Your First Look Black Panther 2’s Namor
Internet sleuths have once again uncovered what might have been a secret in the MCU world, as images of both Namor and Atuma have now appeared online.
Captain America: Civil War brought two new heroes into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, one being Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, who gets a lot of exposure. He enjoyed team-ups with the rest of the MCU and three solo outings. Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther hasn’t received as much exposure, but that could be due in large part to the actor’s tragic death following a four-year battle with colon cancer. Four years after the original solo film was released in theaters, Black Panther 2 has been announced. And now, fans are getting their first look at Namor the Sub-Mariner in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. While fans responded with mixed reviews, Namor does look great. We have also been given a first look at Atuma, who is the arch-rival of Namor. You can see these images below:
The promotional art, provided by MCU Facility, shows Attuma in traditional Aztec gear. This look follows the last released image of Black Panther‘s Namor wearing the same. His weapon (resembling an ax) and his helmet (resembling a shark) sparked some conversation about comparisons with other fictional characters. One character constantly brought up in the comments of the post compares the look to Total Kahn from Mortal Kombat. Others compare the look to Steppenwolf from Zack Snyder’s Justice League. The great thing about both these concept art images is that it follows the reveal that Namor was going to be of Aztec/Mayan mythology.
The Attuma first look gives us a few insights into the character and the direction taken by Marvel. It gives us hints at both the city of Atlantis and the characters. While Namor has his olive skin, reflecting his Mexican heritage, Attuma retains his blue skin, more traditional of Marvel’s Atlantis. The other insight given is more confirmation that the Aztec nation did not only influence the MCU’s version of Atlantis in Mexico but that they are descendants of the Mayan or Aztec culture. It’s unclear if Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will give a history to Namor and Atlantis. It’s possible we’ll have to wait for an eventual solo film.
Namor the Sub-Mariner is the King of Atlantis in the continuity of Marvel Comics. He has olive skin because of his half Atlantean and half mutant origins. His abilities include super-strength, aquatic telepathy, and the ability to control water. If those sound familiar, it is because it is very similar to DC’s Aquaman. They are essentially the same character, as they are just another example of the two companies cannibalizing each other. Namor showed up in 1939, whereas Aquaman showed up in 1941. Namor eventually went to war with Wakanda, similar to Aquaman’s war with Wonder Woman and the Amazons in DC. It remains to be seen if Black Panther’s Namor has the same background.
Attuma is one of the primary protagonists in the Namor comics. He is the leader of a group of Atlantean barbarians banished from the underwater kingdom after an attempted coup. He was eventually invited into Red Skull’s cabal and became a formidable enemy for more than just Namor, but all the Avengers. Since Namor is set to be the primary antagonist in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, it seems likely that Attuma’s appearance will be relatively brief. It is possible that he will appear primarily to set up a solo outing for the Sub-Mariner and an introduction to the deeper Atlantean mythos. And, maybe even his deep connection to the Fantastic Four could bring Reed Richards and his group to the MCU.
