I finally saw Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and while I tried to keep an open mind, I was pretty disappointed with the depiction of Namor. The beard and moustache, the lack of signature haircut, the huge and distracting earrings, headdress and bone through the nose, the dad bod... other than green trunks and ridiculously oversized ankle wings, they made no attempt to bring the comic character to life. Namora and Attuma were equally unrecognizable. Talokan was quite unimpressive after seeing James Wan's take on Atlantis in Aquaman. So OK, MCU Namor is just a different character - but then he commits a crime against the Wakandans that is so bad that I don't know how we as audience members are expected to ever root for him in future appearances. If he does show up again, I hope Marvel finds a way to get him closer to the antihero we know from the comics..
17 comments:
He might turn out to be a cousin of the real one OR Cue the visit of the Multi Verse!
Or, the script writers could pull the same ret-con that they did with the people of Nova Roma (birthplace of Magma the New Mutant). Instead of being a lost colony of Mayan Indians, they're actually Atlanteans who were mass brainwashed by Selene the External! If nothing else, it would be a good way to introduce her and the Hellfire Club into the X-men franchise.
Oops! That should've read "...that the comic writers of THE NEW MUTANTS did..." Sorry about that, Chief!
Is no one going to comment on the possible storyline suggested by today's cover simulation?
In Ryan Coogler's defense, there was a serious need to differentiate Namor's undersea realm from the Atlantis of Aquaman, and tying it to a culture other than Rome was probably the best way to do that. And since the Black Panther sub-franchise seems to be about giving representation to large under-represented ethnicities, why not Meso-America? In appearance, I thought Namor was close enough to his comics counterpart to be recognizable, and while I was disappointed by his behavior being so far separated from his comics counterpart, it does seem salvageable.
This puts me in mind of Mantis, who, though quite adorable as a character, is so unlike her comics counterpart as to be basically a different character altogether. In that regard, she's not really salvageable, though I'm encouraged somewhat by the character's development in the Holiday Special.
And in yet another corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. OK, it's arguable that it's not really part of the MCU, with situations that go beyond the usually acceptable level of absurdity (even after seeing She-Hulk: Attorney At Law), though there are also references to MCU events and institutions on the show as well as an upcoming appearance by Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill. Anyway, there are nice openings for guest appearances by several other MCU characters (Ms. Marvel, Ironheart, Spider-Man, Bill Foster), but there are also possibilities for this blog -- most notably Stupendous Man.
@Anon@9:56: I'd probably have some ideas if I could fathom why that Nazi pilot appears to be grinning at Gravedigger.
I will! I say that the guy in the kriegmarin uniform is the illegitimate son of Sgt. Rock's arch-enemy (The Iron Major). And the "saltwater croc" coming to aid him is actually Gator Loki!
The reason for their alliance? Some occult artifact from antediluvian Atlantis. Hence, Namor's presence, too!
P.S.---there's a difference between a need to represent the under-represented and arbitrarily differentiating just to be different.
*Koff!-STAR WARS Episode 8-Koff!*
PS: At Fan Expo Portland weekend before last, I got to chat for a bit with Kevin Maguire, who (among other things) designed the costume worn by Mary Maxwell, Stan Lee's version of the Flash (Just Imagine... Stan Lee Creating the Flash). He remarked that it's one of the few designs that he's truly proud of, and reminded me about the recent return of Stan's Justice League to the pages of DC (the first thing DC's done in years that I've been interested in looking at). If possible, I'd like to see Mary show up on this blog, perhaps teamed with a dimension-hopper like America Chavez or one of Marvel's few female speedsters such as Nonstop.
Looking up Marvel's speedsters, I came across one called Black Racer -- a name shared by one of DC's New Gods. I think it'd be interesting to see the two share a cover here, most likely with the latter chasing the former.
Quoth BG:
"Looking up Marvel's speedsters, I came across one called Black Racer -- a name shared by one of DC's New Gods. I think it'd be interesting to see the two share a cover here, most likely with the latter chasing the former."
"I am NOT angry with you for using the same name as I! It is simply your time!"
@BG & KC: LOL! As it so happens, I depicted a confrontation between those two (sort of) in one of my Marvel pastiches @ Fanfiction.net. It wasn't a knock-down drag-out fight! But, I made a Deadpool-worthy observation I think very few would disagree with.
It's posted under the name of my beta-reader, Ordinaryguy2.
well i didn’t like the winge fest ( oh he’s dead every 10 minutes ) forgetting that the previous monarch had died only a year earlier
i do like that Grave Digger appears to be in real trouble ( breathing) and that the Nazi is happy about that,
due to his association with the all winners squad Namor is hopefully their to help ( but no Guarantees)
@Carycomic: I'm all for the mass brainwashing. But, rather than Black Queen Selene being responsible, I'd go with Kulan Gath. As part of an elaborate plot o get the 7-Headed Serpent Crown of Lost Lemuria!
@Anon323: Well, he did Hyborianize all of Manhattan, once. So, I guess anything is mystically possible (in the mighty Marvel manner).
Gravedigger was one of the best features in the old DC anthology war comics. Great to recall him here.
Wakanda Forever was mediocre in many ways. I think the MCU is in decline. Hope Guardians III doesn't suck.
I loved "AM&W: Quantaniumania." Especially the debut of the CCTK!
P.S.---BPWF was a Best Picture Oscar nominee compared to THOR: LOVE & BLUNDER.
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