Gothos
11-29-2006, 08:26 AM
It's strange how comics that you read as a kid, without questioning, take on new complications when subjected to adult scrutiny.
I recently re-read SUB-MARINER #50, circa 1972, the start of a short run which gave Subby's creator Bill Everett one last chance to work on his signature character. This was also the issue that brought Golden Age Namor-cousin Namora into the "official" Marvel Universe, relating how she had met death at the hands of Roy Thomas-villainess Llyra but had given birth to Namorita/Nita (making her, I think, a "second cousin" to Namor), who continues to this day in the Marvel Universe.
Yet, as I reread #50, I realized that it really made no sense in light of established continuity.
Consider: issue #32 introduces Llyra, who is half-human, half-Lemurian, and who has taken over rulership of the Lemurian people from one of Namor's friends, Karthon. Karthon in turn assumed rulership of Lemuria after he and Namor teamed up to end the menace of the old Lemurian ruler Naga, who is represented as having ruled Lemuria for a really long time. Naturally, all this happens a good long time after Namor lost his memory at the hands of Destiny, regained it thanks to the Human Torch, and learned that the Antarctic home of his people had been devastated (also by Destiny, though in FF #4 he thinks it was by human H-bomb tests).
Yet, in #50, Everett tells us that shortly after the devastation of the Antarctic Atlantis, Namora, with the baby Namorita (but no father, as he was apparently already dead), somehow gets separated from the scattered Atlanteans and ends up in Pacific-based Lemuria, where she is welcomed not by Naga, but by Llyra. Namora remains in Lemuria at least long enough for Nita to grow to pre-teenhood (though Thoth only knows how long it takes Atlanteans to mature), and apparently never hears anything about her cousin Namor has returned to prominence as ruler of the reformed Atlantis. During those (thirteen? fifteen?) years Namora becomes friendly with (but apparently does not wed) a Lemurian noble named Merro, whom Llyra covets because by marrying him she can ascend to the queenship (though she certainly seems to already be the queen when she first receives Namora and Nita). According to the tale-teller (Nita), Llyra finally ends the quarrel by poisoning Namora, and then wedding Merro, who later also dies under suspicious circumstances. Then evil stepmother Llyra allies herself with Atlantean exile Byrrah and sends Nita out in quest of Namor, which is how the two meet.
Of course, though we don't know from SUBBY #32 how long Llyra usurped power from Karthon, it's pretty much impossible for her to have been in power in Lemuria at the time Everett suggests. I think Roy Thomas may've done a continuity fix in SAGA OF THE SUB-MARINER, because he asserts that when Namora left the Atlanteans with Nita she went to some other Atlantean colony. It would certainly be more logical to think of Namora raising Nita to teenhood in a friendlier environment than Lemuria, and then the two of them emigrating to Lemuria for some reason or other. At least it would make more sense time-wise; one wouldn't have to credence Llyra conveniently waiting thirteen or so years to off her rival. However, I don't have all issues of SAGA so I don't know how extensive the fix was.
Anyone recall anything about how this seeming glitch was resolved?
I recently re-read SUB-MARINER #50, circa 1972, the start of a short run which gave Subby's creator Bill Everett one last chance to work on his signature character. This was also the issue that brought Golden Age Namor-cousin Namora into the "official" Marvel Universe, relating how she had met death at the hands of Roy Thomas-villainess Llyra but had given birth to Namorita/Nita (making her, I think, a "second cousin" to Namor), who continues to this day in the Marvel Universe.
Yet, as I reread #50, I realized that it really made no sense in light of established continuity.
Consider: issue #32 introduces Llyra, who is half-human, half-Lemurian, and who has taken over rulership of the Lemurian people from one of Namor's friends, Karthon. Karthon in turn assumed rulership of Lemuria after he and Namor teamed up to end the menace of the old Lemurian ruler Naga, who is represented as having ruled Lemuria for a really long time. Naturally, all this happens a good long time after Namor lost his memory at the hands of Destiny, regained it thanks to the Human Torch, and learned that the Antarctic home of his people had been devastated (also by Destiny, though in FF #4 he thinks it was by human H-bomb tests).
Yet, in #50, Everett tells us that shortly after the devastation of the Antarctic Atlantis, Namora, with the baby Namorita (but no father, as he was apparently already dead), somehow gets separated from the scattered Atlanteans and ends up in Pacific-based Lemuria, where she is welcomed not by Naga, but by Llyra. Namora remains in Lemuria at least long enough for Nita to grow to pre-teenhood (though Thoth only knows how long it takes Atlanteans to mature), and apparently never hears anything about her cousin Namor has returned to prominence as ruler of the reformed Atlantis. During those (thirteen? fifteen?) years Namora becomes friendly with (but apparently does not wed) a Lemurian noble named Merro, whom Llyra covets because by marrying him she can ascend to the queenship (though she certainly seems to already be the queen when she first receives Namora and Nita). According to the tale-teller (Nita), Llyra finally ends the quarrel by poisoning Namora, and then wedding Merro, who later also dies under suspicious circumstances. Then evil stepmother Llyra allies herself with Atlantean exile Byrrah and sends Nita out in quest of Namor, which is how the two meet.
Of course, though we don't know from SUBBY #32 how long Llyra usurped power from Karthon, it's pretty much impossible for her to have been in power in Lemuria at the time Everett suggests. I think Roy Thomas may've done a continuity fix in SAGA OF THE SUB-MARINER, because he asserts that when Namora left the Atlanteans with Nita she went to some other Atlantean colony. It would certainly be more logical to think of Namora raising Nita to teenhood in a friendlier environment than Lemuria, and then the two of them emigrating to Lemuria for some reason or other. At least it would make more sense time-wise; one wouldn't have to credence Llyra conveniently waiting thirteen or so years to off her rival. However, I don't have all issues of SAGA so I don't know how extensive the fix was.
Anyone recall anything about how this seeming glitch was resolved?