Namor The First Mutant (2010) #2: "Royal Blood, Part Two"

Curse of The Mutants was not universe-wide, to the best of my knowledge, but it hit several X-Men books, ran for more than half a year, and spawned a number of tie-in mini-series.

It also launched another Namor series, the first issue of which was reviewed here on February 1st. We now move on to #2.

Following the events of the first issue, Atlantis now has a pronounced vampire problem. Namor is discussing manpower with one of his military men, Jian, who makes his first appearance in this book.

Jian announces that for a variety of reasons, including a lack of trust in Namor's leadership, he can only round up 36 warriors to battle the vampires. To his mind, that is enough to wipe out the vampire horde (Aqueos). I like the cut of his jib.

The two men receive a visit from other members of the X-(Wo)Men, being Emma Frost (the White Queen) and Loa whom we met in that Fear Itself: The Deep book I read earlier. Good to see her. She seems nice.

Me too. Well, I questioned it, anyway. I guess we're building up to something.

That conversation is interrupted as well, this time by Husam and Abira of a group called The Tridents. They tell Namor of a vampire attack on their own reef.

Writer Stuart Moore does a neat thing here. While the characters are chatting, the panel will occasionally switch to some Atlantean getting wiped out by one of the vampire creatures.

It creates a good effect of danger and trouble circling and tightening around the good guys and it offsets the tedium of watching a bunch of people just talking. Pay attention, Bendis.

See the old lady at bottom right, there? That's the Oudvrou and she is has some history with these underwater vampires. She is the third person to interrupt a conversation in this book.

When Namor asks her to share what she knows, she tells a seemingly pointless story in which Namor looked like fool as a youth. In effect, she humiliates him publicly.

While Namor deliberates her fate the power goes out. Upon investigating with his fellow Atlanteans, the danger that had been closing in earlier is now made clear.

Husam and Abira head off to turn the power back on while Namor and Jian have their backs. Namor is telling Jian that he is starting to connect the various clues around the Aqueos and their goals when Husam and Abira return to vanquish the vampire army with a powerful light.

Namor doesn't quite finish his thought. Instead he vows that four hours hence, they are becoming the hunters rather than the prey.

We're not particularly more knowledgeable about the Aqueos at this point then but they are further established as a legitimate threat. Onwards to #3.