STRANGE TALES 125 (1964)
by Stan Lee & Dick Ayers
cover by Jack Kirby
The Human Torch has kind of a rematch with Namor after Strange Tales #107, but teaming up with the Thing feels like he’s cheating.
As with most stories with the Human Torch and the Thing, we begin with them fighting.
And some asbestos rug right on the first page!
Their fighting is interrupted by someone wanting an interview…
…but not really.
The classic nickname the Thing has for Mr. Fantastic is “Stretcho”.
For some reason “rubberlegs” didn’t catch on.
Also: Dick Ayers really, REALLY struggles at drawing the Thing.
“We interrupt your unfunny shenanigans to bring you the actual plot”.
Namor recently tried to invade New York in the first Fantastic Four Annual, so the fact he’s coming back to the city is a big deal.
Well, at least a big deal enough to be handled by the Fantastic Two.
They intercept Namor with the Fantasticar, where the Atlantean smartly starts the fight by sinking it. Since he’s stronger than the Thing when underwater, that’s bad news.
Good thing this is one of the few times in this early period that the Torch getting wet doesn’t immediately take him out of the fight.
Last time he used his flame underwater. This time it’s a little less ridiculous: Namor has tied up the Thing with some underwater kelp, so the Torch COOKS THE OCEAN to free him.
Other Early Marvel randomness: Namor still has electric powers!
As the fight continues, the rest of the FF wonder “why is this happening HERE instead of our own title?”
They take the Fantasticar to the scene of the battle… and Namor takes the opportunity to get the heck away from this boring story.
If it feels out of character for Namor, turns out he didn’t leave the fight out of cowardice…
…but because he’s upset the Thing and Torch ruined the peace talks he had planned with Mr. Fantastic.
Nice job breaking it, heroes.
Historical significance: 0/10
This has to be, and it’s not an easy task, the most forgettable Human Torch story of this series.
Silver Age-ness: 6/10
On the DC scale it wouldn’t mean anything, but at Marvel seeing Namor having all the powers of all the fishes is still weird.
Does it stand the test of time? 0/10
The basic idea of the heroes attacking a villain that didn’t even want to fight them has been used many many times by Stan Lee, usually in good stories.
This is not one of them.
Cancer count: 23
Adding the “asbestos rug”, considering it to be the same “asbestos carpet” of Strange Tales 101.