Totally agree with everything that's been said. It's those little quirks in Everett's stuff that help me realize, the more I read of his work on Sub-Mariner, that the character was one of the first truly unique and personal comics creations. Sure, some other takes on the character were smarter, or made more sense, but Everett's was truly something else.
But in a way, it also totally appeals to adolescent readers. Sometimes Namor will be the angry rebel, the mama's boy, an outsider in both worlds, a chick magnet, a noble super hero, a detective. When you're an adolescent with mood swings, this stuff really appeals to you since Namor could change in every story, but still be recognizably the same character. Feel patriotic? Read a story where he slaughters the j*ps and huns. Feeling angry at the world? Read a story where he's flooding New York and throwing babies out windows. In the mood for a mind-screw? Read one of Everett's nuttier stories like that one with the evil queen who turns into a skeleton out of water. Something for everyone.
I find that type of writing more infinitely satisfactory and cathartic than the grim and gritty approach.
Sub-Mariner had personality, he was not just another bored playboy putting on a costume to fight crime. You couldn't be quite sure what he was going to do, he was a loose cannon rolling wildly on the deck of the super-hero ship.
I always saw the wartime Namor as very young, maybe seventeen, with lots of adolescent over-reaction to everything. Everett introduced him as "a youth of dynamic personality," and my impression was that he had just reached an age where he could be sent on his crusade against the surface world.
Everett was so good at horror! In my fantasy history, he did a few stories for EC while taking a short break from Atlas. Those would have been something to see.
But in a way, it also totally appeals to adolescent readers. Sometimes Namor will be the angry rebel, the mama's boy, an outsider in both worlds, a chick magnet, a noble super hero, a detective. When you're an adolescent with mood swings, this stuff really appeals to you since Namor could change in every story, but still be recognizably the same character. Feel patriotic? Read a story where he slaughters the j*ps and huns. Feeling angry at the world? Read a story where he's flooding New York and throwing babies out windows. In the mood for a mind-screw? Read one of Everett's nuttier stories like that one with the evil queen who turns into a skeleton out of water. Something for everyone.
I find that type of writing more infinitely satisfactory and cathartic than the grim and gritty approach.
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I always saw the wartime Namor as very young, maybe seventeen, with lots of adolescent over-reaction to everything. Everett introduced him as "a youth of dynamic personality," and my impression was that he had just reached an age where he could be sent on his crusade against the surface world.
Everett was so good at horror! In my fantasy history, he did a few stories for EC while taking a short break from Atlas. Those would have been something to see.
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