I: Feature Story: "Side by Side with the Sub-Mariner!"

Pages: 21

Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Jack Kirby
Inks: Chic Stone
Letters: Artie Simek

First Appearance: Attuma

Villain: Attuma

Guest Appearance: Lady Dorma, Sub-Mariner

Gadgets & Technology: Subionic Analysis Structure Scope, Oxo-Spray, Explo-Grenade, FF Bathyscaph, Globules of Darkness, Subsonic Soundwave Machine, Nutro-Nuclear Dissolvo-Bomb

Synopsis: Reed is studying a strange fish the Coast Guard found, a denizen of deepest bottoms of the ocean, yet that somehow had made its way to surface waters. Wondering if the Sub-Mariner might be involved, Johnny decides to scout the coastline and finds Lady Dorma rising out of the harbor. She has come to ask the Fantastic Four for help.

Dorma explains to the assembled team that after Namor claimed Atlantis as his own, the mighty Attuma rose with an army of thousands to challenge him. Dorma urged Namor out of love not to put himself in harm’s way. He viciously spurned her, and in a show of immature romantic retaliation she betrayed him to Attuma. She knows that Namor fights valiantly but the outlook is grim, and she has come to the Fantastic Four for help, for if Attuma conquers Atlantis, the surface world will be next!

Reed douses the team with Oxo-Spray- a spray of self-perpetuating oxygen that will enablethem to stay underwater for several hours- and they pile into their bathyscaph. As soon as they descend into the deep they are besieged by Attuma’s catapults, but Thing smashes them with their own boulders. Johnny incinerates the crossbows tipped with Explo-Grenades aimed at them. His flame works underwater (thanks to Reed’s spray) but only for a few seconds. They need to sneak past Attuma's perimeter so Reed turns his body into the shape of a stingray and they climb aboard, floating past the unsuspecting troops of Attuma. Thing leaps off of Reed and smashes one of Attuma’s deep sea tanks.

At the gates of Atlantis, Namor fights off the battering rams plunging through his gates. Attuma launches Globules of Darkness- inky discharges that blind him- but Namor leaps above the cloud and challenges Attuma to hand-to-hand combat. But Attuma is treacherous and set snipers around the battlefield. Still having no idea that the Fantastic Four are helping him, Namor gets to battle Attuma alone after the foursome dispatch the snipers.

Namor crushes Attuma’s blade but Attuma reveals weapons hidden in his helmet. Sue turns Namor invisible, and with the extra advantage (which he's unaware he has) he wins the fightagainst Attuma. The Fantastic Four quickly rise to the surface, as they are rapidly losingoxygen since the Oxo-Spray is wearing off. Reed turns himself into a life preserver and they wait for rescue. Meanwhile, Namor returns to his castle, never suspecting that the Fantastic Four have helped him keep his throne. Lady Dorma knows, but decides his pride would not allow him to accept it.

II: Pinup:

Pages: 1

Namor, the Sub-Mariner

--synopsis by Jonathan Clarke, aka doesitmatter, with Gormuu

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