Issue(s): Sub-Mariner #31
Cover Date: Nov 70
Title: "Attuma triumphant!"
Credits:
Roy Thomas - Writer
Sal Buscema - Penciler
Mike Esposito - Inker

Review/plot:
Hey! Let's get all our sea-based super-heroes together and make them fight!

What? Oh, the plot. Umm, Attuma something something, arena something something, devil-machine something something... Namor acts like a jackass but in the end it's all a ruse.

Attuma's court jester is back too, but whereas last time he played the role of a Shakespearean wise fool, commenting on the king's stupid actions, in this issue he just instigates stupid actions.

This story must have been the one that was touted in the next issue blurb for #27; not sure why they took the detours that they did before getting here.

Quality Rating: D

Historical Significance Rating: 2

Chronological Placement Considerations: This is the next chronological appearance for both Namor and the Thing after Fantastic Four #104 (and the concurrent X-Men: The Hidden Years issues).

References:

• This issue starts off with the Thing and Triton talking about an Inhumans/FF feud being resolved, which is a reference to Amazing Adventures #1-2.
  
• The Thing also comments on the fact that it didn't take much for Magneto to instigate the Sub-Mariner into war in Fantastic Four #102-104.
  
• The Sting Ray captured and then released the Sub-Mariner in Sub-Mariner #19 (footnote incorrectly says #18).

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

Joe Gaudioso was another pseudonym of Mike Esposito.

Credits updated. Thanks!

Marvelmania #5 announced that the team of Gil Kane/Berni Wrightson was supposed to take over the art after Sal Buscema, but evidently that didn't happen.