Issue(s): Namor #55
Cover Date: Oct 94
Title: "The Son of Namor part two"
Credits:
Glenn Herdling - Writer
Geof Isherwood - Penciler
Geof Isherwood - Inker
Joe Andreani - Assistant Editor
Mike Rockwtiz - Editor

Review/plot:
The Council of Three: Thakos, Maddox (formerly Madoxx), and Vashti, are engaged in debate.

I just want to say that i appreciate Glenn Herdling digging up Thakos & Maddox and also showing this kind of political discussion, of which i wish there were a lot more of in this book (and Inhumans or Black Panther). That said, Atlantis was recognized by the United Nations in Prince Namor, The Sub-Mariner #1-4 and as far as i know that hasn't been revoked.

Warlord Seth interrupts the debate to bring in Llyra and Llyron.

It's suggested that a blood test be done to prove Llyron's legitimacy. But then it's announced that Tiger Shark is arriving to attack. It's assumed that Tiger Shark is working with Llyra, but she sends Llyron out to deal with Tiger Shark to prove that she's not with him.

"At that very instant", Stingray is holding a ceremony calling Aquaria/Hydropolis open for business, with the latter name being the official one. Stingray's ribs are still somewhat injured but by wearing the Stingray suit he's able to move about in the ocean pressure. Triton has also come to the grand opening and Namor says it's the "happiest day of my life". But the fight at Atlantis - Tiger Shark & Tamara Rahn vs. Llyron and Llyra - isn't going so well for the former group...

...so Tiger Shark's lackey Remora goes to Namor for help, interrupting the party. So Namor goes and meets his "son".

Note that Vashti says that a bloodtest did manage to get done despite Tiger Shark's attack moments after it was suggested. Also note the footnote, which at first glance might seem to suggest that it was proven in Namor annual #4 that Marrina's offspring were not Namor's. But on closer inspection it turns out that Namor's line of dialogue is actually refuting what was said in the annual. I've noted the difficulty of the timing around the annual, so i don't know when "we" (Namor and Vashti?) had time to "determine that it was not possible", especially since Namor has been deliberately isolating himself from Atlantis.

Llyron notes that his mother is also a hybrid, implying that maybe two hybrids together could counteract the "hybrids can't have babies" idea. We also learn that thanks to the fact that he's got his mother's mind imprinted on his own, he's living what would have to be the worst nightmare of any child: firsthand knowledge of your parents having enthusiastic sex.

Vashti stops the fight and tells Namor that he has no business in Atlantis, so Namor is allowed to leave with the badly injured Tiger Shark and Tamara Rahn.

Glenn Herdling and Geof Isherwood continue to put out some competent and fun Sub-Mariner stories. The Hydropolis plot/backdrop feels a bit unfulfilled but the intrigue with Llyra is done well, and i like the way characters like Tiger Shark, Tamara Rahn, Andromeda, and others are used in a way that expands the Atlantean corner of the Marvel universe.

Quality Rating: C+

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: As noted in the last entry, Namor annual #4 fits best between last issue and this one due to the status of Stingray and the reference to the annual in this issue. The annual doesn't really fit well anywhere (just in terms of basic mechanics, not even considering things like that ceremony at Hydropolis in this issue happening so soon after the massacre in that story) but of all the places it doesn't fit, it's the least bad option i can see. I am breaking with the MCP regarding the spacing after this issue. They have a lot of other Namor appearances in the gap between last issue and this one, and while i can overlook a little extra time passing to account for the annual, it's harder to imagine a number of Namor appearances in Fantastic Four and New Warriors also taking place in the "moments" between Seth encountering Llyra and presenting her to the Council of Three. And it looks like a fair amount of time can pass between this issue and Namor #56. The only concern is that Namor is first seen getting told about the injuries of Tiger Shark and Tamara Rahn, but i think it can be said that they've been getting treated while Namor is away and are still in critical condition. So instead of cramming those other appearances between Namor #54-55, i'm allowing for space between Namor #55-56.

References:

• Vashti tries to remind everyone that Tiger Shark fought with the Atlanteans in Namor #34-40. But i don't fault anyone for assuming that he's attacking again this time.
  
• Namor believed that Marrina's offspring were his in Namor annual #4.
  
• Namor says that it hasn't been long enough since he slept with Llyra in Namor #50 for her to have a baby, let alone a full grown child, but we know that he was artificially accelerated.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A