Sub-Mariner: Revolution

By Matt Cherniss and Peter Johnson
Art by Phil Briones

As I might have mentioned before, Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner is my favorite comic book character, so I was very excited to see this graphic novel on the library’s shelves. For those that aren’t familiar with him, in the fictional Marvel Universe, Namor is the proud ruler of a submerged Atlantis (think Yul Brynner’s Ramses from The Ten Commandments) But he’s also half-air breathing human and half-water breathing Atlantean, and thus an outsider to both cultures. He was created in 1939 by Bill Everett, which makes him the oldest of Marvel Comics’ many characters. And since his first appearance, he’s had an uneasy, and often antagonistic relationship with the surface world, which makes him one of the first anti-heroes in comics.

No where is that clearer than in this book, where a terrorist attack on an American town is blamed on Namor and Atlantis, and he must find the traitor responsible before war erupts between the two nations. It’s a tangled political tale, it’s an action filled adventure, it’s a psychological study, and most importantly, it’s an honest to goodness narrative that moves along at nice clip. There’s no decompressed story telling here. However, I get the feeling that the writers were given an editorial road map of sorts, because in some places the characterization was sacrificed to fit the plotline. In some ways, it reminded me of those old Marvel Team-Up issues, where the anchor character would have an encounter with a different super-hero each issue, usually resulting in a misunderstanding, followed by a fight. Namor’s quest brings him into contact and / or conflict with Iron Man, Wolverine, Professor X, Venom, and the Invisible Woman and each meeting reveals just how bad the situation is for our sea prince.

French artist Phil Briones brings a certain dynamism to the art reminiscent of Gene Colan’s classic work on the Sub-Mariner. Both artists like to capture that slightly off balance moment of action that lends itself particularly well to scenes that take place in the water or in the air. And there are plenty of those with a water breathing prince who can also fly. The underwater battle between Iron Man and the Sub-Mariner is amazing, and the best of book. Briones’ style is a bit loosely drawn, which some people enjoy, but which can lead to distortions of proportion. In other words, new readers, Namor’s ears normally are drawn like Tolkein elves, rather than Anime elves.

Sub-Mariner: Revolution is an entertaining read. But I must admit, for characterization and continuity reasons, I did not like the concept of Namor’s foe or how Namor dealt with him. But I loved the last chapter and the ending. Wow! You know how comic books and TV shows advertise episodes where “everything changes” and “nothing will ever be the same”? Well, this graphic novel delivers. Now, if only Marvel will capitalize on the fantastic cliff hanger, and the really intriguing opportunities left by the events of this book. Yes, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a sequel.

You can find this book in our catalog and reserve it here.