Issue(s): Sub-Mariner #56
Cover Date: Dec 72
Title: "Atlantis, mon amour!"
Credits:
Mike Friedrich - Script
Dan Adkins - Plot
Dan Adkins - Penciler
Dan Adkins - Inker

Review/plot:
This fill-in during Bill Everett's run may feel like a one-off story, but it's actually significant at least to the degree that the character Tamara Rahn is important. So, you know, not much... but some! Tamara doesn't actually appear in this issue, but this is her origin.

An Atlantean named Coral seeks out Namor because the city needs some help. Atlantis' army is off fighting the hordes of Attuma, and at the same time some aliens have landed in the ocean.

Afraid that the aliens might attack while Atlantis' troops are away, Vashti sent Coral to get Namor. Namor tries explaining that he's renounced his throne, and he also says he's sick of war, but he winds up going along with Coral.

Meanwhile, the aliens survive their crash landing...

...but it turns out their slave race, the Haab have escaped. And the Haab are hungry.

One of the more hilarious things about Atlantis is that it has a wall surrounding it, as if anyone in the ocean couldn't just swim over it. But for some reason, the aquatic Haab can't swim. But if you're thinking "Finally, a use for the wall!", forget it. They just punch their way through.

Namor fights them for a while...

...but eventually Coral brings the red-skinned aliens, which are later called the Banari from planet Laab, show up and make peace.

Namor is still refusing to act as leader of the Atlanteans, so he goes to get Vashti. But while he's away, the Atlantean soldiers return from their war with Attuma, and they indiscriminately slaughter the Banari.

Namor returns as the Atlanteans are realizing what they've done.

This story is a lot like the back-up story that Mike Friedrich did with Alan Weiss in the back-up for Sub-Mariner #54. But this time we'll see the consequences in a future issue.

Quality Rating: C+

Historical Significance Rating: 2 - origin of Tamara Rahn's people

Chronological Placement Considerations: I've listed Attuma as a character appearing since the Atlanteans are fighting his hordes, but he doesn't actually appear on panel this issue. Similar situation with Tamara Rahn. This story has been pushed forward in time because of my placement of Sub-Mariner #52-54. Namor says at the beginning that he's still recovering from his battle with Torg, so i've placed this soon after that issue, before any other Sub-Mariner appearance (e.g. Defenders #5).

References:

• Namor renounced his throne in Sub-Mariner #37.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

The title is taken from "Hiroshima, Mon Amour".

Additionally, some of the narrative captions on page 2 allude to the lyrics of James Taylor's "Fire and Rain."