Not that I want to assume what exactly artists' views were just by their art, but seeing as how even creators like Stan Lee and Jack Kirby showcased characters like Whitewash Jones, it definitely gives an idea as to how mindful they would have been over this sort of stuff.
Whatever the case, I suppose it's worth noting that some of the last comics Everett worked on was Sub-Mariner #53 and #55 ( 1972), which contrasts Namor with Sunfire, a Japanese mutant who held a grudge against the Americans for nuclear bombing Japan. Along with the other, I think goes to show how far Namor came as a character since the old days.
Last edited by Electricmastro; 12-08-2019 at 05:38 PM.
Did anyone get upset how Marvel ended ultimate Namor?Introduced as boss power level super hero. Was suspected by Reed Richards, one of the smartest geniuses on earth, to bring ultimatum.
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Last edited by Thane; 12-08-2019 at 06:00 PM.
There are plenty Asian heroes in Marvel lore like some have pointed out. I think Wong just doesn't knows enough Marvel Comics. I honestly never thought of Namor as Asian until I started hearing this debate on the internet. I remember reading Shang Chi and then seeing Sunfire in the X-Men when I was a kid and those two are pretty recognizable. Shang Chi is even getting a film before Namor.
Benedict Wong used to collect Marvel comics and read them growing up. He says so in a few interviews over the years that Spider-Man was his favorite.
It's in Namor's comics that he passes as Asian not just in the golden age and people have noticed, but this doesn't mean he is from Asia or as strict ties to it like other Asian heroes.
linkBenedict Wong: I use to collect a lot of Marvel Comics. I was always a big Spider-Man fan. My 3 go to comics were like “Amazing Spider-man”, Spider-man 1, Spider-man…So I would always be at a Comic Book Store in Manchester and just be mining through these stories til you get sort of chucked out.
linkBenedict Wong: Well, you know, Spider-Man was my guy. And Peter Parker, Spectacular Spider-Man, Amazing Spider-Man, Web of Spider-Man number one copy I own.
As I said before Namor doesn't have to be Asian, he is half white/half "other" that is most definitely not white. Even Saladin Ahmed a marvel writer pointed this out.
Everyone has their own views, you may not see Namor as anything but white but others do. The question here is: "Is Namor meant to be Asian", no he isn't, he may look Asian but his character is not tied to it the same way others like Shang Chi is. There's other examples in the comics, Hank calling Namor "squinty", Namor donning a Japanese uniform without having to "change his face" and still being mistaken for being Japanese. I believe Namor is biracial, and the Atlanteans are POC coded imo, and that Atlanteans are made up of a mix of people otherwise they would not have been able to seamlessly integrate into the surface world at the end of the sub-mariner 2007 series when Namor had them leave the ocean en mass to prevent them being held under government rule. However as I said before I would be ok with an actor like Momoa who is biracial to play Namor, but it's not up to me, I was just providing evidence from the comics and others who share this view.
Last edited by ImperiusWrecked; 12-08-2019 at 08:38 PM.
"No one should ever question where my allegiance lies." - Namor of Atlantis
Most definitely not white, as in blue, literally. The Atlanteans are not made up of a bunch of races, they are one race. The Initiative miniseries only makes sense if the Atlanteans are literally in disguise as human races. Having a bunch of different races that all look exactly the same when in their natural state makes zero sense. We're not talking about a modern cosmopolitan London or NYC, we're talking about a people that have been on their own in isolation for some thousands of years and were a distinct race for thousands of years before that. An offshoot of the original Atlanteans went off on their own and eventually became the Lemurians and they actually look different. I would imagine there are a few others, maybe including whatever the barbarian peoples are made up of.
Last edited by Doombot; 12-08-2019 at 09:59 PM.
Perhaps Wong knows more about Marvel Comics that I thought but still his wish that Namor was Asian doesn't makes the character Asian.
Its my opinion and I know we don't share it but I must say I don't think the Asian connection can be attributed because in the comics, characters very sporadically, have pointed out that he has slanted eyes. If it was intended by Everett, Stan Lee or any of the other Namor creators there would have been elements from the oriental culture, so rich in images, myths, alphabet, architecture etc. that the comic should have used in the character's 80 years of existence and nothing of the sort has ever been brought but a mere physical attribute that is not even exclusive of Asian people like his eyes being slanted. Namor even had red hair for awhile. While the Roman and Greek cultures have been part of the character mythos.
Completely off current topic, but does anyone know if Meranno died or survived into modern times?
Meranno was featured in the New Invaders series, and in the 9th issue he was taken by Namor to stand trial in Atlantis for his crimes and I believe that is the final chronological modern time Meranno was mentioned. He does show up in other Invaders series as flashbacks etc. even in the rise of the black panther #2 issue, that I think was the last time we saw him but it was in a flashback.
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"No one should ever question where my allegiance lies." - Namor of Atlantis
Will try to read through all the posts in the next day or two. However, I will point out that Everett never intended that Namor be connected to the Atlantis mythos -- that's why he called Namor's people Sub-Mariners and put them beneath Antarctica. Everett was inspired by the polar expeditions, and given his take on the Sub-Mariners, as suffering decimation with their contact with "white men / Americans," it's possible they were also inspired by the Inuit. And Everett would have been acquainted with Native Americans from the time he spent in Arizona in his teens.
So, the Atlantean / European connection, didn't occur until the Silver Age -- other than Namor's name and ankle wings, of course.
Namor the Sub-Mariner, Marvel's oldest character, will have been published for 85 years in 2024. So where's my GOOD Namor anniversary ongoing, Marvel?
Happy Monday! And some of the best Namor original art by some of the greatest artists in comics: