Marvel Spotlight #27
In "Death Is the Symbionic Man!", writer Bill Mantlo and artist Jim Mooney deliver a gripping clash between Namor and Simon Ryker’s monstrous creation, the Symbiotic Man—a lifeless husk infused with stolen vitality and sent to devour the Sub-Mariner’s power. When the Symbiotic Man’s control is broken after Ryker’s death, the creature confronts its actions with remorse, restoring what it took before meeting its end. Cover by Gil Kane and Frank Giacoia captures the intensity of the moment, making this 1976 Marvel Spotlight issue a standout in the Sub-Mariner’s storied history.
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Simon Ryker creates a humanoid husk he calls the Symbiotic Man and sends it into the ocean to absorb lifeforms. He also sends it out to absorb the life essence of the Sub-Mariner so it can become a sentient powerful being. During the battle, Namor grabs a giant octopus the Symbiotic Man was using as a mount and throws it out of the water knocking Ryker's hovering ship out of the sky. The ship crashes killing Ryker and freeing the Symbiotic Man from his control. The Symbiotic Man apologizes for what it did to Namor and, after restoring the power he took from him, dies.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).