Story #2The Sovereign and the Savages
Writer:
Roy Thomas.Penciler:
Werner Roth. Inker:
Dan Adkins. Colorist:
Unknown. Letterer:
Gaspar Saladino.
Synopsis
The Plunderer has Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner, captive at his lair on Skull Island. He describes how the X-Men discovered the entrance to the Savage Land and shows off his new and improved Vibra-Guns which, made of Plunderstone, until recently, could only dissolve metal with their rays but now have been adjusted to destroy any material; he demonstrates by crumbling a mountain. He offers Namor the role of second-in-command; Namor refuses….
Meanwhile outside, a band of savage Swamp Men attack Plunderer’s guards and seize a Vibra-Gun; fooling around with it, one of them sends a blast into the stronghouse, surprising Plunderer. The villain calls out his guards, the Swamp Men flee, but Namor is now free; there is a struggle back and forth but when the Plunderer is subdued, the Swamp Man leader on the roof drops a huge block of masonry on Namor, pinning him to the ground. Plunderer blasts the Swamp Man with a Vibra-Gun and rallies his men. They rush to their big submarine, racing against the impending explosion of their weapons cache and the Plunderer promises to lead them on their mission of world conquest….
Inside the burning building, Namor is awakened by water dripping from a broken pipe; he recovers his strength, picks up the fallen Swamp Man, and jumps into the sea just moments before the munitions depot explodes, destroying the island, The Swamp Men throw a celebration for Namor but he can only think of assembling the Atlantean army and pursuing the Plunderer….
Back in Atlantis, Lady Dorma and Lord Vashti, believing that Namor has joined the Plunderer, inform the ruling council. The council declare Namor an enemy of Atlantis and issue an order that he be killed if he should return to the city….
And the Plunderer decides that his first target for conquest shall be…Atlantis….