| Namora | |
|---|---|
 Namora on the cover ofSub-Mariner Comics #27 (August 1948 Timely Comics). Art by Bill Everett. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Marvel Mystery Comics #82 (May 1947) |
| Created by | Unconfirmed writer Ken Bald (penciller) Bob Powell (cover artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Aquaria Nautica Neptunia |
| Species | Atlantean /Human mutanthybrid |
| Place of origin | Atlantis |
| Team affiliations | Monster Hunters Agents of Atlas Renegades "Avengers" (1959) |
| Partnerships | Namorita Namor Fin |
| Notable aliases | Avenging daughter Sub-Mariner Sea Queen[1] |
| Abilities |
|
Namora (/neɪˈmɔːrə/) (Aquaria Nautica Neptunia) is a character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. Created by artistsKen Bald andSyd Shores, the characterfirst appeared inMarvel Mystery Comics #82 (May 1947). Namora is fromAtlantis and is the daughter of an Atlantean father and a human mother and is the cousin ofNamor.
Namora appears in theMarvel Cinematic Universe filmBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), portrayed byMabel Cadena.[2]
Namora debuted in the 12-page comic story "The Coming of Namora!" published inMarvel Mystery Comics #82 (May 1947), pencilled byKen Bald and inked bySyd Shores.[3] Namora also featured on the cover drawn byBob Powell. Her costume was designed bySub-Mariner creatorBill Everett.[4] Initially, she and Namor had no apparent familial relationship, and romantic interest was sometimes implied between the two.[5]
She had her own comic book series,Namora, which ran from August–December 1948.[6] While this title lasted three issues, she regularly appeared with Namor inMarvel Mystery Comics and also inSub-Mariner until that series ended in 1955.[7]
The character was not seen again for 16 years until she made a brief flashback appearance in theSilver AgeSub-Mariner series, inSub-Mariner #33 (January 1971). Her death was established inSub-Mariner #50 (June 1972), where her corpse is shown to Namor, and depicted in flashback in #51 (July 1972).
Over the next 30 years, Namora appeared in a number of flashbacks and alternate reality stories, includingWhat If? #9 (June 1978),The New Warriors Annual #1 (1991),What If? #47 (March 1993),The New Warriors #44 (February 1994),Avengers: Forever #4-5 (March–April 1999), andMarvel: The Lost Generation #3-2 (December 2000-January 2001).
Namora eventually reappears, alive, in theAgents of Atlas series, in issues #1-6 (October 2006-March 2007). She also appears inThe Incredible Hulk #107-112 (August–December 2007),Giant-Size Marvel Adventures: Avengers #1 (September 2007),World War Hulk #2 (September 2007),Spider-Man Family #4 (October 2007), andThe Incredible Hercules #121-122 (November–December 2008).
Namora received an entry inOfficial Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Golden Age 2004.
Namora is a character that originated in theGolden Age of Comic Books.[8] Her original name wasAquaria Nautica Neptunia, but she was nicknamed "Namora" in honor of her cousinNamor.[9] Like Namor, she is a hybrid mutant with superhuman strength and the power of flight by using the wings on her ankles. When her father was killed by treasure-hunting surface-dwellers, she fully changed her name to Namora, the Atlantean term for "Avenging Daughter", as Namor means "Avenging Son". She was Namor's cousin (though not by blood), and became his companion for several years.
Namora was ultimately shown to have been fatally poisoned by the Lemurian terroristLlyra.[10] She was survived by hercloneNamorita, whom she had passed off as her birth daughter because of Atlantian taboos against cloning.Marvel: The Lost Generation revealed that she had been a member of theMonster Hunters in 1956.
Some time later, theAgents of Atlas find a damaged coffin, which appears to contain the mummified corpse of Namora.[11] Upon closer inspection,Marvel Boy disables a holographic display creating the corpse image, revealing a well-preserved, alive Namora inside the coffin. When awakened, Namora joins in a fight against underwater sea creatures and displays just how powerful she is, shown to be equal in power to Namor.[12]
Jimmy Woo offers her a spot, and Namora joins theAgents of Atlas, where she leadsVenus to recover all memories of her past life as asiren, almost driving her mad in the process. It is then revealed by the enhanced bliss inducing powers of the naiad that Namora's innermost desire is to sleep with her cousin Namor.[13]
Eventually the team manages to reach theYellow Claw, revealed as the mastermind behind the Atlas Foundation, and willing to give his leading role to Jimmy Woo. Woo accepts, and Namora, as the other Agents, are employed to travel the world in Marvel Boy's spaceship to shut down any rebellious cell still pursuing criminal objectives.[14]
At some point in her career as an Agent of Atlas she takes an extended leave, or leaves the role altogether, to joinAmadeus Cho's group during theWorld War Hulk event.[15]
Angry over the death and subsequent vilification of her daughter at the onset of the superheroCivil War over government registration, Namora joins Amadeus Cho,Hercules, andAngel to aid theHulk.[15]
In the course of her membership in Amadeus Cho's group, she shares a genuinely romantic kiss with Hercules.[16] Some time later, following theSecret Invasion, Hercules and Cho vacation near an Atlantean city, and she and Hercules have a romantic fling. This is interrupted by anAmazon attack.[17] Namora aids Hercules in repelling the Amazons and rescuing Cho from their amorous and ultimately fatal attentions.[18]
The Agents of Atlas decide to oppose Osborn's agenda by taking on the role of "supervillains", in order to form close ties to Osborn. After some time, the group becomes aware of Norman'sCabal to find out that a member of the group is none other than Namora's cousin,Namor. Upon finding this out, the Agents confront Namor for his involvement in the group. Initially at odds with each other for their recent decisions, Namora and Namor end up kissing and beginning a relationship.[14] Namora contemplates staying with Namor until it is revealed that it was Atlantean elders that plotted for them to start a relationship and mate a long time ago as human/Atlantean hybrids are so powerful. Namor and Namora decide to part ways as they were unsure how much of their feelings for each other were genuine and how much was due to the secret plotting of the elders.[19]
DuringInfinity, Namora's Atlantean School is chosen as one of the institutions set to do battle in the newContest of Champions. However, Atlantis is attacked and decimated by the forces ofThanos before the competition can begin. Namora sends a desperate plea for help toHank Pym, but the kingdom is destroyed before action can be taken.[20]
Namora possessessuperhuman strength, speed, agility, stamina, durability, and reflexes. She is nearly invulnerable as bullets and other missiles cannot penetrate her extremely tough skin. She can swim at superhuman speeds, breathe underwater, and is immune to the cold and pressures of the depths. She can also see better underwater than a normal human.
Deirdre Kaye ofScary Mommy called Namora a "role model" and a "truly heroic" female character.[21] Charles Nichola Raymond ofScreen Rant called Namora a "capable hero in her own right,"[22] while Philip Etemesi ranked her 2nd in their "Marvel's 10 Most Powerful Aquatic Characters" list.[23] Megan Nicole O'Brien ofComic Book Resources ranked Namora 2nd in their "Marvel: 10 Best Golden Age Heroines" list.[24]Comics Buyer's Guide ranked Namora 76th in their "100 Sexiest Women in Comics" list.[25]
Nicole Drum ofComicBook.com called Namora a "fan favorite."[26]
An alternate universe variant of Namora from Earth-2189 appears inExiles #46. This version is a blue-skinned gender-swapped version of Namor who possesses his abilities. Decades prior, she aligned herself withCharles Xavier, who convinced her to not attack the surface world. She would later do so after anti-mutant hysteria led to the imprisonment of most mutants, killing most of Earth's heroes and taking over the world before she is eventually forced to join theExiles. After learning her teammateMorph was seemingly killed byHyperion, she attempts to kill the latter, only to be killed by him.
An alternate universe variant of Namora from Earth-2301 appears in theMarvel Mangaverse story "Eternity Twilight".
An alternate universe variant of Namora appears inMarvel Her-oes, written byGrace Randolph. This version is a teenager and classmate ofJennifer Walters andJanet van Dyne who hides her Atlantean heritage by posing as a Greek exchange student named "Namora Aquarius".[27]
An alternate universe variant of Namora from Earth-1610 makes a minor appearance inUltimatum.[28]