—Karthon the QuesterKarthon is many things, fool... but he is not yet a liar!
Appearing in "Never Bother a Barracuda!"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Questers (Name revealed)
- Karthon the Quester ⏵ (First full appearance) (Name revealed)
- Captain Barracuda's Crew
- ⏴ Captain Barracuda ⏵
- Mr. Starkey (First appearance)
- Several unnamed crewmembers
Other Characters:
- Proteus (Invoked)
- Attuma (Mentioned)
- Attuma's Barbarian Horde (Mentioned)
- Kingdom of Lemuria (Main story and flashback)
- Numerous unnamed Lemurians (Only in flashback)
- Lemurian Guards (Only in flashback)
- Ontarr (First appearance) (Only in flashback)
- Several unnamed guards (Only in flashback)
- Lemurian Royal Alchemists (Only in flashback)
- Two unnamed alchemists (Only in flashback) (First appearance; dies)
- Naga (Only in flashback)
- Ancients (First appearance) (Only in flashback)
- United States Air Force
- Unnamed Pilot (First appearance; dies)
- Captain Kidd (Mentioned in narration)
- United States Navy
- Unnamed Officer
- Smith (First appearance)
- Jules Verne (Mentioned)
- United States Coast Guard (Mentioned)
- Devil (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
- Mutant Atlantean-Human Hybrids
- Lemurians (Main story and flashback) (Name revealed)
- Whales (Mentioned in narration)
- Eels (Only in flashback)
- Fish (Main story and flashback)
- Sharks (Mentioned)
- Humans
Locations:
- Earth (Main story and flashback)
- Atlantic Ocean
- Pacific Ocean (Main story and flashback)
- Lemuria (First appearance) (Only in flashback)
- Naga's Palace (First appearance) (Only in flashback)
- Lemuria (First appearance) (Only in flashback)
- Southern Ocean (Only in flashback)
- Antarctica (Only in flashback)
- North America
Items:
- Helmet of the Ancients (Main story and flashback)
- Horn of Proteus (Invoked)
- Inertia Cannon (First appearance)
- Atomic Activator
Vehicles:
- Captain Barracuda's Submarine (First appearance)
- United States Air Force Bomber (5092) (First appearance; destruction)
Synopsis for "Never Bother a Barracuda!"
Karthon the Questor battles Namor for the crown and is defeated. He reveals to Namor the history of the Serpent Crown and of the mad tyrant Naga. Unfortunately, Captain Barracuda captures them both on his way to steal an atomic weapon. Namor frees himself but must decide whether to pursue Karthon who has fled with the Serpent Crown or to stop Captain Barracuda's atomic torpedo!
Notes
Continuity Notes[]
- In this issue, Karthon told Namor that the Helmet of the Ancients had been created centuries ago by the Royal Alchemists of Lemuria and that they had completed it by immersing it in a long-lived sea-beast's vital fluids so that it would make its wearer immortal. Once that was done, they gave it to Naga who immediately used its powers to make them kill themselves.
- However, the accuracy of this origin came into question after later stories (including Captain America #181 and Marvel Two-In-One #66) described the crown as having come from the Lemuria that had existed on the surface.
- Later, after Doctor Strange researched the history of the Serpent Men in Marvel Team-Up Annual #5, it was revealed that the Serpent Crown had actually been created in Pre-Cataclysmic Lemuria by an alliance of human alchemists and Serpent Men.
- Finally, Chapter Seven of the Saga of the Serpent Crown in Daredevil Annual #4B revealed that the origin presented in this issue was partially true after all. Although the water-breathing Alchemists of Lemuria had not actually created the Serpent Crown, the Elder God Set had shown them how to treat the Serpent Crown with special oils that would make its wearer immortal and forever young.
