Issue(s): Sub-Mariner #2, Sub-Mariner #3
Cover Date: Jun-Jul 68
Title: "Cry... Triton!" / "On a clear day you can see... the Leviathan!"
Credits:
Roy Thomas - Writer
John Buscema - Penciler
Frank Giacoia - Inker

Review/plot:
Namor is still a little upset about his defeat at the hands of Paul Destine, so after venting a bit he actually decides to swallow his pride and ask for Reed Richards to help find him. On the way to the US, he comes across a strange submarine. Inside is the Plantman (the sub itself is on loan from Count Nefaria).

Also investigating the sub is Triton, sent by Black Bolt since the sub was parked near the island that the Inhuman Royal Family is currently occupying. Seeing the two aquatic heroes coming to investigate, Plantman deploys a clever move and "orders" Namor to attack Triton. This causes Triton to attack Namor, and the two get into a big fight...

...giving Plantman time to perfect his latest experiment, a giant kelp monster. Plantman captures Namor and Triton and points the sub towards England before the rest of the Inhumans can come to the rescue.

Plantman sends the kelp monster to attack London, and we see more destruction from a super-villain plot than we've seen in a while.

Bound together at the wrist...

...Namor and Triton escape the Plantman's sub and attack the kelp creature. Actually, Namor does most of the attacking, while Triton makes a few comments about their 'combined power', but it is Triton who figures out that the creature is vulnerable to fire. Somehow, when the creature is defeated, the wrist bond is destroyed. Plantman flees, and Triton heads back to the Fantastic Four to let Reed know that Namor is coming in peace.

Meanwhile, Dorma continually vacillates between her responsibilities to the Atlanteans and the fact that she wants to search for Namor. Seth (who is in love with her) and Vashti keep reminding her of her duties, even when Namor is shown on television being attacked by the kelp monster.

The kelp monster doesn't work so well visually, and, looking for good screen grabs for this arc, i'm reminded how verbose Roy Thomas is. His word balloons litter the pages, covering Buscema's artwork. Still, this was actually quite fun and of course i'm a fan of Buscema's classic art style.

Quality Rating: C+

Historical Significance Rating: 2

Chronological Placement Considerations: Triton is just returning from his visit to the Fantastic Four.

References:

• "We probably forgot to mention that fact [that Plantman grew up in the slums of London] in Planty's origin in Strange Tales #113 - Set-it-right Stan"
  
• This isn't explicitly mentioned, but the reason Count Nefaria would loan Plantman a sub is because they've previously worked together in Uncanny X-Men #22-23.
  
• Looking at the destruction caused by the giant monster, Namor reflects on his own attack on New York using Giganto in Fantastic Four #4.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: Tales To Astonish #2, Tales To Astonish #3 (1979)

One of the greatest Marvel achievents will be to give us Namor on the silver screen! If Doctor Strange does not scream "Defenders" alliance to grace us with Sub-Mariner it will be a lost opportunity to engage in the Mystical underwater visual experience..

I liked this one a lot too for the team-up of Marvel's two aquatic characters.

As far as I know, this is the only comic (besides his OHMU entry) where Plantman wears this particular costume, and is drawn about fifty pounds heavier than usual. I definitely prefer his usual sleeker look.

Um, he wears it in loads of comics! Off the top of my head he definitely wears it in Stern's Avengers arc with him and one of the Avengers Spotlight Hawkeye stories.

Yeah, it's a personal thing. I stopped reading Marvel comics for a long time in the mid-eighties. To my mind Plantman is always in his original costume, and usually drawn by Sal Buscema.