Strange Tales Vol 1 107

When Johnny is once more not included in the planning for the Fantastic Four's next adventure, Johnny decides to prove himself to the others by taking on the Sub-Mariner one-on-one. Traveling out across the ocean, Johnny's search for Namor gets off to a bad start when his flame wears out and he has to stop on a ship to recuperate, is pegged as a stowaway and is forced to swab the deck until his powers return.

When his powers return to him, Johnny manages to get the attention of the Sub-Mariner who accepts his challenge. However, Namor has the edge of the Torch, and eventually douses his flame and sends him back to the mainland on the back of a dolphin. However, the Torch restores his flame and goes for a rematch, this time he manages to trap Namor in an underwater avalanche and is later picked up by a ship and returned to the mainland. Namor, however, manages to escape.

Returning home, Johnny collapses in bed from exhaustion, when Sue checks on him later, she figures he's spent the whole day sleeping.

Appearing in "Universal Gadget"

Reprint of the 2nd story from
Journey Into Mystery #30

Synopsis for "Universal Gadget"

Reprint of the 2nd story from
Journey Into Mystery #30

A text only story featuring a mysterious salesman who offers a product that can do anything, but his customer decides that his ordinary predicament is better than the risk of the unknown.

Appearing in "Secret Weapon!"

Featured Characters:

Unnamed Professor

Supporting Characters:

United States Army

Antagonists:

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
- Fedor Zelinki
- Numerous unnamed others

Other Characters:

United States Government (Mentioned)

Races and Species:

Locations:

Earth-616
- Earth
  - North America
    - United States of America
      - Pentagon (Mentioned)
  - Pacific Ocean

Items:

Shrinking Gas

Synopsis for "Secret Weapon!"

A red spy named Fedor Zelinki infiltrates an American weapons manufacturing facility and steals some gas he thinks makes the inhaler immune to all types of toxic warfare. Instead when the spy takes it back to his superiors they all inhale it and shrink down to the size of insects.

Appearing in "The Treasure of Planetoid 12!"

Featured Characters:

Charlie Nast

Supporting Characters:

Unnamed Spaceship Pilot

Other Characters:

World Broadcast Network
- Sam (New Broadcaster)
- Unnamed Camera Operator
- Unnamed News Director

Races and Species:

Humans

Locations:

Earth-Unknown (2100AD)
- Earth
- Planetoid 12

Synopsis for "The Treasure of Planetoid 12!"

In the year 2100 a criminal hijacks a spaceship to be the first man to claim the treasure of planetoid 12. When he gets there, he finds nothing but water and mud. He thinks maybe it's oil or something valuable, but after he drinks it, he knows that it is merely water. The pilot that he forced along at gunpoint thinks he knows where the treasure is, but the criminal refuses to believe there is a treasure on planetoid 12 at all until he reverts back into an infant. The pilot has realized the treasure is the fountain of youth.

Notes

Continuity Notes[]

The Master of Flame vs. The Monarch of the Sea!!

Reed mentions Johnny's ill fated Torrid Twosome from last issue.
Sue's had a romantic interest in Namor since Johnny first revived him in Fantastic Four #4. The picture in her room is likely the same one she hid in the Baxter Building in Fantastic Four #6.
The length of time Johnny can flame on has limitations as first seen in Strange Tales #104, however, he eventually outgrows this weakness.
Namor exhibits the ability to imitate the skills of various marine animals, abilities that are completely phased out by his appearance in Fantastic Four #14.

Links and References

References