Namor the Sub-Mariner

[Silver Surfer]

Just picked up a bunch of these as I love the cover art and I'm a big Sub-Mariner fan. How do the storylines hold up?

[Kevin Boyd]

I liked the Byrne issues (1-24). The later stuff is ok, but not exceptional.

[awe4one]

I liked the Byrne issues (1-24). The later stuff is ok, but not exceptional.

 

I would extend that run out to include the Namor/Doom storyline featuring Jae Lee art (26-31). Good stuff there. I started out reading the first issue and hating Lee's art. By #28, I was hooked....

 

Jim

[Kevin Boyd]

I was going to mention the Jae Lee stuff but didn't. As you say it starts of well enough with the Doom arc, but as later issues came out Lee's artwork got darker (too much liberal use of black ink) and muddier until he eventually left the book and Namor went back to being standard superhero fare. I can't recall who the regular artist was who followed him (Sal Velluto maybe?)... but the cover to #50 is a striking image of Namor and Sue Richards making out.

[Silver Surfer]

Sounds good.

[s-man]

Just picked up a bunch of these as I love the cover art and I'm a big Sub-Mariner fan. How do the storylines hold up?

 

I just order the Byrne run from MH!! (Should arrive tomorrow, according to UPS and I cant wait to see it!)

[blowout]

I would extend that run out to include the Namor/Doom storyline featuring Jae Lee art (26-31). Good stuff there.

 

I didn't like Byrne's stuff on the book, but when Jae Lee joined it breathed new life into Namor and the book took an interesting direction for a while.

[blutobc]

I would extend that run out to include the Namor/Doom storyline featuring Jae Lee art (26-31). Good stuff there.

 

I didn't like Byrne's stuff on the book, but when Jae Lee joined it breathed new life into Namor and the book took an interesting direction for a while.

 

The Jae Lee stuff started becoming too mystical for the Marvel Brass, I think. The stories were dark just like Lee's art and were also very interesting. I wished they could have continued to run with it, but Marvel returned Subby to a simple superhero again after that.

 

Also, Lee's art did look to suffer a bit there at the end. Deadlines? He never was one to get too far head of schedule.

[Silver Surfer]

Just picked up a bunch of these as I love the cover art and I'm a big Sub-Mariner fan. How do the storylines hold up?

 

I just order the Byrne run from MH!! (Should arrive tomorrow, according to UPS and I cant wait to see it!)

 

So did I. There are so many issues going for $1.00 you just can't pass them up. Do get the feeling that Chuck might be setting up his retirement plan and is starting to blow out most of his inventory?

[Kevin Boyd]

What is it with Byrne and the Super Skrull? He seems to make it into nearly every Marvel series that Byrne works on.

 

FF, Alpha Flight, Namor, Marvel Team-Up, I'm sure I'm missing a few...

 

What I liked about the Byrne issues (at least to begin with) was that after Namor gets his "prozac" so to speak and controls his mood swings (and I enjoyed Byrne's explanation for why Subby went nuts from time to time), is that Subby decides to become pro-active for the first time rather than reactive.

 

With the wealth of the oceans to back him up he founds Oracle Inc. to essentially clean up the worlds oceans, among other things... and that puts him into direct conflict with the corporate raiders of the MU, particularly the evil Roxxon Corp. Being a monarch he slides very easily into the role of Director/Chairman of the Board and begins to use his company as he would a kingdom. I think there was a lot of potential there...

 

The two-parter with the oil spill is, IMHO, one of Byrne's best stories (outside of the FF). He began to experiment with using patterns and softer inks that gave the look a very different feel from most of the comics on the rack (and from his previous work). It also showed the MU interacting at it's best... with active appearances by Reed and Sue Richards and Iron Man.

 

The Invaders arc is another classic. Really nice writing, and topical (German reunification) and the return of some classic (at least 1970's classics) WW2 era heroes and villains.

 

Kev

[uclapeterg]

Namor is in Marvel Knights 4 #8.