LAVARITES

Classification: Extraterrestrial humanoid race (WWII era)

Location/Base of Operations: Planet Venus (Earth's solar system)

Known Members: Jarna (Queen)

Affiliations: Nazi Army, Navy and collaborators (Joseph and others)

Enemies: U.S.A., Namor the Sub-Mariner

First Appearance: Marvel Mystery Comics#25/2 (November, 1941)

Powers/Abilities: Male Lavarites seemed to possess strength and agility superior to those of a normal human being if he was one foot tall. They could jump as high as 3 times their own height, and as long as 8 times their height. Their chatting seemed like children's voices to Namor's ears.
    The only female seen was very similar to a human female in size and proportions.
    How that all works out for reproduction, etc. is left to speculation.

    All the Lavarites could breath and live underwater as well as humans can live on surface, and they swum as naturally as a human being walked.

Traits: The Lavarites were ruled by a Queen. Their language was different from any other spoken on Earth (see comments).

Type: Humanoid
Eyes: Two
Fingers: Four (plus opposable thumb)
Toes: Five
Skin color: Pink (human Caucasian tone)
Average height: (Males) 1'; (females) 5'5" (only Jarna was seen)

History: (Marvel Mystery Comics#26/2 (fb) - BTS) - The Lavarites were a tribe which lived on planet Venus and their Queen was Jarna.
    Their technology level enabled their army travel to Earth, where Jarna wanted to discover what possibilities of conquer were.
   
    Their first journey to Earth saw them arrive when Adolf Hitler was already the uncontested leader of Germany. Studying the political situation of Earth, Queen Jarna devised a plan of conquer involving the United States of America. She managed to convince Adolf Hitler of her loyalty, planning the invasion through a sub-marine citadel near the U.S. East Coast, but she didn't reveal her final goal: After Hitler had conquered the U.S.A. she planned to turn the Lavarite army against Germany.

(Marvel Mystery Comics#25/2) - The Lavarites settled underwater in the Atlantic Ocean, using their rocket-ships as bases, near the East Coast of Florida. From there they began sabotage missions. Jarna also settled on the surface in a old Spanish-style house, together with a Nazi spy and some collaborators.

    Even though nocturnal, the missions of the Lavarite army did not pass completely undetected. A writer wrote a fictional novel where a an invasion from Venus was led by a Queen and its soldiers reached Earth by a space rocket.
   
    The sea base from which the Lavarites operated was in the coastal region where Betty Dean, Luther Robbins and Lynne Harris were spending their holidays in a cottage. These three, who were Namor's friends, had noticed something strange. They failed to convince the Police to look into the matter, so they convinced Namor to investigate.

    The first night that Namor investigated, he overheard the one-foot tall Lavarites gladly chatting, swimming out of the sea. Hiding, Namor could watch dozens of Lavarites sneaking into an airplane factory. He recognized a sabotage action but also saw the little humanoids stealing some little boxes. The Lavarites went back to the undersea cave where they hid, unaware of Namor.
    They fired the explosives they had stolen and freed a part of a rocket ship that was under the rocks.

    Shortly later, their Queen, Jarna, went to meet them, and they reported the results of the mission. Jarna left but the Sub-Mariner followed her.

    Namor thusly learned where the Queen lived, and he sneaked into the old house to get more intel. However, Jarna had guessed his motives, and a trap was ready for one who was believed to be a normal human being. The Nazy spy and the butlers were ready to welcome him. They tangled with Namor, but Jarna immediately realized that he was too strong for them and tried to flee. Namor grabbed her, provoking the attack of the Lavarites platoon hidden in the house. Their little spears did not hurt Namor, but their cables entangled him. Namor decided not to show his powers, successfully deceiving them. Jarna and the butlers transported Namor to the sea, where Jarna believed they drowned the man.

     Unbeknownst to Jarna, the Sub-Mariner was alive and kicking. He easily broke the cables and followed her to the Lavarite hideout where he destroyed the underwater cave, scattered the Lavarites, and captured Jarna.

    A few hours later, an enormous Lavarite space rocket ship jumped out the ocean and pointed to the stars...

(Marvel Mystery Comics#26/2 (fb) - BTS) - ...but left Jarna on Earth to push on her plans.

Comments: Created by Bill Everett.

    The space rocket that left Earth was enormous, thus it could transport a high number of Lavarites. However, the little rocket freed from the explosives was still underwater. Considering that Jarna lied to Namor about her leaving, it seems logical that she lied further and that other Lavarites stayed on Earth, under water.

    Lavarite language contained some sounds that seemed German ("EINSCHLOESSEN", "MEINEN", "BLITZEN") and others that seemed English terms willingly mangled ("LOKKON"=look on?, "GIMMET"=give me it?). Namor, who claimed to have learned all the languages of the world, did not understand it.

Profile by Spidermay.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Lavarites should not be confused with:

• The green-skinned Venusian criminals who followed George Mulford on Earth to loot Barbuda, vanquished by Sub-Mariner--Daring Comics#10/1
• the Venusians that sent thinking Robotmen on Earth, under the South Pacific, to prepare the invasion, eventually defeated by Namor--Young Men#24/3
• Lava Men - race of Subterraneans, originally were Gor-Tokians mutated by the demon Cha’sa’dra--Journey into Mystery I#97

and have no known connections to:

• the Venusian subjects of Queen Alura, attacked by the Red Star Man and saved by the Human Torch (Jim Hammond)--Human Torch Comics#35
• the Venusian and his race that protected Earth from the Martians--Strange Tales I#78
  
• the green-skinned Venusian Treens, devoted to science and conquest--Sensational She-Hulk#6
• the Venusian Overlords related to the pink-furred Venusian helped by Jimmy Woo to retrieve his own alien power reactor--Marvel's Voices - Identity#1/3
• other Venusians...see the extensive listing here.
  
• or any other characters with similar names.

images: (without ads)
Marvel Mystery Comics#25/2, p4, pan1 (Lavarite soldiers on the beach)
Marvel Mystery Comics#25/2, p10, pan1 (the Lavarites tangling with Namor)
Marvel Mystery Comics#25/2, p12, pan6 (the big space rocket)

Appearances:
Marvel Mystery Comics#25/2 (November, 1941) - Bill Everett (writer, art and lettering)

First Posted: 03/25/2023
Last updated: 03/26/2023

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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