Dark X-Men: The Beginning #1: "Namor / Norman"

This is the other "short story" I wanted to get out of the way before the new year.

There are numerous examples of a team book's first issue being dedicated to the group's formation. X-Men Red and Fear Itself: The Deep are two examples of such included on this blog.

It appears that this series is intent stretching out that procedure over three issues. Thankfully, Namor goes first.

Norman Osborn has put together this Dark X-Men team to keep mutants in check should Emma Frost fail to do so as per an earlier agreement between two. While Namor is in the shower, Osborn roams around long-windedly (got to pad that page count!) asking why Namor would ever join a man like Osborn who has had Atlanteans executed.

That's a hell of a good question. It is answered by Osborn with a bunch of psycho-babble bullshit.

Yeah, okay Dr. Phil. Osborn ultimately seems to manage to get Namor to cooperate while making Namor think that he (Namor) is deciding when he really isn't. Whatever.

And that's about it. The rest of the book is about two other members of the team. Namor is not involved.

I don't know the state of Atlantis at this point, or Namor's relationship with the underwater city, but Namor has been detested by Atlanteans a number of times in his history. He's always gone back to it and has worked to rebuild it and/or reclaim its throne numerous times.

So this notion that he wants to distance himself from it and embrace being a mutant is a little hard to accept. And unless he's been fed a line about what this team's mission is, I don't even really get how he'd perceive this gig as accomplishing that goal anyway.

It doesn't seem as though Namor spent an awful lot of time with this group. I hope he went on a couple of missions, realized the whole thing is a load, kicked Osborn in the dick, then left.