Comic Review: Namor: The Best Defense #1

Namor The Best Defense

Marvel Comics

Writer: Chip Zdarsky

Artist: Carlos Magno

I spend a healthy amount of time reading comics (what I’d consider healthy, anyway). It took me by surprise, but I had no idea Marvel was rebooting the original Defenders team. I mean, I found out two days before this first issue came out. But, I am 100% in on the idea of the original Defenders lineup returning.

Namor: The Best Defense stars none other than Namor, The Sub-Mariner. Coming out of the pages of the current Avengers title, Namor is once more angry at the surface world. He’s been recruiting sea/ocean based characters for his “Defenders of the Deep”. Still needing members, he goes alone to recruit a “lost tribe” of Atlanteans that live deep in the ocean. When he finds them, he finds a king as stubborn as he is.

Namor isn’t a character that I have strong feelings for. I like him more as a villain, mainly because my first time reading anything with Namor was Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers/New Avengers. He’s a hero in X-Men Red right now, and I like him there too. As you can probably guess, Namor and this tribe of “lost” Atlanteans butt heads a bit. Namor is as arrogant as he usually is, thinking himself better than others, and as their only hope at saving themselves. But, again, that’s the Namor I like. The story is good, it’s very Namor focused, as it should be. It kind of explores Namor’s inner thoughts, and his introspection a bit. There’s a thing that happens at the end that reminds me of the recently completed Justice League Drowned Earth event. Though I know comics are planned out months ahead of their release, so it’s just coincidence.

I really enjoy the art in this issue. I’ve read stuff with Carlos Magno’s art before, but I didn’t really take notice of it then. But here in this issue, I’m really digging it. The backgrounds are full of detail and look great. The characters all look good and expressive. Especially Namor, who has that “I’m the king, you listen to ME!” look on his face at the beginning. The only thing I don’t like is Namor’s current costume/armor. It’s all sleeves and no shirt, the reverse sleeveless t-shirt. And it’s not even actual sleeves.

For a comic I didn’t even know about, this is a pretty good issue. The story is good and introduces a setting that I hope makes a return in the future. Namor, as far as I know him, acts like Namor. The art is fantastic. For a one-shot comic, this is definitely something worth reading.