Namor the Sub-Mariner #2 (May 1990)

Back in March 2018, I took a look at the first issue of a comic series focusing on one of Marvel Comics' oldest characters: Namor the Sub-Mariner. And since he will be finally coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the upcoming film Wakanda Forever, I thought "why not take a look at the second issue. So, here it is, Namor the Sub-Mariner #2!

The cover is a John Byrne piece, and I like it. It shows Namor fighting the monstrous Griffin over the Statue of Liberty. The only honest criticism I have is the text on the cover. It doesn't really seem to stand out to me in any way. 

"Eagle's Wing and Lion's Claw"
Writer: John Byrne
Penciler: John Byrne
Inker: Bob Wiacek
Colorist: Brad Vancata
Letterer: Ken Lopez
Editor: Terry Kavanaugh
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco 

The story begins in New York City. Caleb Alexander and his daughter Carrie, who we met in the previous issue, are discussing Carrie's social life. Evidently, some time has passed since the events of last issue, as she has developed some feelings towards our titular Atlantean monarch. However, their conversation is tabled. Being in the Marvel Universe, something...unusual ends it.

Meet Johnny Horton, aka the Griffin. A former hood who was mutagenically and surgically altered into the beast he is now. At this time, his mind had regressed back to being little more than a feral animal. He would eventually be revealed to be the father of superheroine Yo-Yo Rodriguez. The Griffin seems to be after Carrie. He grabs her, but Caleb tries to rescue her with the help of his jacket and a shard of glass. But then his bad heart acts up.

A weakened Caleb makes his way to the elevator, where he heads to the gym. It's there that we meet up with Namor's cousin, New Warriors member Namorita. 

Namorita is naturally a bit unimpressed with the workout equipment, as it's no challenge to her. After all, this stuff wasn't designed for the needs of an Atlantean. The weakened Caleb is able to tell her about the Griffin. Elsewhere, Namor is watching a TV report, about a woman's shoe falling from the sky, which he finds curious. 

Namorita alerts Namor to the Griffin's attack, and the two engage in the search. At the time, Namor is believed to be dead, and he flies in a way to keep people from seeing him. He's flying so fast that he won't be recognized. He figures that the Griffin is heading for the Statue of Liberty. He spots Carrie's other shoe, and the Griffin attacks.

Their fight is being observed by the Marrs twins. Phoebe is confused by this. Why did Namor fake his death? And why did he buy a company like the Parallel Conglomerate? Desmond notes that since Oracle Inc. bought Parallel, its stock has risen by 26 points. Desmond wonders how things would go down if it was learned that Namor was the man in charge, considering his...relationship with the surface world over the years?

But for now, Desmond wants this quiet. Why? Well, he wants to see how this fight goes down. The Griffin is practically feral, so it's not like he can tell Namor the Marrs recruited him to kidnap Carrie. The fight is not going well for Namor, so he decides to turn the tables on the monstrous supervillain by engaging him in his element: The sea. Elsewhere, Namor's battle makes the news, where another figure is taking interest in it.

This mysterious woman asks for advice about how to exploit this for profit. Back at the Statue of Liberty, Carrie is able to make her way through the giant landmark, worrying about the fight. Namor is tough, but the Griffin isn't exactly a pushover. She escapes via a fire exit and sees a churning in the water...as well as blood.

The story ends with the Griffin leaping out of the water at her.

I admit, I like this issue. It was more of an action-packed story than the last one. We get a bit of advancement of the schemes of Desmond Marrs, set up another new threat, and the ending is something straight out of a horror movie. The battle between Namor and the Griffin is intense, which Byrne shows well. I can't help but notice that Byrne's art style has become a bit "scratchier" here than his earlier work on X-Men. I wonder if that's because of the different inker or because of an evolution of his style. It is a better read as part of a larger story than on its own, but that's a necessary evil when it comes to serialized storytelling in any medium. 

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2011 trade paperback Namor Visionaries: John Byrne Vol. 1. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccination/booster! See you next time!