Sub-Mariner family follies

[Gothos]

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?

[benday-dot]

Wow... thorough analysis. And sadly I can help you not at all. The only thing I remember while reading that Subby Everett run you are deep into is... best interpretation of Namor ever. Not before or since has the Sub-Mariner looked so good on the pages of a comic book. I've not seen all the golden age stuff, but still enough through reprints to know that I love it, but still not as much as this early bronze age brilliance. I've a lot of those issues though, so perhaps if in re-reading (its been a while) I can come up with any answers to your well thought out questions I'll post them.

[Rob Allen]

Sub-Mariner #50 led to my first encounter with the speculator mindset. I was in 10th grade when it came out, and there was another comic collector in my class. I traded him some earlier Sub-Mariner comics that he was missing. When #50 came out, he decided that owning #1-50 was a valuable enough collection and he was going to stop buying it. I was absolutely captivated by Everett's work and thought he was insane to stop buying it when it was so incredibly good. "Good" just didn't seem to matter to him.

I still don't understand people like that.

[MWGallaher]

Right on, Brothers!
He had some assistance from Sam Kweskin, but Bill Everett's final few issues of Sub-Mariner are, in my opinion, on par with the best work of his long (but still too short!) career. The issue that reintroduces Venus is a special standout in the run.
I've always had this odd sense that his style would have been especially attractive to female readers, and that if he were alive today and drawing like he was in the early 70's, he'd be able to compete for the attention of the current manga readers to a degree that modern superhero artists can't seem to manage to do. There's just something about that lush, relaxed but emotionally-charged style of his that suggests that to me.

[Aaron Kashtan]

Which issues of Sub-Mariner did Bill Everett work on?

[MWGallaher]

Everett's in 50-61, although his input diminishes over the course of that run, so the later issues he's credited with only plots, as I recall. The highlights of Everettism are #50 (where he takes over, introduces Namorita, gives Namor an earring), #55 (a great Old School fight against a giant monster) and #57 (the return of Venus!).

[benday-dot]

Also guys... can we give due praise to a gem of a little fill-in story by the oft under rated Alan Weiss. I think it is in 54 or 55. My copy is buried, and GCD is down... again. Its a little oddity about Mer mutants or something. I just remember loving it, and thinking it fit well into Everett's aesthetic going on at the time.

[Aaron Kashtan]

I just found issues #55 and #57 for $2.50 each. #55 was awesome and I'm looking forward to reading #57.

[Allan Harvey]

Sub-Mariner #57 is one of the loveliest-looking comics of all time. Simply beautiful artwork. One final high for a genius comics creator.

Now, if only Marvel will collect the original Venus series in a nice HC...

[Cei-U!]

Sigh. I'm out of step again.

Everett's art was undeniably pretty--he's my favorite inker over Jack Kirby--but the plotting/writing on those issues is awful, particularly in comparison to the earlier Thomas/Buscema issues. It turned the clock back on a character who had, frankly, outgrown his creator (just as Captain America had outgrown Kirby). It was my feeling at the time that the series never recovered from the abrubt shift in direction and tone these issues took, leading ultimately to its cancellation.

But it has been 18 years since I last read them so I may have a completely differenct attitude toward them now. If they ever release a fershlugginer Essential Sub-Mariner, I'll let you know.

Cei-U!
I summon the impervious wrecks!

[Rob on the Job]

A little story to tell you about the final issue (#72) of the first run of the Sub-Mariner.

It was written by a fellow named Steve Skeates, who also had the distinction of writing the final issue of the initial Aquaman series.

I got to be friends with Steve 18 years ago, and in fact wrote a feature on him for the Comic Buyer's Guide.

Anyway, Steve showed me that otherwise-forgettable final issue of Subby and noted the panels showing two human males who are quickly throttled by Namor. They are last seen slinking off "to read wrestling magazines."

"I snuck those guys in," Steve told me. "The first gay men in comics."

For what it's worth.

[MDG]

It was written by a fellow named Steve Skeates, who also had the distinction of writing the final issue of the initial Aquaman series.

I got to be friends with Steve 18 years ago, and in fact wrote a feature on him for the Comic Buyer's Guide.

Are you still in touch with Steve? He used to show up at local shows, and in the mid-90s, an ad (in Comic Book Artist?) had him selling his mini-comics from an address around the corner from where I lived at the time.

MDG

[Rob on the Job]

Are you still in touch with Steve? He used to show up at local shows, and in the mid-90s, an ad (in Comic Book Artist?) had him selling his mini-comics from an address around the corner from where I lived at the time.

MDG

Sad to say, I lost track of Steve about 1999. The last I heard, he had moved from Alfred up to Rochester -- I think he had a daughter who lived there -- but I have heard nothing since.

MDG: did you live in Alfred?

EDIT: NM. I see you live in Fairport.

[Cherokee Jack]

A little story to tell you about the final issue (#72) of the first run of the Sub-Mariner.

It was written by a fellow named Steve Skeates, who also had the distinction of writing the final issue of the initial Aquaman series.

I'd have to double check, but doesn't Aquaman's hand (from his final issue), crossover into Subby's book? I know I bought both of these a few years ago, but can't remember the exact crossover.

[Cherokee Jack]

Everett's art was undeniably pretty--he's my favorite inker over Jack Kirby--

Cei-U!
I summon the impervious wrecks!

What title did Everett ink Kirby? Thor?

I really like Everett's inks on Gene Colan, especially in some of the Marvel romance books.

Now back to our already scheduled thread.