Aquaman is the King of the Seven Seas in the world of the DC Universe, but he’s not the only Atlantean royalty to come out of comic books. Another example is Marvel’s Namor, the Sub-Mariner, who actually predated Aquaman’s publication debut by two years. Despite that, it’s DC’s Atlantean who hit the big screen first, with Namor finally making his cinematic debut in 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
These two characters have obvious similarities, but there are just as many differences that keep them from being the same. From tempestuous temperaments to different paths in the avenue of love, Aquaman and Namor show how two seemingly identical heroes can swim in opposite directions. In the end, however, only one of the two can be crowned the true king of Atlantis.
Aquaman is a More Successful Leading Man Than Namor
Although he might have once headlined successful books in the Golden Age of Comics, Namor has struggled to maintain popularity ever since. From the Silver Age onward, he was mostly relegated to the role of a villain-turned-begrudging ally to the Fantastic Four. There, he constantly begged for the affections of Sue Storm, coming off more as a lovesick, petulant puppy than a true aquatic warrior. His mythology and that of Atlantis would be expanded throughout the years, but he’s never maintained a solo book for very long.
Aquaman, on the other hand, has been a much more central part of the DC Universe. Although he may have seemed like a Namor rip-off, with the Silver Age establishing him as the king of Atlantis, he would go on to attain a far more lasting presence. While there have been dry spells, Aquaman has consistently had his own comic book and independent mythology. This has included his own supporting cast and love interest, with DC’s underwater king never having to resort to wimpishly pining for someone.
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Aquaman Is the Most Nuanced Sea King, While Namor Is the Whiniest
Back in the Silver Age, Aquaman was one of many stock DC heroes who were essentially interchangeable beyond their powers. This began to change in the Bronze Age and especially after Crisis on Infinite Earths, with a redacted origin and a now classic revamp from Peter David making the character cooler and edgier than ever. Given a hook in place of his hand and sporting longer hair, Aquaman had become a tragic mythological king whose books were filled with prophecies and adventures. He would constantly face issues from Atlantis, the surface world and even his wife, but the hero took it all in stride. Different versions of the hero would fight valiantly to maintain peace between the surface world and Atlantis, at one point even turning his back on his birthright to keep things from getting out of control.
Namor, on the other hand, casually throws caution to the wind. Starting conflicts with the surface world over any perceived slight, his temper is made worse whenever he’s kept away from his watery domain. This is why his alliances with surface dwellers tend to end quickly, as his personality keeps him from working well with others for too long. Namor constantly acts irate toward the surface world and is fairly easy to dislike. On the other hand, Aquaman’s dour turns are usually due to tragic circumstances, such as the death of his son. This ultimately makes him a much more agreeable hero, and he has befriended several of his teammates in the Justice League.
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Namor Is Much More Powerful Than Aquaman
As much as he outshines Namor in popularity and personality, Aquaman can’t measure up when it comes to physical strength. Aquaman’s powers go beyond merely “talking to fish,” with his royal Atlantean bloodline granting him incredible superhuman strength, dexterity and endurance. However, these abilities are magnified for Namor, at least when he’s surrounded by water. While in his element, Namor is able to trade blows with beings as powerful as the Hulk, clearly making him much more formidable than DC’s underwater hero. Namor has the ability to fly, which his DC counterpart lacks entirety.
It should be noted, however, that Aquaman no longer has any weaknesses in modern comics. His Silver Age need to recharge himself with water every hour has since been eliminated, although Namor still deals with this affliction. This strongely suggests that Aquaman could best Namor if the latter were deprived of hydration, but in most circumstances, the seeming villain of Wakanda Forever reigns supreme as the strongest man in Atlantis.
