Namor in the MC2

 

The latest Marvel Cinematic Universe film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is in cinemas and with it we mark the big screen debut of Namor the Sub-Mariner. As has now become a tradition for this blog, today we will be taking a look at his MC2 counterpart. This is Namor the Sub-Mariner in the MC2.  

 

The Main Marvel Universe’s Namor McKenzie was created by comics Bill Everett for Motion Picture Funnies Weekly but the character went unpublished until 1939’s Marvel Comics #1. The Sub-Mariner made his MC2 debut in A-Next #3 where we first learn that his Kingdom of Atlantis was long ago destroyed by Doctor Doom and (most of) his people killed. Namor’s actions left him an ‘international criminal after what he did to Latveria’ following the war with Doctor Doom. Found on a small islet off the coast of Molokai, Hawaii, Namor was recruited by Doctor Strange alongside the Incredible Hulk as part of a re-formed Defenders team.

 

Having apparently foreseen a world-threatening tragedy that will unfold in the near future, Doctor Strange takes matters into his own hands in an apparent attempt to save the day using extreme measures. Doc Magus attempts to warn off Strange and when this fails, he takes his mentor Deacon’s advice and approaches the newly formed Avengers team for help. Soon enough the two teams clash in Arizona until Dormagus uses the Eye of Agamotto to uncover Doctor Strange’s true motives were three-fold: to ensure the Hulk is able to fulfill his destiny, provide the team a ‘baptism by fire’ and to make Namor proactive once more (A-Next #3, J2 #3).

 

We next catch glimpses of the war between Namor the Sub-Mariner and Doctor Doom in both A-Next #5 and later Fantastic Five #5 and learn a few details of the events that transpire. More on this later.

The Sub-Mariner appears again when Doc Magus summons Zane Yama aka J2 and informs him he has found his father being held in a small, unexplored pocket dimension for years. Ignoring a warning from Doctor Strange to wait for reinforcements, Dormagus and Zane make their way to the pocket dimension to rescue Cain Marko aka Juggernaut. Despite reuniting Zane with his father, the villainous Nemesus appears and reveals Doc Magus had fallen into his trap and closed the heroes gateway home, trapping them. Fortunately, Doctor Strange appears alongside his fellow Defenders the Hulk and the Sub-Mariner and aid in escaping from Nemesus’ dimension before they are all swarmed by legions of Darklings (J2 #12).

 

Namor does not appear for quite some time, only making a cameo appearance on a screen in Avengers Headquarters which provides a perhaps curious ‘STATUS: UNKNOWN’ (Spider-Girl #71). Following this, the Sub-Mariner is again teamed with the Incredible Hulk against Apox the Omega Skrull, but does not fare well (Spider-Girl #86).

Shortly afterwards, the Sub-Mariner is again glimpsed with the Incredible Hulk, however this time it they are opponents thanks to the latter’s mind-control by the Asgardian Loki (Last Hero Standing #5).

 

Finally, we learn the truth of the end of the war between Namor and Doctor Doom; the latter was not killed but instead held prisoner deep beneath the Mid-Atlantic Ocean within the Great Atlantis Trench. There, Namor makes his monthly journey to the grotto wherein he kept Doom captive, only to this time learn that the dictator has escaped. The Sub-Mariner is knocked out and taken captive by Doctor Doom (Fantastic Five Vol. 2 #1).

 

Having imbued himself with the power cosmic, capturing members of the Fantastic Five and declaring himself Emperor of the Earth, Victor Von Doom continues his torture of Namor the Sub-Mariner (Fantastic Five Vol. 2 #4). When fellow captive Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic challenges Doctor Doom to a mind-duel via the Infinity Device which will send the loser’s mind to the Crossroads of Infinity, Namor warns Reed not to accept the challenge. After Reed and Victor are left apparently comatose, Namor attempts to relay what occurred and comfort Sue Richards aka the Invisible Woman (Fantastic Five Vol. 2 #5).

 

That is the last we see of Namor the Savage Sub-Mariner in the MC2. Who knows, maybe the on-screen attention for the character will mean we see a return of his MC2 counterpart…but I am not exactly hopeful. Still, stranger things have happened. Either way, I may compile all we know about the war with Doctor Doom someday, as it is one of the most interesting elements of the MC2’s history.

 

Until I grow a beard and ponytail as part of my depressive exile, I remain

 

frogoat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Professor Charles Xavier in the MC2

 

While I haven’t covered this character in detail for this blog, I have previously made two related MC2 Family Trees back before I began providing more detailed entries. For reference those were The Yama Family Tree and The Xavier-Marko Family Tree which should clue you into who today’s post is about: Professor Charles Xavier aka Professor X, the founder of the X-Men.

 

In the unlikely event you didn’t already know, Charles Xavier made his comic debut in the original X-Men #1 as the leader and mentor to the original five members of the titular mutant team. As for the first appearance of Professor X in the MC2, Charles only appears in flashbacks, with the first being J2 #7. These flashbacks show major events in the life of Cain Marko aka The Juggernaut, the step-brother of Charles Xavier. One such event shown depicts Marko’s origin, specifically the moment he and Charles discovered the lost temple of Cyttorak while serving in the military together and Cain transforms into The Juggernaut for the first time as originally recounted by Xavier in X-Men #12.

 

We also see Cain’s first clash with Xavier’s original X-Men team as seen in X-Men #12-#13 and a later clash with the All-New All-Different X-Men team from X-Men #101-#103. For comparison, here are the original relevant covers and pages:

 

The only other direct mention of Xavier comes in a back up story in Wild Thing #5 where his early life being bullied by Cain is recounted as depicted in the aforementioned X-Men #12 and later it’s stated that after his reformation, Cain Marko ‘made peace with Xavier and even joined his stepbrother’s team!’

 

What’s unclear is the fate of Professor Charles Xavier in the MC2’s present. We could infer from the recently rescued former Juggernaut Cain Marko’s throw away comment to ‘pull a Charlie Xavier’ that ol’ Chuck is still around but there’s nothing solid to be sure either way (Wild Thing #5). What is clear is that after the various sacrifices of the X-Men over the years, mutant kind is more accepted by the general public, meaning Charles Xavier’s dream remains alive in the MC2 (J2 #2).

 

Once again I find myself wishing we’d seen an X-People series published. Maybe there’s still hope for it someday?

 

Until I stop trying to tie-in to MCU movies to encourage readership, I remain

 

frogoat

 

      

Doc Magus: Who's Your Daddy?!

 

I must admit I’ve been devoting a fair bit of time and thought to the MC2’s present Sorcerer Supreme, the youthful Doc Magus. With that being the case, today I’m going to take a look at Dormagus’ parentage. In particular this post will provide the answer to the question of just exactly who is Dormagus’ father.

 

So, this one is easier than you might think. Let’s take a look at the not so subtle and numerous clues from throughout Doc Magus’ appearances: Firstly in his debut in A-Next #3, the former Sorcerer Supreme Doctor Strange refers to Doc Magus by his real name Dormagus upon his encountering him. The pair are on very familiar, albeit somewhat antagonistic or strained terms with one another. Doc Magus refers to Stephen Strange as ‘Old Man’ and is well aware that the Doctor was ‘fired’ as the MC2’s current Sorcerer Supreme. Dormagus refers to Doctor Strange as ‘the Old Man’ a few more times and later states he’s become ‘more ruthless and bitter with age’, meanwhile Stephen reminds the young Sorcerer Supreme that his ‘skills were honed in this realm long before [Dormagus’] birth' so evidently, they have a pretty personal knowledge of one another’s history.

 

While in an unknown dimension alongside the Avenger J2 battles a Darkling posing as the original Juggernaut, the dark lord Nemesus taunts Dormagus’ about the mystic’s strained and dysfunctional relationship with his own father. When he is thwarted and retreats, Nemesus’ parting words to Dormagus are ‘give my regards to your own dear father!’ (J2 #4).

 

Doc Magus later summons Zane and informs him he has found his father being held in a small, unexplored pocket dimension for years. Ignoring a protective warning from Doctor Strange (whom Dormagus calls ‘Old Man’) to wait for reinforcements, Dormagus and Zane make their way to the pocket dimension to rescue Cain Marko aka Juggernaut. Despite reuniting Zane with his father, Nemesus appears and reveals Doc Magus had fallen into his trap and closed the heroes gateway home, trapping them. Fortunately, Doctor Strange appears alongside his fellow Defenders the Hulk and the Sub-Mariner to help the others escape from Nemesus’ dimension. Nemesus comments ‘I should have known you wouldn’t let Dormagus fall into my hands without a fight’. With their escape route seemingly blocked, Dormagus begins what he believes may be his final words with ‘We may have had our differences over the years, but I want you to know that I’ve always been real proud of the fact the you’re my—’ before he is interrupted. With their escape secured, Dormagus responds to Doctor Strange’s comment about closing the door behind him with the quip ‘Really? My father must have skipped that lesson.’ I think these *ahem* clues are adding up now (J2 #12).

 

Around this time, Doctor Strange made an appearance in Wild Thing #0 where he makes a knowing comment to Wolverine: ‘Independent children can be such a trial, eh, Wolverine?’ This is remark is not well received by Logan, but it’s also very telling of Doctor Strange.

 

When next he appears, Doctor Strange is greeted by Doc Magus with far more appreciation due to his lack of expertise when attempting to save the demonic hero Darkdevil. Even so, Dormagus still calls Strange ‘Old Man’ and when asked for help, Stephen responds ‘And you shall have it, my boy!’ (Spider-Girl #83)

 

Let’s finish this out, shall we? When Doc Magus rebuffs Doctor Strange’s offer to work together to solve the mystery of various kidnapped heroes, Strange quips ‘You certainly have the arrogance of youth, my son.’ Yet again, Dormagus calls Stephen ‘Old Man’ (Last Hero Standing #2).

 

By now it should be pretty darn clear that Doc Magus aka Dormagus’ father is none other than Doctor Stephen Strange. The real mystery is what has transpired between the two that makes them so often unkind to one another. It’s obvious that Stephen keeps an eye on his son and is prepared to jump in to protect him despite all their animosity. For a future post I’ll be covering the inevitable follow up question of who Dormagus’ mother could be...

 

Until I stop pointing out the obvious, albeit not explicitly stated, I remain

 

frogoat