Saturday, July 18, 2009

Random Reads: Sub-Mariner #57 by Bill Everett

For a short time, sadly near the end of his life, Sub-Mariner creator Bill Everett was given free reign to create a handful of brand new stories for his beloved Prince Namor. Sure, the stories had to fit into Marvel continuity, and Namor had to use his Stan Lee spawned pseudo-Shakespearean style of speech, but other than that, here was the original Golden Age creator turned loose to tell the best tales he could. The following "All-Everett Production" from Sub-Mariner #57 (October 1972) is a special favorite, as it is the best--and tragically, the last--of Everett's solo issues. Not only does "...In the Lap of the Gods!" tie into Marvel's version of Olympus (with the villain Ares), but it also "sort of" brings back another of Bill Everett's Golden Age Timely/Atlas semi-greats, Venus. Plus it spices the story up with a touch of relevance in its anti-war message. I think you'll enjoy this Groovy Age nugget of gold, Groove-ophiles!
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7 comments:

  1. AllanJuly 18, 2009 at 4:41 AM

    A solid gold classic -- and one of the best comics of the 70s. That Everett is not more celebrated is one of the great mysteries...

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  2. BooksteveJuly 18, 2009 at 7:52 AM

    Looking back over the Golden Age Bill Everett was the ONLY artist whose work seems polished and comparable at times to today's work. In spite of his alcoholism and his long time away from comics, I've long considered these SUB-MARINER issues to be one of THE great runs of the early seventies! Blake Bell is working on a coffee-table bio/history of Everett!

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  3. M BurkhardtJuly 18, 2009 at 1:15 PM

    Loved Everett's run of Sub-Mariner, and it's always great to see Venus again ... even if she does have red hair.

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  4. TamfosJuly 19, 2009 at 11:47 AM

    Hard to believe Everett was still THIS good so late in his life. The ink line is so sweet! What an amazing, towering (and yes, relatively unsung) talent. I'll buy that book!

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  5. YtsejammerJuly 22, 2009 at 5:23 AM

    Absolute classic Everett! A highlight of the Sub-Mariner run.

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  6. smoothmanJune 30, 2018 at 1:29 PM

    We miss you Everett. They have taken your creation and made him a villain. He is not the same dignified honorable character you made over 50 years ago. RIP Bill, RIP Namor of yesteryear.

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