Tales to Astonish #95
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeTales to Astonish #95 earns its key-issue status primarily through the Sub-Mariner half: it delivers the first appearance of Dr. Walter Newell, the oceanographer who will eventually become Stingray — a character who would go on to become an Avengers associate and a durable fixture in Marvel's aquatic corner of the universe. The Hulk half continues the High Evolutionary's early career arc, only the character's second comics appearance after his debut in Thor #134–135, cementing the idea that the High Evolutionary belonged to the broader Marvel cosmos rather than any single title. Together, the two stories make this double-feature issue a quiet but consequential entry in the Silver Age TTA run, seeding characters whose impact would stretch across decades.
In "The Power of the Plunderer!", Namor and Dorma return to Atlantis to find an unexpected underwater city built by surface dwellers, sparking tension with its founder, Dr. Walter Newell. When the ruthless Plunderer arrives in a high-tech sub and attacks the city’s dome, Namor must choose between confronting the villain and saving Dorma. Written by Roy Thomas and Raymond Marais, with art by Bill Everett and inks by Vince Colletta, this 1967 tale blends underwater intrigue and classic Marvel adventure. The cover, a striking double portrait by Marie Severin, captures the clash of titans before the storm.
In "The Power of the Plunderer!", Namor and Dorma return to Atlantis only to discover a hidden underwater city built by surface dwellers, sparking tension with its founder, Dr. Walter Newell. When the menacing Plunderer arrives in a high-tech sub and destroys the city’s dome, Namor must choose between confronting the thief and saving Dorma, who’s in danger amid the chaos.
In "A World He Never Made!", the Hulk, transformed once more into Bruce Banner during transport to Wundagore II, finds himself at the mercy of the High Evolutionary. Though disappointed by the scientist’s failure to deliver a true Hulk, the Evolutionary sees potential in Banner and decides to evolve him—projecting him a million years into humanity’s future, where he must navigate a world shaped by forces beyond his understanding.
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The issue shipped on June 8, 1967 with a September 1967 cover date, produced under Stan Lee's editorial oversight during the twilight years of the Tales to Astonish dual-feature format — a format the series would maintain until it was retitled The Incredible Hulk with issue #102 in April 1968. The Namor story was scripted by Roy Thomas and Raymond Marais with pencils by Bill Everett and inks by Vince Colletta; the Hulk story was scripted by Stan Lee with pencils by Marie Severin and inks by Herb Trimpe — Trimpe having joined the Hulk feature as inker just the issue prior (#94), an early step in his long association with the character. Marie Severin also supplied the cover.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Dr. Walter Newell (Earth-616), the oceanographer and engineer who later becomes the armored hero Stingray; created by Roy Thomas and Bill Everett.
- Walter Newell debuts as a U.S. government oceanographer overseeing a domed undersea city designed to harvest food for humanity — the city is promptly destroyed by the Plunderer (Parnival Plunder).
- Newell would not don the Stingray armor until Sub-Mariner (Vol. 1) #19 (November 1969), more than two years after this debut.
- Second appearance of the High Evolutionary (Herbert Edgar Wyndham) in comics, following his debut in Thor #134–135 (1966); here he schemes to use the Hulk as a weapon against his rebellious New Men on the planet Wundagore II.
- The Hulk story, 'A World He Never Made!', is part two of a three-part arc (TTA #94–96) scripted by Stan Lee with art by Marie Severin (pencils) and Herb Trimpe (inks).
- Sir Ram, a New Man and pilot aboard the High Evolutionary's spacecraft, appears here and dies within these same two issues (first in TTA #94, death in TTA #95).
- The Namor story is scripted by Roy Thomas and Raymond Marais, penciled by Bill Everett, and continues plot threads from Daredevil #24, with the Plunderer crossing over from that title.
- Both story halves were reprinted in Marvel Super-Heroes #50 (May 1975); the Hulk story additionally appears in Essential Hulk Vol. 2 (2001), Marvel Masterworks: The Incredible Hulk Vol. 3, and the Incredible Hulk Epic Collection Vol. 2; the Namor story also appears in Essential Sub-Mariner Vol. 1 (2009) and the Namor the Sub-Mariner Omnibus Vol. 1 (2025).
Cast · 8 characters
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Reprints
Reprinted in Hit Comics #66 (1968), HIP Comics #1983 (1969), Hit Comics #83 (1969), El Príncipe de la Atlántida #5 (1969), Edderkoppen #7/1973 (1973), Hit Comics Die Spinne #254 (1973), I Fantastici Quattro #54 (1973), The Mighty World of Marvel #40 (1973), Eclipso #43 (1974), Etranges Aventures #39 (1975), Die Spinne #29 (1975), Die Spinne #30 (1975), Marvel Super-Heroes #50 (1975), Die Spinne Comic - Taschenbuch #3 (1979), Edderkoppen pocket [Edderkoppen superseriepocket] #2 (1979), The Incredible Hulk #2 (82559-3) (1979), Hulk #4 (1983), Essential Hulk #2 (2001), Marvel Masterworks: The Incredible Hulk #3 (2006), The Incredible Hulk Omnibus #1 (2008), Essential Sub-Mariner #1 (2009), Essential Hulk #2 [Second Edition] (2012), Marvel Masterworks: The Incredible Hulk #3 (2013), Incredible Hulk Epic Collection #2 (2017) + 8 more
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