4th Namor the Sub-Mariner Advent Calendar

[Reviresco]

12 Days to Christmas








Sub-Mariner #37 variant
by Sal Buscema
Cover Date May 1971

Sal Buscema is one of the underrated artists amongst comic fans, but he did an amazing amount of work at Marvel. Namor fans especially were fortunate enough to see a lot of his work, as not only did he have a run on Namor's own book, but he also had an even longer run on the early issues of the Defenders. He even did one of the first Invaders covers with Avengers #71.

Most of Sal's Namor covers were like a straightforward splash page or expanded panel. This one, however, had more of a design quality, more like a movie poster employing the split face motif -- with contrasting lighting that gave it a layer of psychological drama. And of course, it illustrated the central conflict of the story inside. Yet Namor fans also understood, this was also one of the central traits of Namor himself. Because he is both of the land and the sea, he will always be in conflict both between those two worlds and within himself. It's why I think writers trying to 'fix' or explain Namor's temper, don't quite understand one of his central concepts.

Besides all that, this cover will always be one of Namor's most memorable for me, because it is the issue where Lady Dorma dies. : (