of Neptune himself can
stop him. The Demon says that his sword will stop him. 
The Demon
swings, but Namor ducks under the swing and then punches back.
Namor says that nothing that lives can match his rage and fury.
He says that even as he strikes another sits on his throne, and
that he cannot exact his vengeance until his quest is done
because it is only by finding the trident that he can prove
himself the rightful ruler of his realm. Namor knocks the Demon
to the ground and says that he will succeed in his quest even if
a thousand like the Demon stand against him.
The Demon’s hat comes off and he says that without his hat he might also fall victim to the Diamonds of Doom. Namor tries to see the hat, but the glare from the diamonds is too bright. The Demon reaches his hat and sees that Namor is weakening again from being too close to the diamonds. The Demon replaces his hat and says that Namor is exposed as a fraud, and that only the true Sub-Mariner is destined to be his master. He picks up his sword and says that in the name of Neptune he is going to bring this affair to a conclusion. Namor says that there is no time to absorb more strength, but that he still has hope by contacting passing sea life. The Demons shouts for the eels to stay back, and that nothing can survive their touch. The passing electric eels zap the Demon.
Krang continues watching at his scanner. Krang says that again Namor is saved. He asks if nothing can stop him. Krang sees the eels absorbing the power of the diamonds freeing Namor. Krang says that as long as Namor lives that the crown he has stolen from him can never truly be his. Krang says that Namor must die so that he can remain ruler and attack and destroy the surface world for the glory of Atlantis.
The eels speak to Namor with the voice of Neptune. The voice says that Namor has done well, but that one more challenge awaits him. Neptune says that Namor must find the last challenge on his own, but that it will come to him if he searches long and hard enough. After Neptune’s message fades, the still glowing eels keep repeating, “Lady Dorma… the Faceless Ones… Lady Dorma…” Namor notices that the message keeps getting stronger and stronger. Namor says that he had almost forgotten. Namor says that no one has ever returned from the realm of the Faceless Ones, and that if he does not go to her aid that she will doubtlessly share the same fate. Namor says that he has to make a decision to stay on his quest or to go help Lady Dorma whose love for him has never faltered.
In Atlantis, the people are storming the castle in revolt. They want Krang out for sending Namor on a quest that will mean his doom, for banishing Dorma to the realm of the Faceless Ones, and for his excessive taxation. The people storm the guards. The guards tell the people to stand down in the name of the king, but the people say that Krang is a false king. They rush past the guards. The people storm the throne room. They say that this has almost been too easy. Before they reach the throne room, however, they come to a laser beam fence. They say that they must stay back, and that nothing that lives can cross the lasers. Krang watches them from the throne room and wonders if they really thought that he was unprepared for this. A second wave of attackers try to attack before Krang knows that they are there, but Krang is watching them through a scanner and zaps them with a nerve shock light. More and more waves of people keep storming the throne room from different directions and Krang says that even he cannot look everywhere at once. Some of the attackers are getting through. Those that got through find the throne room doors locked. Krang and two guards remain behind the doors. As the attackers storm the door Krang has his guards open the door with blasters in hand. The attackers are not deterred and rush headlong into the charge of the blasters. They continue charging towards Krang. Krang places his hand on a dial.
Namor decides that he cannot leave Lady Dorma to the Faceless Ones. He says that if there are consequences to pay that he is ready to face them.
Dorma watches from inside the broken plasti-cage as the Faceless Ones draw closer and closer. The Faceless Ones are right at the cage. Dorma says that nothing can save her now.
Namor swims faster and faster towards Dorma.
Prince of the Realm rating: 6 out of 10
The art is still pretty good. The fight is well done and Adam Austin continues to impress. The story is a little bleah though. I liked the Demon of the Diamonds, but the fight doesn’t really go anywhere and Namor is saved by electric eels? Pretty weenie if you ask me. I also don’t see why Namor has to make a decision to free Dorma or continue on his quest. First of all, last issue the quest was more important to him. Secondly, Neptune just told Namor to go find his final challenge on his own and I’d think that would free Namor up to start his search by looking at the Faceless Ones and rescuing Dorma while he is there.
Title: “Another World, Another Foe!”
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Jack Kirby
Inker: Bob Powell
Hulk lies on the
ground as the humanoids continue blasting him. Hulk says that it
is no use, and that he can’t concentrate on not transforming
back into Banner while he is being hit with the beams. Hulk
wonders why he should bother holding on. He says that the whole
world fears and hates him, and that only a misfit like the Leader
would want him for an ally.
Leader races to the scene. He surveys the destruction and finally comes upon the humanoids keeping the Hulk down. Leader tells them to return to their stations and that he will deal with Hulk personally. Leader notices Hulk is collapsing, but that it doesn’t seem to be from the humanoids’ stun rays. Leader says that he can feel a tingling as if the gamma rays within him are having an effect on the Hulk. Leader says that as he walks away from the Hulk that the tingling stops. Leader says that he must examine the Hulk now if he is ever going to learn his secret. Unknown to the Leader the gamma radiation of his body was just enough to prevent the Hulk from making his final transformation.
Leader tells his statue humanoids to remain as they are until he needs them again. He says that he only needs an undisguised humanoid for this job. Leader has one of his humanoids pick up Hulk and follow him as he walks. Leader has Hulk placed on operating table. Leader does a x-ray and notices the bullet in Hulk’s brain. Leader says that no surgeon on Earth could remove it without killing him, but that he has other methods. Leader brings over his gamma ray laser-type beam to dissolve the bullet without damaging his brain tissue. After Leader accomplishes his goal he bathes the Hulk in a full intensity shower of gamma rays to restore him to his full strength. Hulk murmurs that something is different, and that he has never had such a concentrated amount of gamma rays before. Leader can’t hear Hulk’s mutter, but wonders if the treatment will change him in some way.
A short time later, the Hulk wakes up in bed. The Leader is standing with him. Leader says that Hulk is stronger than ever. Leader says that he expected him to be out for days, but that it has been less than an hour, and that the laser beam scar has already healed over. Hulk tells Leader to tell him what happened. Leader explains and says that he doesn’t know how he lived with that bullet in his brain, but that it won’t bother him any longer. Hulk thinks about the irony that now that he no longer has the bullet in his brain that he can change back to Bruce Banner, but with the dosage of gamma rays that the Leader gave him that he is afraid that he can no longer change. Hulk says that Leader never even suspected that he had two identities instead of just being a freak like him. As Leader leaves the room he tells Hulk never to forget that he was the one that saved his life. Leader says that Hulk is eternally in his debt and tells him to report to his lab in five minutes. Hulk thinks to himself that the Leader is right and that he does owe him his life, but asks what kind of life it is now that he is trapped as the hated and feared Hulk forever.
Minutes later in the Leader’s lab, Leader is running Hulk through some test. During the strength tests, Leader says that these tests are worthless and that there is no way to measure the Hulk’s strength. Leader says that he cannot build a machine powerful enough to test him with. Leader blasts Hulk with electricity from giant electrodes, but Hulk is unharmed by it. Leader spins Hulk around and around at 100 G’s, but withstands the pressure with ease. Leader says that with Hulk as an ally that he can conquer not only the planet, but also the entire galaxy. As Hulk smashes through an enormous chunk of ice, Leader says that even extremes of cold and heat do not affect Hulk.
Leader watches Hulk hold his breath. Leader says that Hulk might as well come out now since he has been underwater for thirty minutes without taking a breath. Hulk thinks to himself that he feels stronger than ever, and that it must be all that gamma radiation Leader gave him. Hulk asks what is behind all the tests, and what Leader plans for him to do. Leader says that the Hulk is going to win him the greatest prize in the galaxy. Leader tells Hulk about the time that he was studying the moon and discovered a mysterious blue area. Leader says that weeks before America or Russia sent up their satellites that Leader sent up his own satellite and discovered intelligent life on the moon. Leader turned to the extreme close up lens and observed a strange unearthly being. Leader says that just looking at his scientific devices made it clear that the man was many times more superior to any mere man. Leader had his camera stay on the man as he journeyed about from planet to planet. Leader says that all he did was travel his lonely route occasionally stopping to look around. Leader says that it was almost as if his only mission was to watch. Leader says that the man became an obsession with him. Leader says that he had to find the man’s home planet. Leader says that he probed the heavens for days and days, creating more and more powerful lenses, until finally he found the man’s home planet. Leader says that the planet is on the furthest end of the known universe, and that that it contains the greatest scientific wonders of all time. Leader says that he knew that if he could get some of those scientific treasures that he would have power beyond the imagination of man. Leader says that Hulk is going to get them for him.
Hulk asks how
he is supposed to get there. Hulk says that he can leap far, but
that planet hopping is out of his league. Leader reminds Hulk
that just as the Hulk was made the strongest by gamma radiation
that he was made the smartest. Leader says that he has devised a
way for Hulk to get there. Hulk thinks to himself that he will
allow Leader to continue to think that he is a dimwitted brute
even though he possesses the intelligence of Bruce Banner. Leader
shows Hulk his machine and Hulk asks what it does. Leader says
that Hulk is going to find out right now. Leader says that the
planet that he wants him to go is so far away that the speed of
light still couldn’t get there in a lifetime, but that the
speed of thought is without limit. Hulk agrees but says that no
one can travel that way. Leader says that is where Hulk is wrong.
Leader says that he is going to convert Hulk’s
“physical self into a micro-molecular pattern flow! You will
be transformed into a fleeting thought wave beamed directly into
space. Hulk says that if Leader can do this that he is more of a
genius than he says. Leader tells Hulk to remain still. Leader
says that the correct planetary coordinates were implanted in
Hulk’s head while he was out. Hulk asks he is supposed to
get home, but Leader says that there is no more time for
questions. Leader throws the switch and Hulk disappears
Hulk instantly appears on the Watcher’s
homeworld. Hulk thinks to himself that there was no sensation of
time, but that he is on another planet. The Watcher is there to
greet Hulk upon his arrival. Watcher says that he has an eternity
to stand and watch. He says that there is almost nothing that he
does not see or know. Hulk wonders what he is supposed to do now,
but Watcher says that Hulk doesn’t need to fear him. Watcher
says that though he has the power to destroy galaxies that he is
forbidden to interfere with the action of others. Watcher tells
Hulk to go ahead and roam, and that he will not interfere. Hulk
walks around marveling at all the amazing sights. Hulk sees
mechanical life and forms of flora and fauna that man never
dreamed of. Hulk says that this place is a “scientific
storehouse of scientific treasures”. Watcher says that very
few of the things are native to the planet, but that he has been
collecting them for study for untold ages. Hulk says that they
are beyond his understanding, and that he can barely guess at
their function. Suddenly Hulk hears Leader inside his mind.
Leader says that he sees what Hulk sees and hears what he hears.
Leader says that his plan is bearing fruit. Leader says that of
all the machines there that only one of them is the Ultimate
Machine. Leader says that it is the Ultimate Machine that he
wants Hulk to bring him. Hulk asks what about the Watcher, but
Leader says that they both know that he won’t interfere.
Leader says that the Ultimate Machine can make him the absolute
ruler of time and space. Leader tells Hulk to remember that he
owes him his very life, and that it is a debt that must be
repaid. Hulk thinks to himself and wonders he shouldn’t just
throw in with the Leader. Hulk says that Leader is the only one
who ever helped him, but then he remembers Rick Jones. Leader
points out a radiant sphere hanging in the air and tells Hulk
that is the Ultimate Machine. Hulk says that it doesn’t look
like much and asks why Leader didn’t just come get the thing
himself. Leader says that there is one small detail that he did
not tell Hulk. Hulk asks what it is. Leader says that through his
telescope that he saw another being from another world coming for
the Ultimate Machine. 
Suddenly Hulk is
hit in the face. He looks up to see a large red creature looking
down at him. Leader tells Hulk that he is the most powerful
creature in the galaxy, and that only by defeating him will Hulk
ever return to Earth.
No Excuses rating: 10 out of 10
This is one of my favorite issues of the Hulk. I love the interaction between the world’s first two Gamma People. I love the scope of this story. I love the intelligence of the Leader and the adventure that arises from it. The wonderment of the Leader’s inventions are just ridiculous, and this kind of imagination seems to be missing from today’s comics. Different worlds, travelling at the speed of thought, and discovery on a grand scale. Kirby as usual rules, but I think that I like his work even more when it is finished by Powell.