FELIX BRADIN

Real Name: Felix Bradin

Identity/Class: Human technology user (1950s era)

Occupation: Explorer/inventor

Group Membership: Explorers' Club (see comments)

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Harry Spahn

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mobile

First Appearance: Strange Tales I#66/4 (December, 1958)

Powers/Abilities: Although having no paranormal abilities, Bradin designed the midget submarine Wanderer--he hoped to use it to attain world-wide fame, by being the first man to make a non-stop underwater voyage around the world.

In order to build his submarine, Bradin had to partner with the wealthy Harry Spahn for financial backing. But when he found Spahn to be too overbearing, Bradin was convinced that he was trying to steal all the fame and glory for the voyage for himself; later, Bradin violently dissolved their partnership.

But after Bradin sailed away in the Wanderer alone, he diverted his journey to do some exploration on the side, only to become trapped in an "undersea cavern".

Height: 5' 10" (by approximation)
Weight: 170 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Gray (balding)

History:
(Strange Tales I#66/4 (fb) ) - The past of Felix Bradin is largely unrevealed, but three months earlier, he was at the Explorers' Club, where he made a presentation to his fellow members. Burdin planned to circumnavigate the globe non-stop in a midget submarine; but the other explorers scoffed at his idea and told him that the six month underwater voyage was impossible.

   Completely dejected, Bradin left the club, but Harry Spahn came running out after him. Spahn offered to finance the mission, under the condition that he could accompany Bradin; since it meant the fulfillment of his plans, Bradin agreed to the terms.

   On a remote Atlantic Ocean inlet, Bradin and Spahn began to secretly build the Wanderer; but as the midget sub began to take shape, so did Bradin's misgivings about Harry Spahn--Bradin thought that Spahn was acting like the mission was his idea, and he was always bossing Bradin around as if he were just a laborer.

   The two continued their work on the project, and Spahn's decisive directness in getting things done caused the Wanderer to be finished three weeks later. After an initial submersion test, the submarine was provisioned with supplies, and Spahn scheduled their trip to start a 6:00 AM the next morning. But Bradin was regretting ever partnering with the millionaire--he thought that once they were in the sub, Spahn would be giving him all the orders, and then take all the credit for himself.

   Very early the next morning, Bradin was sneaking away, so he could make the voyage by himself; but the floorboards creaked and accidentally awoke Spahn. When Spahn asked him where he was going, Bradin angrily lashed out and punched Spahn on the jaw, then responded that he was taking the Wanderer out alone.

   As Bradin climbed aboard the submarine, the stunned millionaire came out to the dock and pleaded with Bradin not to go without him, but Bradin only responded that nobody was going to steal the fame and glory from him. Then Bradin closed the hatch, and the Wanderer submerged beneath the waters.

   Bradin set a course to the open sea, and he grinned in self-satisfaction as he thought of how his name would soon be in every newspaper in the world. But then the sub's video scanner showed what appeared to be the opening to some huge underwater cavern. Overwhelmed with curiosity--and since he had plenty of time for some side exploration--Bradin guided the Wanderer into the undersea opening.

   Oddly, the underwater passage kept going upward, and there was too much encrustation for Bradin to tell whether it was a natural tunnel, or man-made. Suddenly, the midget sub entered what appeared to be the cavern, but the walls were of smooth plate-steel...then a large valve door closed behind it, trapping the Wanderer within.

(Strange Tales I#66/4) - As Bradin wondered where he was, the water started to swirl and recede out of the "cavern," until the Wanderer was beached. Bradin got out of the sub to investigate his predicament--he found that the valve door was locked tight. Finding no way out, he futilely pounded his fists on the "cavern" walls, wondering what the dank, clammy place was.

   Exhausted, Felix Bradin sank to his knees in remorse--he regretted not letting Harry Spahn come with him, because Spahn's direct approach to the expedition would have never allowed for any side explorations.

   The panicking Bradin returned to the Wanderer--he had six months' provisions in the sub to keep him alive...until they were gone...but what then? Was he doomed to die in the mysterious prison?

   Ironically, Bradin was unaware that the "undersea cavern" was actually the holding-tank of the Marineland Exhibit at an ocean-side amusement park, which was being closed down for a month...

Comments: Created by an unidentified writer and Al Eadeh.

The name of the organization was mentioned in a caption as "Explorers' Club" (with apostrophe).

This 4-page story--It Waits Under the Sea!--left Bradin's final fate unrevealed--although he had enough supplies to last him for the month's shut-down, he had no idea how long he'd be trapped there. Maybe the isolation eventually drove him insane...

Profile by Ron Fredricks.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Felix Bradin has no known connections to:

The Wanderer has no known connections to:

The "undersea cavern"/Marineland Exhibit holding-tank has no known connections to:

Wanderer

A midget submarine designed by Felix Bradin, it was apparently capable of making a non-stop underwater voyage around the world. Its source of power was unrevealed. It was equipped with a video scanner, and it was stocked with six months' provisions. It could accommodate up to two individuals.

The sub was built by the partnership of Bradin and millionaire Harry Spahn, who financially backed the project.

But when Bradin piloted the Wanderer alone, the vessel eventually became beached inside the Marineland Exhibit holding-tank at an ocean-side amusement park.

--Strange Tales I#66/4

"undersea cavern"

When Felix Bradin began piloting his midget submarine for a non-stop voyage around the world, he saw an undersea tunnel, so he decided to explore it. The tunnel led upwards into what appeared to be a large undersea cavern.

But as the submarine cut through the water into the "cavern," a large valve door closed behind it, and the waters receded. Bradin investigated his predicament, only to find himself trapped in a plate-steel prison.

Unbeknownst to Bradin, the "cavern" was actually an enclosed holding-tank for fish at an Atlantic Ocean-side amusement park--park workers Al and Ed had just sealed and drained the water from the tank, to close it down for a month.

--Strange Tales I#66/4

images: (without ads)
Strange Tales I#66/4, p4, pan3 (Main Image - Felix Bradin)
Strange Tales I#66/4, p1, pan2 (Headshot - Felix Bradin)
Strange Tales I#66/4, p1, pan3 (Felix Bradin, presenting his plans at Explorers' Club)
Strange Tales I#66/4, p4, pan5 (trapped inside Marineland Exhibit holding-tank, Felix Bradin regrets his decisions)
Strange Tales I#66/4, p2, pan4 (Wanderer docked in ocean; Harry Spahn and Felix Bradin (background) )
Strange Tales I#66/4, p3, pan5 (Wanderer being navigated into "undersea cavern" by Felix Bradin)
Strange Tales I#66/4, p3, pan7 (Wanderer entering Marineland Exhibit holding-tank, as valve door closes)
Strange Tales I#66/4, p4, pan7 (amusement park workers Al and Ed close down Marineland Exhibit holding-tank)

Appearances:
Strange Tales I#66/4 (December, 1958) - unidentified writer, Al Eadeh (pencils and inks), Joe Rosen (letters), Stan Lee (editor)

First Posted: 01/05/2020
Last updated: 01/05/2020

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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