Namor the Sub-Mariner Appreciation 2020

[Marvell2100]

I would love another Ross and Busiek team up but I would worry because Ross is not a inexpensive artist to keep on an ongoing, I would rather another artist take the helm and Ross do covers like Immortal Hulk! I am so excited for this series!!!

It's like Marvel's interest in Namor just wanes off and on. They do a couple of Invaders series with Namor and then he disappears. The bring him into Avengers and then he disappears again.

If they can do a Black Bolt maxi-series then they can definitely gave Namor 12 issues. Let's go into more depth about his recent changes.

I've gone back and started getting those Invaders issues with him, Cap and Buck and I'd like to see Zdarsky and Checcheto do a Namor series.

[Digifiend]

No, I'm pretty sure they are "Atlanteans." The green gal could be Lemurian, though there are green Atlanteans also, IIRC. There's been various hints / instances of castes or ethnicity among the Atlanteans -- which I've long wanted Marvel to explore. And I get that vibe from this image. The one with the braided crown reminds me of hair styles from Africa, I think from the Congo. The one with the tattoos reminds of some Asian hair styles. Now, the big orange lady in the back ... I don't recall that race, but there have been more aquatic looking races portrayed in Marvel's Atlantis.

What I'm interested in is how they go from cover #1 to cover #2, where the team has obviously been transformed. Of course, I assume that's the story of the mini-series.

First cover shows them in the past, the second shows them in the present day (you can tell from Namor's costume) - they could well be 100 years older on the second cover.

[Reviresco]

First cover shows them in the past, the second shows them in the present day (you can tell from Namor's costume) - they could well be 100 years older on the second cover.

Yep, but it's clearly very ... transformative decades for the Swift Riders, which I'm very curious about.

[Reviresco]

It's like Marvel's interest in Namor just wanes off and on. They do a couple of Invaders series with Namor and then he disappears. The bring him into Avengers and then he disappears again.

If they can do a Black Bolt maxi-series then they can definitely gave Namor 12 issues. Let's go into more depth about his recent changes.

I've gone back and started getting those Invaders issues with him, Cap and Buck and I'd like to see Zdarsky and Checcheto do a Namor series.

I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE a Zdarsky and Checcheto Namor series. Checcheto did a lovely Namor in an Avengers World story.

I don't think it is Marvel's interest that wanes off and on. Marvel foolishly doesn't care about Namor. It's the _creators_ who are interested in Namor and want to use, or abuse, him. When the creator moves on, then Namor is dropped. See Fraction and the X-Men and Hickman and the Avengers. If Marvel was interested, we'd get repeated attempts at an ongoing or mini-series, like Moon Knight or Spiderwoman or the Inhumans / Black Bolt. So, yes, Marvel COULD give us a maxi-series or even an ongoing, but they aren't because there's no personal editorial interest or a movie push.

The Invaders are an interesting case. I think that it's Alex Ross and Tom B, who both seem to have an interest, and the pull, to support their interest, in the team.

[Reviresco]

Hah! Need to read this. During the golden age she was more like Namorita, the wide eyed little cousin marveling and tagging along Namor in their adventures. Then she certainly became more like Amora the Enchantress in her silver age introduction. There was certain redemption that happened in the first arc of Tales to Astonish. Her feminine manipulative nature was always turned up pretty high though. Although she always remained somewhat unpredictable but always leaning to the side of the angels, very much like Namor.

Yes, Lady Dorma did tag along in plenty of Namor's Golden Age adventures -- before the creation of Namora. But make no mistake, even Golden Age Dorma was very jealous of Namor. Wasn't it Lynn Harris she was giving the dagger eyes to?

I found it! I love this panel. If looks could kill, Fen and Dorma have murdered Lynn Harris ten times over. O_O

[Reviresco]

From Marvel.com, the solicits!

https://www.marvel.com/articles/comi...-this-december

Kurt Busiek, Ben Dewey, and Jonas Scharf’s KING IN BLACK: NAMOR #1 offers a deep dive into Marvel history to learn about Knull’s chilling connection to Atlantis.

KING IN BLACK: NAMOR #1 (OF 5)
Written by KURT BUSIEK
Art by BEN DEWEY AND JONAS SCHARF
Cover by LEINIL FRANCIS YU

Spinning out of the KING IN BLACK epic comes a dark, chilling story of the birth of Atlantis’s greatest villains. The players: Namor, Lady Dorma of Atlantis, the outsider Attuma — all still in their teen years — and the Swift Riders, the Atlantean Empire’s greatest heroes. It begins with alliances and possibility, as Attuma’s people may join the Empire… but what lies ahead is tragedy, betrayal, and the unleashing of dangerous, deadly magics. A deep dive into Marvel history… and the birth of a threat that will only grow in menace across time.



KING IN BLACK: NAMOR #2 (OF 5)
Written by KURT BUSIEK
Art by BEN DEWEY AND JONAS SCHARF
Cover by LEINIL FRANCIS YU

The Young Namor, Attuma and Dorma get to accompany the Swift Riders on a mission, see them in action and learn from them. But the mission involves Russian alchemists in 1930s Murmansk, a dangerous mystic relic, and a catastrophe that brings to life the most menacing threat that Atlantis has ever faced! Now all of undersea civilization is imperiled, and only three youngsters can save it!

Soooo, there's some connection to Atlantis, perhaps the "dangerous mystic relic?" Also curious about the Murmansk and Russian alchemists. It's a new city, so there must be something (mysterious relic?) that is bringing in alchemists.

[Thor-El]

I found it! I love this panel. If looks could kill, Fen and Dorma have murdered Lynn Harris ten times over. O_O

Oh yes, that's intense, such an awesome story!

[Oberon]

The art seems to place it in the '40s, is that so? Any other details? Where/relations is Betty Dean? Pre or post?

I think the idea that Namor has/had a number of varying relationships with humans, like in the recent Invaders mini, fills out his character in ways that just "appearing" does not. Namor is half human and it is good to see his resonance to that.

[Mormegil]

Sub-Mariner vol. 1 Epic contents

Vol. 1:
Fantastic Four (1961) 4, 6, 9, 14, 27, 33
Fantastic Four Annual (1963) 1
Strange Tales (1951) 107, 125
Avengers (1963) 3-4
X-Men (1963) 6
Daredevil (1964) 7
Tales to Astonish (1959) 70-76

I was hoping they collected all of his SA appearances like they did with the Hulk volume 1. The X-Men and Strange Tales issues are pretty weak but finishing it off with ToA Quest arc should have people coming back for more.

I read most of the Marvel silver age a couple years ago and FF Annual #1 was the point where i became a Namor fan.

[Reviresco]

Sub-Mariner vol. 1 Epic contents

Vol. 1:
Fantastic Four (1961) 4, 6, 9, 14, 27, 33
Fantastic Four Annual (1963) 1
Strange Tales (1951) 107, 125
Avengers (1963) 3-4
X-Men (1963) 6
Daredevil (1964) 7
Tales to Astonish (1959) 70-76

I was hoping they collected all of his SA appearances like they did with the Hulk volume 1. The X-Men and Strange Tales issues are pretty weak but finishing it off with ToA Quest arc should have people coming back for more.

I read most of the Marvel silver age a couple years ago and FF Annual #1 was the point where i became a Namor fan.

Wow! That's great content! You basically get Namor from the beginning of Silver Age Marvel. I thought it was going to basically be the MMW volume 1 and 2, but this is better, IMO. Though, it seems they could have gotten a few more Tales to Astonish in there. I guess they are going to end it with the end of the Quest? Looks like I'll be double dipping again!

[Mormegil]

Wow! That's great content! You basically get Namor from the beginning of Silver Age Marvel. I thought it was going to basically be the MMW volume 1 and 2, but this is better, IMO. Though, it seems they could have gotten a few more Tales to Astonish in there. I guess they are going to end it with the end of the Quest? Looks like I'll be double dipping again!

I was holding off on buying the masterworks figuring they would do an epic line eventually. I did find a paperback copy of vol. 1 for $12 so i don't mind the double dipping.

[Reviresco]

The art seems to place it in the '40s, is that so? Any other details? Where/relations is Betty Dean? Pre or post?

I think the idea that Namor has/had a number of varying relationships with humans, like in the recent Invaders mini, fills out his character in ways that just "appearing" does not. Namor is half human and it is good to see his resonance to that.

The art I posted with Namor, Lynne Harris and Fen and Dorma is Golden Age Bill Everett from Marvel Mystery Comics.


But if you are talking about the Busiek mini-series coming out, it's set in 1936, not the 1940s, so no Betty Dean. All the details we've gotten are in those solicits I posted or the SYFY Wire article.

Namor has had lots of relationships and dealings with air breathers over the decades. I don't like too much retconning, however, because, I there's things that get negated when some people do it. Like that 2002 Tsunami mini-series. What a mess. I'm a little leery over this, if Namor is going to interact with airbreathers, because I think his first contact should be with divers he thought were robots, as related in every re-telling of Namor's origin.

[Reviresco]

I was holding off on buying the masterworks figuring they would do an epic line eventually. I did find a paperback copy of vol. 1 for $12 so i don't mind the double dipping.

You are more confident in Marvel's publishing arm than I am. LOL! Here's hoping they get them out quickly. At least the material for his Silver / Bronze age stuff is already prepared. Though ... now that I see they are doing it this way, I'm wondering if they will also add important appearances from other books (Defenders, SVTU, Avengers). At the very least, we should get that 1984 mini-series that has never been collected!

[Reviresco]

Oh yes, that's intense, such an awesome story!

Yes, and definitely set Namor apart from other superheroes of the era. Plus, red hair Namor!

I love how Lynne Harris is supposed to understand Fen and Dorma because they speak English ... as Namor completely ignores the blatant body language and glares that speak so much louder than words. LOL!

[Mormegil]

You are more confident in Marvel's publishing arm than I am. LOL! Here's hoping they get them out quickly. At least the material for his Silver / Bronze age stuff is already prepared. Though ... now that I see they are doing it this way, I'm wondering if they will also add important appearances from other books (Defenders, SVTU, Avengers). At the very least, we should get that 1984 mini-series that has never been collected!

Using Hulk as an example again, they haven't done so with his stuff once his own series gets going again so i doubt they will with Namor. Its just too much material to reuse for the line.