Tales to Astonish #74Tales to Astonish #74
Title: "When Fails the Quest!”
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Adam Austin
Inker: Vince Colleta
Namor arrives just as the Faceless Ones have surrounded Dorma. They are about to remove her protective plati-cage when Namor starts attacking them. He says that though none of the Faceless Ones can match his strength that their endless numbers may manage to wear him out. Namor says that his only hope is to defeat enough of them to get to Dorma and escape with her before he is overwhelmed. Namor thinks to himself that fighting them is like trying to fight the ocean itself. Dorma sees Namor and tells him to get out of there. She says that her life is forfeit, but that he has to live because the fate of a world rests on his shoulders. Namor doesn’t even hear Dorma as he fights on harder and harder surrendering to the fight.
Krang tells the rebels to get back and that the throne will always be his. One of the rebels spots Krang reaching for a dial. Suddenly a “mobile-defenso-wall” cut the rebels off from reaching Krang. They say that they were fools to vow to take him alive and that they should have fired on him when they had the chance. Inside the wall, Krang says that all his master controls are within this area. He says that now that he is safe and supreme that he will teach the peasants of Atlantis what it means to dare revolt against him. He says that he will rule by force and fear. He says that he is no weakling as Namor was. He says that now that the rebellion is out in the open he knows what to do. Krang activates a screen and tells all of Atlantis that for daring to rebel against him that their punishment will be swift and long remembered.
On the streets, the people say that Krang has defeated their advance guard and that all is lost. One person asks why Namor doesn’t return and that only he can defeat Krang. One wonders if it is true what they heard about Namor perishing on the quest. The elder man that encountered Namor while he was on his quest says that types like Namor do not die easily. The people say that if Namor is alive that he must return and that they will follow him even if he doesn’t have Neptune’s trident. The old man says that he is the last to see Namor and that he pledged his life to him. He says that he will be the one to find Namor, and that even though he is of advanced age that he can do this last deed for the land he holds so dear.
Krang says that never again will the people rise against him. Krang activates his robo-tank. He tells the robot-tanks to clear their memory banks. He gives the robo-tank new orders to go to the center of the municipal square and then carry out “programmed function G”. The tank takes off and Krang says that when the peasants feel the power of the robo-tank that they will realize how hopeless any future rebellions would be. Minutes later, the robo-tank rolls into the municipal square and lets loose sense-stun rays. The rays hit everyone. Krang’s voice comes over the palace loudspeaker. He says that what they just received was their first lesson, but that if he ever has to administer a second lesson that it will be a permanent one.
The elder man was not shocked with the others because he had left to find Namor. The old man is riding one of the specially-bred seahorses. He says that they are the most sensitive of all underwater creatures. He says that if he concentrates on Namor long enough that the seahorse will sense his thoughts and take him to Namor.
Back at the
municipal square, Krang is smirking because Atlantis is his once
again because no one remains that can resist him. Krang says that
the only person he ever feared was Namor, but that Namor must be
destroyed by Neptune’s quest by now. Krang says that now
nothing can stop him from declaring war on the surface world and
plunging the world into the greatest holocaust of all time.
Namor continues battling against the Faceless Ones. Namor says that even though the fight seems hopeless that he rejoices because he was born to fight. Namor looks over at Dorma and realizes that her plasti-cage isn’t going to last much longer. Namor says that they will not hurt her so long as he lives.
The old man is coming up to the cave of Zantor the Merciless. He says that this is the entrance to the legendary land of the Faceless Ones. He sees that the cave is deserted and that Zantor is not there. He says that perhaps he was wrong to think that Namor was still alive because anyone that falls into the hands of the Faceless Ones must abandon all hope of life. Before he can reach the opening to the Faceless Ones realm, the seahorse bucks the old man off and runs away. Suddenly a beam hits the old man and sucks him into the Faceless Ones’ realm.
Namor keeps fighting the Faceless Ones and
says that he has to reach Dorma. Dorma shouts to Namor that the
plasti-cage is about to burst and that if he is going to reach
her that it has to be now. The plasti-cage explodes. The Faceless
Ones are thrown off from the explosion, but Dorma is injured as
well. 
Namor bends
down to pick Dorma up. He says that she is so still and seemingly
lifeless. He wonders if he has fought so long only to lose her
after finally realizing how much she means to him. Namor stands
with Dorma in his hands and sees that the Faceless Ones have
regrouped. Namor tells them to bring it on then. He says that
though this will probably mean his death that he will fight them
to his last breath and that they will pay for their triumph like
they never have before.
Prince of the Realm rating: 7 out of 10
Adam Austin does a really good job with this issue. Namor’s fighting scenes with the Faceless Ones are really nice. The story lacks a little bit as the Faceless Ones also tend to be mindless so there is no back and forth. It’s always just ‘there are too many Faceless Ones’ the whole issue. Krang makes up for it with his evil machinations. The people are more than ready for Namor to return and the stage is set for the finale.
Title: “The Wisdom of the Watcher!”
Writer: Stan Lee
Layouts: Jack Kirby
Drawn by: Bob Powell
Inker: Mickey Demeo
As Hulk and
Amphibian rush towards each other, Hulk realizes that this must
be why Leader sent him because only his strength can defeat his
opponent. Hulk says that he doesn’t care where he is from
because he can beat anything on or off the Earth. Amphibian says
that he is the champion of his entire world and that Hulk has
never fought anyone like him. Hulk figures that Watcher did
something to make them understand each other, but that he
believes in action and not talk.
TALES TO ASTONISH #74 CONTINUES