Monster of the Day #1070

Marvel’s most successful Golden Age characters were the Human Torch, the Sub-Mariner, and Captain America. But there was a great die-off of superhero features in US comics in the later 40s, and all three fell victim to it. In the mid-50s Marvel tried a revival of their features, beginning with YOUNG MEN #24 in Aug. 1953 (on sale date), but didn’t stick with it, so the Captain America and Human Torch revivals were over in less than a year. The Sub-Mariner’s feature continued a bit over a year longer.
Although the Sub-Mariner’s creator, Bill Everett, drew the stories, in the earlier part of the revival Namor lacked super-strength and the ability to fly. A story with this version of Namor – in fact, from the above issue – can be found in Les Daniels’s MARVEL book. It involves a monster named Elmer which looks like the Creature from the Black Lagoon and is afraid of water. Marvel gave Subby his strength and ankle wings back in SUB-MARINER COMICS #38, at a point when the others’ features had already been cancelled, and cancelled the title with #42. He next returned in FANTASTIC FOUR #4 (1962) as the heroes’ antagonist.

Hey, octopus–you’re trying to grab Namor by using your arms with the sucker-side UP. You’re doing it wrong.

Rooskies in Toobskies

The Bear Alley blog, which is devoted to British comics and genre literature, has a two-part item on Harryhausen comics. According to the first part, the only comic adaptation of IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA was an advertising item called a press strip. Google “Bear Alley” “Ray Harryhausen Films in Comics” to find the posts. (There a some adult material elsewhere at the site.)
The post only has a single panel from the press strip, but the whole thing can be found in a message board thread by doing an image search for “It Came From Beneath the Sea” “strip” “Classic Horror Film Board”. I’m sorry I can’t provide a link. When I do that the board puts my posts in moderation.
Apparently, a company called Arcana published a graphic novel sequel called IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA… AGAIN! a couple of years ago. If I follow the information I found correctly this was originally a troubled mini-series project from Bluewater Productions. I’m not on top of what parts it managed to get into print or published digitally.
The cover of TALES OF SUSPENSE #8 features a critter probably inspired by the movie. The artist, Jack Kirby, earlier drew a similar but smaller critter for the cover of SHOWCASE #12.
Researching this post I stumbled on a site called Poulpe Pulps which has many pulp and comics covers with octopus attack and octopus monster images.

Mister Blanchard, you seem to be able to find and recommend the best darned sites. Thank you.