Namor75: Namor the Sub-Mariner Readathon

[Reviresco]

Namor the Sub-Mariner is AWESOME!

Sadly, it appears the folks at Marvel have forgotten this, as well as a number of comic fans, which is even more disappointing in Namor's 75th anniversary year. Since Marvel is slacking, I've decided to do my own 75th anniversary celebration of Marvel's iconic first superhero! Starting with ...

I'm going to read and review every appearance of Namor the Sub-Mariner!!!

Okay, almost every appearance. I thought about reading every appearance since Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 (75 years ago) but decided that might be far too much Golden Age goodness for most folks on this board. Plus there's lots that hasn't been reprinted from that era, so I don't have it. Instead, I'll start with Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 and Marvel Comics #1 and then skip ahead to the Silver Age, and Fantastic Four #4. So ….

I'm going to read and review every appearance of Namor the Sub-Mariner from FF #4!!!

Feel free to comment or join the Namor75 Readathon at any point. If you have a favorite issue you'd like to review just let me know. Please. Let me know.

[Reviresco]

THE ISSUES

GOLDEN AGE	SILVER AGE
Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1	Fantastic Four #4
Marvel Comics #1	Fantastic Four #6
Marvel Mystery Comics #2	Fantastic Four #9
Marvel Mystery Comics #3	Strange Tales #107
Marvel Mystery Comics #4	Fantastic Four #14
Marvel Mystery Comics #5	Fantastic Four Annual #1
Marvel Mystery Comics #6	Avengers #3
Marvel Mystery Comics #7	Avengers #4
Marvel Mystery Comics #8	Fantastic Four #27
Marvel Mystery Comics #9	Uncanny X-Men #6
Marvel Mystery Comics #10	Strange Tales #125
Marvel Mystery Comics #11	Fantastic Four #33
Marvel Mystery Comics #12	Strange Tales #127
Marvel Mystery Comics #13	Journey Into Mystery #112
Human Torch #2 -9.25	Daredevil #7
Marvel Mystery Comics #14	Avengers #16
Marvel Mystery Comics #15	Tales to Astonish #70
Marvel Mystery Comics #16 -12.10
Human Torch #3 -12.10
Marvel Mystery Comics #17
Marvel Mystery Comics #18
Sub-Mariner #1 -3.1	Jun, Sep, Dec, Mar
Marvel Mystery Comics #19
Human Torch #4 -3.
Marvel Mystery Comics #20
Marvel Mystery Comics #21
All Winners #1 -5.20	Aug, Nov, Feb, May
Sub-Mariner #2 -6.
Marvel Mystery Comics #22
Human Torch #5a -6.
Marvel Mystery Comics #23
Marvel Mystery Comics #24
All Winners #2 ?
Marvel Mystery Comics #25

[Reviresco]

THE FACTS



THE FEATS



THE FIRSTS

First comicbook anti-hero

First superhero to fly

First comicbook royalty

First aquatic superhero

First team up / crossover appearance (with Original Human Torch) that created the concept of a shared Marvel Universe

[Trident]

Lol

Awesome thread!

I believe you can First ruler/Prince superhero and first Aquatic Super hero to the list as well to the list.

That's right without Namor concept like Aquaman,Thor, Black Panther, Black Bolt and so on may not exist.

[dzub]

THE FACTS



THE FEATS



THE FIRSTS

First comicbook anti-hero

First superhero to fly

He was in the first ever crossover in comics
and the first to appear in x men,avengers and fantastic four!

[Darth Phoenix]

Universal needs to make a movie with him before he turns 80.

[Trident]

.....do you want scans for the thread or are you just doing a review type deal? I have tons of Namor stuff saved on a hard drive somewhere that would make newbies do a double take.

[Reviresco]

I'm so glad to see some folks interested! Thanks for the additions to the FACTS, FEATS, FIRSTS feature. Keep them coming! And hopefully I'll have the first review up today.

Universal needs to make a movie with him before he turns 80.

Agree entirely. Anthony Wheeler at Comics Alliance got it completely right.

Five Reasons Why Universal Needs to Hurry Up and Make a Namor Movie

I can't believe Aquaman is beating Namor to the big screen ... especially since Jason Momoa would make a better Namor than Aquaman.

.....do you want scans for the thread or are you just doing a review type deal? I have tons of Namor stuff saved on a hard drive somewhere that would make newbies do a double take.

Oh, yes! I'd love to have scans! I've got a few sources and scans of my own, but certainly not everything. Your images would be a great addition. Thank you!

[Hypestyle]

I can't wait for Marvel to regain the exclusive rights to Namor. I'm not onboard with Universal or Fox getting the nod. I don't see much of any kind of Submarinerverse being spun off of him. Best to return him home.

[Darth Phoenix]

Not just Namor, the whole Atlantis could be amazing, how it sank (deviants,Celestals,Eternals,)How they grew as an Underwater Empire,How will the relgion of Neptune play out. so Many possiblites cut out of the Marvel universe till Namor returns to Disney.

[Reviresco]

Thanks to Thor-El and Coldwater, and the gang in the Namor Appreciation thread, this project is going to be revived! Break out your Namor comics, the fun is about to start!

If you don't have one of the few copies of Motion Picture Funnies lying around, here is some who does, and kindly posted pics.

http://boards.collectors-society.com...6&#Post3529486

Marvel Comics 1 has been reprinted numerous times, including in the Marvel Masterworks Sub-Mariner vol. 1. But if you don't have a copy, you can watch this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqjxyjnuX6M

[Thor-El]

And here is my first post, its April 1939 and the first TV opened in the World Fair with President Franklin Roosevelt, we could only dream one day we would be able to have this magnificent contraption working in our homes. But for now we had the great movie theaters and COMIC BOOKS!!! :


Here's is a link to the Sub-mariner story published by Motion Pictures Funnies Weekly #1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqjxyjnuX6M
The youtube video just like Motion Pictures Funnies Weekly #1 is missing like 4 extra pages that were added when the story was reprinted in Marvel Comics #1 and that introduces lady Dorma.

The above are selected scans that highlight the main points of a story to generate discussion in a forum. You can read the complete story by purchasing the Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics Vol. 1 (Marvel Comics #1, Marvel Mystery Comics #2–4) or any other available reprints.
http://www.amazon.com/Marvel-Masterw...PF3818RHV5YY00

For those who wants to get ahead, here's another link for Namor's second appearance in the re-named Marvel Mystery Comics # 02
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16qmUZjgAKg

[Thor-El]

The above are selected scans that highlight the main points of a story to generate discussion in a forum. You can read the complete story by purchasing the Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics Vol. 1 (Marvel Comics #1, Marvel Mystery Comics #2–4) or any other available reprints.
http://www.amazon.com/Marvel-Masterw...PF3818RHV5YY00

[Reviresco]

And here is my first post, its April 1939 and the first TV opened in the World Fair with President Franklin Roosevelt, we could only dream one day we would be able to have this magnificent contraption working in our homes. But for now we had the great movie theaters and COMIC BOOKS!!! :


Here's is a link to the Sub-mariner story published by Motion Pictures Funnies Weekly #1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqjxyjnuX6M
The youtube video just like Motion Pictures Funnies Weekly #1 is missing like 4 extra pages that were added when the story was reprinted in Marvel Comics #1 and that introduces lady Dorma.

Awesome start, Thor-El! Before I get to talking about the issue, I'd like to point out, the coloring issues we see in alot of reprints, especially from the Golden Age. Motion Pictures Funnies Weekly was actually printed in black and white. Everett's Subby story looks like a lovely ink wash, but it was actually done with Craft Tint paper! I think he was trying to convey the underwater scenes, as you can see in the second page posted below.






A testament to Bill Everett, Namor's creator, that he was experimenting with these techniques at the dawn of American superhero comics. Unfortunately, when color was added in Marvel Comics, the result was a muddying of Everett's work, so much that Martin Goodman almost canceled the comic before it went out!

You also have the problem of later colorists 'correcting' the Atlanteans' skin color. Originally, as you can see in the scans you posted, several Atlanteans appeared Caucasian -- the ones that weren't more fishy looking, who were green or blue. And then you had just awful reprints, in both color and line work. There were a lot of complaints about the atrocious reprints in the first edition of Marvel Masterworks Golden Age Marvel Comics.

The best reprint, IMO, of the Subby story in Marvel Comics #1 was done by Jose Villarubia for the 70th Anniversary. I'll see if I can dig up those scans up.

[Thor-El]

Awesome start, Thor-El! Before I get to talking about the issue, I'd like to point out, the coloring issues we see in alot of reprints, especially from the Golden Age. Motion Pictures Funnies Weekly was actually printed in black and white. Everett's Subby story looks like a lovely ink wash, but it was actually done with Craft Tint paper! I think he was trying to convey the underwater scenes, as you can see in the second page posted below.

A testament to Bill Everett, Namor's creator, that he was experimenting with these techniques at the dawn of American superhero comics. Unfortunately, when color was added in Marvel Comics, the result was a muddying of Everett's work, so much that Martin Goodman almost canceled the comic before it went out!

You also have the problem of later colorists 'correcting' the Atlanteans' skin color. Originally, as you can see in the scans you posted, several Atlanteans appeared Caucasian -- the ones that weren't more fishy looking, who were green or blue. And then you had just awful reprints, in both color and line work. There were a lot of complaints about the atrocious reprints in the first edition of Marvel Masterworks Golden Age Marvel Comics.

The best reprint, IMO, of the Subby story in Marvel Comics #1 was done by Jose Villarubia for the 70th Anniversary. I'll see if I can dig up those scans up.

Yes, the difference is night and day, the coloring is indeed atrocious!