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(Redirected from Submariner)
'Namor the Sub-Mariner' is a fictional comic-book character in the Marvel Comics Universe, and one of the first superheroes, debuting in Spring 1939. He was created by writer-artist Bill Everett for Funnies, Inc., one of the first "packagers" in the early days of comic books that would supply comics on demand to publishers looking to enter the new medium. Initially created for the unreleased comic ''Motion Picture Funnies Weekly'', the Sub-Mariner first appeared publicly in ''Marvel Comics'' #1 (Oct. 1939) — the first comic book from Timely Comics, the 1930s-1940s predecessor of the company Marvel Comics. During that period, known to historians and fans as the Golden Age of Comic Books, the Sub-Mariner was one of Timely's top three characters, along with Captain America and the original Human Torch. Everett said the character's name was inspired by Samuel Coleridge's poem, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner".[1]
The son of a human sea captain and of a princess of the mythical undersea kingdom of Atlantis, Namor possesses the super-strength and aquatic abilities of the "''Homo mermanus''" race. Through the years, he has been alternatively portrayed as a good-natured but short-fused superhero, or a hostile invader seeking vengeance for perceived wrongs that misguided surface-dwellers committed against his kingdom.
The first known comic book anti-hero, the Sub-Mariner has remained a historically important and relatively popular Marvel character.
Namor the Sub-Mariner first appeared in April 1939 in the prototype for a planned giveaway comic titled ''Motion Picture Funnies Weekly'', produced by the comic book packager Funnies, Inc. The only eight known samples among those created to send to theater owners were discovered in the estate of the deceased publisher in 1974. When the giveaway idea fell through, creator Everett used the character for ''Marvel Comics'' #1, the first comic book by Funnies, Inc. client Timely Comics, predecessor of Marvel. The final panel of the earlier, unpublished eight-page Sub-Mariner story had included a "Continued Next Week" box that reappeared, sans lettering, in an expanded 12-page story. The series ''Marvel Comics'' was retitled ''Marvel Mystery Comics'' with issue #2 (Dec. 1939).
Everett's unique, early anti-hero would, in time, go up against Carl Burgos' android superhero, the Human Torch, yet eventually, as the U.S. entered the Second World War, ally himself with the Torch and the human race against Adolf Hitler and the Axis Powers. Other friends included Betty Dean, a New York policewoman introduced in ''Marvel Mystery Comics'' #3 (and later known as Betty Dean-Prentiss), who was a steady companion, and his cousins Namora and Dorma.
Namor starred in the Golden Age comic book ''Sub-Mariner Comics'', published first quarterly, then thrice-yearly, and finally bimonthly, from issue #1-32 (Fall 1941 - June 1949). A backup feature each issue starred the detective-superhero the Angel. Along with many other Timely characters, Namor disappeared not long after the end of WWII and the decline in popularity of superhero comics. He also briefly fought crime as a member of the post-war superhero team the All-Winners Squad, and, through a 1970s retcon, was given a history of having fought with the Allies during World War II in the superhero team the Invaders. Both these super-groups were built around the core of Namor, Captain America, and the original Human Torch. Some issues of the 1975-1979 series ''The Invaders'' reprinted Golden Age Sub-Mariner stories.
The Sub-Mariner experienced a brief revival in the mid-1950s, starting with ''Young Men #24'' (which also briefly revived Captain America and the original Human Torch) and then in ''Sub-Mariner Comics'' #33-42 (April 1954 - Oct. 1955). During this time, Namora had her own spin-off series.
Namor returned in ''The Fantastic Four'' #4 (May 1962), where a member of the titular superhero team, Johnny Storm, the new Human Torch, discovers him living as an amnesiac homeless man in the Bowery section of Manhattan. Storm shaves the "bum" with his flames, recognizes Namor, and dumps him into the river in the hopes of restoring his memory, which it does. Namor immediately returns to his undersea kingdom (given a name in this issue for the first time in Namor's history, as Atlantis), but finds only an outpost destroyed by nuclear testing during his amnesiac years, and assumes that all his people are scattered where he will never find them. Vowing vengeance on the surface world, he attacks it with an array of sea creatures. As the Fantastic Four battles him, he becomes enamored of team-member Sue Storm, igniting a crush he would carry with him for years.
In ''The Avengers'' #4 (March 1964), Namor discovers an Arctic tribe worshipping a frozen figure preserved in a block of ice. Enraged at the idolatry, he throws the block into the ocean, where, after Namor's departure, it subsequently melts to reveal Captain America's body frozen in suspended animation; the superhero team the Avengers would shortly revive him. The previous issue, Namor joins the Hulk in an attack on the Avengers, but is repulsed when the temperamental Hulk leaves the fight.
This Namor, beginning in the 1960s during a period known as the Silver Age of comic books, is more authoritative, arrogant and solemn than the impetuous youthful character of the 1940s and mid-1950s, speaking in neo-Shakespearian dialogue rather than the more colloquial speech of his youth.
Again an anti-hero during this period, Namor variously finds himself allied with the supervillains Doctor Doom and Magneto, but his royal nobility and stubborn independent streak make these alliances-of-convenience short-lived. After various early guest-appearances, — including in ''Daredevil'' Vol. 1, #7 (April 1965), a rare superhero story drawn by comics legend Wally Wood — Namor receives his own starring feature in the split-title comic ''Tales to Astonish'' (beginning issue #70, Aug. 1965). He was then spun-off into his own title, the 1968-72 series ''The Sub-Mariner''. Some of the later issues of this series are notable for having been written and drawn by the character's creator, Bill Everett, shortly before his death; as well, they re-introduced a now-older Namora, and introduced her daughter, Namorita Prentiss.
Although he has served alongside, or even as a member of, superhero teams — most notably the Defenders, a "non-team" in which through mystical means he was forced to ally with the Hulk and the Silver Surfer, and both the World War II and modern-day versions of the Invaders — Namor remains an outsider.
A mid-2000s limited series explored his youth, charting his teenage romance with a young American girl in the early 20th century.
Never fundamentally either a hero or a villain, Namor has protected his kingdom and sought vengeance on the surface world only when he feels his realm is threatened.
Namor was born of the pairing of Atlantean Emperor Thakorr's daughter, Fen, and an American sea captain, Leonard McKenzie, of the icebreaker ''Oracle''. When Fen did not return from investigating the ship's presence in their Antarctic waters, Thakorr sent soldiers to attack the ''Oracle'', thinking her captured. In truth, McKenzie had taken her as his bride. In the ensuing attack, McKenzie was believed killed, and Fen returned to her kingdom. Nine months later, a pink-skinned child was born among the blue-skinned Atlanteans. He was raised in Atlantis, and when he matured would alternate between living there and adventuring in the oceans and on the surface.
When World War II broke out Namor put aside his differences with the surface heroes of the time and joined the Allied Hero team of The Invaders. He would be injured after the war and become an amnesiac derelict who went by the name of Macin in the bowery district of New York. During this time the original site of Atlantis would be destroyed by Nuclear testing forcing the inhabitants to move to a new location. After being awakened from his amnesia by Johnny Storm of the Fantastic Four, he would attempt to return to Atlantis, and believing his people destroyed along with his city he vowed revenge on humanity. After his attacks were repeatedly thwarted by heroes including, the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, and others he would stumble upon his people. After being repelled one more time in attempt to seize New York with his empire behind him, he called off his now baseless vendetta.
Namor eventually returned Atlantis to marry his cousin Lady Dorma, with whom he had fallen in love. However, Llyra, an evil princess of Lemuria, another submarine culture, kidnapped and replaced Dorma at the wedding hoping to usurp Namor's kingdom in that way. Legally, though, Dorma was the one Namor had married, but he still had to find his wife. Unfortunately, Llyra had taken Dorma to the surface world in a tank as bait, and when Namor arrived, she smashed the tank to distract him. Namor was unable to save Dorma, and nearly went insane from grief.
After being deposed from his throne and driven from Atlantis, Namor joined the Avengers. He was briefly married to Marrina, an aquatic-alien member of the Plodex as well as a member of Alpha Flight. Marrina had been abducted by Attuma at the time, and was holding her prisoner until Namor freed her with help from both the Avengers and Alpha Flight. Both he and Marrina established a small society of Atlanteans who were opposed to Attuma's tyranny in Namor's underwater grotto called Deluvia. Later, Marrina's genetic disposition to evil emerged and she was thought to have been killed battling the Avengers, but was she later revealed to be alive, but in a coma. Namor is still unaware of this fact.
Afterward, during the "Atlantis Attacks" storyline of 1989 Marvel annuals, rogue Atlantean elements declared war on the surface. Namor was presumed killed in the opening battle at the Panama Canal, but had actually survived, and after turning the tide of battle kept permitting the public to believe he was dead. During this time he rediscovered his cousin Namorita.
Months later in the South Pacific, father-daughter oceanographers Caleb and Carrie Alexander found a nearly mad Namor and nursed him to health. Caleb had long theorized that Namor's "rage" was due to his half-human half-Atlantean blood chemistry, and he equipped Namor with a monitor to warn when Namor had to seek either air or water. This allowed Namor to control his metabolism for the first time. Determined to continue to preserve the oceans and his people, but without revealing himself, Namor collected sunken treasures to finance his purchase of a corporation he renamed Oracle, Inc., using the Alexanders as proxy buyers. Under the guise of an international businessman, he supported environmental causes. However, Namor was forced to reveal his survival when a terrorist bomb detonated on an Oracle submarine supertanker, threatening New York City. Later, Namor lost his ankle-wings when he released a mutagenic scrambler within the animated garbage-monster Sluj.
While continuing his business endeavors, Namor traveled to the dimension of K'un L'un, where he found the hero Iron Fist, who had been presumed dead for many months. Returning to Earth and investigating the apparent invasion of Earth by the K'un L'un sentient plant race the H'lythri, Namor was forced to fight their captive, the X-Men member Wolverine. The battle was interrupted by the sorcerer Master Khan, who wiped Namor's memory and dumped him in the American Midwest. Namor was "missing" for almost a year, and was known as "Rex," until Namorita tracked him down using a psychic link to him she had recently discovered. Namor did not regain his memory until sometime afterward, when he and the apparently resurrected Princess Fen were captured by Dr. Doom. The ship Doom had used to do so was then magically imprisoned in a bottle by Master Khan, who then assumed Namor's form and sold off much of Oracle's holdings. Namor soon broke the bottle and the spell, and killed Khan.
Namor was then recalled to Atlantis to deal with border attacks by the "Faceless Ones". After Fen attempted to usurp the throne, it was revealed she was actually the witch-queen Artys Gran, who had stolen Fen's body. Namor was killed battling Gran's sorcerer-king husband Suma-Ket, but revived by Father Neptune, the deity worshiped by Atlanteans. In the process, Namor had his wings restored and was given the sacred golden armor of his ancestor, with which he defeated Suma-ket's forces. The real Fen, trapped in Gran's body, died defending her son from a final attack from Socus, the villains' servant. Namor eventually returned to both ruling Atlantis and running Oracle, Inc., but has remained generally out of the surface world. Oracle began funding the charitable super-group Heroes for Hire, with the team using an Oracle facility as its headquarters.
Main articles: House of M
When the Scarlet Witch altered reality in the event known as the House of M, Namor was idolized by the general public as the first mutant and super hero. In M-Day, the event when 90% of the world's mutants were de-mutated or decimated, Namor retained his powers.
Main articles: Civil War (comics)
''New Avengers: Illuminati Special'' revealed Namor as part of this clandestine policy group, although hostile in his opinions. Violently opposed to the group's decision to send the Hulk into outer-space exile, he left the group. His cousin Namorita was killed in the explosion by the super-villain Nitro, which led to the Act. The Illuminati asked Namor back in this light, to consider the Superhero Registration Act, but Namor opposed this as well. For vengeance for his cousin's death, Namor activated sleeper agents of the Atlantean royal guard to search for Nitro, who was instead found and captured by X-Man Wolverine. After Atlantean ambassadors sent by Namor are attacked, Atlantis begins rebuffing diplomatic overtures. Finally, in the climactic battle between the pro and anti-registration heroes, Namor brings an army of Atlanteans to aid Captain America's forces. During the recent '' storyline, looking at the aftermath of the death of Captain America, Namor attended the private funeral for his friend in the Antarctic, promising the few other heroes present that, as long as he rules the oceans, nobody shall disturb Captain America's rest.
In June 2007, Marvel began a six-issue limited series, written by Matt Cherniss and Peter Johnson and drawn by Phil Briones, with Michael Turner drawing covers. The story is set after the events of the "Civil War" crossover event.[2] In the first issue it seems that there was another Atlantean sleeper that blew up and destroyed an city block within the surface word. Tony Stark and S.H.I.E.L.D ask Namor of the explosion, but he denies his involvement. It seems that there is a traitor within Namor's throne, as Namor tries to find out that traitor before the government tries to catch up to him.
Namor attempted to seek help from the x-men, but had a brief fight with Wolverine at the entrance. During this he survived being stabbed in the chest with no apparent injuries and was able to crush all of Wolverine's organs with a single blow. After learning where the 13th sleeper agent was from Xavier, he proceeded to leave the mansion before being attacked by Venom. Venom who's now sporting a new radioactive heat gun.
Main articles: World War Hulk
Within the Illuminati, Namor was the only member who violently opposed the decision to exile the Hulk as a response to the constant destruction that accompanies his rampages. Namor warned the group that if they were to act against the Hulk, he would return from his exile angrier than ever before and "kill them all".
Before the Hulk's return to Earth, Namor was visited by Mastermind Excello, along with the company of Archangel and Hercules, in a plan to form an united front to defend the Hulk upon his return to Earth. Namor thought this plan was foolish and destined to fail, and reminded the trio of what he told the Illuminati. He was about to attack them, when his cousin Namora came into their defense.
Namora offered her assistance to the trio, reminding Namor of his failure to find her during the time of her death. Not willing to attack his only living family member, Namor attacked the ship that brought the group to Atlantis and warned his cousin that her alliance with them will only bring doom to their people.
Namor has been repeatedly identified as Marvel's first mutant, which is true in regard to the order in which the character appeared in print. However, his status as the first mutant in the fictional timeline is dubious. There are a number of mutants that predate him in the Marvel timeline, including Apocalypse (born in the 30th century BC), Selene (active since at least 10,000 BC), Wolverine (late 19th century AD), Mystique and Destiny (dates of birth unknown, but known to have been active at the "Dawn of the 20th century"), the demonic mutant Azazel and a group of mutants known as the Externals.
In ''X-Men'' #6 (July 1964), X-Men leader Professor Xavier and antagonist Magneto each independently suspect Namor is a mutant. Later writers in the 1960s and 1970s described him as a hybrid, not a mutant, in order to distinguish him from the mutant X-Men.[3] When the series was revived in 1990, the series title logo carried the subtitle "Marvel's first and mightiest mutant!"
Namor is actually a hybrid of Atlantean and Human physiology, although he has principal characteristics that neither Atlanteans (''Homo mermanus'') nor Humans (''Homo sapiens'') possess. These include his ability to fly, his strength (which is several times that of an Atlantean), and his seldom seen (since the early 1960s) abilities of electricity generation, radar sense, ability to inflate his body to two or three times its size, and telepathic rapport with marine life.
Because of his unusual genetic heritage, Namor is unique among both ordinary humans and Atlanteans; he is sometimes referred to as "Marvel's first mutant," because, while the majority of his observed superhuman powers come from the fact that he's a hybrid of Human and Atlantean DNA, his ability to fly can't be explained by either side. (Atlanteans are an off-shoot of "baseline" humanity.) Namor possesses a fully amphibious physiology suited for extreme undersea pressures, superhuman strength, speed, stamina, endurance and durability, flight, telepathic control over marine life, electrical powers, and slowed aging.
Bill Everett, in his first Sub-Mariner story, described the character as "an ultra-man of the deep [who] lives on land and in the sea, flies in the air, [and] has the strength of a thousand [surface] men". No other powers were mentioned. When the series was revived in 1954, Namor lost his ankle wings and with them the power of flight; they, and his full strength, were restored in Sub-Mariner #38 (Feb. 1955), in which Everett additionally wrote a flashback story, "Wings on His Feet", detailing their appearance on Namor at age 14. This story was twice reprinted during the Silver Age of Comic Books, in ''Marvel Super-Heroes'' #17 (Nov. 1968), and in the book ''Comix'' by Les Daniels.
After he was revived yet again in the 1960s by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Namor demonstrated powers that had not been shown in earlier stories. In ''The Fantastic Four'' #9 (Dec. 1962), he states, "I have the powers of all the creatures who live beneath the sea! I can charge the very air with electricity — using the power of the electric eel!" In the same issue, "the radar sense of the cave fish from the lowest depths of the sea" enables him to sense the presence of Sue Storm when she is invisible. He uses "the power to surround himself with electricity in the manner of an electric eel" again in ''Strange Tales'' #107 (April 1963), and #125 (Oct. 1964); in the former he as well manifests the power to inflate his body like a puffer fish. These extra powers were ignored, however, when Marvel gave Namor his own feature beginning in ''Tales To Astonish'' #70 (Aug. 1965).
An editorial note in ''Marvel Tales'' #9 (July 1967), which reprinted the story from ''Strange Tales'' #107, stated explicitly that "nautical Namor has since lost his power to imitate the characteristics of fish...."
In all his incarnations, Namor possesses superhuman strength and is the strongest Atlantean ever known. The exact level of his strength is dependent upon his physical contact with water, in which he needn't be submerged. His strength diminishes slowly the longer he is out of contact with water, though an extended period on land does not result in his death, as it would for a typical Atlantean. Namor also possesses superhuman stamina and resistance to injury due to his hybrid nature. Namor's strength level is such that he has held his own in hand to hand combat with beings as powerful as the Hulk in the past.
Some stories have mentioned that Namor has gills for breathing underwater,[4] and artists such as Salvador LaRocca have drawn him with gill slits on either side of his neck.[5] In ''The Sub-Mariner'' vol. 1 #18-22 (1969-70), beings from outer space surgically closed Namor's gills for a time, leaving him with the ability to breathe air but unable to breathe underwater. Other sources have stated that his lungs contain oxygen diffusing membranes that allow him to breathe underwater.
Namor also possesses wings on his ankles (often wrongly described as "vestigial wings"). They are depicted as giving him the aerodynamic ability to fly, as implausible as this may appear, and his flight is directly related to the presence of the wings, as evidenced by his loss of flying ability on occasions when they have been lost or badly damaged. He could not fly as a child, and the power only manifested itself when the wings developed in adolescence. Rarely, these ankle-wings have been referred to as fins but they are always illustrated as wings.
Another ability unknown in the Golden Age and rarely displayed is his telepathic rapport with many forms of marine life.
Namor has greater longevity than a normal human being. He is well over 80 years old as he was born in 1920 in Marvel timeline, but has the appearance of a male in his prime. His identity as a pre-WWII super-hero is well-established, making him less subject to the sliding timescale of the Marvel universe.
Namor's appearances prior to his first appearance in the Silver Age of comic books, in ''Fantastic Four'' (vol. 1) #4, are depicted in Marvel-universe continuity as having occurred during Namor's youth. In 1940s and 1950s comics, Namor's speech, like many superheroes of the time, was laced with hip slang and topical idioms. He also used references to fish and other aquatic animals as expletives, in phrases such as "Suffering Shad!" and "Great Pickled Penguins!" Roy Thomas, in his ''Saga of the Sub-Mariner'', later explained that his use of slang was due to Namor's then-unfamiliarity with English. He cracked jokes and exhibited a more carefree personality prior to his Silver Age reintroduction, after which he was depicted as a refined and dignified royal noble, albeit a short-tempered one.
Namor the Sub-Mariner had fought numerous aquatic enemies outside of the surface dwellers who pollute the ocean. Among the featured are:
★ Attuma
★ Byrrah
★ Captain Barracuda
★ Dragonrider
★ Dr. Dorcas
★ Dr. Hydro
★ Llyra
★ Llyron
★ Master Man
★ Naga
★ Nagala
★ Orka
★ Pirahna
★ Sea Urchin
★ Tiger Shark
★ U-Man
★ Warlord Krang
★ Warrior Woman
★ Human Torch
★ Iron Man (Mangaverse)
Namor is still active in the future timeline, unchanged save for growing a goatee. In ''Fantastic Five'' (Vol 2) #1 it was revealed that he had held Doctor Doom captive for over ten years, after the mad monarch destroyed Atlantis. Doom subsequently escaped, and in #4, Namor is seen being tortured by him.
In the Amalgam Comics universe, the Sub-Mariner is fused with Aquaman, creating the Aqua-Mariner.
In ''Ultimate Fantastic Four'' #24, the team is surveying the ruins of Atlantis and finds an estimated 9,000-year-old tomb containing the hibernating Namor — an imprisoned Atlantean criminal, considered the worst villain of his time. Reed Richards' translation of the Atlantean language reveals Namor's claims of kingship to be false.
His extreme intelligence allows him to become fluent in English in a matter of minutes merely by listening to S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and the Fantastic Four talking. Confronting the human, Namor withstands full-strength flares from the Human Torch and is strong enough to fight the Thing, withstand Sue Storm's force fields, and stretch Richards (Mr. Fantastic) to near-breaking. He destroys machinery designed to contain the Hulk. Though beaten by the Fantastic Four, he creates a tidal wave in the shape of Poseidon, threatening to destroy Manhattan with it. He is appeased when he demands, and receives, a meaningful kiss from Sue Storm. He then returns to the sea.
Ultimate Namor is a mutant Atlantean with amphibious physiology suited for high water pressure. He has vast super strength, durability, high speed swimming ability, flight, and water manipulation.
In the ''Marvel 1602'' limited series '', Namor is reinvented as Numenor, Emperor of Bensaylum, a city beyond the edge of the world. When the characters arrive in his realm he is arguing with his cousin Rita (Namorita) about her reluctance to marry. She suggests that this is because he refuses to find a consort himself. Upon meeting the Four from the Fantastick, however, he is attracted to Susan Storm, and attempts to woo her, unsuccessfully. He later plots with Otto von Doom to win her, while "disposing" of Sir Richard Reed. However, Doom turns against him, and Numenor is stabbed with his own trident and dies.
Because Bensaylum is not underwater, its inhabitants are portrayed as basically human (although they retain the pointed ears).
The name Numenor comes from Númenor, a fictional place in the same world as, but separate from, Middle-earth in J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium. The setting of Francis Bacon's ''The New Atlantis'' is called Bensalem.
Namor can be seen as a zombie who is attacking Black Bolt.
On September 13, 2006, Universal Pictures announced that director Jonathan Mostow was attached to rewrite and direct Marvel Studios' ''Sub-Mariner''. Kevin Misher is producing through his Misher Films, along with Marvel Studios. The screenplay had initially been written by David Self.[6][7]
★ "The Sub-Mariner" was a segment of the 1960s animated series ''The Marvel Superheroes''.
★ Sub-Mariner appeared in the ''Spider-Man'' episode "Wrath of the Sub-Mariner", attacking New York in response to pollution caused by The Kingpin.
★ He appeared in the "7 Little Superheroes" episode of ''Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends'', alongside Captain America, Shanna, and Dr. Strange. Another episode featured someone dressed as the Sub-Mariner.
★ Sub-Mariner had guest-starring roles in an episode of the 1994 ''Fantastic Four'' animated series, voiced by James Warwick.
★ He appeared in an episode of '', voiced by Raoul Trujillo.
★ He appears in the 2006 ''Fantastic Four'' episode "Imperious Rex" voiced by Michael Adamthwaite. He first appears to declare the humans banned from the oceans. His soldiers capture Sue Storm and Human Torch causing Mister Fantastic and Thing to go rescue them and reason with Namor. After a fight with Susan in Atlantis, Namor withdraws his decision about the humans and recalls his sea monsters. He later returns in "Atlantis Attacks" to seek the help of the Fantastic Four when Attuma takes over Atlantis.
★ He is a playable character in the 1991 Sega .
★ He has a cameo role in the ''Captain America and the Avengers'' arcade game.
★ He is a video game boss in the 1997 ''Fantastic Four'' game.
★ In the ''Spider-Man'' video game for the PlayStation, Dreamcast and Nintendo 64, Namor has a cameo in the game's "What If?" mode during the underwater Carnage battle. Spider-Man humorously comments on Namor's simply standing there and not helping him. He can also be seen swimming past one of the windows of the underwater base built by Doc. Ock.
★ Namor appears in '' voiced by Joe Thomas. He was overthrown when Attuma and Tiger Shark staged a Coup d'état and Namorita called upon the heroes to take down Attuma. In this game, an optional mission is to find the rare Walek Seaweed (located somewhere in the ancient Temple of Negrete) as one of the ingredients to a medicine that will heal the wounded Namor. If the player succeeds, Namor will begin to trust surface-dwellers and aid in the formation of a world-wide organization of superheroes (the final shot of it is a reference to the Illuminati) who will save the Earth from the dangers that would destroy it. Otherwise, war between Atlantis and the surface world may ensue when Warlord Krang overthrows him and steals nuclear missiles from the surface world.[8] In the Game Boy Advance version of the game, Namor is a striker character.
★ In the science fiction novel ''Tuf Voyaging'' (1987) by George R.R. Martin, a pelagic planet (waterworld) afflicted by sea monsters is called Namor.
★ Prince Namor is alluded to in the lyrics of The Misfits' song "TV Casualty".
★ Namor spelled backwards is "Roman", an allusion to Namor's regal stature and noble breeding.
★ Stan Lee once said that he came up with Namor's catchphrase of "Imperius Rex" just because he liked how it sounded. It sounded both regal and arrogant, something fitting Namor's persona.
★ ''Motion Picture Funnies Weekly'' unreleased promotional comic (1939)
★ ''Marvel Comics'' (''Marvel Mystery Comics'' #2 onward) #1-91 (Oct. 1939 – April 1949)
★ ''Sub-Mariner Comics'' #1-42 (Spring 1941 – Oct. 1955)
★ ''Tales to Astonish'' vol. 1, #70-101 (Aug. 1965 – March 1968)
★ ''Iron Man and the Sub-Mariner'' oneshot (April, 1968)
★ ''Sub-Mariner'' #1-72 (May 1968 – Sept. 1974)
★ ''Sub-Mariner Annual'' #1-2 (1971 – 1972)
★ ''Tales to Astonish'' #1-14 (Dec. 1979 – Jan. 1981; reprints ''Sub-Mariner'' vol. #1-14)
★ ''Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner'' #1-4 (Sept.-Dec. 1984)
★ ''The Saga of the Sub-Mariner'' #1-12 (Nov. 1988 – Oct. 1989)
★ ''Namor the Sub-Mariner'' #1-65 (April 1990 – May 1995)
★ ''Namor the Sub-Mariner Annual'' #1-4 (1991 – 1994)
★ ''Tales of the Marvels: Inner Demons'' (1996 one-shot)
★ ''Incredible Hulk/Sub-Mariner Annual'' (1998)
★ ''Namor'' #1-12 (June 2003 – May 2004)
★ ''Marvel Masterworks: The Sub-Mariner'' (2004; reprints ''Marvel Comics'' #1, ''Daredevil'' vol. 1, #7, and ''Tales to Astonish'' #70-87)
★ ''Marvel Feature'' #1-3 (Dec. 1971 – June 1972; as part of the Defenders)
★ ''The Defenders'' #1-16 (Aug. 1972 – Oct. 1974)
★ ''Invaders'' #1-41 (Aug. 1975 – Sept. 1979)
★ ''Invaders Annual'' #1 (1977)
★ ''Avengers'' (1964 series) #262-293 (Dec. 1985 – July 1988)
★ ''Invaders'' #1-4 (May–Aug. 1993)
★ ''Invaders'' (''New Invaders'' #2 onward) #0-9 (Aug. 2004 – June 2005)
1. Peter Sanderson (1996). Marvel Universe. Virgin Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85227-646-0.
2. ''Newsarama'' (no date): "Joe Fridays" (column, week 30), by Joe Quesada
3. As explained in the letters page of ''Sub-Mariner'' #31 (Nov. 1970)
4. e.g., ''Namor'' #4-5 (1990); in the latter, Namor thinks "this New York river water burns my gills and scalds
my lungs".
5. ''Namor'' vol. 2 (2002-2004)
6. Superherohype News (Sept. 13, 2006): "Jonathan Mostow to Helm Sub-Mariner", quoting ''Variety''
7. ComingSoon.net (Sept. 14, 2006): "Jonathan Mostow to Helm Sub-Mariner", quoting ''Variety''
8. http://www.marvelultimatealliance.com/characters.php?id=6 ''Marvel Ultimate Alliance'' official site]
★ Official Marvel.com: Namor
★ Marvel Directory: Namor
★ Don Markstein's Toonopedia: The Sub-Mariner
★ The Grand Comics Database
★ JC's Comic Collection Page: The Sub-Mariner
★ Comics 2 Film: Namor (Sub-Mariner)
★ Villains of Marvel Comics: The Grey Zone: Namor- character profile
★ Jim Hill Media: "A Tribute to Bill Everett, the Sub-Mariner's Father", by Monique Pryor
★ Heritage Galleries & Auctioneers: "Heritage to Auction Legendary 'Pay Copy' of ''Motion Picture Funnies Weekly'' #1!" (press release, Sept. 16, 2005)
★ Sub-Mariner at the Internet Movie Database
'Namor the Sub-Mariner' is a fictional comic-book character in the Marvel Comics Universe, and one of the first superheroes, debuting in Spring 1939. He was created by writer-artist Bill Everett for Funnies, Inc., one of the first "packagers" in the early days of comic books that would supply comics on demand to publishers looking to enter the new medium. Initially created for the unreleased comic ''Motion Picture Funnies Weekly'', the Sub-Mariner first appeared publicly in ''Marvel Comics'' #1 (Oct. 1939) — the first comic book from Timely Comics, the 1930s-1940s predecessor of the company Marvel Comics. During that period, known to historians and fans as the Golden Age of Comic Books, the Sub-Mariner was one of Timely's top three characters, along with Captain America and the original Human Torch. Everett said the character's name was inspired by Samuel Coleridge's poem, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner".[1]
The son of a human sea captain and of a princess of the mythical undersea kingdom of Atlantis, Namor possesses the super-strength and aquatic abilities of the "''Homo mermanus''" race. Through the years, he has been alternatively portrayed as a good-natured but short-fused superhero, or a hostile invader seeking vengeance for perceived wrongs that misguided surface-dwellers committed against his kingdom.
The first known comic book anti-hero, the Sub-Mariner has remained a historically important and relatively popular Marvel character.
Publication history
Golden Age
Namor the Sub-Mariner first appeared in April 1939 in the prototype for a planned giveaway comic titled ''Motion Picture Funnies Weekly'', produced by the comic book packager Funnies, Inc. The only eight known samples among those created to send to theater owners were discovered in the estate of the deceased publisher in 1974. When the giveaway idea fell through, creator Everett used the character for ''Marvel Comics'' #1, the first comic book by Funnies, Inc. client Timely Comics, predecessor of Marvel. The final panel of the earlier, unpublished eight-page Sub-Mariner story had included a "Continued Next Week" box that reappeared, sans lettering, in an expanded 12-page story. The series ''Marvel Comics'' was retitled ''Marvel Mystery Comics'' with issue #2 (Dec. 1939).
Namor's first cover appearance: ''Marvel Mystery Comics''#4 (Feb. 1940). Art by Alex Schomburg.
Everett's unique, early anti-hero would, in time, go up against Carl Burgos' android superhero, the Human Torch, yet eventually, as the U.S. entered the Second World War, ally himself with the Torch and the human race against Adolf Hitler and the Axis Powers. Other friends included Betty Dean, a New York policewoman introduced in ''Marvel Mystery Comics'' #3 (and later known as Betty Dean-Prentiss), who was a steady companion, and his cousins Namora and Dorma.
Namor starred in the Golden Age comic book ''Sub-Mariner Comics'', published first quarterly, then thrice-yearly, and finally bimonthly, from issue #1-32 (Fall 1941 - June 1949). A backup feature each issue starred the detective-superhero the Angel. Along with many other Timely characters, Namor disappeared not long after the end of WWII and the decline in popularity of superhero comics. He also briefly fought crime as a member of the post-war superhero team the All-Winners Squad, and, through a 1970s retcon, was given a history of having fought with the Allies during World War II in the superhero team the Invaders. Both these super-groups were built around the core of Namor, Captain America, and the original Human Torch. Some issues of the 1975-1979 series ''The Invaders'' reprinted Golden Age Sub-Mariner stories.
The Sub-Mariner experienced a brief revival in the mid-1950s, starting with ''Young Men #24'' (which also briefly revived Captain America and the original Human Torch) and then in ''Sub-Mariner Comics'' #33-42 (April 1954 - Oct. 1955). During this time, Namora had her own spin-off series.
''Sub-Mariner'' #33 (April 1954): This first issue of the brief 1950s revival featured rare cover art by character creator Bill Everett.
Silver Age to present day
Namor returned in ''The Fantastic Four'' #4 (May 1962), where a member of the titular superhero team, Johnny Storm, the new Human Torch, discovers him living as an amnesiac homeless man in the Bowery section of Manhattan. Storm shaves the "bum" with his flames, recognizes Namor, and dumps him into the river in the hopes of restoring his memory, which it does. Namor immediately returns to his undersea kingdom (given a name in this issue for the first time in Namor's history, as Atlantis), but finds only an outpost destroyed by nuclear testing during his amnesiac years, and assumes that all his people are scattered where he will never find them. Vowing vengeance on the surface world, he attacks it with an array of sea creatures. As the Fantastic Four battles him, he becomes enamored of team-member Sue Storm, igniting a crush he would carry with him for years.
In ''The Avengers'' #4 (March 1964), Namor discovers an Arctic tribe worshipping a frozen figure preserved in a block of ice. Enraged at the idolatry, he throws the block into the ocean, where, after Namor's departure, it subsequently melts to reveal Captain America's body frozen in suspended animation; the superhero team the Avengers would shortly revive him. The previous issue, Namor joins the Hulk in an attack on the Avengers, but is repulsed when the temperamental Hulk leaves the fight.
This Namor, beginning in the 1960s during a period known as the Silver Age of comic books, is more authoritative, arrogant and solemn than the impetuous youthful character of the 1940s and mid-1950s, speaking in neo-Shakespearian dialogue rather than the more colloquial speech of his youth.
Again an anti-hero during this period, Namor variously finds himself allied with the supervillains Doctor Doom and Magneto, but his royal nobility and stubborn independent streak make these alliances-of-convenience short-lived. After various early guest-appearances, — including in ''Daredevil'' Vol. 1, #7 (April 1965), a rare superhero story drawn by comics legend Wally Wood — Namor receives his own starring feature in the split-title comic ''Tales to Astonish'' (beginning issue #70, Aug. 1965). He was then spun-off into his own title, the 1968-72 series ''The Sub-Mariner''. Some of the later issues of this series are notable for having been written and drawn by the character's creator, Bill Everett, shortly before his death; as well, they re-introduced a now-older Namora, and introduced her daughter, Namorita Prentiss.
Although he has served alongside, or even as a member of, superhero teams — most notably the Defenders, a "non-team" in which through mystical means he was forced to ally with the Hulk and the Silver Surfer, and both the World War II and modern-day versions of the Invaders — Namor remains an outsider.
A mid-2000s limited series explored his youth, charting his teenage romance with a young American girl in the early 20th century.
Never fundamentally either a hero or a villain, Namor has protected his kingdom and sought vengeance on the surface world only when he feels his realm is threatened.
Fictional character biography
Namor was born of the pairing of Atlantean Emperor Thakorr's daughter, Fen, and an American sea captain, Leonard McKenzie, of the icebreaker ''Oracle''. When Fen did not return from investigating the ship's presence in their Antarctic waters, Thakorr sent soldiers to attack the ''Oracle'', thinking her captured. In truth, McKenzie had taken her as his bride. In the ensuing attack, McKenzie was believed killed, and Fen returned to her kingdom. Nine months later, a pink-skinned child was born among the blue-skinned Atlanteans. He was raised in Atlantis, and when he matured would alternate between living there and adventuring in the oceans and on the surface.
When World War II broke out Namor put aside his differences with the surface heroes of the time and joined the Allied Hero team of The Invaders. He would be injured after the war and become an amnesiac derelict who went by the name of Macin in the bowery district of New York. During this time the original site of Atlantis would be destroyed by Nuclear testing forcing the inhabitants to move to a new location. After being awakened from his amnesia by Johnny Storm of the Fantastic Four, he would attempt to return to Atlantis, and believing his people destroyed along with his city he vowed revenge on humanity. After his attacks were repeatedly thwarted by heroes including, the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, and others he would stumble upon his people. After being repelled one more time in attempt to seize New York with his empire behind him, he called off his now baseless vendetta.
''Namor'' #1 (April 1990). Cover art by John Byrne.
Namor eventually returned Atlantis to marry his cousin Lady Dorma, with whom he had fallen in love. However, Llyra, an evil princess of Lemuria, another submarine culture, kidnapped and replaced Dorma at the wedding hoping to usurp Namor's kingdom in that way. Legally, though, Dorma was the one Namor had married, but he still had to find his wife. Unfortunately, Llyra had taken Dorma to the surface world in a tank as bait, and when Namor arrived, she smashed the tank to distract him. Namor was unable to save Dorma, and nearly went insane from grief.
After being deposed from his throne and driven from Atlantis, Namor joined the Avengers. He was briefly married to Marrina, an aquatic-alien member of the Plodex as well as a member of Alpha Flight. Marrina had been abducted by Attuma at the time, and was holding her prisoner until Namor freed her with help from both the Avengers and Alpha Flight. Both he and Marrina established a small society of Atlanteans who were opposed to Attuma's tyranny in Namor's underwater grotto called Deluvia. Later, Marrina's genetic disposition to evil emerged and she was thought to have been killed battling the Avengers, but was she later revealed to be alive, but in a coma. Namor is still unaware of this fact.
Afterward, during the "Atlantis Attacks" storyline of 1989 Marvel annuals, rogue Atlantean elements declared war on the surface. Namor was presumed killed in the opening battle at the Panama Canal, but had actually survived, and after turning the tide of battle kept permitting the public to believe he was dead. During this time he rediscovered his cousin Namorita.
Months later in the South Pacific, father-daughter oceanographers Caleb and Carrie Alexander found a nearly mad Namor and nursed him to health. Caleb had long theorized that Namor's "rage" was due to his half-human half-Atlantean blood chemistry, and he equipped Namor with a monitor to warn when Namor had to seek either air or water. This allowed Namor to control his metabolism for the first time. Determined to continue to preserve the oceans and his people, but without revealing himself, Namor collected sunken treasures to finance his purchase of a corporation he renamed Oracle, Inc., using the Alexanders as proxy buyers. Under the guise of an international businessman, he supported environmental causes. However, Namor was forced to reveal his survival when a terrorist bomb detonated on an Oracle submarine supertanker, threatening New York City. Later, Namor lost his ankle-wings when he released a mutagenic scrambler within the animated garbage-monster Sluj.
While continuing his business endeavors, Namor traveled to the dimension of K'un L'un, where he found the hero Iron Fist, who had been presumed dead for many months. Returning to Earth and investigating the apparent invasion of Earth by the K'un L'un sentient plant race the H'lythri, Namor was forced to fight their captive, the X-Men member Wolverine. The battle was interrupted by the sorcerer Master Khan, who wiped Namor's memory and dumped him in the American Midwest. Namor was "missing" for almost a year, and was known as "Rex," until Namorita tracked him down using a psychic link to him she had recently discovered. Namor did not regain his memory until sometime afterward, when he and the apparently resurrected Princess Fen were captured by Dr. Doom. The ship Doom had used to do so was then magically imprisoned in a bottle by Master Khan, who then assumed Namor's form and sold off much of Oracle's holdings. Namor soon broke the bottle and the spell, and killed Khan.
Namor was then recalled to Atlantis to deal with border attacks by the "Faceless Ones". After Fen attempted to usurp the throne, it was revealed she was actually the witch-queen Artys Gran, who had stolen Fen's body. Namor was killed battling Gran's sorcerer-king husband Suma-Ket, but revived by Father Neptune, the deity worshiped by Atlanteans. In the process, Namor had his wings restored and was given the sacred golden armor of his ancestor, with which he defeated Suma-ket's forces. The real Fen, trapped in Gran's body, died defending her son from a final attack from Socus, the villains' servant. Namor eventually returned to both ruling Atlantis and running Oracle, Inc., but has remained generally out of the surface world. Oracle began funding the charitable super-group Heroes for Hire, with the team using an Oracle facility as its headquarters.
House of M
Main articles: House of M
When the Scarlet Witch altered reality in the event known as the House of M, Namor was idolized by the general public as the first mutant and super hero. In M-Day, the event when 90% of the world's mutants were de-mutated or decimated, Namor retained his powers.
Civil War
Main articles: Civil War (comics)
''New Avengers: Illuminati Special'' revealed Namor as part of this clandestine policy group, although hostile in his opinions. Violently opposed to the group's decision to send the Hulk into outer-space exile, he left the group. His cousin Namorita was killed in the explosion by the super-villain Nitro, which led to the Act. The Illuminati asked Namor back in this light, to consider the Superhero Registration Act, but Namor opposed this as well. For vengeance for his cousin's death, Namor activated sleeper agents of the Atlantean royal guard to search for Nitro, who was instead found and captured by X-Man Wolverine. After Atlantean ambassadors sent by Namor are attacked, Atlantis begins rebuffing diplomatic overtures. Finally, in the climactic battle between the pro and anti-registration heroes, Namor brings an army of Atlanteans to aid Captain America's forces. During the recent '' storyline, looking at the aftermath of the death of Captain America, Namor attended the private funeral for his friend in the Antarctic, promising the few other heroes present that, as long as he rules the oceans, nobody shall disturb Captain America's rest.
2007 mini-series
In June 2007, Marvel began a six-issue limited series, written by Matt Cherniss and Peter Johnson and drawn by Phil Briones, with Michael Turner drawing covers. The story is set after the events of the "Civil War" crossover event.[2] In the first issue it seems that there was another Atlantean sleeper that blew up and destroyed an city block within the surface word. Tony Stark and S.H.I.E.L.D ask Namor of the explosion, but he denies his involvement. It seems that there is a traitor within Namor's throne, as Namor tries to find out that traitor before the government tries to catch up to him.
Namor attempted to seek help from the x-men, but had a brief fight with Wolverine at the entrance. During this he survived being stabbed in the chest with no apparent injuries and was able to crush all of Wolverine's organs with a single blow. After learning where the 13th sleeper agent was from Xavier, he proceeded to leave the mansion before being attacked by Venom. Venom who's now sporting a new radioactive heat gun.
World War Hulk
Main articles: World War Hulk
Within the Illuminati, Namor was the only member who violently opposed the decision to exile the Hulk as a response to the constant destruction that accompanies his rampages. Namor warned the group that if they were to act against the Hulk, he would return from his exile angrier than ever before and "kill them all".
Before the Hulk's return to Earth, Namor was visited by Mastermind Excello, along with the company of Archangel and Hercules, in a plan to form an united front to defend the Hulk upon his return to Earth. Namor thought this plan was foolish and destined to fail, and reminded the trio of what he told the Illuminati. He was about to attack them, when his cousin Namora came into their defense.
Namora offered her assistance to the trio, reminding Namor of his failure to find her during the time of her death. Not willing to attack his only living family member, Namor attacked the ship that brought the group to Atlantis and warned his cousin that her alliance with them will only bring doom to their people.
"The First Mutant"
Final page of the Sub-Mariner's debut in ''Marvel Comics'' #1 (Oct.1939), sans color. Story and art by Bill Everett.
Namor has been repeatedly identified as Marvel's first mutant, which is true in regard to the order in which the character appeared in print. However, his status as the first mutant in the fictional timeline is dubious. There are a number of mutants that predate him in the Marvel timeline, including Apocalypse (born in the 30th century BC), Selene (active since at least 10,000 BC), Wolverine (late 19th century AD), Mystique and Destiny (dates of birth unknown, but known to have been active at the "Dawn of the 20th century"), the demonic mutant Azazel and a group of mutants known as the Externals.
In ''X-Men'' #6 (July 1964), X-Men leader Professor Xavier and antagonist Magneto each independently suspect Namor is a mutant. Later writers in the 1960s and 1970s described him as a hybrid, not a mutant, in order to distinguish him from the mutant X-Men.[3] When the series was revived in 1990, the series title logo carried the subtitle "Marvel's first and mightiest mutant!"
Namor is actually a hybrid of Atlantean and Human physiology, although he has principal characteristics that neither Atlanteans (''Homo mermanus'') nor Humans (''Homo sapiens'') possess. These include his ability to fly, his strength (which is several times that of an Atlantean), and his seldom seen (since the early 1960s) abilities of electricity generation, radar sense, ability to inflate his body to two or three times its size, and telepathic rapport with marine life.
Powers and abilities
Because of his unusual genetic heritage, Namor is unique among both ordinary humans and Atlanteans; he is sometimes referred to as "Marvel's first mutant," because, while the majority of his observed superhuman powers come from the fact that he's a hybrid of Human and Atlantean DNA, his ability to fly can't be explained by either side. (Atlanteans are an off-shoot of "baseline" humanity.) Namor possesses a fully amphibious physiology suited for extreme undersea pressures, superhuman strength, speed, stamina, endurance and durability, flight, telepathic control over marine life, electrical powers, and slowed aging.
Bill Everett, in his first Sub-Mariner story, described the character as "an ultra-man of the deep [who] lives on land and in the sea, flies in the air, [and] has the strength of a thousand [surface] men". No other powers were mentioned. When the series was revived in 1954, Namor lost his ankle wings and with them the power of flight; they, and his full strength, were restored in Sub-Mariner #38 (Feb. 1955), in which Everett additionally wrote a flashback story, "Wings on His Feet", detailing their appearance on Namor at age 14. This story was twice reprinted during the Silver Age of Comic Books, in ''Marvel Super-Heroes'' #17 (Nov. 1968), and in the book ''Comix'' by Les Daniels.
After he was revived yet again in the 1960s by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Namor demonstrated powers that had not been shown in earlier stories. In ''The Fantastic Four'' #9 (Dec. 1962), he states, "I have the powers of all the creatures who live beneath the sea! I can charge the very air with electricity — using the power of the electric eel!" In the same issue, "the radar sense of the cave fish from the lowest depths of the sea" enables him to sense the presence of Sue Storm when she is invisible. He uses "the power to surround himself with electricity in the manner of an electric eel" again in ''Strange Tales'' #107 (April 1963), and #125 (Oct. 1964); in the former he as well manifests the power to inflate his body like a puffer fish. These extra powers were ignored, however, when Marvel gave Namor his own feature beginning in ''Tales To Astonish'' #70 (Aug. 1965).
An editorial note in ''Marvel Tales'' #9 (July 1967), which reprinted the story from ''Strange Tales'' #107, stated explicitly that "nautical Namor has since lost his power to imitate the characteristics of fish...."
In all his incarnations, Namor possesses superhuman strength and is the strongest Atlantean ever known. The exact level of his strength is dependent upon his physical contact with water, in which he needn't be submerged. His strength diminishes slowly the longer he is out of contact with water, though an extended period on land does not result in his death, as it would for a typical Atlantean. Namor also possesses superhuman stamina and resistance to injury due to his hybrid nature. Namor's strength level is such that he has held his own in hand to hand combat with beings as powerful as the Hulk in the past.
Some stories have mentioned that Namor has gills for breathing underwater,[4] and artists such as Salvador LaRocca have drawn him with gill slits on either side of his neck.[5] In ''The Sub-Mariner'' vol. 1 #18-22 (1969-70), beings from outer space surgically closed Namor's gills for a time, leaving him with the ability to breathe air but unable to breathe underwater. Other sources have stated that his lungs contain oxygen diffusing membranes that allow him to breathe underwater.
Namor also possesses wings on his ankles (often wrongly described as "vestigial wings"). They are depicted as giving him the aerodynamic ability to fly, as implausible as this may appear, and his flight is directly related to the presence of the wings, as evidenced by his loss of flying ability on occasions when they have been lost or badly damaged. He could not fly as a child, and the power only manifested itself when the wings developed in adolescence. Rarely, these ankle-wings have been referred to as fins but they are always illustrated as wings.
Another ability unknown in the Golden Age and rarely displayed is his telepathic rapport with many forms of marine life.
Namor has greater longevity than a normal human being. He is well over 80 years old as he was born in 1920 in Marvel timeline, but has the appearance of a male in his prime. His identity as a pre-WWII super-hero is well-established, making him less subject to the sliding timescale of the Marvel universe.
Personality
Namor's appearances prior to his first appearance in the Silver Age of comic books, in ''Fantastic Four'' (vol. 1) #4, are depicted in Marvel-universe continuity as having occurred during Namor's youth. In 1940s and 1950s comics, Namor's speech, like many superheroes of the time, was laced with hip slang and topical idioms. He also used references to fish and other aquatic animals as expletives, in phrases such as "Suffering Shad!" and "Great Pickled Penguins!" Roy Thomas, in his ''Saga of the Sub-Mariner'', later explained that his use of slang was due to Namor's then-unfamiliarity with English. He cracked jokes and exhibited a more carefree personality prior to his Silver Age reintroduction, after which he was depicted as a refined and dignified royal noble, albeit a short-tempered one.
Enemies
Namor the Sub-Mariner had fought numerous aquatic enemies outside of the surface dwellers who pollute the ocean. Among the featured are:
★ Attuma
★ Byrrah
★ Captain Barracuda
★ Dragonrider
★ Dr. Dorcas
★ Dr. Hydro
★ Llyra
★ Llyron
★ Master Man
★ Naga
★ Nagala
★ Orka
★ Pirahna
★ Sea Urchin
★ Tiger Shark
★ U-Man
★ Warlord Krang
★ Warrior Woman
★ Human Torch
★ Iron Man (Mangaverse)
Other versions
MC2
Namor is still active in the future timeline, unchanged save for growing a goatee. In ''Fantastic Five'' (Vol 2) #1 it was revealed that he had held Doctor Doom captive for over ten years, after the mad monarch destroyed Atlantis. Doom subsequently escaped, and in #4, Namor is seen being tortured by him.
Amalgam
In the Amalgam Comics universe, the Sub-Mariner is fused with Aquaman, creating the Aqua-Mariner.
Ultimate Namor
Promotional art for ''Ultimate Fantastic Four'' #25, featuring Namor and Sue Storm. Art by Greg Land and Matthew Ryan.
In ''Ultimate Fantastic Four'' #24, the team is surveying the ruins of Atlantis and finds an estimated 9,000-year-old tomb containing the hibernating Namor — an imprisoned Atlantean criminal, considered the worst villain of his time. Reed Richards' translation of the Atlantean language reveals Namor's claims of kingship to be false.
His extreme intelligence allows him to become fluent in English in a matter of minutes merely by listening to S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and the Fantastic Four talking. Confronting the human, Namor withstands full-strength flares from the Human Torch and is strong enough to fight the Thing, withstand Sue Storm's force fields, and stretch Richards (Mr. Fantastic) to near-breaking. He destroys machinery designed to contain the Hulk. Though beaten by the Fantastic Four, he creates a tidal wave in the shape of Poseidon, threatening to destroy Manhattan with it. He is appeased when he demands, and receives, a meaningful kiss from Sue Storm. He then returns to the sea.
Ultimate Namor is a mutant Atlantean with amphibious physiology suited for high water pressure. He has vast super strength, durability, high speed swimming ability, flight, and water manipulation.
1602
In the ''Marvel 1602'' limited series '', Namor is reinvented as Numenor, Emperor of Bensaylum, a city beyond the edge of the world. When the characters arrive in his realm he is arguing with his cousin Rita (Namorita) about her reluctance to marry. She suggests that this is because he refuses to find a consort himself. Upon meeting the Four from the Fantastick, however, he is attracted to Susan Storm, and attempts to woo her, unsuccessfully. He later plots with Otto von Doom to win her, while "disposing" of Sir Richard Reed. However, Doom turns against him, and Numenor is stabbed with his own trident and dies.
Because Bensaylum is not underwater, its inhabitants are portrayed as basically human (although they retain the pointed ears).
The name Numenor comes from Númenor, a fictional place in the same world as, but separate from, Middle-earth in J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium. The setting of Francis Bacon's ''The New Atlantis'' is called Bensalem.
Marvel Zombies
Namor can be seen as a zombie who is attacking Black Bolt.
In other media
Film
On September 13, 2006, Universal Pictures announced that director Jonathan Mostow was attached to rewrite and direct Marvel Studios' ''Sub-Mariner''. Kevin Misher is producing through his Misher Films, along with Marvel Studios. The screenplay had initially been written by David Self.[6][7]
Animated series
★ "The Sub-Mariner" was a segment of the 1960s animated series ''The Marvel Superheroes''.
★ Sub-Mariner appeared in the ''Spider-Man'' episode "Wrath of the Sub-Mariner", attacking New York in response to pollution caused by The Kingpin.
★ He appeared in the "7 Little Superheroes" episode of ''Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends'', alongside Captain America, Shanna, and Dr. Strange. Another episode featured someone dressed as the Sub-Mariner.
★ Sub-Mariner had guest-starring roles in an episode of the 1994 ''Fantastic Four'' animated series, voiced by James Warwick.
★ He appeared in an episode of '', voiced by Raoul Trujillo.
★ He appears in the 2006 ''Fantastic Four'' episode "Imperious Rex" voiced by Michael Adamthwaite. He first appears to declare the humans banned from the oceans. His soldiers capture Sue Storm and Human Torch causing Mister Fantastic and Thing to go rescue them and reason with Namor. After a fight with Susan in Atlantis, Namor withdraws his decision about the humans and recalls his sea monsters. He later returns in "Atlantis Attacks" to seek the help of the Fantastic Four when Attuma takes over Atlantis.
Video games
★ He is a playable character in the 1991 Sega .
★ He has a cameo role in the ''Captain America and the Avengers'' arcade game.
★ He is a video game boss in the 1997 ''Fantastic Four'' game.
★ In the ''Spider-Man'' video game for the PlayStation, Dreamcast and Nintendo 64, Namor has a cameo in the game's "What If?" mode during the underwater Carnage battle. Spider-Man humorously comments on Namor's simply standing there and not helping him. He can also be seen swimming past one of the windows of the underwater base built by Doc. Ock.
★ Namor appears in '' voiced by Joe Thomas. He was overthrown when Attuma and Tiger Shark staged a Coup d'état and Namorita called upon the heroes to take down Attuma. In this game, an optional mission is to find the rare Walek Seaweed (located somewhere in the ancient Temple of Negrete) as one of the ingredients to a medicine that will heal the wounded Namor. If the player succeeds, Namor will begin to trust surface-dwellers and aid in the formation of a world-wide organization of superheroes (the final shot of it is a reference to the Illuminati) who will save the Earth from the dangers that would destroy it. Otherwise, war between Atlantis and the surface world may ensue when Warlord Krang overthrows him and steals nuclear missiles from the surface world.[8] In the Game Boy Advance version of the game, Namor is a striker character.
Trivia
★ In the science fiction novel ''Tuf Voyaging'' (1987) by George R.R. Martin, a pelagic planet (waterworld) afflicted by sea monsters is called Namor.
★ Prince Namor is alluded to in the lyrics of The Misfits' song "TV Casualty".
★ Namor spelled backwards is "Roman", an allusion to Namor's regal stature and noble breeding.
★ Stan Lee once said that he came up with Namor's catchphrase of "Imperius Rex" just because he liked how it sounded. It sounded both regal and arrogant, something fitting Namor's persona.
Bibliography
Solo series and features
★ ''Motion Picture Funnies Weekly'' unreleased promotional comic (1939)
★ ''Marvel Comics'' (''Marvel Mystery Comics'' #2 onward) #1-91 (Oct. 1939 – April 1949)
★ ''Sub-Mariner Comics'' #1-42 (Spring 1941 – Oct. 1955)
★ ''Tales to Astonish'' vol. 1, #70-101 (Aug. 1965 – March 1968)
★ ''Iron Man and the Sub-Mariner'' oneshot (April, 1968)
★ ''Sub-Mariner'' #1-72 (May 1968 – Sept. 1974)
★ ''Sub-Mariner Annual'' #1-2 (1971 – 1972)
★ ''Tales to Astonish'' #1-14 (Dec. 1979 – Jan. 1981; reprints ''Sub-Mariner'' vol. #1-14)
★ ''Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner'' #1-4 (Sept.-Dec. 1984)
★ ''The Saga of the Sub-Mariner'' #1-12 (Nov. 1988 – Oct. 1989)
★ ''Namor the Sub-Mariner'' #1-65 (April 1990 – May 1995)
★ ''Namor the Sub-Mariner Annual'' #1-4 (1991 – 1994)
★ ''Tales of the Marvels: Inner Demons'' (1996 one-shot)
★ ''Incredible Hulk/Sub-Mariner Annual'' (1998)
★ ''Namor'' #1-12 (June 2003 – May 2004)
★ ''Marvel Masterworks: The Sub-Mariner'' (2004; reprints ''Marvel Comics'' #1, ''Daredevil'' vol. 1, #7, and ''Tales to Astonish'' #70-87)
As team member
★ ''Marvel Feature'' #1-3 (Dec. 1971 – June 1972; as part of the Defenders)
★ ''The Defenders'' #1-16 (Aug. 1972 – Oct. 1974)
★ ''Invaders'' #1-41 (Aug. 1975 – Sept. 1979)
★ ''Invaders Annual'' #1 (1977)
★ ''Avengers'' (1964 series) #262-293 (Dec. 1985 – July 1988)
★ ''Invaders'' #1-4 (May–Aug. 1993)
★ ''Invaders'' (''New Invaders'' #2 onward) #0-9 (Aug. 2004 – June 2005)
Footnotes
1. Peter Sanderson (1996). Marvel Universe. Virgin Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85227-646-0.
2. ''Newsarama'' (no date): "Joe Fridays" (column, week 30), by Joe Quesada
3. As explained in the letters page of ''Sub-Mariner'' #31 (Nov. 1970)
4. e.g., ''Namor'' #4-5 (1990); in the latter, Namor thinks "this New York river water burns my gills and scalds
my lungs".
5. ''Namor'' vol. 2 (2002-2004)
6. Superherohype News (Sept. 13, 2006): "Jonathan Mostow to Helm Sub-Mariner", quoting ''Variety''
7. ComingSoon.net (Sept. 14, 2006): "Jonathan Mostow to Helm Sub-Mariner", quoting ''Variety''
8. http://www.marvelultimatealliance.com/characters.php?id=6 ''Marvel Ultimate Alliance'' official site]
References
★ Official Marvel.com: Namor
★ Marvel Directory: Namor
★ Don Markstein's Toonopedia: The Sub-Mariner
★ The Grand Comics Database
★ JC's Comic Collection Page: The Sub-Mariner
★ Comics 2 Film: Namor (Sub-Mariner)
★ Villains of Marvel Comics: The Grey Zone: Namor- character profile
★ Jim Hill Media: "A Tribute to Bill Everett, the Sub-Mariner's Father", by Monique Pryor
★ Heritage Galleries & Auctioneers: "Heritage to Auction Legendary 'Pay Copy' of ''Motion Picture Funnies Weekly'' #1!" (press release, Sept. 16, 2005)
External link
★ Sub-Mariner at the Internet Movie Database
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