Captain America #423
War Zones
Early 1941[1]
World War II is raging across Europe in the Pacific, but the United States has yet to officially enter the war. When Nazi spies attempt to sabotage a rail line bringing supplies to New York to be shipped overseas, Captain America and his partner Bucky are there to stop them.
In the city, the Sub-Mariner is on another rampage, furious that the surface dwellers continue to invade his territory around the Antarctic sea.[2] As usual, the Atlantean prince is repelled by the Human Torch whose flame powers dry out Namor and sap him of his strength and forces him to retreat.[3]
Returning to his aquatic craft, the Sub-Mariner decides that the only way to get the world to take his demands seriously would be to kidnap the President of the United States. To that end, he flies his ship to Washington, DC and lands it on the lawn of the White House. Inside, President Franklin Roosevelt is holding a press conference so he can award Captain America and Bucky a medal for their work stopping Nazi spies operating in the country. Suddenly, the Sub-Mariner comes smashing in through the window into the Oval Office and snatches the President. Captain America follows after the captor and grabs onto his ship as it takes off. Unfortunately, it moves too fast and Cap cannot hold on for long. Luckily, he ends up falling into the Potomac River and survives the fall. Flagging down a police car, Cap orders the officers to drive him to the nearest airfield so he can commandeer a plane and follow Namor.
Meanwhile, the Sub-Mariner is taking Roosevelt to a nearby island out at sea. As they approach their destination, Namor explains his reason for kidnapping the President. Franklin recalls the expedition that inadvertedly caused damange to the Sub-Mariner’s domain some twenty years earlier. The President explains that the captain of the ship — Leonard McKenzie — dropped charges on Atlantis by mistake because he didn’t know it was there. Hearing McKenzie’s name, Namor recalls his mother — Princess Fen — mentioning that he was the surface dweller who sired him.[4] Roosevelt tells Namor that McKenzie is still alive but has since become a recluse.[5] When the arrive on the island, Roosevelt tries to convince Namor that the United States is not his enemy and he should join the Allied Forces in ending the threat posed by the Nazis. However, the Sub-Mariner is uninterested in the surface world’s war and uses his radio to issue his demands. If the countries of the world do not exclude all travel around the Antarctic circle he will execute Roosevelt.
This transmission is picked up by a Nazi U-Boat, and its captain decides to track its signal in the hopes of taking the President for the Nazis. At the same time, Captain America has arrived near the island in a borrowed aircraft. However, getting there has expended its fuel, forcing Cap to bail out and swim the rest of the way. He then confronts the Sub-Mariner and as the two battle it out a team of Nazi divers sneak onto the island and nab President Roosevelt. Cap and Namor then put aside their differences and rescue the President from the Nazi ship. Returning to shore, Captain America is willing to continue the fight if Namor wants to keep going. However, the Sub-Mariner has learned a lot that day and has a lot to contemplate and returns to the ocean alone. Moments later, the military reinforcements arrive to recover Captain America and the President from the deserted island. Soon enough, the Sub-Mariner’s home would be attacked by the Nazis prompting him to join the Allied Forces later on in the war.[6]
Recurring Characters
Captain America, Bucky, Sub-Mariner, Nazis, Human Torch, Franklin Roosevelt
Continuity Notes
Chronologically, this story occurs prior to 2nd story of Captain America Comics #1 for Cap and Bucky, Sub-Mariner Comics #1 for Namor, Marvel Mystery Comics #18 for the Human Torch.
At the time of this story, Atlantis was located below the Antarctic sea. It will remain there until it is destroyed in the early 1950s by Destiny, displacing the Atlantean people as seen in Tales to Astonish #101, Iron Man and the Sub-Mariner #1, and Sub-Mariner #1 among many other stories.
A footnote here states that this story also takes place nearly year prior to the formation of the Invaders. The team was first formed in Giant-Size Invaders #1. That issue states that the group was formed in December, 1941 shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Leonard McKenzie met and fell in love with Princess Fen on that same voyage and their union produced Namor. For more on Leonard McKenzie’s part in Namor’s birth see Marvel Comics #1, Sub-Mariner Comics #32, Iron Man and the Sub-Mariner #1, Sub-Mariner #44, and Saga of the Sub-Mariner #1.
There are conflicting accounts as to what happened to Leonard McKenzie after his time in the Antarctic with Fen. Sub-Mariner Comics #32 states that Leonard went on to become a Naval officer who actually unknowingly clashed with his son during one of his first attacks on New York City. However, as this encounter contradicts with the original tale told in Marvel Mystery Comics #3, its validity is suspect. Namor the Sub-Mariner #57 states that Leonard later tried to fund another expedition to the Antarctic so he could be reunited with Fen and this ended up bankrupting him. He then moved to Boston where he was a recluse and, more amazingly, managing to survive into the Modern Age, as seen in Sub-Mariner #44.
The attack this story is referring to happened in Sub-Mariner Comics #1 and injured Emperor Thakkor for the rest of the war. Although this story suggests that it wasn’t until that moment that Namor fought the Nazis that is not entirely accurate. He has fought them many many times before then. The details:
His earliest encounter with them was when Namor was still a boy, as told in Sub-Mariner Comics #41.
He fought them in 1939 in Sub-Mariner Comics 70th Anniversary Special #1, Marvels Project #1,
In 1940 he clashed with the Nazis in Marvel Mystery Comics #4, Sub-Mariner Comics 70th Anniversary Special #1, Human Torch Comics #2-3.
Lastly in 1941 he had clashes with Nazis pre-dating Sub-Mariner Comics #1 that took place in Marvel Mystery Comics #16, 18-19, and Marvel Mystery Comics 70th Anniversary Special #1.
