The seas are a-boil and the waves are a-crashing as we witness a titanic confrontation between the kings of their world's seas!
Depending on what version of Aquaman you go with, he's either got a ginormous metal hook instead of a hand, or a hard water hand, or just, you know, a regular hand. While originally unable to live outside of water for more than an hour, in later years he's fully capable on land. He's the king of Atlantis (again, depending) and isn't afraid to go out in public wearing scaly orange tops and footie PJs.
Namor has a wicked cool widow's peak thing going on, complementing big elf ears. No matter which version you go with, he has itty bitty wings on his feet, which, let's be honest, make no sense at all in any way. How many fish have you seen with feathery wings?! The answer is "none", unless you count that one time I accidentally hooked a sea gull while casting and temporarily used it as bait. On the fashion front, Namor's so buff he isn't afraid to go out in public wearing nothing but a European style banana hammock. A scaly European style banana hammock, which I don't think even Europeans are brave enough to do. I like to envision a future where he and Sue Richards finally get married and Namor lets himself go, whereupon their kids stay permanently invisible to avoid the embarrassment of being seen on the beach with "Dad" and his gigantic paunch heaving over the sides of that mankini.
Both are super tough, both are super strong, and both are used to being literally kings of all they survey. Aquaman can talk to aquatic life, but Namor can fly.
I'd probably put my money on Namor just because, come on, Aquaman, but I hope you'll be able to provide a good argument for your own choice. So have at it!
Neither of these combatants are named “Wolverine,” “Batman,” or “Deadpool,” so I am hard-pressed to believe either of them could win.
You do know this battle has already happened in the Marvel vs DC crossover in the late ’90s. Aquaman won by fighting dirty.
Let me be the first one to make an argument for Aquaman. Okay, never thought i’d actually say tat and I doubt anyone aside from Greg Louganis, Bruce Jenner or Michael Phelps has ever even considered it. Aaaanywho, let’s consider the new Aquaman from the last few years (post Blackest Night/Brightest Day and now into the New 52.) He is super strong, fast, damn near bulletproof and telepathic on a sub-Jean Grey/Professor X level. He has an (so far) unbreakable trident, determination to NOT be a laughingstock, crazy hot other-dimensional wife (revealed in Brightest Day) and all the super hearing sight and reflexes that Wonder Woman and Superman have. He’s managed to continue to rule (most of the time) a kingdom that hates him for his hair color. That’s it, just because he happens to have blonde hair. He’s crazy fast in water, can jump ridiculously high and far (think Hulk here) and did I mention the telepathic thing, ’cause iIm pretty sure that’s new. Oh, and there’s the part where a bullet only scratched him and still ricocheted. He’s always trying to prove he can play with the big kids and has more or less proven it. The only reason people don’t rank him with Supes and GL are because he supposedly talks to fish, which isn’t true. Apparently dolphins are the exception and trust me, (speaking from experience here) you won’t want to take on Flipper in the wild.
Jeff pretty much summed up Namor, though forgot the fact that’s he’s a giant flaming douche. Also, way too pissed off for no other reason than “the nerd stole my girl years before I even met her.” Oh, boo-freakin’-hoo. Cry me a river, build a bridge and get over it already. Am I the only one that wants to rip off his tiny little foot wing things?
Fully aware of how biased I am. Some people hate Deapool, some hate Superman. Personally, I think Namor is a blatant rip-off of Aquaman with Sinestro’s haircut, ears and attitude.
@McKnight
Actually Namor came first, he was there a good two years before Aquaman. He was one of Timely(Marvel) Comic’s first superheroes.
My vote goes to Namor, because while equally matched in terms of strength, to me, Namor would have the will to actually kill Aquaman and for me, that means everything.
Note: Namor was also Marvel’s first mutant. If anything, Aquaman is a ripoff of Namor.
Don’t care. Still hate him. Too damn whiny and pissed off for a hero.
You mean they can’t both lose? 🙂
He’s not a hero.
He’s either Doom’s BFF or Richards’ reluctant friend.
Are we currently in the Nineties, James? No we are not. Therefore the point is moot! I am the host, therefore I get the car.
I’m a little familiar with comics Aquaman (but not the recent New 52 stuff yet) and way more familiar with Namor, but I’d almost like to see Aquaman played out like in Brave and the Bold. Aquaman beats on Namor, Poopie like he’s won, then stands overly-proud, hands on his hips, declaring, “I shall call this The Day I…” *POW*, and Namor punches Aquaman right in the krill basket. After that, I really don’t care what happens, it will just go downhill. Akuma and Black Manta can come in and kill off the pair for all I’m concerned.
But, the poll being what it is, I guess I’ll take…umm..Namor. I’m not really committed to that decision, mind you. Both are pretty close to each other in terms of power sets and levels. If Aquaman appears to be anywhere as good in the New 52 as McKnight said (still haven’t made it to my comic book store yet), I could be influenced into changing my mind.
it doesnt matter who wins they both have the powers of spongebob
I don’t like Namor, Roman spelled backwards, So I voted for Aquaman.
Myro (10): Everything I wrote up there on Aquaman is from Blackest Night/Brightest Day to the end of Issue #1 of the New 52. Since Issue 2 comes out in another week, It’s all I’ve got but still. To have all of that “talks to fish” crap cleared up in like 2 panels takes away pretty much every joke you could come up with.
Namor however, is still the Botox’d creep dude at the beach in a scaly banana hammock.
McKnight (13): Actually, I got that. I was actually referring to the review of Aquaman #1 on your blog more than your post above.
Ah…I see. So, thanks for actually reading the review and yes, it really is that good, surpsrisingly.
I said Namor, though I guess it really depends upon which Aquaman you are talking about. I still think Namor wins ’cause I believe he is more powerful then Aquaman. Though I know next to nothing about either.
Okay my initial thought was to Aquaman mostly because he looks cooler and I know more about him. I looked up on wikipedia for more indepth on their powers since I don’t have my comic encyclopedias infront of me and I still find that my choice goes to Aquaman. He seems to have a cool array of powers and well rounded. Namor has simular powers and I’m not sure who would be stronger but I found it cool that Namor has great enough hand to hand and strength that he could put up a fight against the hulk. Aside from all that Deadpool would kill them both even if they worked together LOL. Im baised though.
After the current revamp, Aquaman wins, hands down…
Before that, it’s always been a pretty even match.
Namor’s a bit more of a brick, Arthur’s more versatile, but Namor gets more respect, mainly because he’s never been on a team with Superman…
@TopHat (8)– *Ahem* Careful who you name drop there; a certain undisputed Lord and Master has been on the rag as of…well, he’s always on the rag.
Anyway, I was going to go with Aquaman for no other reason than partiality, but considering how Namor was almost–scratch that–WASbested by Doom, I wanted to give him a pity vote. It’s just too bad I’d already voted Aquaman.
🙂
With his personality Namor makes a much better villian than a hero.
@knight1192a(20): For a long time, in the beginning of the Marvel Universe, Namor WAS a villain. In the “original” Captain America origin story (i.e. his intro into the universe when Marvel bought him) the avengers found Cap. while chasing Namor for attacking the surface world. That was his whole gig. “I’m gonna attach you ’cause I don’t like you.”
On the other hand I always thought that Aquaman ad a better story, was cooler AND was more of a badass. I haven’t read the new DCU stuff but MkNight makes it sound pretty good. I also gotta say that I like the “brave and the bold” overconfident buffoon with a heart of gold incarnation of Aquaman.
So yeah, Aquaman all the way!!!
Joshua (19): I know you’re Doom’s PR guy, but take a day off once in a while.
Has everybody seen this?
http://comicbook.com/blog/2011/09/07/aquaman-costume-almost-had-a-crusty-look/aquaman-almost-was/
Overall, I have to give this to Aquaman. Not because Namor isn’t just as tough (or maybe even a bit tougher, depending on the variation of Aquaman in question), but because Aquaman’s ability to do what’s necessary for victory has always made him find ways to defeat overpowering opponents, using tactics, his environment, or the fact that he’s one of the most widely under-rated heroes in the DCU. That’s my two cents, anyways.
Aquaman gets my vote because he has compassion, and that’s heroic. Plus he’s currently battling HP Lovecraft’s “deep spawn” monsters in a book that starts out with the argument that he’s “nobody’s favorite superhero”, and otherwise a joke. Kudos to the nerds involved in Aquaman’s longevity, because he’s just more likeable than Namor.
Besides, Namor always gets a piece of Mrs. Richards, and that’s against man code. Bad fishy!
I believe Aaron Williams recently added a new dimension to the “talking to fish” debate with this episode of the comic Full Frontal Nerdity…
http://nodwick.humor.gamespy.com/ffn/index.php?date=2011-10-13
I’m not sure what you mean about his into to the universe after Marvel bought him, Worf. Namor was one of the flagship characters of Timely, along with Captain America and the Human Torch. And his Silver Age revival came in Fantastic Four, didn’t it? The whole amnesiac bum thing? Unless I’m totally misremembering that, which is entirely possible.
You’re right, though, being a jackass has always been his whole gig. And since unfounded arrogance and a dedicated pursuit of another man’s wife don’t strike me as particularly heroic, I voted Aquaman. The hero always wins, yeah?
“The hero always wins, yeah?”
No.
Majority of the time yes, but there are exceptions.
This is kind of interesting because this is the only set of equivalent characters I can think of where the Marvel character is actually physically stronger than the DC character. And I think the the Marvel vs DC crossover in the late ’90s got it exactly right – Aquaman is less durable (there was an early story where Namor was addressing the UN and outside someone in the crowd shot him and the ricochet killed a policeman) and less strong but Aquaman is more agile and more clever and more resourceful.
@James (2), the only reason Aquaman won was because they needed to even out the scores after the fans made those horrible voting choices. Wolverine beat Lobo, and Storm beat Wonder Woman. I wouldn’t put too much stock in the results of that crossover.
@McKnight (6) You clearly don’t remember Aquaman in the 90’s when he was nothing but whiney and pissed off. Granted, you’d be too if piranha’s ate your hand.
Dan (30): Pretty sure I said the incarnation of Aquaman AFTER Final Crisis, starting with Blackest Night. And yes, I do recall that, but you would be too if you had been forced to listen to everyone from Wonder Woman to the Wonder Twins making jokes about you. Also, the 90’s version with long hair and no hook hand, wasn’t the real Arthur Curry. Long story, but essentially not the real Aquaman.
Aquaman beat him in the original Marvel vs DC miniseries. Therefore Aquaman would win.
@McKnight, I was only referring to your dismissive comment at #6, not your entire arguement. And as far as it not being him or whatever bs DC wants to come up with now, Aquaman in the 90’s was nothing but a bad attempt to copy what was happing with Namor’s solo comic. DC can retcon it all they want, but they published it, bad sterotype 90’s attitude and all.
gotta pick aquaman just because of this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Twyrmr4sMow (i dont own this)
but honestly it makes me think he should quit superheroing and work on his budding music career
Uh, if this comes down to a fist-fight I’m pretty sure Namor is canonically stronger and faster than Aquaman. (The fight they had in DC vs. Marvel was decided by fan vote, so that doesn’t count.) Back in the day when Aquaman had his hands full fighting off the crew of a Nazi battleship, Namor was punching artillery shells out of the air and upending German submarines. Plus, he can fly and Aquaman can’t.