Tales to Astonish #96
Tales to Astonish #96
Title: “Somewhere Stands... Skull Island!"
Writer: Raymond Harris
Penciller: Bill Everest
Inker: Vinnie Colleta
Namor tells the leaders of Atlantis to gather around him so they shall speak of war. Lady Dorma begs Namor not to be too rash in his hatred of the surface people. Namor says that she forgets how close to doom she nearly came at the hands of Plunder. Namor says that above all else the surface dwellers have dared to build a city on the ocean floor not many leagues from there. He says that it was devastated by Lord Plunder, but that it was a portent of troubles to come. Namor says that it is time to put aside diplomacy and take up the call to arms. Dorma says that Namor must not recklessly endanger the peace of the entire Earth. Namor asks if it is reckless to defend their ancient culture from the barbarians of the surface. Vashti says that they are ready to follow Namor's lead wherever it may go. Dorma starts to object, but Vashti asks her to hear him out. Vashti says that what they want first though it to defeat Plunder since he is a threat to everyone. Namor commends Vashti's council and says that he knows where Plunder is. Namor tells Dorma to listen to him because time is short. He says that he has to return to their birthplace... the ruins of the first Atlantis to find Plunder. Dorma says that she must remain behind though she longs to be at his side. She says to let Neptune guide him.
Namor swims to the Antarctic. He swims up to the surface and says that it is much as he remembers it. He says that the humans haven't made many inroads there and that the elements defy them with glacial fury. He says that he can't wait any longer to see his boyhood haunts.
Namor swims below and sees the gates of Atlantis. Namor notes that the formerly mighty empire is now a crumbling mockery. Suddenly Namor is attacked by a group of polar serpents. Namor fights back and muses that they are the final heirs to the splendor of his ancestors. Namor swims on after leaving the polar serpents dazed. Namor's heart feels heavy as he swims through old Atlantis. He says that so many memories seem to be lost to him forever as if by an impenetrable veil. He heads toward the palace imperial Namor comes across the grave of his mother... Princess Fen. Namor tries not to think about her death and instead thinks back on happier times. Namor remembers his mother telling him to study and that a true prince of the blood must be as wise as he is valiant. Namor remembers Atlantis blowing up in a series of explosions. He remembers how his people were scattered and how he suffered for years with amnesia. He says that when he finally rejoined his people that he learned that Fen died in the explosions. He says that he vowed vengeance on those responsible though he has never learned the cause of the fateful explosions. He says that he has seen enough and that he does know that the attacks were from above. He says that it was on the Antarctic continent that the humans had established a colony. Namor says that the air breathers stand before him like a taunting challenge. He says that he is always wanting to declare war on the surface people only to be dissuaded by Dorma and Vashti. He says no more. He says that standing next to his mother's grave has hardened his heart. Namor says that he must first deal with Plunder. Namor swims up to the entrance to the Savage Land. Namor enters the tunnel. Minutes later he emerges at Skull Island.
Inside, Lord Plunder says that his supreme moment is at hand. He tells Logar to call out the arsenal for review. They bring out a giant gun and Plunderer says that he will bring the entire Earth to its knees.
In the water, a giant monster attacks Namor. Namor says that he had forgotten what a perilous the waters of the Savage Land can be. The monster lunges at Namor, but Namor avoids the monster.
Plunder's alarm system alerts him to Namor's approach. He watches Namor grabs a prow and stuffs it into the monster's mouth. The monster snaps the prow with its mouth muscle. The monster lunges at Namor again, but this time when Namor dodges the monster slams its own head into the mud. Namor says that by the time it frees itself it will have learned to choose its prey more carefully.
Lady Dorma, following Namor, swims into the cavern that leads to the Savage Land. She says that despite all the danger, and Namor's orders, an overwhelming intuition has compelled her to follow Namor. Dorma looks up on the surface and sees Namor breaking the surface near Skull Island. Dorma sees Namor nailed with an electron blaster. Dorma rushes to Namor's aid, but she too is hit with a blast.
Plunder praises his men and tells them to meet him on the beach and they will haul them in.
Plunder rushes down but by the time he gets down there Namor leaps out of the water at him. Namor says that the hour of justice has come. Plunder says that he will find some way to stop Namor. Plunderer grabs an iron bar, but Namor grabs hold of it as well and bends it. Namor says that he is going to wrap it around Plunderer's neck. Plunderer says that Dorma lies helplessly in the sea behind him. Namor tells Plunderer to explain. Plunderer tells him how Dorma was hit by the blaster as well. Namor decks Plunderer and knocks him out so he can go look for Dorma.
Namor finds Dorma. She is okay and explains that she didn't take the full brunt of the blast. Namor says that in disobeying him she has stumbled into danger. Dorma says that she just wanted to stand by his side. Namor orders her back to Atlantis. Dorma wonders if he is mad at her for disobeying him or if he is trying to hide something else.
Namor remerges out of the water to find Plunderer's men have come to help him. Plunderer blasts Namor with his improved vibra-ray. Plunderer's men pull Namor out of the water. They say that the first blast weakened him, but that the second one finished him off.
Dorma returns to Atlantis and searches for Vashti. The two of them find Namor and Plunderer talking calmly. Their scanner can't get a very good image and so they can't read their lips. Dorma wonders if Namor and Plunderer are planning on striking against the surface world together.
What the scanner didn't show is that Namor is being held captive in energy bands. Plunderer says that now no one can stop him.
Prince of the Realm rating: 8 out of 10
I thoroughly enjoyed the return to the old Atlantis. The bit with Namor's mother was excellent. However the way it looks Plunderer seems to be the one that killed Namor's mother and Plunderer is one of the lamest villains I've ever seen. Everett's art is excellent... particularly Namor's mother. 4 out of 5 for the art and writing. In fact the only real problems I have with the issue revolves around Plunderer.
Title: "What Have I Created?"
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Marie Severin
Inker: Herb Trimpe
On the planet Wundagore II, a group of New Men charge the High Evolutionary as he is experimenting on Bruce Banner. The High Evolutionary says that this must be their final attack. He wishes they would have waited a few more minutes and that if they had he would have completed his greatest experiment ever. Bruce tries to move but he is paralyzed by the High Evolutionary's ray. High Evolutionary asks Bruce why he doesn't turn into the Hulk. He is about to free Bruce hoping that the Hulk's strength might save him, but one of the New Men reaches him first. The New Man decks the High Evolutionary. High Evolutionary reaches up with his numb fingers and activates a force field. He frees Bruce Banner and asks him why he hasn't turned back into the Hulk. Bruce says that it doesn't work like that and that he still doesn't know what this is about. He says that he can't waste any more time on him. He says that he set out to get the Hulk, but instead he has another weak non-entity. He says that what must be done now must be done by him alone. He says that what he created he will destroy. High Evolutionary hits one of the New Men's shields with a mace. He says that it is his destiny to rule and that no one can stop him.
Bruce says that he isn't sure
what he is seeing without his glasses, but that none of them look quite human.
Bruce says that they seem like animals standing upright. Bruce asks how this is
possible. One of them looks and Bruce and attacks. He throws a spear at Bruce.
Bruce tries to pull the spear out of the wall, but the New Man is on him too
quickly. He lifts Bruce over his head and says that as New Men they must destroy
the humans. He is about to throw Bruce towards the other New Men, but suddenly
he can't keep Bruce over his head. Hulk hits the New Man. The New Man asks Hulk
what manner of creature he is
.
Hulk says, "I am the Hulk! Nothing can harm me! Nothing can beat me!" Hulk says
that now he will show them what happens when they attack the strongest man
alive. The New Men swarm over the Hulk saying that he is only one man. Hulk says
that he is alone, but that he is also the Hulk. He knocks the New Men down.
High Evolutionary sees that Banner transformed into the Hulk, but says that it is too late for him. He says that he has been wounded too severely and that he is dying. He says that there is one chance. He pulls off his mask. He says that he has experimented on all the animals, but that he hasn't performed his experiment on a human subject yet. He says that he can't guess what the results will be, but decide that it doesn't really matter. He says that he has minutes left to live and nothing to lose. He watches the Hulk fighting and says that as long as he keeps the New Men busy that he has a chance. The machines were all set to perform the experiment on Bruce so all he has to do is lie down on the table and press the button. High Evolutionary strips off his armor and lies on the table. He presses the button and says that in seconds he will see what man will be in a million years.
There is a loud explosion as the High Evolutionary's experiment finishes. The New Men are all unconscious and the High Evolutionary and his machinery are all gone. As the smoke clears Hulk finally sees something floating above him. A human form is glowing with power. He says that he is the ultimate... the beginning and end of human evolution. He says that his brain perceives all that was and all that will be. He says that he has no more reason to exist and is going to become one with the cosmos. He says that before he accepts his destiny he will undo what he has done. He says that he knows now that none may alter the gossamer fabric of fate. The New Men all revert back into animals. Hulk asks what about him. He says that he is on a world where he could live in peace, but that it is a world of emptiness. He says that even the hatred of men is better than this. High Evolutionary starts fading away. Hulk tells him that he can't leave him like this or he will hunt him down and make him pay. High Evolutionary's mind is fading as he joins the cosmos, but that with his final act he makes all as it was. He makes it as though the High Evolutionary had never existed.
A universe away, Hulk is saying that he can never reach the stars. He says that he will always be earthbound... trapped on a world that hates him. He says that he has no place to go and no one to turn to. He says that he is doomed to live in his own prison in the body of the Hulk.
No Excuses rating: 8 out of 10
Severin and Trimpe continue to impress. Two giants in the Hulk's artistic past combining. Stan Lee at least gives some reason that HE would want to set up the human experiment. High Evolutionary experiments on himself and seems to pass away. And I have to admit that I really want to go see what the High Evolutionary's next appearance is to see what happened.