The Sub-Mariner Strikes!
For a change this issue follows on directly from the last as our plucky heroes return from the moon to a, well, heroes return. This issue sees the return of not one but two dreaded villains: Namor the Sub-Mariner and The Puppet Master.
We are in well trodden ground here for the Fantastic Four. Once again they face off against Namor under the oceans of the world, after he snatches away Susan Storm again. I remain deeply troubled by her characterisation as little more than a damsel in distress. Society has changed profoundly since the sixties but even if you set that aside the nearly monthly abductions and or perils Invisible Woman finds herself in reek of lazy story telling. There are so many different means by which Stan Lee could motivate the entire team and it just strikes me as repetitive to place the sole female character in danger each month. In this story she was trapped until her team mates came to her rescue, at least last month Susan managed to escape by her own wit.
I think it's safe to say that Namor is one of the better written Marvel characters of the early sixties. His motivations are clear and often logical, lending a weight to his plans and even some sort of justification that makes him a somewhat sympathetic villain. I was therefore very disappointed to see him as little more than a pawn in The Puppet Master's plans. I think that the presence of two villains made this issue worse than if either had appeared alone. The Puppet Master removed Namor's motivations and agency, while Namor's possession exposed an obvious flaw in the Puppet Master's scheme. There was a better story to be told by having him control one or more members of The Fantastic Four directly and his decision to enslave Namor instead is poorly explained, if not entirely contrived. The ending to this comic was also poor, the Puppet Master being defeated by the vagaries of chance (and wayward octopi) instead of the heroes saving the day.
The art is nothing special by Jack Kirby, the cover is pretty good, but exploitative again and there are a few decent large panels inside the issue. Mr Fantastic is involved in a brief but elaborately drawn fight with Namor that is pretty striking. Otherwise it's your standard vibrant colour pallet and sparse backgrounds that you'd expect of a Fantastic Four issue.
This is another issue to avoid. A promising start to the plot is sadly thrown away. Little is furthered by the conflict with a possessed Namor and The Puppet Master's scheme is contrived even for the era.
The Giant Octopus! It Sees Me! It's Coming Towards The Sub!
The Puppet Master
