Namor: The First Mutant Takes on Gilled Vampires in New Ongoing Series

Namor will be working on his seriously unnerving abs as he thrusts pelvically into an all new ongoing series this August. Namor: The First Mutant debuts with a super-sized #1 issue, helmed by Stuart Moore and Ariel Olivetti with covers by Jae Lee and Joe Quesada. Coenciding with the launch of X-Men #1, the opening arc falls under the umbrella of the "Curse of the Mutants" storyline, pitting Namor against vamped out versions of the X-Men as well as his own Atlantean countrymen. By and large, it's gonna suck to be Namor.

While he's always been a revered anti-hero, the wicked prince really surfaced as a major player in the larger Marvel U during Dark Reign, so it's only natural that he get his own solo title. It'll also be interesting to see how Namor assetrs himself in his own series, since he's spent so much time in the shadows. Also worth noting that the opening arc and subtitle confirms that he'll continue to be a presence in the mutant corner of the Marvel U and that the book will tie directly into events where X marks the spot. Here's hoping for a long and fruitful run for an incredibly complex character he does most of his swimming in the gray, gray waters of moral ambiguity.

"Funny. Reed Richards and Scott Summers don't have their own monthly title. Ah, well…"

Here's a look at Joe Q's variant cover:

 

From Marvel:

Vampires are hunting mutants and the only hope for the X-Men may be the Sub-Mariner, as he boldly launches into a new ongoing series with the extra-sized Namor #1! In this “Curse of The Mutants” tie-in spinning out of the hotly-anticipated X-Men #1, fan favorite creators Stuart Moore and Ariel Olivetti set the world’s first mutant on his most dangerous mission ever! Namor may be able to end the vampire threat, but is he willing to sacrifice Atlantis? And what can stop the threat of…the Atlantean vampires? With covers by superstars Jae Lee and Joe Quesada, Namor #1 marks the beginning on a new chapter in Namor’s life…or his death.
 
This August, dive into an all new ongoing series with Namor—and the X-Men will never be the same!
 
NAMOR: THE FIRST MUTANT #1
Written by STUART MOORE
Penciled by ARIEL OLIVETTI
Cover by JAE LEE
Variant Cover by JOE QUESADA
Rated T+ …$3.99
ON SALE AUGUST

 

The abs are really freaking me out, guys. Besides, everyone knows Namor leads from the loins when he swims. He's like Prince, but underwater.

Comments

  1. was into the idea of an ongoing for Namor…then I read Ariel Olivetti…

  2. Namor’s my favorite marvel character, so I’m definitely on board with this title.  I dig Stuart Moore as well, but I don’t like Olivetti’s current style that much.  I prefer the less painted Olivetti.

  3. Ditto, glad Namor gets an ongoing but boo to Olivetti art.

  4. The premise does sound kind of cool and I did manage to overlook the Olivetti art on the Fraction Punisher book…not sure I can do it again. Also, just how many new series are there on average in a given month?  It does seem kind of endless these days…

  5. I’ll waiting for the trades on this one.

  6. WHOAWHOAWHOAWHOAWHOA!!!! Waitaminute… we aren’t even half way through Second Coming and they want to promote THIS event?! O_o… Marvel is killing me with event fatigue. I thought we were going to get the reprecussions of second coming and necrosha after they ended but now I feel alot less motivated to picking up an issue. I’m with siratomofbones on this one. Wait now. Trade later.

  7. Not gonna happen.

  8. I like the creative team and I would like to read a good Namor comic so I’ll check it out.

  9. Yay Namor Ongoing!  Ilove this character and I think the guys were just talking about this in the Iron Man Video Podcast!

    But Im with everyone else, on the disapointment of Olivetti artwork. I stuck with him on Cable but he was a large part of why I stopped buying Incredible Hulk.

  10. Underwater vampire wars. i think Marvel just invented heaven for sharks. 

  11. I’ll definitely check it out, but this whole X-men vampire thing sounds kinda stupid. And I’m a fan of Dracula in the Marvel Universe, go figure.

  12. I’ll sound like a broken record, but I nearly shit myself when I saw this. I would love a Namor ongoing…without Olivetti.

  13. @drake what awful art will lie within?

  14. We’ve reached 1996…again!

  15. Wow! Is what I thought……until Olivetti’s name came up.

    I guess I’ll wait for the next Namor #1 issue. 

  16. I don’t know how this whole vampire thing slipped through the creative cracks at Marvel.  Did X-Necrosha really do that good to where you need to shift from zombies to vampires?  It takes some balls to relaunch a major X-title on the hinges of a gimmick event. 

  17. There are more Olivetti detracters than I realized.  I can’t get into the guy’s current work either.  I’ll give this at least an issue though, maybe his work will fit the book OK.  Stuart Moore’s stuff is always solid and this X-Men vs. Vampires thing sounds like it could turn out cool (or it could be a castatrophy).  Jae Lee on covors helps.

  18. Olivetti has a style that certainly works better in select books, and when he doesn’t fit, it’s really obvious. I think he does great work in mythological books with Gods and monsters and all that jazz. This might be a good fit, I like Olivetti’s depiction of Namor, so hopefully this book will play towards Olivetti’s strengths.

  19. That is seriously the strangest cover I’ve seen in a long time. Normally I like Quesada, but I can’t stop staring at his abs…

  20. I love the Marvel U. I totally dig vampires. I really don’t like it when they mix. If I buy this, it’ll be after this arc.

     

     

  21. I enjoyed Cable, so Olivetti’s work doesn’t bother me… I can follow it and the people look quasi-normal.  As long as it’s better than Larry Stroman (or maybe Kaare Andrews…) though, it’s usually fine with me.

     Anyways, I’d read a Namor series pretty much no matter who wrote it.

  22. In my top three favorite Marvel characters . . . not sure if I will read this.

  23. Can we talk about this solicit mentioning a new X-Men #1? When was that news released?!? Is Legacy ending? Will this be a third X-Men title? WTF!!!

  24. Found some info on it. How did that get by me?

    http://marvel.com/news/comicstories.12097.c2e2_2010~colon~_x-men

  25. eh, pretty vamped out.

  26. Namor: The First Mutant, eh?  Wasn’t there just an issue of Uncanny about a year ago where they said Namor -wasn’t- the first mutant afterall and it was really Dr. Nemesis?

    Yes, I’m nitpicking a title. 

  27. I’m less concerned with the Olivetti’s art and more concerned with the fact that Stuart Moore is writing this. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything that he’s written that I liked.

  28. namor is my favorite marvel character. x-men are over all marvel’s most popular group of characters. vampires are hot with a certain demographic right now. i think this is a great way to re-introduce a great character to the masses. namor was asked to join the brotherhood of evil mutants and fought the original x-men way back in the mid-60’s.

  29. `Not getting the hate for this guys art.  Loved his work on The Hulk. I’m going to be getting this.

  30. I agree with Hawkboy, his artwork on Hulk was amazing! 

    Though I know what you mean about event fatigue, Marvel does need to scale back on these.  Do one or two big events a year and leave it at that.  But it seems very title gets it’s own special event nowadays.  Too much! 

  31. I keep reading this headline as "Namor Takes On Grilled Vampires" and now all I want to see is Namor competing on Iron Chef America. "And the secret ingredient is…Vampires!"