Issue(s): Marvel Spotlight #27
Cover Date: Apr 76
Title: "Death is the Symbionic Man!"
Credits:
Bill Mantlo - Writer
Jim Mooney - Penciler
Jim Mooney - Inker

Review/plot:
Well, based on the cover, it looks like you demanded that Namor fight alone. What a jerk you are. Why do you want Namor to be so lonely?

That blurb is actually a reference to the fact that Namor is currently appearing in Super-Villain Team-Up, and this issue is an explicit try-out to see if it made financial sense to revive Namor's solo series. The issue begins with a recap of Namor's history...

...and ends with "Like to see Subby sail on back into a mag of his own? Well then, write and let us know".

By the way, in the third scan above it almost looks like Namor's ankle wings are covered by his costume's tights, as if the tights were designed to have a little space for his wings. But that's really just a shading issue. In other panels in this issue, the wings are colored white. So i guess there's just little holes for them to poke out from.

The action story in this issue plays off the odd plot point from Super-Villain Team-Up #4 that showed Captain Ryker siphoning energy off of Dr. Doom to power his nascent android or whatever it is. In this issue, he targets Namor, sending his "Symbionic Man" after him.

This thing is creepy. It has tentacles coming out of its nipples.

And it attacks Namor with some nipple to nipple action.

Namor is initially enthralled by the attack, smiling as he understands its need of being satisfied, but luckily, before this turns into the weirdest piece of slashfiction ever, Namor comes to his senses and breaks free.

The Symbionic Man next attacks Namor with a squid, i guess with the idea that it can control sea creatures the way Namor can since it's absorbed some of his essence. Namor hurls it away, coincidentally destroying Ryker's ship.

The Symbionic Man is actually pleased to die free of Ryker's control.

Namor characteristically blames the attack on all surface men.

Reaction to this in the lettercol in issue #29 is mixed, but even the people that didn't like the story still vote in favor of a return of the Sub-Mariner's solo series. Of course that's just a tally of the people that bought this issue and wrote in, and Namor doesn't even manage to remain the co-star of Super-Villain Team-Up for its entire run, and doesn't get a new ongoing solo series until the 90s.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: The MCP has this taking place after Super-Villain Team-Up #4, which introduces Simon Ryker. Namor is wearing his black costume, making placement before Super-Villain Team-Up #5 desirable.

References:

• I included the 3 pages of Namor's history, but it really doesn't include any specific references except perhaps the German bombing that gets him involved in WWII, which was in Sub-Mariner Comics #1.
  
• There is a footnote for Sub-Mariner #67-68, when the Atlanteans were paralyzed by nerve gas.
  
• Simon Ryker was first seen in Super-Villain Team-Up #4, and an alternate-future version of him appears in the Deathlok stories from Astonishing Tales.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

For what it's worth, and per your own scan, it's a squid, not an octopus. I've seen people claim that Ryker's creation here is the future Deathlok, which is ludicrous for innumerable reasons. I like this story, but am really curious why Marvel felt the need of a trial balloon for a character whose own book had finally succumbed to poor sales barely a year and a half ago, and was still being featured regularly in not one but two other titles, SVTU and INVADERS.

What am i, a marine biologist and/or expected to have basic literacy skills? Thanks, fixed it.

Sorry. I only know what I read in the comics.

Gentleman Jim does a great job this issue, and the Symbionic Man is pretty creepy!

Marvel pushing Namor in the seventies, when clearly neither the writers nor the readers could work up much enthusiasm, reminds me of their current attempt to interest people in the Inhumans. Give it up, guys. It's not going to happen.