It is true that one of the biggest evils of phase 4 of Marvel has been non-stop character introductionfrom the Eternals to the cameos of Starfox or Hercules… And the trend has not stopped with a ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ that has shown for the first time what both Ironheart and the villain of the show, Namor, can do (According to the producer herself, let’s never forget him, “the loveless child”).
There were many who, after seeing what DC was capable of doing with ‘Aquaman’, wondered when Namor would arrive at the UCM. And it is that the character is one of the most veteran of La Casa de las Ideas, so much so that when it first came out in 1939, Marvel was still known as Timely. Interestingly, her first appearance was in a comic, ‘Motion Picture Funnies Weekly’, which did not finish printing for the general public, and was to be given away to moviegoers. His first real cartoon was in number 1 of ‘Marvel Comics’, where Ka-Zar or the original Human Torch also had it. To give you an idea, when Namor was born, Superman had been published for a year and Captain America still had two years left to have his first appearance.
It’s 83 years of comics in which the king of the oceans continues to look as good as the first day, but we are going to select only 6 with which to begin to get to know him better. Grab your hat, your diving glasses and prepare to plunge into the waters of Atlantis to the cry of “Imperius Rex!”.
The Saga of the Sub-Mariner
Roy Thomas and his wife Danna wrote this 12-issue maxiseries where the definitive origins of Namor were told once and for all, back in 1988. Although the origin of the king of Atlantis had been narrated in various ways in previous decades, this series definitively marked the history of the underwater world, the Crown Snake and the birth of the hero. Is he the one he writes the story to Marrina, his second wife, who died in the pages of ‘The Avengers’ after wanting to attack Atlantis, and it’s a perfect entry point to get to know the character better.
marvels
It’s a bit of cheating, because Namor is not even remotely its protagonistbut not only is it one of the best comics in history, but it also gives us an approach at street level of what it could mean for a (fictional) citizen of New York the presence in its streets of heroes like the Human Torch or Namor. The comic, written and drawn by two legends like Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross, evolves in different directions, but the first appearance of the king of Atlantis is unforgettable and gives an idea of the dimensions of the antihero’s power. No hot cloths: it’s a masterpiece.
the defenders
As much as the Netflix series got us used to seeing Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Daredevil together, the truth is that the original group was made up of four rather more unusual characters: Hulk, Doctor Strange, Silver Wake, and Namor. How was it possible for this group to come together and why? Luckily, Panini has compiled it in ‘The defenders: origin’, which contains Roy Thomas or Gene Colan comics, among others. Big words.
King in Black: Namor
Ok, ok, I know it’s very rare to recommend a tie-in to a bigger event (one of the best Marvel has had lately, by the way), but it’s worth it. And it is that ‘King in Black: Namor’ has practically nothing to do with Knull, but rather is a little lost story of Namor that is perhaps not exciting in its revelations but surprises with absolutely incredible art artwork by Ben Dewey, Jonas Scharf and color by Triona Farrell. Atlantis has rarely been as vivid and colorful as it is here. Really, I know it’s weird to recommend something like this, but above all, sincerity.
Namor (1990)
The 90s were a real change of cycle for Namor. It could not be less, of course: John Byrne took command of his collection until number 25 as a man for everything and until 32 doing the scripts. Namor became the head of his own company, away from the water, and through his pages they went from The Invaders to Iron Man, becoming the spear whore of the comics of the time. Panini released half of this collection last year in two shots but they may not be that easy to find. In any case, A curious course correction.
Namor: in the depths
Any list you look at about Namor You will probably have this as your favorite comic. It is not for less: although the character has been in Marvel for almost a century, he has not always been given due attention. Peter Milligan and Esad Ribic had to arrive to present a serious, respectful and adult story about the protector of the sea. More horror movie than superheroic adventure, ‘Into the depths’ is not only one of Namor’s best comics, but Marvel’s own of the 21st century. Do not miss it.
and up to here the comic journey of a very different hero what we are used to in Marvel! At the moment, in the cinema they have presented him as a villain, but his ambiguous character should appear in the future. We leave you with homework, true believers!