In The Midst Of Life...! The Way To Dusty Death! Having defeated Namor in battle, Attuma, Dr. Dorcas and Tiger Shark are unaware that Dr. Doom has been watching the battle through a spy camera installed in a robotic fish. When Joe Jennings manages to escape the villains, they decide he's not worth going after. Tiger Shark finds Doom's spy-fish, dismisses it as insignificant and destroys it.
Deciding it would be in his best interest to save the Sub-Mariner, Dr. Doom takes a rocket from Latveria to Hydrobase to confront the foes himself. There he tangles with Octo-Meks piloted by Attuma's army, and makes short work of them. He notices that he's being spied upon by Betty Dean, who also has avoided capture and confronts her about the goings on at the Hydrobase.
Betty brings Doom to the central building where Attuma, Dorcas, and Tiger Shark have the Sub-Mariner shackled. When they confront the foes, Namor tries to break free when Betty is slapped in the face by Dorca's. When Dorcas tries to shoot Namor with a laser rifle, Betty Dean throws herself in the way of the weapon.. In shock and horror, Namor breaks free and goes to the woman's side. He is furious to find that yet another woman he loved has been killed by his foes.
