JEMAS, WATSON TALK NAMOR

JEMAS, WATSON TALK NAMOR-on How one non creative dick,almost re-ran Marvel back toward bankrupsey.

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Add an acclaimed indy writer, a controversial company President, an up and coming Japanese artist, and Marvel’s king of Atlantis, and what do you get? A hit – hopefully. Looking to capture lighting in a bottle again, Marvel’s Namor series will be co-written by Bill Jemas and Andi Watson and illustrated by Mizuki Sakakibara, and is, appropriately enough, the debut title of Marvel’s Tsunami initiative. Newsarama spoke with the primaries for some more juice.

The title will be the next of Marvel’s books to utilize the 25-cent pricing, with the May-debuting Namor #1 costing two bits, and issue #2 shipping in the same month as well. While Namor has been featured in his own series at least twice before, the Tsunami Namor will throw in a different angle. Rather than the adult, “Imperius Rex!” shouting, Sue Richards-pining, foul-tempered…prick that he’s been shown as for years, the Jemas/Watson Namor series will be set in the 1930s, back when Namor was just a guppy.

Alright, when he was a teenager.

The idea for a new Namor series originated with Jemas, who saw a new series starring the Sub-Mariner a means of killing a couple of birds with one stone – dusting and polishing the character. “It’s always story first, and a couple of fun ideas for Namor have been swirling around in my mind for the past couple of months,” Jemas said. “Namor is one of those all-time-great Marvel characters who had lost a little luster over the years. The more I thought about Namor and Atlantis, the more the story threads began to fit together. And, on top of that, Universal Studios is in full-scale development of a Namor blockbuster film. That means that Namor should rise back to mainstream prominence at some point, in the relatively near future and that Marvel Comics needs to prepare for that eventuality.”

From initial idea, Marvel editorial went about further developing the idea of an ongoing Namor series, and began casting its nets to see who could be tapped as a writer. Given the experimental nature of the title, Marvel went back to the experimental, but successful approach it too with Ultimate Spider-Man - take a creator with a very solid reputation in independent and small press comics, and team him with Jemas on an established character.

Ultimately, the development process centered on a teenage Namor, which set the book in the 1930s – a largely unexplored time period in the character’s life, as well as one that allows for a fair amount of interaction with the surface world without encumbering the series with early Marvel Universe continuity (technically, and going all continuity for a moment, according to Marvels, the Human Torch was created and first appeared in 1939 and was then buried. Namor made his presence known to the surface world in a big way shortly after the Human Torch reappeared, circa 1940 in Marvel Universe time, at least).

In regards to a writer, the needle finally stopped spinning when it reached Andi Watson, who’s made a name for himself with the critically acclaimed Skeleton Key, Geisha, Breakfast After Noon, Slow News Day[/b], and Dumped. While Skeleton Key and Geisha played with science fiction and fantasy concepts, Watson’s latter works have all focused on romance and interpersonal relationships – something that he’ll revisit with Namor, which he describes as a straight-ahead romance book.

“I certainly wasn't the first name that came up,” Watson said. “From what I gather there'd been some time working on a fresh direction for the character, unencumbered by continuity. Eventually the Prohibition era concept came up and making the focus of the book a love story. I think Bill was aware of my own books, Breakfast After Noon for instance, saw I could write characters/relationships and invited me to write a sample full script. They liked it and I got the gig.”

For his longtime fans, the move may seem curious, but for Watson, writing Namor is a chance to further experiment and explore. ”For me, Namor is compelling because he brings a whole lot of social/cultural questions with him,” Watson said. “A guy torn between two worlds, two different cultures with conflicting priorities, also, any story with Namor kind of has to include ecological elements as well. In short, he's interesting without getting too heavy.

“As for the time period, personally I find Prohibition era America fascinating, so it makes an interesting backdrop. More pragmatically, this book predates existing continuity. This way the die-hard continuity types aren't upset yet we're free to tell stories without the worry of getting tangled up in comics history. If continuity was an issue I certainly wouldn't have got the job, I've never followed a superhero book in my life.

“Having an eye on the bookstores and a whole new audience, the last thing we want to do is scare potential readers away by requiring any prior knowledge of the Marvel universe. The intention is for readers to be able to pick up the book and enjoy it right away.”

As far as the art for the series goes, Mizuki Sakakibara is a relative newcomer to both the American and Japanese comics scenes. “I’ve known her for a few years,” series editor C.B. Cebulski said. “She’s big on the Japanese dojinshi [fanzine] scene, and has a wonderful style that mixes manga sensibilities with a more American art style. She did an X-Men tribute book and a self-published retelling of Little Red Riding Hood that really caused us to stand up and take notice of her style.”

According to Cebulski, Sakakibara was one of several Japanese artists who were looking to find their way into the American comics market, and someone who was an ace up Cebulski’s sleeve for just such a project as Namor. “I’ve always wanted to get something going with her,” Cebulski said. “Her art immediately jumped put at me the first time I saw it. She’s a big Marvel fan and loves the X-Men. She’s been doing a lot of freelance work in Japan but I always told her to keep me in mind when her schedule cleared. She did a Storm pin-up for me that will be in an upcoming issue of X-Men Unlimited, and when the Namor project arose, she was someone who immediately came to mind. I was psyched she accepted.

”She has a very fine line. Very clean and soft. And she captures people's expressions perfectly. The realism she is able to bring to characters and settings, especially in an underwater environment, were perfect for what we wanted. She is not overly cartoony and her art flows from panel to panel - it's CLAMP meets Adam Hughes.”

While initial comments on the overall image of the series suggested that it was a male-centered Little Mermaid, that is, with the boy who lives under the sea getting the hots for someone above, Jemas suggested that while the theme is one of romance, another will be along the lines of the Hero’s Journey, as the prince grows into his role of one day becoming king of, essentially, the planet.

“By birthright, Namor is destined to rule Atlantis, but by his nature, he finds himself yearning for the land and falling in love with a land girl,” Jemas said. “They are the perfect leads for a particular kind so love story. I don’t want to give it away other than to say; this will not be a Romeo and Juliet clone.”

Watson: “In this book he's a teen with teen concerns, girls mainly, but also growing into a more responsible role. He's a future leader of his people and teenagers don't always have the best judgment. They're clouded by hormones or naive idealism. So, he faces the same kind of issues as most teens only the consequences for his decisions are greater. Where average kids get grounded, Namor has much higher stakes.”

Currently, and as Jemas commented through the first twelve issues, Jemas will provide rough outlines of where he sees the arcs going, and allow Watson to do the rest.

”Since I came on board after the concepts and characters were figured out, there’s none of that to do,” Watson said. “So far I've been working from beat sheets which set down the scenes and dialogue. I go in, break down the pages, think about pacing, storytelling, characterization, dialogue etc.”

After the first twelve issues, Jemas is hoping that his relationship with Watson evolves to a similar form of what he and Bendis share now on Ultimate Spider-Man. “Right now, my relationship with Brian on Ultimate Spider-Man is that I call him once a month to say thank you – he is turning in some of the best work in comics on a turn key basis,” Jemas said. “But when Ultimate Spider-Man started, the situation was very similar to the relationship with Andi right now. I do the initial character development and beat sheets for the first arc. After that, I stand back and let Andi go full script with a lot of freedom to do what he does best.”

As for the story itself, Marvel has promised a few more previews prior to the first issue shipping, but basically, the stage will be set with the first arc with a slight reminder or two of where things are set before cutting Namor loose in the Atlantic.

“In the first arc, there may be a Marvel Universe surprise or two, but it is pretty much free-standing,” Jemas said. “Character-wise, in the long haul, Namor will become an active member in good standing of the Marvel Universe, and will be involved adventures with other characters, but for now, we’re getting things started, and trying to tell a different kind of story with Namor, one that we think will appeal to a lot of different people.”


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02-03-2003, 12:17 PM #2
gOgIver



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This sounds like it's worth a lot more than 25 cents.


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02-03-2003, 12:26 PM #3
Dr Manolis Dooplove



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i don't consider bill's involvement in ultimate spderman or origin to have been any sort of catalyst for their success, and i don't think it's right for him to take so much creedit for them... his role sounds like co-plotter or plotter, not co-writer...
Editor Note;You also don't consider spell check nessissary.either.
Doc Thompson.


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02-03-2003, 12:47 PM #4
Elayne Riggs



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Looking forward to seeing Sakakibara's art. Always encouraging when someone makes the jump from amateur (dojinshi) to pro!

- Elayne


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02-03-2003, 12:52 PM #5
Kabukiman



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quote:
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Originally posted by Dr Manolis Dooplove:
i don't consider bill's involvement in ultimate spderman or origin to have been any sort of catalyst for their success, and i don't think it's right for him to take so much creedit for them... his role sounds like co-plotter or plotter, not co-writer...
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Did I miss the part where he took a lot of credit for it? Seems to me that he described his role basically the same way you did.

Or does "I call him once a month to say thank you – he is turning in some of the best work in comics" mean that he is taking credit for the success?

I love this. People hate Jemas so much that they aren't willing to give him any credit whatsoever for the stuff he is involved in.


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02-03-2003, 12:54 PM #6
gOgIver



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I also like the idea that this will be set in the 1930's.


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02-03-2003, 01:22 PM #7
nero



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Who cares what ____ Jemas talks in interviews or whatnot; I mean, it's the 'any publicity is good publicity' dealio and I commend him for dragging the spotlight onto Marvel, by any means necessary. However, the company's recent success seems to have gone to his head a tad; he should keep in mind that it's the high calibre talent that's responsible for this accomplishment, and, with this in mind, refrain from involving himself in any way with that talent's creative process.


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02-03-2003, 01:43 PM #8
Jim Kosmicki



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I haven't pulled it out for a while, but didn't Roy Thomas do a little bit with Namor's younger years in the 12 issue "Saga of the Sub-Mariner" series back in the late 80s-early 90s?

I'm not a continuity nut -- in fact, Roy's later years compulsion to put continuity over a clear story drove me nuts-- but if this IS the same character and there has been some material done about his younger years, it would be nice to see it at least acknowledged.


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02-03-2003, 01:59 PM #9
ComicBook Conventions.com



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Is anybody else bothered by that artwork at the top? Is teen Namor porn what this industry really needs?


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02-03-2003, 02:01 PM #10
DarthRandall



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Andi Watson doing his rendition of the freakin' phone book would be worth way more than a quarter. I'm definitely checking this one out.


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02-03-2003, 02:14 PM #11
Falkner



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quote:
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Is anybody else bothered by that artwork at the top?
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Only by the fact that I could draw better than that in the tenth grade...but I think the art for the first issue's cover looks okay. (I'm pretty sure that's issue #2 at the top.)


quote:
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Is teen Namor porn what this industry really needs?
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Well, Quesada did say he wanted to "throw everything at the wall to see what sticks." (Insert your own joke here.)


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02-03-2003, 02:24 PM #12
TemporalFlux



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Judging by "Marville", I believe Jemas contribution was this:

"I see nekkid women under the sea! Go with it!"

Hence we see the cover for issue 2...


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02-03-2003, 02:27 PM #13
Morlun



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quote:
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Originally posted by Dr Manolis Dooplove:
i don't consider bill's involvement in ultimate spderman or origin to have been any sort of catalyst for their success, and i don't think it's right for him to take so much creedit for them... his role sounds like co-plotter or plotter, not co-writer...
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And don't forget: he co-plotted a new version of Spider-Man's origin. Bendis was the first to do something truly original in USM, as the plot of the first arc couldn't really change that much from the original version.


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02-03-2003, 02:28 PM #14
samnoir



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Andy Watson + a 25 cent first issue is enough for me to check this out.

These 10/9/13/25 cent issues are an interesting experiment. They will get the reader to sample the book, but the rest is up to the creators to see how many they can keep.

I've picked up all the recent cheap issues and would have to say that Batman, Superman, Gen 13 and Fantastic Four didn't really grab me at all. I was already reading Daredevil via the trades, so the 25 cent issue wasn't really geared towards hooking me.

I'm hoping this will be successful for Watson in that it could potentially lead readers to his indy work like Geisha and Breakfast Afternoon. Bendis' success has given Jinx, Goldfish. Powers and Torso a boost. Hopefully there will be new readers discovering stuff like Slow News Day.

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02-03-2003, 02:34 PM #15
Jake Ivers



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So will Namor hangout with a fish call Flounder? And will a crab named Sebastian do musical numbers as well? Will Namor have to do battle with Ursula the Sea Witch?

Wow...I hope all these questions get answered soon.


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02-03-2003, 02:49 PM #16
QCCBob



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quote:
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”Since I came on board after the concepts and characters were figured out, there’s none of that to do,” Watson said. “So far I've been working from beat sheets which set down the scenes and dialogue. I go in, break down the pages, think about pacing, storytelling, characterization, dialogue etc.”[/QB]
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That, my friends, is plausible deniability at it's finest!
Plus it points out that everything that the comic book artform is supposed to be about (pacing, storytelling, characterization) are all the things that Mr. J knows nothing about.

Recycled plots, an artist who apparently isn't good enough to break in the Manga biz, a contemporary teen love story set in the '30s, and a rookie brought up from the minors thrown in to make it read like a big time comic book. Yup, this sounds real promising. How much do you want to bet the whole Mr. J 'plot' contribution is to rip off Romeo and Juliet??? Well, knowing Mr. J, he's probably thinking West Side Story...

The more they tell us, the less I want to order. Now, you know why they quit giving info in Previews...


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02-03-2003, 03:00 PM #17
AForceOfOne



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ah...comic fans and their opinions are quite amazing. always good for a laugh.


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02-03-2003, 03:28 PM #18
MarkDrummond



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There already have been some "Young Namor" stories done by Bill Everett for Atlas in the mid-'50's.


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02-03-2003, 03:37 PM #19
nero



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AForceOfOne:
quote:
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ah...comic fans and their opinions are quite amazing. always good for a laugh.
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Good thing you're here to keep those moronic comic fans in line, eh?


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02-03-2003, 04:11 PM #20
Looney As A Toon



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My prediction: Namor will be floating on the top of the fish tank DOA by issue 17. Enjoy the soft core porn covers while you can, True Believers... its the series only selling point.

The only true King of Atlantis is, and will remain, Aquaman.

Aquaman will remain a second rate Prince Namor.Ace.
Doc Thompson.
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02-03-2003, 04:28 PM #21
IanZL



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Yeah, but Aquaman only became intersting when he became Namor.


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02-03-2003, 04:30 PM #22
Dan Grylls



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quote:
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Originally posted by QCCBob:

quote:
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”Since I came on board after the concepts and characters were figured out, there’s none of that to do,” Watson said. “So far I've been working from beat sheets which set down the scenes and dialogue. I go in, break down the pages, think about pacing, storytelling, characterization, dialogue etc.”
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That, my friends, is plausible deniability at it's finest!
Plus it points out that everything that the comic book artform is supposed to be about (pacing, storytelling, characterization) are all the things that Mr. J knows nothing about.

Recycled plots, an artist who apparently isn't good enough to break in the Manga biz, a contemporary teen love story set in the '30s, and a rookie brought up from the minors thrown in to make it read like a big time comic book. Yup, this sounds real promising. How much do you want to bet the whole Mr. J 'plot' contribution is to rip off Romeo and Juliet??? Well, knowing Mr. J, he's probably thinking West Side Story...

The more they tell us, the less I want to order. Now, you know why they quit giving info in Previews...[/QB]
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Andi Watson is hardly a rookie. This may be his first venture into comics that make it on to your radar, but as anyone who reads past the Marvel section in Previews could tell you, Watson is a well established and critically acclaimed writer. Indie and small press comics are not the minors. If you want to make them into a sports metaphor, they're whole different sports.


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02-03-2003, 04:36 PM #23
Dr Manolis Dooplove



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quote:
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Originally posted by Kabukiman:
Did I miss the part where he took a lot of credit for it? Seems to me that he described his role basically the same way you did.

Or does "I call him once a month to say thank you – he is turning in some of the best work in comics" mean that he is taking credit for the success?

I love this. People hate Jemas so much that they aren't willing to give him any credit whatsoever for the stuff he is involved in.
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nah, i don't really hate bill so much, he IS half-greek after all

as for the actual BASIS of my claims (yes, i DO base waht i say to actual proof and don't jump on people for kicks)

""Given the experimental nature of the title, Marvel went back to the experimental, but successful approach it too with Ultimate Spider-Man - take a creator with a very solid reputation in independent and small press comics, and team him with Jemas on an established character. ""

is it me or does this not pertain to what i wrote in my post? i meant to refer to ult. spidey's opening arc, since that's the arc where he is credited as co-writing...


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02-03-2003, 05:15 PM #24
Kabukiman



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quote:
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Originally posted by Dr Manolis Dooplove:
as for the actual BASIS of my claims (yes, i DO base waht i say to actual proof and don't jump on people for kicks)

""Given the experimental nature of the title, Marvel went back to the experimental, but successful approach it too with Ultimate Spider-Man - take a creator with a very solid reputation in independent and small press comics, and team him with Jemas on an established character. ""

is it me or does this not pertain to what i wrote in my post? i meant to refer to ult. spidey's opening arc, since that's the arc where he is credited as co-writing...
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I dunno, your basis is pretty thin. It's not like he's taking credit for the success of Spider-Man. And don't forget, what you took as Jemas taking credit for USM was taken from Matt Brady's writing, not from Jemas' mouth.

And my response was more rooted in the fact that nobody seems to want to give Jemas credit for anything. People read "Bill Jemas" and all they think about is Marville. Do people condemn Brian Bendis because of the awful Elektra story he did, or Greg Rucka because of that CGI Spider-Man mini he wrote?

Like it or not, Jemas DOES deserve at least SOME credit for USM (and the Ultimate Universe), Origin and, if it is successful, Namor.


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02-03-2003, 05:22 PM #25
jawaplumber



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I could pick apart and reply to the ignorant negativity posted above, but really, why bother? I would only be justifying and encouraging more of the same.

That said, after reading this feature, I'm really looking forward to the new NAMOR series. I think taking a similiar approach to what was done with ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN is a smart move. The themes they will be tackling sound quite positive and intriguing, as it relates to a Namor revamp. I think the art looks very appealling and easy on the eyes. It's so cool that two of Marvel's oldest and very first super-hero characters, Sub-Mariner and Human Torch, are being brought to the forefront of Tsunami, their latest concept for carrying comics into the new millenium.


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Okay, I've been a comic reader for 15 years now and I've never read a single Namor book. John Byrne did a run in the 80s right? Are any of those books worth checking out?


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02-03-2003, 07:05 PM #27
Nick Borelli



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I can't believe all you fanboys didnt notice the redesign of the wings on his feet!
THATS the real story!
Seriously though, it's Namor does anyone really care?
The success of USM is great and everything, but it's still a book about Spiderman who everyone likes.
Good luck with a poor man's Aquaman.


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02-03-2003, 07:34 PM #28
QCCBob



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quote:
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Originally posted by Dan Grylls:
Andi Watson is hardly a rookie.
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Sales and major publisher-wise, minor league, that's all. Calm your 'But indys count, too!" fervor. I know who he is, heck, I knew he was a 'he' well before this! Good writer who has never done a major company project, hence rookie. Simple, enough?


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Hey,Ace-all the good writers aren't writting Superhero comics-most certainly aren't writting either Prince Namor-the Submariner nor Aquaman.You generally get the comic fan boy hacks John Byrne or Peter David,or retards-clueless retards like Bill Jamas and who he hires.
Doc Thompson

02-03-2003, 07:55 PM #29
Brian Schoonaert



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quote:
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Good writer who has never done a major company project, hence rookie. Simple, enough?
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Umm...so what do you call someone who is writing their first indy book?


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02-03-2003, 08:15 PM #30
QCCBob



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quote:
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Originally posted by Brian Schoonaert:
Umm...so what do you call someone who is writing their first indy book?
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Ummm...a nobody?

The statement was meant in the context of the story, didn't really think it was necessary to diagram the sentence or give Mr. Watson's life story. My bad. Let's try again...

an experienced indy writer who is a rookie in the major publisher ranks brought in to make it read like a big time comic even though he has no experience in the field as of yet...

How's that?


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02-03-2003, 08:23 PM #31
howler



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i don't know but put me in the column that says jemas thinks a little too highly of himself and his involvement with the launch of ultimate spiderman. character development! all he did was,and i am not sure he did this ,was to bring lee and ditko's creation into the modern era. all the soap opera trapings that lee wrote into the title forty years ago are still there. what he did,and there again i am not sure of his contribution,was to say lets bring spiderman back to his roots and then slowly re introduce the key elements in his story.not unlike what Byrne did with superman. if jemas is the creative force in as much as his saying lets do this and then getting the talent that is able to put his ideas into print great..but his own ability AS A WRITER IS LIMITED.yes look at marvelle it is a disaster but don't compare it with failures of other writers that have a track record. when jemas can get a writing asignment on the quality of his work and not because of his position at marvel perhaps he will be taken a little more seriously as a writer.


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02-03-2003, 08:50 PM #32
xerossilence



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i hate jemas. i cant put it in any kinder words. but i love Namor i am really excited about this book. i think it is moronic that england wont receive any copies of numer one. but here is one thing i am wondering: since when does namor have gills on his sholders??? i have all of byrne's namor run (which was good while byrne was on the book for you who asked) and a good part of the old sub marinier run and he never had gills to my knowledge. please someone explain!!! thanks. Xero


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Editors Notes;
Who didn't hate this clueless fuck running Marvel into the ground after the big bankrupsy.The ass had a nerve to put writting tips on the net.Hey,jerkoff-what you know about writting beyond bathroom walls.
Doc Thompson

ps.yes.I said-no asskiss,boys-I leave that to the John Byrnes of the world.
Doc Thompson

02-03-2003, 09:02 PM #33
Taylor Porter



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quote:
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Originally posted by xerossilence:
since when does namor have gills on his sholders??? i have all of byrne's namor run (which was good while byrne was on the book for you who asked) and a good part of the old sub marinier run and he never had gills to my knowledge.
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Re-read Byrne's run. In that series, Namor had gills just behind his ears. This was made clear more than once.


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02-03-2003, 09:11 PM #34
DCD
Editors Notes;
John Byrnes yuppy Namor had one good issue-the first one everything else was total shit.
Doc Thompson.


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quote:
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Originally posted by gOgIver:
This sounds like it's worth a lot more than 25 cents.
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I agree...


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02-03-2003, 09:40 PM #35
beta-ray



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QCC bob said:


quote:
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The statement was meant in the context of the story, didn't really think it was necessary to diagram the sentence or give Mr. Watson's life story. My bad. Let's try again...

an experienced indy writer who is a rookie in the major publisher ranks brought in to make it read like a big time comic even though he has no experience in the field as of yet...

How's that? [Eek!]
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Bzzt! I would go as far as to say he has experience in the field... Just not the mainstream comic book industry. I don't quite know how the two industries are different in this case though.


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02-03-2003, 10:20 PM #36
dogisred



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quote:
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Originally posted by Brian Schoonaert:
Okay, I've been a comic reader for 15 years now and I've never read a single Namor book. John Byrne did a run in the 80s right? Are any of those books worth checking out?
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Byrne's run on Namor is wonderful for the first two years, but then Byrne's attention was obviously with getting The Next Men going and the book waned, then faltered, then died. It is absolutely worth picking up if you can get them...and I doubt there is any substantial cost.

I love Namor's character. I like that he's a dick. I loved his appearance in the Avengers recently. It's great when a writer doesn't try to take his character and try to make him "loveable". Too many people want to change his personality. Why? It's a rare personality for a comic book hero. He's arrogant. So what, he's a king! I never bought into the whole, "I'm a king, been raised to rule people, but all I want to do is hug them."

Aquaman wasn't really raised to be a king, he never wanted to be a king, still fights against it here and there.

I know that I've read Namor as a teen before...can't remember if it was old Atlas comics, a sub-mariner limited comic, or what, but I know I've seen him as a teen. The whole Namor In Love thing is fine, but don't make it sappy so that only love-sick romance people will like it. Namor and Martina (sp?) went through a bunch in Alpha Flight...and the Avengers. Love and Namor is not a good match.

On the Jemas as a writer thing...he's not a writer. He said so himself. Marville proved him correct. As for plotting (or helping to do so) Ult. Spider-Man, I agree with the post above...the title rehashed an already popular character and fantastic origin. Bendis did the actual writing, but there had to be some sort plotting as far as how the character would be brought to life...what changes to make from Marvel Universe to Ultimate Universe..."do we give him...blah blah blah". Did Bendis really need this help or did Jemas WANT to be involved with it?

Origin...Jenkins said he had an idea about how to bring Wolverine to life as an origin. He said that Jemas and Quesada had some elements that were necesarry to include. I guess adding the fact that there was a girl (I'm guessing here) gives Jemas the ability to include himself as writer, plotter, etc.


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02-03-2003, 10:26 PM #37
dogisred



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quote:
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Originally posted by xerossilence:
i hate jemas. i cant put it in any kinder words. but i love Namor i am really excited about this book. i think it is moronic that england wont receive any copies of numer one. but here is one thing i am wondering: since when does namor have gills on his sholders??? i have all of byrne's namor run (which was good while byrne was on the book for you who asked) and a good part of the old sub marinier run and he never had gills to my knowledge. please someone explain!!! thanks. Xero
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I have never liked Jemas as a president of Marvel. That's not to say that he hasn't had some excellent ideas in the comic industry. I realize that the business man that he is brought Marvel back from financial ruin to a company that looks like it can turn a profit...who cares what their situation is, I'm making a point...but he's not a comic creator. Would Paul Levitz give him a job as a writer...hell, would Joe Quesada add him to his Marvel Knights books (I mean if he wasn't the company president, but a man off the street with a portfolio and some plot outlines). What kind of reputation as a writer does he bring to the table to tell Bendis how to write Spider-Man, or Paul Jenkins to write anything, or ...you see how it goes.

That said, I hope Watson does a phenominal job, because just like Ultimate Spider-Man and Origin...I'm gonna buy Namor, dammit, because I love the character.


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02-03-2003, 10:52 PM #38
danzo

Editors Notes;
Whats with the nude,white trash,near kiddie porn naked baby Prince Namor?
Doc Thompson

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quote:
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Originally posted by IanZL:
Yeah, but Aquaman only became intersting when he became Namor.
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nah, Aquaman's been quite interesting in many incarnations and he saw his best art in the 60's and 70's (Jim Aparo rocks!).... it's only that the more recent "hostile" version appeals to the limited tastes of todays' dwindled fan-base....
sigh.


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02-03-2003, 10:57 PM #39
danzo



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quote:
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Originally posted by jawaplumber:
I could pick apart and reply to the ignorant negativity posted above, but really, why bother? I would only be justifying and encouraging more of the same.

That said, after reading this feature, I'm really looking forward to the new NAMOR series. I think taking a similiar approach to what was done with ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN is a smart move. The themes they will be tackling sound quite positive and intriguing, as it relates to a Namor revamp. I think the art looks very appealling and easy on the eyes. It's so cool that two of Marvel's oldest and very first super-hero characters, Sub-Mariner and Human Torch, are being brought to the forefront of Tsunami, their latest concept for carrying comics into the new millenium.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

heh, i think jawa is secretly jemas....


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02-03-2003, 11:41 PM #40
Cloak & Dagger



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I was really looking forward to this title as I like the character of Namor a lot. Because of his personality, he's a very versatile character.

When I found out Bill Jemas was involved, the whole project was tainted in my eyes. I read his work in Marville and it was really boring stuff.

After reading this article, I have re-newed interest in the book. Bill Jemas may be a bad writer, but his take on characters are interesting. Some of his ideas are pretty interesting, as well. I remember checking out that awful issue of Marville where all the writing was covering up really nice artwork. There was a lot of interesting bits in there, but the writing, plus the lettering were underwhelming.

If he's only offering direction for this book, I'd be eager to read it. As long as he's not in charge of writing something, I'm happy.


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02-04-2003, 12:28 AM #41
Hdefined



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Not looking forward to it, but 25 cents is alright by me. Hell, I'd buy Marville for a quarter. Well, that might be pushing it . . .


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02-04-2003, 12:45 AM #42
Kabukiman



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quote:
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Originally posted by Hdefined:
Hell, I'd buy Marville for a quarter. Well, that might be pushing it . . .
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Cheaper than toilet paper...


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02-04-2003, 02:40 AM #43
TylerS



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Ok everybody, let's go:

Under the sea
Under the sea

Down here all the fish is happy
As off through the waves they roll
The fish on the land ain't happy
They sad 'cause they in their bowl
But fish in the bowl is lucky
They in for a worser fate
One day when the boss get hungry
Guess who's gon' be on the plate

Under the sea
Under the sea


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02-04-2003, 03:07 AM #44
Cyberleader



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quote:
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originally posted by Matt Brady:
Rather than the adult, “Imperius Rex!” shouting, Sue Richards-pining, foul-tempered…prick that he’s been shown as for years, the Jemas/Watson Namor series will be set in the 1930s, back when Namor was just a guppy.
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I'm probably not gonna get this, if only because I like the foul-tempered prick Namor. His lusting after Sue sur got tiresome tho.


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02-04-2003, 04:40 AM #45
Nightcrawler



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quote:
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Originally posted by xerossilence:
i think it is moronic that england wont receive any copies of numer one.
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Huh? Where did you read that? Arrrghhhh!!!


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02-04-2003, 06:36 AM #46
AllAboutMe



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Andi's pst work is very good. Sadly, due to the demographic this series is aimed at (hence the poor art)it looks as though I will have to pass this up (much like Kesel & the Torch).
I hope it does well becasue any boom to the industry is welcome. Let us just pray that this "style" of art Tsunami is trying to establish for Marvel doesn't "infect" the rest of the books.
Marville for o quarter?....Nah, still not worth it.


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02-04-2003, 07:15 AM #47
Donnie Darko



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Namor looks kinda gay in this. Maybe that's the hook of the series.

Then again, gay Namor could kick Aquaman's ass to Kingdom Come.


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02-04-2003, 08:12 AM #48
OM
Editors Note;
Maybe,but stop reading rubbish like Wizard.All they care for is what gay super fights they can get the morons exited about.
Doc Thompson


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quote:
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Originally posted by gOgIver:
This sounds like it's worth a lot more than 25 cents.
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...Actually, I predict it will be the first comic since the 70's that will wind up in the quarter boxes already priced correctly.


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02-04-2003, 08:23 AM #49
J Wyatt



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quote:
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Originally posted by MarkDrummond:
There already have been some "Young Namor" stories done by Bill Everett for Atlas in the mid-'50's.
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Shhhh--- Jemas doesn't know about those.


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02-04-2003, 08:43 AM #50
J Wyatt



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quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Brian Schoonaert:
Okay, I've been a comic reader for 15 years now and I've never read a single Namor book. John Byrne did a run in the 80s right? Are any of those books worth checking out?
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It was in 1991. As usual, he had to mess around with the characters (despite his several recent columns to the contrary). He tried to explain away Namor's short temper as having a cause in his blood. He changed Namorita's background. He de-aged Spitfire from the Invaders. He added incestuous villains.
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quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by jawaplumber:
It's so cool that two of Marvel's oldest and very first super-hero characters, Sub-Mariner and Human Torch, are being brought to the forefront of Tsunami, their latest concept for carrying comics into the new millenium.
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Well...this is not the Golden Age Human Torch were talking about. I'm sure most kiddies don't even know who Jim Hammond is.


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02-04-2003, 10:16 AM #52
Jake Ivers



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quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by J Wyatt:

quote:
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Originally posted by Brian Schoonaert:
Okay, I've been a comic reader for 15 years now and I've never read a single Namor book. John Byrne did a run in the 80s right? Are any of those books worth checking out?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was in 1991. As usual, he had to mess around with the characters (despite his several recent columns to the contrary). He tried to explain away Namor's short temper as having a cause in his blood. He changed Namorita's background. He de-aged Spitfire from the Invaders. He added incestuous villains.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Plus he brought back Iron Fist...which was a wise decision.


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02-04-2003, 12:33 PM #53
cannon



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If this turns out to be the same teenage Namor who, in his first appearance, casually murdered two deep-sea divers, I'll probably enjoy this series.

Unfortunately, I get the impression that Jemas' only idea to make Namor a "viable" property is to turn him into Peter Parker. A shame, that.

I'll still check it out because it's the Avenging Son, but I'm not terribly enthusiastic about its chances. Hope to be proved wrong!

Jim Cannon


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02-04-2003, 04:39 PM #54
jawaplumber



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quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Jake Ivers:
Well...this is not the Golden Age Human Torch were talking about. I'm sure most kiddies don't even know who Jim Hammond is.
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Obviously, no, this isn't the original Torch, but when you stop and think about it this isn't the "original" Namor, in the way that today's Thor isn't the same as the Lee/Kirby Thor, for example. But, it's still about taking an old concept and repackaging it for modern audiences. I can really appreciate that


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02-04-2003, 04:41 PM #55
jawaplumber



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quote:
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Originally posted by danzo:
heh, i think jawa is secretly jemas....
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Nah, but I wish I had his checking account


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02-04-2003, 05:09 PM #56
Hunter Zero



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I think the offical title of the series should be Namor 90H2O.
This is one of those series that could go either way for me, so I will have to look at a few issues first.
The Byrne Namor series was very good for about the first 2 years, then fell off. The best parts of his run would have to be the return of Iron Fist, and the Invaders reunion story. Something about seeing Cap, Namor, and the original Human Torch together again fitting nazis just made me feel good.


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02-05-2003, 06:57 PM #57
xerossilence



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quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by xerossilence:
i think it is moronic that england wont receive any copies of numer one.
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Huh? Where did you read that? Arrrghhhh!!!

I actually got that from another site but i dont know how to make a link. go to www.comicbookresources.com and find the "Lying in the gutters" column. it makes no sense at all to me. Xero


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02-05-2003, 07:09 PM #58
xerossilence



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im not so sure anymore about the UK not getting Namor. it seems they are. my bad. sorry. Xero


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02-06-2003, 09:41 AM #59
MacLeod



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I was excited about this when I first saw the images, but now after I read what this is about? I wouldn't waste my quarter on this. Ok, maybe I will, but no more!

I just don't get it. Why do they feel the need to make it back in the 30s? Come on! This is gonna flop! Who is he gonna fight? Reed richard's dad? Doom's grandpa? A giant whale? Yea, that's it. It will explode with controversy after he falls in love with a jellyfish. Why not just make an Ultimate Namor? I would buy that!

Wait I know, after it fails within 6 months, much like Jemas's Marville, they will cancel or give it to someone else that will bring him to the future to kill himself...they tried that, I forgot.

Why does this guy (Billy) think he can write? 'Cause he is the president of Marvel? He is the president because he knows business. That's it. I don't ask the president of my company to come out and work on computers, and there is a damned good reason.

Mac


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02-06-2003, 08:41 PM #60
dogisred



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I know that this series is "aimed" at a different group, but what if it doesn't draw in any new readers, then it has to appeal to traditional comic readers. If there is no action...no fight sequences...what we're left with reading a love story. Hmmm...that won't last long.


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02-07-2003, 03:21 PM #61
rjjb7



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NAMOR AND THE INVADERS ARE LONG OVERDUE FOR A REVIVAL IN THE MARVEL UNIVERSE. I LIKE WATSON'S WORK ON GEISHA, SO I'LL BITE THE HOOK. NOT CRAZY ABOUT MANGA OR JEMAS (HIS MARVILLE SERIES WAS SHITE), BUT AM GLAD MUCH OF MARVEL'S RICHEST HISTORY AND CHARACTERS ARE BEING REVIVED. NAMOR'S CAMEOS WERE EXCELLENT IN "INHUMANS" AND "FF 1-2-3-4." (I'D RATHER HAVE JAE LAE BACK FOR MOR SUPERB NAMOR ARTWORK.) NAMOR'S LAST REGULAR STINT, ALONG WITH JIM HAMMOND'S WAS IN THE OSTRANDER'S QUIRKY "HEROES FOR HIRE" SERIES. ALSO, NAMOR WAS WRITTEN VERY WELL BY PRIEST IN THE BLACK PANTHER SERIES. FOR NOW, I'LL GIVE IMPERIUS REX A LONG OVERDUE WELCOME BACK.


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02-08-2003, 12:53 AM #62
Zig Zag Wanderer



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I'm torn. On the one hand, the concept and the presence of Watson are big plusses, but what I'm seeing of the art isn't knocking me out. I'll have to check it out on the stands, I guess.


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02-08-2003, 03:35 PM #63
Godzillatron



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I'm glad Namor, Marvel's most underated character, is coming back. However, it's too bad their going for the cliched 'Namor falls in love with a human' route.

Oh, and for the record, Namor predates Aquaman. Not only that, he is a powerhouse, and has kicked the HUlk's ass several times.

Editors Notes;
The morons at Marvel,especially these new overated fans boys and suites,who think they can be creative just know how handle this character.Prince Namor could be as cool as say Conan,James Bond or Wolverine,but the aceholes keep drudging up the same Aquaman My Little Pony Little Maremaid/old Marvel Soap Opera writting.Forget all the mistake and keep whats good-rewrite a new Namor around the Old One-forget ps,and all Hollywood expected action hero shit-then you might have good Namor story.
Doc Thompson