Namor the Sub-Mariner is the current ruler and self-proclaimed king of an undersea kingdom
Atlantis, who was born as a mutant-hybrid son of a human fisherman (
Leonard McKenzie) and an Atlantean princess (
Fen). He first debuted in 1939's Marvel Comics #1 created by
Bill Everett, having pretty much predated Aquaman by two years and a month (November 1941), maybe even a bit further thanks to the uncirculated comic "
Motion Pictures Funnies Weekly" from the same year. Because of this, Namor himself is declared Marvel's very first super-hero/villain and mutant long times before X-Men came up, having been also described as the first historically known comic book anti-hero and even appeared in Marvel's first cartoon show, an anthology series
The Marvel Super Heroes, which first aired in September to December 1966, thus making him a vastly important piece of the company's history. Namor is also finally making an appearance in Marvel Cinematic Universe with a upcoming movie,
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
While he is more well-known for his heroics and being involved with the Avengers and X-Men such as the
original Human Torch and Captain America himself, who he teamed up with as part of
Invaders back in World War II, Namor isn't exactly said always a hero of his own rights, as he often hostilely seeks vengeance towards the human race who destroyed his kingdom (having done his crusade even since the debut), often allying with supervillains like Doctor Doom and Magneto, even temporarily joining afore-mentioned teams such as Cabals (one of which he formed himself at some point). During his lifetime, Namor went against the odds like The Fantastic Four, Black Panther, Wolverine, Hulk, etc.
As a half-human/Atlantean mutant, much like his DC counterpart, Namor
has multiple powers/
abilities such as
superhuman strength, extensive training in hand-to-hand combat,
immense willpower,
communicating with sea creatures and flight thanks to small wings on his ankles. He can also mimic various abilities of essentially any aquatic life, like using a
shocking electric eel-based attack. Namor is also able to utilize
the Trident of Neptune for long-reaching melee attacks, summoning water geysers/whirlpools/tidal waves, etc. and
the Horn of Proteus, an Atlantean relic which he can use to control monsters such as
Giganto.
Namor's unusually neutral nature and both roles as an anti-hero and villain in the Marvel universe would bring up interesting and fun interactions between multiple characters from both sides, such as the X-Men, Captain America and Aquaman himself, who he fought against in a 1996 crossover comic (which led to the latter's victory through voting and them becoming
Aqua Mariner in the Amalgam universe afterwards).
Now behold... witness our beloved, smiling half-human/half-Atlantean
laughing at us surface-dwellers!
"IMPERIUS REX!"
