Now – as you may know – SUB-MARINER pre-dates Marvel – going back to the Golden Age era of Timely Comics – which later transformed into Marvel, named after their #1 Golden Age book, MARVEL COMICS. During WWII, Sub-Mariner added the American G.I.s in their battle against the Empire of the Rising Sun. Part of the U.S.A’s organized Comic Propaganda campaign – to help dehumanize the enemy – as you can see in the below comic.
These stories were lots of fun, but frankly – Namor never hit his stroke till the classic Marvel Silver Age when he became a good guy / bad guy. Foil for the Avengers and Fantastic Four. Woo-er of Sue Storm, some time ally and foe of Dr Doom. One of the founding members of my fave Marvel team, DEFENDERS. However – his best stories had to do with his wife Dorma and his Atlantean Kingdom being wrenched away from him – or attacked by the forces of Attuma – and undersea warlord. For me – those are the best Sub-Mariner stories. And certainly the most cinematic.
Do any of us really want to see him attack a coastal city – or fight the Oil industry’s off-shore platforms, then getting attacked by the Military? I want to see the blue hued people of Atlantis, giant undersea domesticated war-beasties. And I would be happy as could be if we never saw an air-breather for the whole film. I don’t want scientists in submarines discovering their world. Just sell us the fantasy of the Sub-Mariner. Make us dream of something we’ve never seen."
1 comment:
This guy has a point; the undersea world has some tasty potential as a setting of a memorable sci-fi/fantasy movie. Why then, are the undersea heroes so lame? Aquaman's well-known as the lamest superhero ever, and while Namor's got more game, he also flies by virtue of tiny wings on his ankles. 'Nuff said.
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