' King of Atlantis, Namor the Sub Mariner, may no longer have it out for the Fantastic Four, but the dedication to the team's end evolved to such a tipping point, in the beginning, that it saw the proclaimed ruler abandoning his underwater realm in favor of something far more glamorous.
After placing all of their bets into the stock market, New York City's most celebrated band of superheroes the Fantastic Four find themselves in financial trouble. While team leader Reed Richard's patents were formerly a stable source of income, Richards' investment proves far too immense. Nearly evicted from their Baxter Building headquarters and running low on both options and expenses, the four begin to consider the bleak future of their famed quartet. As Reed plans to sell the team's famous pogo plane and a plethora of Reed Richards' other quirky inventions for income, Richards and his family find a possible solution to their newfound bankruptcy in the form of a mainstay villain.
Fresh off a team up with the Fantastic Four's greatest foe in Latverian ruler Doctor Doom, writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby's Fantastic Four #9 finds the team's other notable adversary Namor back on his lonesome contemplating the end of his surface-dwelling enemies. Rather than pursue another collaboration with a foe from the four's colorful rogues gallery, Namor instead seeks a less conspicuous means of conquest. Accessing a wealth of his kingdom's forgotten treasure, Namor uses his massive Atlantis fortune to purchase a film studio in the heart of Hollywood, California. Dubbing this company SM Studios and taking the role of an anonymous producer, the Sub Mariner lures his penniless flock to California with the promise of a healthy salary.
While the Fantastic Four are quickly dismayed to find their mysterious benefactor is actually a major threat, the Hollywood hopefuls reluctantly accept Namor's proposal, which includes a payment of $1 million in cash once the film is shot and completed. As each member of the Fantastic Four begins to shoot their respective scenes of the movie in separate locations, Namor visits each member with a different on-set assault. Mr. Fantastic faces a giant cyclops on a deserted island, Johnny Storm / the Human Torch encounters a village filled with "friendly" natives, and Ben Grimm / The Thing dukes it out with Namor himself on the outskirts of Hollywood Beach, while Sub Mariner uses the elaborate filming technique in an attempt to wed Sue Storm / The Invisible Woman. Failing once again to defeat the Fantastic Four through Sue's intervention, Namor honors his word by rewarding his enemies with their promised pay before returning to his rightful home of Atlantis.
Namor's time underwater began to dwindle once he encountered the Fantastic Four in the modern age, which drastically spreads his time between Atlantis and the surface. Fantastic Four and his desire for their most powerful member, the Invisible Woman even serves as the root of the tension between former friend and brutal Atlantean warlord by the name of Attuma. The storyline itself can be chalked down to silver age antics, but Fantastic Four #9 is a vital chapter in the narrative of Namor's battle against Marvel's First Family. While Namor's loyalties may lie with Atlantis once again, the Sub Mariner's film company remains an existing entity within the Marvel Universe.
Dan Slott's current Fantastic Four run which began in the summer of 2018, has seen a variety of callbacks from the team's decorated comic history ranging from the return of the Ultimate Nullifier, to the young girl Wendy and her "Friends". Given recent rumored Marvel Cinematic Universe developments, an appearance from Namor's Hollywood profession may be exactly what the series needs to reinject life into the Sub Mariner character.