Since Namor first met the Fantastic Four in 1962’s Fantastic Four #4, he has been the warrior ruler of Atlantis. Now, however, Marvel is unveiling the secret of Natlus, and Namor’s claim to the throne is exposed as far more complex than fans believed.
Coming February 28, Fabian Nicieza and Creees Lee’s Giant-Size Fantastic Four #1 will debut Natlus – the forgotten king of Atlantis. Lost for thousands of years, Natlus will return to reclaim his throne, revealing the shocking true history of Atlantis.
Giant-Size Fantastic Four #1 continues the return of Marvel’s ‘Giant-Size’ format, with the publisher promising a series of extra-size one-shots which will be dedicated to game-changing twists and stories. The issue will also include a reprinting of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s Fantastic Four #33, which sees Namor teaming-up with the FF against the warlord Attuma. The issue summary reads:
IMPERIUS REX! Namor is imprisoned, serving out his sentence as the disgraced King of Atlantis! So when a new yet ancient threat arises from the sea, who better to leap into the fray than Marvel’s First Family: the Fantastic Four! Embark on a GIANT-SIZE deep dive into some of Atlantis’ most dangerous history…and the present that can scarcely hope to contain it!
Natlus Is Atlantis’ Forgotten Ruler
Was Namor’s Reign Always a Lie?
Introduced way back in 1939, Namor the Sub-Mariner is a human/Atlantean hybrid and mutant who rules over Atlantis. A WWII ally of Captain America and sometime member of the Illuminati, Namor has been both ally and enemy to Earth’s heroes. Most recently, unbalanced by pollution, Namor declared war against America, and is currently serving a prison sentence for the lives lost. In his absence, Giant-Size Fantastic Four will introduce Natlus. Little is known of the villain beyond his appearance on Bryan Hitch’s cover; Marvel is only telling fans that Natlus is a former ruler of ancient Atlantis and considers himself the nation’s rightful ruler.
Giant-Size Fantastic Four Is Changing Namor’s History
Writer Says Fans Will “Want to Drown Me!”
Namor’s history has been explored in various stories, revealing a prior friendship with his nemesis Attuma, his status as Marvel’s ‘first mutant,’ and the possibility that his father is Captain Nemo. However, Giant-Size Fantastic Four will reveal that his right to Atlantis’ throne isn’t as absolute as he’s always claimed. Nicieza says:
As a 12-year-old who bought – and still has – the original GIANT-SIZE FANTASTIC FOUR run which featured great Marvel creators of the ’70s like Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway, Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, Chris Claremont, John Buscema, Rich Buckler, and more, it was a thrill to write this issue! I tried to follow in the footsteps of those issues by creating something big and new. I came up with a character whose name and history will have Sub-Mariner fans either chuckling and saying, “Why did no one ever think of that?” or they’ll want to drown me! I’m excited to see which it will be
Namor has long been one of the Fantastic Four’s fiercest enemies and most stalwart allies, but now the might of ancient Atlantis is about to change everything fans thought they knew about the Sub-Mariner, as Natlus wages war on the Fantastic Four.
Giant-Size Fantastic Four #1 is coming February 28.
