Writer- Scott Lobdell
Art- Evans & Candelario

The story we all know. Contains a panel of Namor with the Invaders.

"Never Again" (part of 3 of the Subtearranean Wars)

Writer- Scott Lobdell
Art- James Fry & Erik Larsen

Namor is contacted by a beaten Lord Vashti to journey below the surface and save the Moloids from the Doradians, led by Lann, Keeper of the Flame. Stingray joins Namor, and he nearly kills the Keeper in anger at the mass murdering of the Moloids.

This is actually Invaders-related! There's a three-page segment where Namor recalls himself, Cap & Bucky, The Torch & Toro and Spitfire at Bitburg, Germany, where they rescue survivors from a concentration camp. Namor is nearly ballistic over the massive deaths, and is driven to grief when he find the mile-long burial pit.

"The Potsdam Objective"

Writers- Moreshead & Roy Thomas
Art- Hester & Hudson

Potsdam, Germany, 1945-- the eve of the Potsdam Conference...

Namor is in attendence here to represent Atlantis, dressed in a suit of ceremonial armor. Alongside President Truman is Captain America II, having only recently donned the costume. With Premier Stalin is the new Russian hero, the Red Guardian.

Namor tries to be cordial with the Guardian, but Cap dislikes him. Namor apologizes, noting that this Cap lacks the courtesy & tact of his predecessor, but Cap replies that he makes up for that in ability.

Cap demands information on the Guardian, but the Guardians says this is privileged information. Nonetheless, we readers are treated to an image of him as a civillian, seeing an explosion in a building! Heroically, he donned the Soviet flag for protection and ran in to save a child- who was the child of a Soviet soldier. Coming to the attention of Premier Stalin, he was given the costume and idenitity of the Red Guardian. (note that this Red Guardian wears a different uniform. The red is nearly brown, there's no fin on his head, and the star is over his left breast instead the center of his chest.)

Outside the conference, a cloaked man is stopped by guards- but with a flash from his hands, he stops them in their tracks and removes their memories of the encounter! Journeying below a manhole, he travels to a hidden underground base where a Nazi scientist and his aides work on a device to control the minds of all the men at the conference! The mystery man, named Weiss, is sent with two others to survey the Allied forces.

While guarding over Stalin, lonesome for his family, the Red Guardian sees one of the men and shoots & kills him! Namor sees the body fall and alerts the others. Weiss tries to ambush the President, but Captain America dives down and defeats him.

Now, the three heroes decide to interrogate Weiss, who is too weak to control their minds. The Guardian states they should try the way of his homeland.

Cap:"And just how is that? The RACK? With Rubber Hoses? Keep your hands off of him! We already have one corpse!"

Namor insists they try the Guardian's methods, so he goes to work. Half an hour later, Weiss is drunk.

Red:"You see, the RUSSIAN way works every time. We know where their hide-out is, the agent was not hurt further, and everyone is happy."

And so, the three Invaders journey below ground, until they find the mcahine, with the old scientist sitting within its center- and surrounded by dozens of men plugged into the device! The true plan of the scientist is to use the life-forces of these men to kill everyone in the conference! It will also destroy a good deal of Berlin, but he doesn't mind.

The Invaders leap down to face him, but he glows green and fires energy blasts at them! One of these blasts destroys the roof, and the meeting room of the conference begins to crumble! While Namor stays below to hold things together, Red & Cap are thrown above to save the people of the conference! The Red Guardian and Stalin nearly fall off the edge of the room, but Cap takes Red's hand and pulls him to safety.

At last, the machine explodes, but Namor flies to safety.

Namor:"You two make quite a team! You could work together like this new United Nations Organization."

Cap:"Only because we had a common enemy! Next Time it might be the Communist that gets buried."

Red:"Imperialist! If it does come down to war, it'll be because of Stubborn, Short-sighted--"

Cap:"Imperialist?! Ever heard of free elections, pal? Poland may as well still be controlled by the Nazis! You're the same kind of--"

Namor:"ENOUGH! Millions dea. MILLIONS, and you still haven't learned anything! Play your childish games, both of you, but I WARN you now...you threaten the entire earth, and next time, Atlantis will be on NO ONE'S SIDE...But our OWN!"

"Day of Reckoning"

Writer- Cooper
Art- Dave Hoover & Hawbecker

Namor's friends turn against him! As he walks back to Oracle Inc., he finds his way blocked by Captain America, Jim Hammond & Spitfire!

Spitfire tries to tie him up with cable, but he snaps it, pulls out the sidewalk from beneath her, and ties her up with a lampost, noting that her combat skills are still rusty. He then walks on, and Cap alerts the next team.

Namor soon faces Mr. Fantastic, the Thing & Human Torch, then the Hulk & Dr. Strange, before the Invisible Woman appears and leads him to Oracle Inc., where she reveals the truth- they were planning a surprise party for him!

Present at the party is Sersi, Namorita, Quasar, Phoebe Marrs, Carrie Alexander, Henry Pym, She-Hulk, Black Widow and Caleb Alexander.

COMMENTS

The flashback in the second story doesn't ring true. Captain America is shown to be seemingly unaffected by the carnage, while Namor is divided between anger and grief. I know this is Namor's story, but it would have been more believeable for Cap to break down, while Namor just gets angry. After all, it wasn't Namor's race who were slaughtered.

I like the third story for it's off-beat nature. I mean, Namor leading the Invaders? Cap and the Red Guardian aruging? It's a nice combination. A little rushed though.

The fourth is pretty silly. Poor Jim does absolutely nothing. Just stands there looking helpless. Namor is good enough not to bother hitting him. I DO like that Hoover art though...men who have read stories he's drawn will know what I mean...unfortunately, he draws the Thing completely wrong. On the other hand, the banter between Namor & the Hulk is a lot of fun.