Namor has always been a complicated character. Arguably Marvel Comics’ oldest recurring character, Namor has spent years oscillating between being a genocidal dictator, a misunderstood prince, and an exile desperately trying to set the world right. With the Namor the Sub-Mariner: Conquered Shores TPB, Christopher Cantwell and Pasqual Ferry get to the bottom of all of Namor’s contradictions with veritable ease.
The story of Namor the Sub-Mariner: Conquered Shores has never been collected before, owing to the fact that it only finished its run in February. The TPB collects issues #1 to #5, and having the opportunity to read them all in one easy package adds immeasurably to the quality of the story.
The TPB begins decades after the collapse of the air-breathing civilizations on Earth. Kree attacks flooded the world, leaving Atlantis thriving while the humans drowned. Namor has stepped down, and he now dedicates his time to supporting the humans.
While an incensed Luke Cage rages at Namor, the Sub-Mariner catches sight of Jim Hammond, the original Human Torch. Namor and Cage begin a journey to track down the Torch, only to find that the world’s machines appear to be planning an uprising. They discover a human settlement protected by Frankenstein’s monster. After a quick fight, Namor saves a little girl and earns the trust of the humans and Frankenstein’s monster.
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Yet it’s meeting the Torch again that brings out the worst in Namor — as it often does. The two instantly launch into a fight, as Namor blames him for machines attacking Namor’s scientist. They talk it over eventually and come to terms. As always with the Sub-Mariner and the Torch, their shaky bond won’t survive all of Namor the Sub-Mariner: Conquered Shores unmarred.
After all, Machine Man launches an attack on the underwater human civilization, killing Captain America and enraging Namor. He attacks the Torch, nearly killing him. Namor laments as the Torch launches after him, and the two — again — come to a shaky resolution. They discover that Attuma was the source of the attack, as he hoped to kill all of the humans and machines alike. He and Namor fight, before Queen Namorita kills Attuma.
Enraged at Namor’s refusal to kill the machines, Namorita exiles him. Once more cast away from his people, Namor hopes to resettle humanity as new half-human and half-Atlantean lives are born for the first time in decades.
Despite being a look into the future, Namor the Sub-Mariner: Conquered Shores is little more than a reflection on the past. It is all showcased by hints at his tumultuous relationship with Sue Storm, his bond with his oldest friend and enemy, his connection to Doom, and even an appearance by the oft-forgotten Machine Man. Luke Cage even reflects that Namor’s back-and-forth view of those around him seems to be a central part of their adventure. Even Namor can’t decide what he wants here.
While it postulates itself as a dystopic future, Namor the Sub-Mariner: Conquered Shores grounds itself in the history of Marvel Comics by clinging to two of its oldest characters as centerpieces of the story. This specific alternate reality may never be returned to in future comics, but it is still an invaluable tool to extrapolate who Namor is at his core. As much as he feigns sole allegiance to his Atlantean people, his human side is ever-calling.
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In terms of the art, the coloring can occasionally feel somewhat stale, leaving entire pages looking like blobs of red or blue. It’s in a few key situations, however — in the ocean and in fire — that the art of Namor the Sub-Mariner: Conquered Shores shines. The Torch’s entrance looks incredible and feels like the monumentous splash it’s supposed to be. Any time Namor enters the water, too, feels like the rebirth that Namor proclaims it to be.
There are some flaws to Namor the Sub-Mariner: Conquered Shores, of course. While Steve Rogers enjoys one of his better appearances, as he connects with his hope and relentless desire to do good, Luke Cage is a middling presence at best with little practical influence.
Attuma, too, is a lackluster villain. His final monologue feels like a pointless exposition of a scheme that is already fairly evident by the time he reveals it. His motivation to have a powerful Atlantis is also weakened when Atlantis is rarely actually shown. The characters often discuss how well Atlantis is doing in Namor the Sub-Mariner: Conquered Shores, but it is only on-panel for a few scarce pages.
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The routine proclamations that Atlantis loves Namor are also unearned. He only ever has interactions with three named Atlanteans, and he only speaks with other Atlanteans during fights. Considering how his every request is refused, it’s hard to see where that profound love is even coming from.
Still, the premise of Namor the Sub-Mariner: Conquered Shores makes up for any of its faults. Even the initial concept — the Kree causing massive flooding, wiping out the heroes, and the scientists never being able to uncover how — is brilliant. While this seems to be a lazy explanation, it really does work. The scientific explanation isn’t the point of the story and avoiding it provides a nice air of mystery. Namor’s journey is at the heart of the story, and his split allegiances are well depicted.
Namor’s wings aging with him and rendering him unable to truly fly is the perfect example. That he is no longer at home in the sky because he spends too long in the seas is a prime metaphor for what the world has become. Half-human and half-Atlantean, Namor’s a symbol of balance, and the balance has been lost.
Namor the Sub-Mariner: Conquered Shores accomplishes everything that it sets out to achieve. With a short and succinct story that doesn’t rely on tie-ins or even much prior knowledge of Namor’s place in the world, it serves as great insight into the story of the Sub-Mariner and closes the loop on its story admirably.
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