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'''Prince Namor The Sub-Mariner''' is a [[Marvel Comics]] character. He's an aquatic, [[Flying Brick|superstrong]] [[Anti-Hero]] who rules the [[Marvel Universe]]'s version of [[Atlantis]]. He should not be confused with a "submariner" which is a person who crews submarines (though he has fought some of those!)
Namor first appeared in ''"Motion Picture Funnies Weekly''" #1 (April, 1939), created by Bill Everett. The magazine was a one-shot publication by Funnies Inc. The character was then offered to publisher Martin Goodman, who was about to launch his first comic book magazine. Namor made his second appearance in ''"Marvel Comics''" #1 (October, 1939), the very first publication of [[Marvel Comics|Timely Comics]]. He quickly became one of the most popular characters in Timely's stable.
The character has had occasional billing as "Marvel's First Mutant" (although in the chronology of the 616 timeline the title is just as often give to Apocalypse). Namor McKenzie is a [[Half-Human Hybrid]], the son of American ship captain Leonard McKenzie and Princess Fen of Atlantis; however since this romance was forbidden by her people, Fen had to raise Namor (who was born with pink skin, unlike the normally blue-skinned Atlanteans) away from the surface world.
Given to self-righteous rages, Namor attacked New York City, blaming humans for damage that Atlantis had suffered. This led to [[Let's You and Him Fight|the first comic book superhero battle]] between him and the Human Torch. Fortunately, Namor had a weakness for beautiful, noble women. [[Fair Cop]] Betty Dean convinced him to halt his attacks. In addition, he eventually realized that it was the Nazis who were the true menace and ended up joining a team (The Invaders, which included both the Human Torch and [[Captain America (comics)]], among others) in order to battle them. This group would be renamed the ''All-Winners Squad'' after the war. (Note that this is a [[Retcon]]; the AWS did have their own short-lived series in 1946, but it was writer Roy Thomas in the [[The Seventies|1970s]] who established that they had been The Invaders previously; they did star in their own series then.) He had a companion in his cousin, [[Distaff Counterpart|Namora]].
Namor had his own magazine ''"Sub-Mariner Comics''" which lasted for 32 issues (Fall, 1941-June, 1949), and also appeared regularly in various anthologies. But by 1949 the character was defunct. The character was revived a few years later in the pages of ''"Young Men''" #24-28 (December, 1953-June, 1954), and ''"Sub-Mariner Comics''" #33-42 (April, 1954 - October, 1955). Most of the stories were again written and drawn by Bill Everett. Who managed to update Namor, Namora, and Betty Dean for the new decade. Everett also created tales exploring Namor's childhood and teenage years. But once this run was over, Namor became another fond memory for older readers.
Namor returned during [[The Silver Age of Comic Books]] in ''[[Fantastic Four (Comic Book)|Fantastic Four]]'' #4 (May, 1962), after a chance meeting with the (new) Human Torch awakened his memories (lost after an enemy with mental powers erased them; he ended up as a homeless man for decades, apparently he ages very slowly.) Namor then ended up once again in a villainous role, though (once again) a beautiful woman (The Invisible Woman of the Fantastic Four) convinced him to change his mind. Namor soon got his own series again, where he mostly had [[Atlantis Is Boring|adventures under the sea]]. He fell in love with an Atlantean named Lady Dorma, though she eventually was killed. (Part of this series was adapted in animated form in the [[Marvel Super Heroes]] TV show.) He also became a founding member of [[The Defenders]] and met Namora's daughter, Namorita (of the [[New Warriors]].)
In the [[The Nineties|1990s]], Sub-Mariner again had his own comic book series by writer/artist [[John Byrne]], who reinvented Namor as a shrewd businessman after establishing that his rages were caused by an imbalance of oxygen in his blood that could be treated. Namor bought a surface company called Oracle using treasures rescued from the sea. This series lasted for 62 issues (April, 1990-May, 1995). Since then the character mostly appears in team books and the occasional mini-series.
Even today, Namor continues to vacillate between hero and villain; for example he has been a member of both The Illuminati (a conspiracy of Marvel heroes) and later, their [[Evil Counterpart]] (evil''er'', to [[Incredible Hulk|some]]), [[Dark Reign (comics)|The Cabal]]. He has recently started embracing his mutant heritage, becoming first a part of the "Dark" X-Men and then the X-Men proper.
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'''Namor McKenzie / Sub-Mariner'''
A part-mutant and part Atlantean who oined the X-Men when he betrayed Norman Osborn and the Dark X-Men.
* [[Animal-Themed Superbeing]]: Namor used to have the ability to mimic any aquatic life, fitting him into this trope. That is no longer the case since the power has been long forgotten.
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* [[Everything's Better with Spinning]]: One of Namor's most effective tactics underwater is to trap his opponent in a whirlpool until he or she runs out of air.
* [[Evil Chancellor]] / [[The Usurper]]: Longtime Namor antagonist Warlord Krang, who recently returned from limbo as a member of Joe Casey's [[The Defenders|'Last' Defenders]] team and during the pages of Namor's last solo attempted ANOTHER coup for control of Atlantis {{spoiler|only at the end for both to enter into a [[Enemy Mine]] situation. }}
* [[Fair Cop]]: Betty Dean, his [[Golden Age]] love interest.
* [[Fantastic Racism]]: In his youth he was a pariah in Atlantis due to, being, well, white - where normal Atlanteans are blue. They called him "pale crab." He's happy to note that they don't do that anymore, but the Blue Marvel thinks they just don't do it to his ''face''.
* [[Fire-Forged Friends]]: When he first met the [[Incredible Hulk]], shortly after Hulk's falling out with the original [[The Avengers (Comic Book)|Avengers]], they fought to a draw and then decided to team up against all humanity for a minute. Though they've both obviously stepped back from that goal, they've remained loyal friends ever since. (Namor was the only one to object to the Illuminati's plan to send Hulk into space.)
** With Jim Hammond, the original Human Torch. The two had their famous battles, but they later fought side-by-side in [[World War II]] in the Invaders. Namor later referred to Hammond as someone he respects (and for a guy like Namor, that's quite a compliment).
* [[Fish People]]: Imperius Fish!
* [[Flight]]: He has small, fin-like wings on his ankles (echoing the mythological example of the [[Classical Mythology|Greco-Roman god]] Hermes/Mercury). These work equally well to propel him through air and water.
* [[Flight, Strength, Heart]]: Namor has super strength, can fly, breathe both air and water, can charge his body with electricity, has telepathic control over undersea life... and at one time could puff himself up like a puffer fish.
* [[Flying Brick]]: Namor's power set.
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* [[Pointy Ears]]
* [[Pride]]: Oh so very much.
* [[Royals Who Actually Do Something]]
* [[Sociopathic Hero]]
* [[Speaks Fluent Animal]]: [[Depending on the Writer]] Namor has the ability to telepathically communicate with several different forms of sea life.
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