CHARACTER PROFILES

SUB-MARINER

The Namor (Roman backwards) the Sub-Mariner was created by a self-described angry young man, Bill Everett, and first appearred in a failed promotional gimmick called MOTION PICTURES FUNNIES WEEKLY, which was meant to be passed out for free at the movies, weekly (hence the name). It failed, and just when it seemed the Sub-Mariner would fade into abscurity, Everett's creation became one of the more stunning parts of MARVEL COMICS #1, and became a star.

Sub-Mariner. Prince Namor of Atlantis. The Avenging Son. The Scourge of the Sea. Atlantis fell into the sea thousands of years ago. It's people adapted themselves to live and breath under water, which altered their appearrance, giving them blue skin, black dialated eyes, pointed ears and slightly elongated faces. In the early part of the 20th century, Atlantis was ruled by King Thakorr, and his daughter, Princess Fen. Once their Antarctic kingdom was (unknowingly) attacked by the American naval captian, Leonard McKenzie. Fen, against her father's wishes, travelled to the surface to investigate. After she got herself captured, she and the captain fell in love and conceived a child. Princess Fen raised the half human child with her father in Atlantis. Namor was born with pale, surface-dweller skin, pointed ears, and, inexplicably, with tiny wings on his ankles. He grew with his grandfather's distrust of mankind and by the 40's was an angry young man that could lift cars, fly, and distrusted mankind. He was seen, rightly so, as a menace, at least until Hitler began his rise to power and set his sites on Atlantis as well. So Namor joined the Allies in their fight against the Nazi's, even founding the Invaders with Captain America and the Human Torch. Though now seen as a hero by the Allied surface-dwellers, he still saw himself as the defender of Atlantis.

In modern times, Namor has mellowed out (for the most part), and is apparently middle-aged (he's very long lived). He has fallen in and out of favor with his people as leader, and is generally seen as a hero by the surface-dwellers.