Namor the Sub-Mariner Appreciation 2019

[Doombot]

The only way to root a new supporting cast, a lasting one, is an ongoing. We all know that's beating a dead horse around here, but that's the only way. Until then Namor will either be forever relegated to guest-star or himself a supporting character and all fans will have to hold on to is those old dead characters from the past like Dorma.

[Reviresco]

The only way to root a new supporting cast, a lasting one, is an ongoing. We all know that's beating a dead horse around here, but that's the only way. Until then Namor will either be forever relegated to guest-star or himself a supporting character and all fans will have to hold on to is those old dead characters from the past like Dorma.

Exactly!

But it would have to be multiple ongoings, as Marvel keeps rebooting series, chasing those ever diminishing #1 sales numbers. That's why I was ... a bit annoyed that some characters get repeated chances at ongoings, and Namor gets one chance a decade, it seems.

Though I admit, I will probably hold onto Lady Dorma forever ... cause Marvel suxs at giving Namor an enduring love interest of his own. ;p

[ImperiusWrecked]

That hit the nail on the head, without an ongoing, without a solo, without a writer who cares and is willing to put in the effort into world building and creating a whole entire ocean's worth of recurring cast and plot lines that are focused on Atlantis and not whatever the surface is doing then we really can't do much. I want to finally see Namor reunite with Nita, he felt very responsible for her death and Namora hasn't seen her daughter either, and both characters grieved for her. Old enemies like Attuma, TigerShark need to come back as enemies, and his old adviser friend Vashti needs to be brought out of limbo.

(I do worry about offending you Doombot and others sometimes because I have had to reel in my enthusiasm in the past, I simply love this character and know he could have so better than what he is getting now.)

Honestly if Marvel did give Namor a team up I would want Doctor Doom and Namor to be in it, they had a wonderful dynamic and just imagine all the shenanigans they would get up to. lol

[Doombot]

There's just nothing quite like a good ol' Namor and Doom team up. One of the most entertaining frenemies in comics.

I do miss both Attuma and Tigershark, they just need someone to reintroduce and rebuild them with respect.

[ImperiusWrecked]

Exactly!

But it would have to be multiple ongoings, as Marvel keeps rebooting series, chasing those ever diminishing #1 sales numbers. That's why I was ... a bit annoyed that some characters get repeated chances at ongoings, and Namor gets one chance a decade, it seems.

Though I admit, I will probably hold onto Lady Dorma forever ... cause Marvel suxs at giving Namor an enduring love interest of his own. ;p

If Marvel was smart they would keep one writer/creative team on a book for at least two years (I would want five or more) but the writers and artists change out so often these days, books keep rebooting, events happen every other month and pull in characters and writers have to stop what they are doing to accommodate them.

Marvel keeps making new characters (which is not a bad thing) but they seem to do it more to draw in customers with a shiny new character, like: "LOOK here is a new character, buy their book and learn about them!" While ignoring the older ones completely.

[ImperiusWrecked]

There's just nothing quite like a good ol' Namor and Doom team up. One of the most entertaining frenemies in comics.

I do miss both Attuma and Tigershark, they just need someone to reintroduce and rebuild them with respect.

I LOVE DOOM & NAMOR! lol, they are so entertaining and doom is my second fave male character for marvel. I think a good reintroduction of Namor's rogues is sorely needed.

[nj06]

There's just nothing quite like a good ol' Namor and Doom team up. One of the most entertaining frenemies in comics.

I do miss both Attuma and Tigershark, they just need someone to reintroduce and rebuild them with respect.

I agree about Attuma. I know he hasn't been a serious threat in a long time, but I would love for a writer to pull him out from limbo and really showcase all of his potential.

[Doombot]

I agree about Attuma. I know he hasn't been a serious threat in a long time, but I would love for a writer to pull him out from limbo and really showcase all of his potential.

Yeah, this is a man that should be utterly terrifying. The nigh-unstoppable steppe nomads with high tech weaponry and Attuma himself being someone who can knock Namor around in his own element. The entire ocean should be afraid of this guy.

[nj06]

Yeah, this is a man that should be utterly terrifying. The nigh-unstoppable steppe nomads with high tech weaponry and Attuma himself being someone who can knock Namor around in his own element. The entire ocean should be afraid of this guy.

Agreed 100%. Attuma's military might and combat skills need to get some more attention and respect.

[Reviresco]

I agree about Attuma. I know he hasn't been a serious threat in a long time, but I would love for a writer to pull him out from limbo and really showcase all of his potential.

Attuma was a threat in Fear Itself ... though it wasn't really him, but Nekkod.

But at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if Attuma actually got a book before Namor. He's certainly got more general public recognition, since the animated shows are using him as a stand-in for Namor. I can find Attuma in sticker books and coloring books, but I've NEVER seen Namor in such.

[Reviresco]

Yeah, this is a man that should be utterly terrifying. The nigh-unstoppable steppe nomads with high tech weaponry and Attuma himself being someone who can knock Namor around in his own element. The entire ocean should be afraid of this guy.

Agreed 100%. Attuma's military might and combat skills need to get some more attention and respect.

I'm not so sure about the high tech weaponry. They are barbarians. But they HAVE been a problem for the Atlanteans. In fact, they've taken Atlantis over a time or two.

And of course, if SOMEONE would follow up on that Doctor Doom alliance with Attuma, we could get a trifecta of awesomeness!

[ImperiusWrecked]

I often feel the reason Namor wont be found in some merch (besides marvel ignoring/disliking him) is because Universal (that I last saw rumored) still has distribution rights, like the Hulk, Namor can only appear in group movie. Also Universal and Disney still have that thing about the superheroes in their parks in Florida, Namor is featured over their bathrooms in Universal and Disney can't even feature any superheroes in the Florida park but can in the California one, I read once something about it being a rights issue or an older deal? Either way, Universal could still make money off Namor. So like what Marvel/Disney did with FF just before the 2015 movie was announced/came out they canceled the longest running comic team they had, and pulled the FF book from the shelves, and only now returned them when it was clear they were getting the FF back.

It all comes down to Marvel thinking: Why should we invest in Namor if another theme park/company will reap the rewards?

Most of what I say is just me speculating, and we won't know exactly where those rights really stand until its said officially.

A friend (a cap fan who worked in finances and kept an eye on Disney reports) once told me that Disney doesn't care about the comics, the comics make pennies compared to merch. The whole point of the movies is to make the merch, (toys, clothes) and it is money of course, and things like a Captain America tshirt if sold at $12 a piece min. make more in a month than comics do.

[Oberon]

Best way to look at their relationship as it was, or merely only 'might have been'.

The idea of Namor mostly shown in connection to strong women is rather cool and something that many of us have hit on. In a way, Namor has become, or always was, this kind of archetype of an unsubdued and intense romantic person. I don't know what else to call it or how to define. It is actually the thing that drives my own interest in Namor more than anything. He is a sort of eternal Yin to various women's Yang.

And that is why he can never be happy. It is sort of the "Moonlighting" thing ('80s era TV show with Bruce Willis) or most soap operas. Once the romantic tension is broke by consummation of the love, the story is basically over.

I realize a lot of folks get a lot of other things about Namor - and I do too - I love all the Atlantean culture and protocol stuff. I love the idea of seeing an underwater version of the John Carter on Mars kind of society. I would love to see continued story updates or decent revisions of Namor's past - filling in the expanding time line.

But I think Namor, as he relates to women, as the 'other', a protagonist or antagonist in affairs of men and women but really old fashioned in his view of women - this is a part of Namor I want to keep seeing. (but no going 'there' with Sue, please. I'm okay with realistic adventures - whatever happened to those old, ancient Atlanteans and their story with Sue, from Hickman?)

[Reviresco]

There are plenty of feels in this issue of Invaders. But thankfully, not any HUGE retcons. I'm not so happy that they are trying to cement in the decades of Namor's disappearance -- and I totally disagree with Zdarsky that he would abandon his duties for that long.

Butch Guice's Namor is wondeful!

More later!

[ImperiusWrecked]

There are plenty of feels in this issue of Invaders. But thankfully, not any HUGE retcons. I'm not so happy that they are trying to cement in the decades of Namor's disappearance -- and I totally disagree with Zdarsky that he would abandon his duties for that long.

Butch Guice's Namor is wondeful!

More later!

As I said in the Invaders thread, I also don't think Namor spent his whole time with the petersons, not the first time at least, and that he visited them often maybe. As for the second time, I think Namor would wander, he rarely is content to stay in one place for so long. It's why he keeps going to the surface or Atlantis depending on his mood. However another theory I have is that maybe the lingering effects of Destiny's mind control would keep Namor away from Atlantis, like he would feel compelled to return to land/new york each time he entered the ocean.

Best way to look at their relationship as it was, or merely only 'might have been'.

The idea of Namor mostly shown in connection to strong women is rather cool and something that many of us have hit on. In a way, Namor has become, or always was, this kind of archetype of an unsubdued and intense romantic person. I don't know what else to call it or how to define. It is actually the thing that drives my own interest in Namor more than anything. He is a sort of eternal Yin to various women's Yang.

And that is why he can never be happy. It is sort of the "Moonlighting" thing ('80s era TV show with Bruce Willis) or most soap operas. Once the romantic tension is broke by consummation of the love, the story is basically over.

I realize a lot of folks get a lot of other things about Namor - and I do too - I love all the Atlantean culture and protocol stuff. I love the idea of seeing an underwater version of the John Carter on Mars kind of society. I would love to see continued story updates or decent revisions of Namor's past - filling in the expanding time line.

But I think Namor, as he relates to women, as the 'other', a protagonist or antagonist in affairs of men and women but really old fashioned in his view of women - this is a part of Namor I want to keep seeing. (but no going 'there' with Sue, please. I'm okay with realistic adventures - whatever happened to those old, ancient Atlanteans and their story with Sue, from Hickman?)

Basically forgotten? It wasn't brought up again as far as I know. I agree that Namor is one of the few remaining characters who still embodies the Byronic Romantic age ideals, tragdey and love go hand in hand with Namor and he often loves the pursuit. I do think he could make a good partner, but the whole reason why Dorma was killed was so that Namor would never be happy, Marvel doesn't want Namor to settle, and his whole character is 'caught between worlds with no safe place to be'. Also other than Reed and Sue; marriages in comics are often cut short, retconned (*cough* spider man *cough*) or forgotten, like Marinna and Namor.

I often call Namor, an Undersea Romeo, he is love with the idea of love but has very little experience being in a committed relationship.