Marvel Comics 2018
Written by Chip Zdarsky
Illustrated by Carlos Magno
Coloured by Ian Herring
Lettered by VC’s Travis Lanham
The Monarch of the Oceans has declared war once more on the surface world in the pages of AVENGERS. And if this is a war that Namor means to win, he is going to need allies to stand beside him! The Sub-Mariner’s quest for a lost tribe of sea-dwellers carries him further than he ever thought possible—and to a reckoning both strange and wonderful! And hey, what’s up with that weird apparition in the sheet, anyway?
So I was at my shop and looking at the wall of new comics they had gotten in, I go there to get the ones from companies I don’t already work with, mostly Marvel & DC, and a few others show work I really want to support. I saw this and thought nope not one on my list then I saw who was involved in creating it. While I love Chip and the work he does it’s Carlos who is real reason I bought this book, I am huge fan of his and what he does is magic to me. So Chip and Carlos together what an amazing combination they make, now after this forget the Defenders book give me an ongoing with these two and I am in like Flynn.
So the big question is how do you do something new and fresh with Namor? It feels like almost everything you can think of has been before so what do we rehash a few aspects? Granted it has been some time since I have read a Namor series or paid attention to Marvel in years so for me this new territory. I think that the opening here is intriguing the other deep water nation of former Atlantians who broke off and started their own civilisation are the very people that are as hated and feared by the populace of Atlantis. They are also the very people that Namor wishes to bring home and reunite their peoples in an attempt for them all to join forces against the surface.
Why is there always animosity between those that live below the oceans waters and those who live on the surface? Namor did have that Phoenix force if I remember correctly and as a member of the Invaders and the Defenders he’s acted as hero time and time, of course he’s acted like a villain time and time again as well, still why is there a rooting hatred of evil between the races. Maybe someday someone will actually delve into that because me I want to read about that.
Sweet Caroline the work that Carlos does here is glorious. The way that he’s able to use the varying weights in the linework and create nice bold lines as well as what appear to be delicate ones to show such detail is stunning. That he is as comfortable with the denizens of the deep as well both species of underwater races not to mention the wild creatures that Namor encounters shows such creativity and imagination. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows off what should be an award winning eye for storytelling. The way that backgrounds are utilised here is great to see though I do wish we’d get more but under the sea is a tricky place for that. I love the size and scope that we see in the story here. Also wow to Ian for being able to show us colours like these and helping to define the two races as well as the myriad of life being shown.
While I like the flashes of life lived on the surface reminding him who he is and was that conflict with being King of his people, most of whom don’t trust him one lick of seaweed. Chips is showing us all his amazing storytelling ability through the pacing and utterly sensational characterisation, story/plot development here. This really is a version of Namor I would love to see more of.