Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: 9 Comics to Read to Learn More About Namor

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and while the film answers the question of who is the new Black Panther after the death of T’Challa — and real life passing of actor Chadwick Boseman — as well as concluded Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the film also introduced audiences to Namor, one of Marvel’s oldest and most beloved comics characters. Played by Tenoch Huerta in the film, the MCU’s version of Namor is a bit of a departure from the comics in that he is of Mesoamerican origin in Wakanda Forever, but in many ways the live-action Namor is very faithful to his comic roots as a powerful king determined to protect his people from the surface world and other threats.

And for those who maybe aren’t familiar with Namor, this is where the comics come in. We’ve compiled a list of comics that fans of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever might want to check out now that Namor has made his big screen debut. This is by no means a comprehensive list — originally created by Bill Everett in 1939, Namor is one of Marvel’s very first heroes and is often billed as the first mutant so the character has an extensive history of stories and appearances — but it’s a solid beginner’s overview to acquaint you with the character, his history, and some of his personality and relationship — friend and foe — that have helped make him one of comics’ most complex and fascinating anti-heroes.

Marvel Comics #1

If you’re going to start somewhere, you should start at the top with the first Namor story. “The Sub-Mariner” is just one story in Marvel Comics #1 from 1939 but is a perfect introduction to the character that is Marvel’s first mutant and arguably one of its best and most complex characters. Written and art by Bill Everett, the story gives readers a vengeful anti-hero who is none too pleased with the surface world and has very good reasons for that. It’s a fantastic story and a great taste of what’s to come.

Fantastic Four #4 from 1961 (and really, #6 and #9 as well).

While Namor was a popular character throughout the 1940s, the 1950s saw the character decline only to return in the early 1960s as something of an antagonist for the Fantastic Four and, in the process, saw the character’s integration into the Marvel Universe as we know it. The story “The Coming of the Sub-Mariner” helps set the stage for the Namor that many casual Marvel fans know and arguably love but these stories are fun for more than just that. Vintage comics — especially early Fantastic Four comics — are just a hoot. Very much a product of their time and the social values of the time, the language and stories do sometimes come across as dated, but they are a ton of fun and Namor is surprisingly nuanced if you really let yourself pay attention. On top of that, you’ve got Jack Kirby’s art and who doesn’t love old school Namor’s crazy eyebrows?

Marvels Snapshots: Sub-Mariner

Kind of a unique take on Namor, this 2020 one-shot is set in 1946 and told from the perspective of Namor’s human girlfriend Betty Dean. It gives readers an outsider’s look at the character and offers a glimpse of how regular people see the anti-hero, his behavior, and his experiences as well as the aspects of who is that readers don’t often get to think about since we’re used to seeing him in either a heroic or villainous context. On top of that, the issue explores themes of war-related PTSD. There’s also Namor fighting Nazis, which is always a win.

Daredevil #7

If you just want an interesting story and a truly legendary fight between two beloved characters, then you need look no further than Daredevil #7 by Wallace Wood and Stan Lee. The issue sees a fight between Daredevil and Namor and while that alone is a thing of glory, this is a notable issue for a few other reasons. First, it’s the first appearance of Daredevil’s red costume but beyond that it’s an incredible story. The issue sees Namor convinced by Krang to try to reason with humanity, so he roll sup to sue the United States over how it’s treated Atlantis and Matt Murdock is, of course, Namor’s lawyer. Namor gets arrested for crimes against the U.S and in all of this Namor discovers that Krang has taken over Atlantis and decides to break out and deal with it and that leads to Namor fighting the army which leads to Daredevil trying to stop him because Namor versus the army is bad news. The entire issue is epic. You cannot miss it. (And can we also please get some live action take on this? Pretty please?)

Uncanny X-Men by Kieron Gillen

Never forget that while Namor is a formidable force and at times kind of grumpy, he’s also funny and witty. as well. Kieron Gillen certainly hasn’t forgotten that and his take on Namor in Uncanny X-Men is pretty fun. Best when enjoyed in its collected form bringing together S.W.O.R.D. 1-5, Uncanny X-Men (1981) 534-544, X-Men: Regenesis 1 and Uncanny X-Men (2011) 1-3, the story sees Namor as part of Cyclops’ “Extinction Team” and there are some genuinely classic moments. It’s also a solid reminder that while many people think of Namor as a Fantastic Four antagonist, he’s also an X-Men hero as well.

Namor: The Sub-Mariner Run by John Byrne and Jae Lee

Byrne and Lee’s run with Namor serves as a radical reinvention of the character in that we see him shift more into a different sort of role — one as a corporate giant with Oracle Incorporated working to make a positive change for life on the surface. We also see a more heroic Namor in this run, but there are also some really insane moments in this run as well, as well as some completely off the chain art thanks to Lee. The whole run can be uneven at times, and this is definitely something that readers should try to keep in context with the time period it was created in, but it’s Byrne’s characterization of Namor that still carries in comics to this day which makes it very much worth revisiting or checking out for the first time.

King in Black: Namor

Never forget that Namor was once a young man, and this five-issue mini-series features a flashback story from his teen years that gives readers a ton of new Atlantis lore. The story sees Namor recalling the banishment of a team of Atlantean warriors, the Swift Tide, who had become a group of murderous monsters. The story is a fascinating look at some of the experiences that helped to shape the adult character readers have come to know.

Saga of the Sub-Mariner

Released in 1988, this 12-issue miniseries is largely a vehicle for presenting Namor’s origin story as well as Marvel’s history of ancient Atlantis and the rise of the Atlantean people. This particular series is a good read for those fans interested in just how different the MCU’s Talokan is from Atlantis. It also features the meeting of Princess Fen and Leonard McKenzie, which who can turn down any appearances by Princess Fen?

Namor: The Sub-Mariner: Conquered Shores #1

This is a new series that, as of the time of this list’s writing has just one issue out but it is an issue very much worth reading. The issue explores an older Namor in a ruined world — specifically an Earth that is nearly uninhabitable due to environmental collapse. Namor has ruled the seas and thus the world for decades but now, this older and wiser Namor sees the suffering of the humans who remain and has a change in perspective and in purpose.  Writer Christopher Cantwell is a big fan of Namor, and it shows in his approach to the character here which makes it a very worthy read.