Naga | |
---|---|
Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | Sub-Mariner #9 (January 1969) |
Created by | Roy Thomas (writer) Marie Severin (artist) |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Naga |
Team affiliations | Lemuria, Set |
Abilities | Fully amphibious physiognomy and suited for high water pressure, super strength, high-speed swimming. With the Serpent Crown: mind control, ability to project bolts of mystical energy, teleportation, matter transformation abilities, further increased strength levels, immortality. |
Naga is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Naga was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Marie Severin and first appeared in Sub-Mariner #9 (January 1969).
Naga was a member of the water breathing humanoid race Homo mermanus which settled in Lemuria centuries after the continent was submerged during the Great Cataclysm. Approximately 600 years ago, Naga was the ruler of Lemuria when the Serpent Crown was discovered among the ruins of the old human built cities in the kingdom. Upon donning the helmet, Naga came under the influence of Set, a malevolent serpent god who was exiled in another dimension, but could use the Crown as a means to exert its malign influence on Earth. [1]
Naga's physical appearance was changed from exposure to the crown; his facial features came to resemble those of a snake, and his skin became scale-like and green. As the Emperor, he converted the Lemurian people to the worship of Set, and he, satisfied with Naga, explained him how to grease the crown with some fish oils to stop his aging - however, this effect could not last if the Crown was not on Naga's head, allowing him to rule over his people for centuries. With time, even Naga's subjects, the Lemurians, began to share this features. Naga's use of the crown eventually came to an end hundreds of years later, when the rebel group Piscastos stole it from him as he slept. [2] Without the Crown, Naga began to grow old. He formed a group of warriors, The Searchers, and sent them after the Crown, but they failed for decades. [3]
In more recent times, a half-Lemurian mutant called Llyra came to prominence in Lemuria, eventually becoming the high priestess of Set. Attempting to attain even more power for herself, Llyra manipulated the by now senile and possibly insane Naga into arranging her marriage to his oldest surviving son, Merro, wanting to became empress of Lemuria herself. [4]
After those events, the Serpent Crown re-emerged in another underwater city – Atlantis. Upon donning the Serpent Crown, Namor had a vision of Naga. [5] Lemurian agents led by Karthon the Quester stole the Crown from Namor the Sub-Mariner and returned it to Naga in Lemuria, who immediately donned it and once again accessed its vast powers. Naga battled Namor in a Lemurian arena. During the resulting conflict that was caused by Namor's attempts to reclaim the Serpent Crown, Karthon assassinated Naga by a sword wound in the back. The Crown and Naga were cast into an undersea chasm and thought destroyed and dead. [6]
A manifestation of Naga later briefly appeared when Hugh Jones, a human who wore the crown and fell under the influence of Set, conjured up "spirits" of the Crown's past wearers to do battle with the Scarlet Witch and the Thing. [7]
Later, in the 1989 Atlantis Attacks crossover, when the Deviant Set worshiper Ghaur created a massive, new Serpent Crown, Naga's spirit returned again. Ghaur then attempted to take control of the power of the new Crown, but came into conflict with Naga's spirit, a conflict which caused Llyra and Ghaur to vanish. [8]
Naga was a member of the evolutionary offshoot of the human race called Homo mermanus. As such, he had enhanced strength, gills enabling him to extract oxygen from water, durability against water pressure, and the ability to see in the dimly lit ocean depths.
For a time, Naga wore the Serpent Crown of Set, endowing him with mystical abilities, great longevity and vitality, with the ability to project energy blasts, fly, teleport himself, create illusions, and control the minds of others.
Namor McKenzie, also known as the Sub-Mariner is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-artist Bill Everett for comic book packager Funnies Inc., the character first appeared in Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 (uncirculated). Namor first appeared publicly in Marvel Comics #1. It was the first comic book from Timely Comics, the 1930s–1940s predecessor of Marvel Comics. During that period, known to historians and fans as the Golden Age of Comic Books, the Sub-Mariner was one of Timely's top three characters, along with Captain America and the original Human Torch. Moreover, Namor has also been described as the first comic book antihero.
The Changing People, dubbed the Deviants by the Eternals, are a fictional race of humanoids appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Cottonmouth is a fictional villain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Namorita Prentiss is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer and artist Bill Everett, the character first appeared in Sub-Mariner #50. Namorita belongs to the subspecies of humans called mutants, who are born with superhuman abilities, and to the species of humanoid aquatic beings named Atlanteans, who are born with supernatural powers.
"Atlantis Attacks" was a comic book superhero crossover storyline which ran through most of the summer annuals published by Marvel Comics in 1989 and 2020.
Llyra is a supervillainess appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Dorma is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared when Marvel was known as Timely Comics.
Ghaur is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. In the Marvel Universe, he is the head of the Deviant race's priesthood.
Kro is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Andromeda Attumasen is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by the Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as an Atlantean of Marvel's shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe. She is the illegitimate daughter of Attuma.
The Serpent Crown is a fictional mystical power object appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Marie Severin, and first appeared in Sub-Mariner #9.
Tiger Shark is a character, a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy Thomas and artist John Buscema, the character first appeared in Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner #5. Todd Arliss is a recurring antagonist of the antihero Namor. His powers come from both the DNA of Namor and shark DNA. He is also known under the codename Tiger Shark.
Attuma is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is an Atlantean nomadic warlord who is usually depicted as an enemy of Namor the Sub-Mariner, and is the father of the superhero Andromeda. He believes he is the prophesied conqueror of the Atlantean Empire.
Warlord Krang is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was a high-ranking member of the Atlantean military.
Hugh Jones is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Atlantis is a fictional location appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is based on the mythical island of Atlantis first mentioned in Plato's initial dialogue the Timaeus, written c. 360 BC. In the Marvel Universe, Atlantis was a small continent with many human settlements. Over 21,000 years ago, an event called the "Great Cataclysm" caused it to be submerged into the sea.
Tamara Rahn is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is an alien of the water-breathing extraterrestrial Banari race from the planet Laab and a red-skinned humanoid with blonde hair.
William Scott-Elliot (1849–1919) was a theosophist who elaborated Helena Blavatsky's concept of root races in several publications, most notably The Story of Atlantis (1896) and The Lost Lemuria (1904), later combined in 1925 into a single volume called The Story of Atlantis and the Lost Lemuria. In 1893 he married Matilda (Maude) Louise Travers (1859–1929), daughter of Dr Robert Boyle Travers F.R.C.S., of Farsid Lodge, Rostellan, County Cork, Ireland.
The fictional island of Atlantis frequently appears in popular culture, especially in comic books. The most notable examples are commonly related to Namor of Marvel Comics and a particular version of Aquaman in DC Comics.