Namor the Sub-Mariner
First Appearance: Namor was Marvel's first-ever super-powered mortal, appearing waaaaay back in Marvel Comics 1. However, he originally showed up in a failed non-Marvel comic called "Motion Picture Funnies Weekly" in 1939. Really!
What's His Problem? Back in the old days, it was plain old arrogance. Nowadays...well, it's still plain old arrogance, but the Avenging Son has mellowed considerably since his wild youth in the 1940s. He rarely declares war on the surface world these days. Well, hardly ever...
Heroes He Keeps Running Into: Originally, Namor's main rival was the android Human Torch, who also got his big break in Marvel Comics 1. After being found by a Torch who really was Human in the 1960s, Namor locked horns several times with the Fantastic Four and, most notably, the other great survivor from World War II, Captain America.
Favorite Quote: "Suffering Shad!" Believe it or not, this was once one of the Monarch of Atlantis' standard phrases, usually uttered when things weren't going his way. He's since cleaned up his language.
People Who Think He's Not So Bad: On the distaff side, Betty Dean, Sue Richards and the Valkyrie can hardly think of Namor without wondering what might have been. Namor's two late wives, Lady Dorma and Marrina, were both quite fond of him and put up with a lot from him. Namor's "cousin," Namorita, was his stalwart side-kick for much of his most-recent series. Captain America has formed a number of alliances with Namor despite their rocky history; various members of the Fantastic Four have as well, often reluctantly. Iron Fist, no mean judge of character, tolerates Namor's temper -- but then, he has all that martial arts training and the patience of a saint besides. And Namor's former teammates, whether they be Invaders, Defenders, or Avengers, are usually willing to stick up for him. Usually.
Most Despicable Act: If you live in New York, you have to be very careful. Namor just doesn't like New York, despite the fact that he has lived there probably as much as he has lived in Atlantis. He's always invading it, or submerging it, or just plain ripping up the streets on general principles. Now that he's a respectable business man, one assumes he has the appropriate insurance to cover his occasional lapses in surface-world etiquette. Or not...after all, this is the same guy who feels justified in putting clones out of their "misery" or crushing the occasional mad magician's skull with his very own royal hands.
Six Decades of Namor Mug Shots!
The Prince of the Realm Speaks!
From the Fantastic Four Animated Series. All sounds in .wav format.
