UNDERSEA Agent stars a pretty blank, generic action hero with a pretty cliche supporting cast, but its the undersea world around them that proves to be the charm of the series. Much like Russ Manning's Magnus Robot Fighter 4000 A.D., it's the brilliantly imaginative setting that provokes all the emotion and wonder, and the non-stop action, set against such a backdrop, is darn compelling as well.


Interesting analogy. Based on your review it seems accurate. Is this collected along with Thunder Agents by IDW or another publisher?

The Undersea Agent comics were not included in DC's Archive editions either.

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #3 (March 1965)




The franchise continues to grow and evolve in this issue -- often times for the better, though not always.

One significant improvement is the move away from the structure used in the previous two issues, in which the solo stories would all converge with one final team-up. I wondered how they were going to continue to utilize that structure organically/believable, issue after issue, and they were apparently feeling the same way. In this issue, each story is unique unto itself, and yet the characters frequently show up in each other's stories, sometimes for a small cameo, and sometimes to play a major role in the climax.



This is most frequently true of T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad, which play a significant role in both Dynamo's first story in the issue and in the Menthor story at the end.




In fact, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad is probably the property that comes along the most in this issue. While their adventure, itself, doesn't do much more than break away from the tired old tropes it so blatantly utilized in the previous story, we get this one page synopsis of the group (each property received one in this issue) that finally adds some depth to the characters, providing them with real names, backstories, and (in the case of "Dynamite") a character study:



None of this comes across in the pages of their adventure, especially not Dynamite having a "rough exterior {that} conceals {a} shy and sensitive nature," but it's nice to see that someone is giving the characters a little more thought this time around.

And yes, "Kitten"'s real name is "Kathryn Kane." If DC ever revives the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad (now that they own the rights) I wonder how they'll reconcile that one.


In contrast, Dynamo goes through an evolution in this issue that I actively dislike. Whereas, last issue, he was still a shy pushover when not in uniform, which added a whole new sympathetic dimension to the character and allowed him to remain an everyman with which we could identify, he's now portrayed as obnoxiously cocky. His boss still gives him a hard time at every opportunity, but Leonard Brown is now borderline insubordinate in his responses to the guy, totally unfazed by his superior's opinion of him.



You might almost think, "Good for him!" until we get to how his relationship with Alice has progressed since last issue. Then, they were in the early stages of an adorably timid romance in which neither dared express their feelings for the other. Now, Brown encourages a second woman at work to pursue him and seems to enjoy having the two battle for his attention. It's like the Superman - Lois Lane - Lana Lang triangle, only Dynamo's even MORE of a d*ck.



Talk about a reversal.

And it's not even like they're playing this up for dramatic irony, with Brown about to get a rude wake-up call about his behavior. The book seems to treat it with the attitude of "Hey, he's frickin' Dynamo. He can do what he wants."

Even this head of T.H.U.N.D.E.R. seems to feel that way after Brown has gone on a ballistic rampage, destroying everything in his path for no particular reason. The automatic assumption is that he must have been under someone's hypnotic control (which, inadvertently, was true):



"It's okay, Brown. We automatically assume you're totally innocent without any evidence to support this. Just try not to do it again."


And, speaking of Leonard Brown, his name-sake, writer/co-creator Len Brown, appears to be absent from this issue. GCD has no writer identified for much of this issue and yet doesn't assume Brown is still involved with the usual question mark following. I wonder why.




So, onto the stories...



Dynamo: "Dynamo Battles the Subterraneans"
Script: ?
Pencils: Wally Wood
Inks: Wally Wood
Colors: ?
Letters: ?

grade: B-



Last issue, Warlord revealed he was working for superiors before dying and referred to the human race as "Earthlings," but now his people are revealed to be subterraneans, not aliens. And they apparently have no relationship to the subterranean race Demo had enslaved as of the first issue (which never gets referenced here). In fact, Demo and Iron Maiden are completely forgotten in this issue, and I think that's a shame.

So we learn that the subterraneans (no name given) are attacking the world above because nuclear tests conducted underground have wrecked their cities. They launch an attack on Washington and are stopped, but Dynamo and the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad are left to worry where they will strike next.

Important Details:

- Dynamo's identity is not secret in the offices of T.H.U.N.D.E.R. His co-workers are well aware of who Len Brown really is.

- The subterranians are aware of what his belt does -- a piece of information that Warlord's people didn't have as of the first issue.

- More modifications are made to the belt by T.H.U.N.D.E.R. It now has a warning bell when only five minutes of power are left and a failsafe that cuts off the power before it drains Dynamo to death. We're also now told that the power it gives Dynamo lasts exactly 20 minutes before becoming dangerous to him. So level of exertion doesn't matter -- it's all about elapsed time.


Pretty standard action story, though lacking in some of the flare Wood gave us in previous outings. Still, we got this one great moment:



Dr. Strangelove, eat your heart out.




Noman: "Noman Faces the Threat of the Amazing Vibraman"



Script: Bill Pearson
Pencils: John Giunta
Inks: Wally Wood
Colors: ?
Letters: ?

grade: B

Noman faces a villain whose abilities are a blatant rip-off of Marvel's Daredevil. However, we do get some excitement, especially as Noman's last android body is killed with him still inside of it! Of course, he manages to survive, but only by remaining inside the dying android's collapsing brain for days before a replacement android body can be completed and activated. Though it isn't explored in much depth, that's a pretty deep and terrifying concept.

Really, this story does two important things for Noman:

First, it finally acknowledges the absurdity of Noman ALWAYS having extra android bodies to fall back upon, with T.H.U.N.D.E.R. execs warning Noman at the start that he is down to his last two bodies, and then depicting those two bodies both getting destroyed. Of course, we learn at the end that, in fact, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. does roll out replacement bodies as regularly as we change clothes:



The other important contribution this story makes is that it continues to remind us that Noman is a sagely professor deep down by, once again, having him save the day with quick scientific thinking, this time realizing that a laser beam cannot fire into a vacuum. Actually, I'm pretty sure that's pseudo-scientific nonsense, but it still served to lend some degree of characterization to Noman (though he's still so darn wooden).

By the way, they also screwed up on this little detail:



I guess we forgot that, in the first issue, one of Noman's tactics was to use knock out gas on his opponents because, as an android, he doesn't breathe. Oops.



Dynamo: "The Menace of the Red Dragon"
Script: ?
Pencils: Wally Wood
Inks: Dan Adkins
Colors: ?
Letters: ?

grade: B-



Five months ahead of the launch of "Fight the Enemy," someone at Tower was eager to get in a Vietnam story, and so this issue takes on far more of a real-world feel, describing the morale issue America was experiencing in the Vietnam engagement with surprising honesty (though it's "Vietnesia"). Of course, this story then reduces and simplifies the problem to a single villain waging an anti-morale campaign against the South Vietnamese troops, enabling Dynamo to find an easy win here, beating the dude to a pulp while everyone on both sides watches in amazement.

I understand that Fight the Enemy had a reputation for pretty intense anti-Vietnamese racism. Not too much of that shows up here, though the Vietnamese (even the good ones on the American side) are painted an embarrassing shade of pale yellow. I guess this was still common at the time.

This story also introduces Agent Diana Dawn, rival with Alice Robbins for Dynamo's affection.



T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad: "Invaders from the Deep"
Script: Lou Silverstone
Pencils: Mike Sekowsky
Inks: Frank Giacoia
Colors: ?
Letters: ?

grade: B



This story was a major tease for me in that the team that's recently been showing up in everyone else's features goes against a mysterious race of green undersea mermen working for the Communists. "Lemurians!" I almost cried aloud -- they're bringing in a major element from UNDERSEA Agent, but nope. Even though these guys look EXACTLY the same as the Lemurians and serve EXACTLY the same interests, they are revealed to be the product of an escaped Nazi scientist's surgical experiments. Was there, perhaps, an original intent to reference UNDERSEA Agent that was later reversed? Just seems too coincidental.



The Lemurians (UNDERSEA Agent)




Not a Lemurian


This story proves to be more fun than the last two T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad outings, as the humor and dialogue feel far less forced; the story less derivative and fitting of a cliche pattern, but no real characterization comes across anymore than before, and there's still absolutely no mention of the random death of "Egghead" last issue.

Oh, another non-pc moment for Tower: did we really need the team dressing up in Asian Pacific black face for this story?



Not exactly a minstrel show, but it made me a tad uncomfortable all the same. I guess this wouldn't have been viewed as problematic in 1966.



Menthor: "Dynamo vs. Menthor"
Script: Lou Silverstone?
Pencils: Wally Wood
Inks: Dan Adkins
Colors: ?
Letters: ?

grade: A-



The first GOOD Menthor story -- and he isn't even in it!

This one finally explores an issue that's been presented to us (yet never meaningfully explored) since the first issue: Menthor used to be evil, so what do we make of that?

So, when we see him appear to revert to type, using his telepathic powers to control Dynamo and wreck havoc upon T.H.U.N.D.E.R., we know he hasn't really turned evil (well, I have to admit, I had my doubts as we drew close to the ending. Really, I began to wonder!), but the scenario invites us to consider exactly how far Menthor has moved away from his old ways. Is he a hero through and through, or is this still some small (perhaps unconscious) part of him that is capable of reverting to his old ways?

In the end, it's a surprising twist that could also be perceived as a cop-out: it isn't Menthor at all. His brother has replaced him, containing so evil a soul that even Menthor's helmet can't turn him good the way it did Menthor.

Hey, that brings up another question -- without his helmet, why will Menthor continue to be good when we meet him again next issue?

Because (sure enough) this is a two parter, with Menthor's brother now dead, and Dynamo now committed to finding the real Menthor.


Worth noting is that some key information is revealed about Menthor in this issue:

- His full name is Johnny Janus (we only had the last name before)

- In addition to the powers we knew about before, we're told on his summary page that he can teleport ().

- Also, on the summary page, no mention is made of the super strength he appeared to display at one point in the first issue.


By the way, is it sheer coincidence that the first Menthor story that Wally Wood was involved in was also the first good one?



As a final note, how odd to end this issue with two major cliffhangers (where will the subterraneans strike next? What happened to Menthor?) when your books are published on a bi-monthly schedule, and your comic is too new to be consistently appearing on a lot of spinner racks as well. I'd imagine a lot of readers first grabbing this third issue or the one that follows may have been turned off from reading further for just such a reason.

And, in fact, maybe that's why #4 is cover dated April 1966 instead of May.



Definitely my least favorite issue thus far, but the folks at Tower are clearly still working to develop their franchises, and I can at least respect that they aren't just churning out wooden adventures each month. They really seem committed to evolving their premises and storytelling.

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #4 (April 1966)




A lot falls apart in this issue, as continuity errors and story-telling gaffs abound, even while there are more attempts made to shake-up and improve upon the basic character concepts. In the letter column to this issue, we are told that



I take that to mean that no one was paying much attention to the writing beyond the writer involved. And, considering how frequently writers were being rotated on and off of this book, it's kind of amazing that there weren't more blatant problems than those found in this issue.


Dynamo: "Master of Evolution"

Script: Len Brown
Pencils: Dan Adkins; Wally Wood
Inks: Wally Wood
Colors: ?
Letters: ?

grade: C+




For literally the fourth issue in a row, Dynamo undergoes a complete personality change. In the first issue, he was a generic action hero. In the second, he was a timid everyman defined by his relationship to equally timid Alice Robbins and his demanding boss. In the third, he was arrogant, as defined by his relationship to Alice and a new rival, both competing for his affection, as well as the demanding boss that he generally ignored and talked back to.

Now, with the return of Len Brown this issue (still not positive he wasn't the writer last issue), Dynamo is timid again, but this time, instead of it being endearing, he's totally henpecked.

Exhibit 1: The rival love interest is nowhere to be seen, Dynamo and Alice are now apparently in a relationship, and Alice is overly demanding.



I mean, she works for T.H.U.N.D.E.R. too, and Dynamo just explained why he was being summoned away.


Exhibit 2: Instead of his boss being hard on him, Dynamo now does the guilt-laying for him.




Last issue, a sort of inner conflict was established for Dynamo at the beginning of the first story (in which his boss pointed out that he was nothing without his belt and could easily be replaced), and then resolved in the second Dynamo story (he ended up winning without the use of his belt). That format continues in this issue, when beautiful villainess Iron Maiden returns and throws herself at Dynamo, promising to rule the world with him.



His response is said jokingly, but also possesses an air of tragedy about it:



That the story then ends with his clear remorse at having rejected (and then lost) Iron Maiden, and his subsequent resentment of Alice is powerful.



I wonder if it will be explored further next issue, or if Dynamo will get a total character transplant again.


The story itself is utterly absurd, as Dr. Sparta, a paleontologist who is resentful at having been turned down for research grants, has found a way to create intelligent dinosaurs, as well as the world's first transporter device, and therefore quite logically decides to transport his dinosaurs into Times Square as revenge for how he was treated, while also robbing banks amidst the confusion to pay his bills. Yeah, how exactly does that work? Do you then open up a checking account with all that stolen money and hope the bank doesn't realize you're the guy with the dinosaurs?

I wonder if this story was partly inspired by Dell's Turok: Son of Stone, as the professor essentially resides in a "lost world" full of dinosaurs. Weirdly enough, after the professor is brought to justice, they decide to do the following with his land of living dinosaurs:



Wow. Jurassic Park in 1966.

And yes, Alice has apparently let herself into Dynamo's apartment, neither of them the least bit bothered that he is naked in bed. Man, that relationship moved fast!


Really, the only appeal of this story is getting to watch Dynamo pound dinosaurs, so here you go:





NoMan: "The Synthetic Stand-in"
Script: Steve Skeates
Pencils: Mike Sekowsky
Inks: Frank Giacoia
Colors: ?
Letters: ?

grade: C-




If you were looking for the return of the Subterraneans (you know, the major antagonist set up in the previous issue?), then you're fresh out of luck. Instead, each feature in this issue works to introduce a new villain, and most are pretty forgettable. This story attempts to set up Mastermind as the next major villain (what subterraneans? I don't know what you're talking about!) who has infiltrated T.H.U.N.D.E.R. with robotic doppelgangers at every level.

More importantly, the story, written by a new writer to NoMan with no previous familiarity with the character, tries to jazz up the concept and make it more accessible to the common reader.

Now NoMan has a ten minute limitation on how long he can stay invisible (What? Since when??) can expertly apply make-up so as to appear completely normal:



and gains a love interest:



Yes, inside he's a human 70+ year old dude. That's not going to be weird....


Really, there's nothing wrong with any of these concepts beyond the fact that they all feel imposed so forcibly, with no real respect for what was already making the character awesome. I joked above, but there's no indication given anywhere in this issue that Steve Skeates understands there's a professor in that android body. Unlike the previous issues, NoMan's dilemma does not require the use of his intellect at any point, and he generally is characterized as a generic action hero.

We do learn some interesting new facts about NoMan here:

1. He can only stay invisible for ten minutes at a time (I suspect that idea won't last beyond this one story)

2. He is super strong due to his android body (though, obviously, not invulnerable)

3. He feels no pain. Interesting but problematic concept if you really stop to consider it. When fighting, if he doesn't register pain sensations, wouldn't that make it difficult to process all that's going on?


A very forgettable story, and I found the ending particularly off-putting. Unlike the other features in this book, this story seems to actively avoid utilizing the other T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents in cameos. Thus, in the final panel, we seem to have Alice Robbins present (she seems to own only one top and skirt), but who the heck is the other guy that NoMan talks to as if we should know him? It really seems like Skeates was totally isolated from what was happening in the other features. Otherwise, it would have been a no-brainer to make this guy into Dynamo, or Guy from the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad:





"NoMan in Action" (1 page feature)
Pencils: Wally Wood
Inks: Wally Wood
Colors: ?
Letters: ?


Apparently, the text features are gone as of this issue, replaced by two single page comics. This one explains how NoMan's powers work. Nothing we didn't already know.



"The Origin of T.H.U.N.D.E.R." (1 page feature)
Script: ?
Pencils: Wally Wood
Inks: Wally Wood
Colors: ?
Letters: ?

Mostly information we already knew, though we're expressly told that




I suppose the strength of these two one page features is that it gives new readers an opportunity to get onboard. Along with that, subscriptions for both T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents and UNDERSEA Agent are offered for the first time this issue, as well as the opportunity to order back issues at cover price. Tower seems very aware here that their books weren't always getting consistent shelf space, and that potential readers were getting lost by not catching every issue.



Ten issues a year? I guess we're off the bi-monthly publishing schedule.




(interestingly enough, UNDERSEA Agent will last exactly long enough to fulfill the subscription offered above--lasting only through the sixth issue).



T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad: "The Deadly Dust"

Script: Steve Skeates
Pencils: Mike Sekowsky
Inks: Frank Giacoia
Colors: ?
Letters: ?

grade: D



Just as Steve Skeates attempted to jazz up the NoMan premise as of this issue, he's similarly brought in to give the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad a serious tune-up. The letter column concedes that



The column goes on to announce a change of format for the feature, in which the agents will be focused on individually each issue, but Skeates takes it further, turning Guy (the leader) into his own costumed superhero:



At first, the entire team is temporarily given the gift of super speed, but Guy is ultimately given a suit that will grant him super speed at will, and while this seems like a completely inorganic change for the feature that is also highly derivative of past superheroes, there is one interesting twist -- using the powers shortens his lifespan. That's actually pretty deep.

Unfortunately, it's a very badly written story. Check out this scene, which takes place literally moments after the Squad is summoned for a briefing:



"I'm sorry, what did you say, Kitten? Did you just speak for all of us on this one??"

Sure enough, exactly one panel later, without any preparation nor deliberation, the ray is fired, and they are granted super powers.

A five year old could have written this better.


It's impossible to tell from the ending of this story how the feature will be structured in the future. Will every issue feature the Squad trapped in an impossible situation until Lightening bails them out? Maybe they will be Lightening stories, with the Squad showing up for extra support?

It really would have been better to just lose the feature, replace it with a new character called Lightening, and keep the Squad in the background of the other features.



Dynamo: "The Return of the Iron Maiden"
Script: ?
Pencils: Reed Crandall
Inks: Wally Wood
Colors: ?
Letters: ?

grade: B-



My apologies for the graffiti on the scans. The original owner of this book only marked up this particular story. In fact, I'm intrigued by what he was trying to do. There's none of the typical stuff -- name on the book, messing with the artwork, etc. He seems to be specifically doing something with the text that I don't understand. I'd love any insights.

As for the story, though I've been avidly awaiting the return of the ambiguous villain with an awesome look, it's a true crime what's done with her here. She's just a lackey once again for a new criminal mastermind she has found, is quick to drop everything (including her pride) to throw herself at Dynamo, and then we get this great moment in super heroics, where she sacrifices her life for the man she just randomly decided she loves, and he not only doesn't try to stop her; he actually instructs her while she is doing it:



"...and fix me a sandwich while you're down there."


So that spells the end of Iron Maiden. At least the dude she was working for, Doctor Death, is visually interesting, even if his only real ability is a woefully under-explored power of illusion.




As mentioned earlier, this story does conclude with that powerful moment between Dynamo and Alice.



I suppose it's earned, and it's certainly powerful, but it still makes Dynamo come off like a d*ck in my book.


Also, minor detail:



NoMan goes on to explain that he's been invisible all day. So Steve Skeates' idea of limiting his invisibility to ten minutes at a time is apparently already out the window.




Menthor: "The Great Hypno"
Script: Lou Silverstone
Pencils: John Giunta
Inks: Dan Adkins
Colors: ?
Letters: ?

grade: D



Perhaps the clumsiest story of the lot, this one contradicts itself every way 'til Tuesday. It shows where Menthor has been since last issue and also adds the interesting new twist that, after continued use of his helmet, he can now use his powers without it, as well as sense its location. Nothing wrong with that, but everything else about this story goes horribly wrong.

For one, Menthor gets mind-controlled by a failed circus carny who then uses him to steal the helmet for him.

For another, the whole reason he was in this vulnerable spot is that he can only do one thing with his helmet at a time (thus a small group of ordinary criminals could overwhelm him), and over exertion of the helmet knocks him out and causes amnesia, yet when the circus carny dons the helmet, he can control the minds of leagues of soldiers at one time AND never loses consciousness nor his memory.

For another still, Menthor's past history as a villain gets completely omitted when he tells his backstory to the carny, and when the carny uses the helmet, it doesn't turn the carny good (as the helmet originally did for Menthor).

The story gets dumber still. Really, it does. Not worth exploring.

Suffice to say, the only positive contributions this story made to Menthor are that he can now use his powers without the helmet, and we finally get clear confirmation that he has telepathic powers (it was a gray area before).





Overall a VERY disappointing issue, though there were still moments of greatness. I'd really like to see more consistency across stories and issues, but it seems like Tower has no real interest in editing the book, so I suppose it all falls to Wally Wood -- the only real constant on this title.

These stories were some of Steve Skeates' earliest work. He got better.

And check that billboard in the first Dynamo splash - "A.G. Coleman presents Daniel Adkins in BNF BAILS OF MARS". Other than Dan Adkins' name, does the rest of it make sense to anyone?

I don't really blame him. It seems like he was brought in to shake up two properties with which he had no familiarity and told to keep the action moving -- the writing doesn't matter much anyway.



You know, I hadn't even noticed. WTF?

Maybe Bails signed his letter to them in such a way? The entire thing could be a shout-out to their most enthusiastic letter writers. None of those names appear in the letter columns by this point, but the large print format of their letter column only allowed two to three letters to be printed each issue, and those had to be pretty short.