Attuma

Attuma
File:X-factoran4.jpg From the cover for X-Factor Annual #4 (1989). Art by John Byrne
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Fantastic Four #33, (December 1964)
Created by	Stan Lee (writer) Jack Kirby (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	Attuma
Species	Homo mermanus
Place of origin	Atlantis
Team affiliations	Atlantis Lethal Legion Deep Six The Worthy
Partnerships	Warlord Krang Ghaur Llyra Tiger Shark Tyrak Byrrah Red Ghost Dr. Dorcas
Notable aliases	Attuma the Barbarian, Lords of the Murky Depths, Nerkkod: Breaker of Oceans
Abilities	Superhuman strength and endurance, Underwater adaptation

Attuma is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. He is an Atlantean nomadic warlord who is 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.

Publication history

Attuma first appeared in Fantastic Four volume 1 #33 (1964), and was created by Stan Lee (writer) and Jack Kirby (artist).

Fictional character biography

Attuma was born as a member of a tribe of barbaric Atlanteans, who were banished from Atlantis ages ago. For unknown reasons Attuma was born with strength, endurance, and speed far superior to those of any normal Atlantean. Attuma quickly became leader of his tribe and declared that he would conquer the city of Atlantis as an ancient prophecy predicted. Attuma had a daughter, Andromeda by his wife Gelva, but was disappointed that his only child was female. He wanted a male child to be his heir and ignored Andromeda, who would join the army of Atlantis.

Attuma gathered his troops and attacked Atlantis, only to be defeated by Namor the Sub-Mariner, the Prince of Atlantis and his allies the Fantastic Four. Attuma and his troops were banished from Atlantis once again. Over the years, Attuma has been at war with both Atlantis and the "surface world" (the Atlantean name for the human nations). He developed a super-weapon with which to invade the surface world, but was foiled by Iron Man. Attuma was among the villains assembled by Doctor Doom using a mind-control device in one of his attempts to destroy the Fantastic Four. As his troops left the docks they were knocked back in by a bomb in a HYDRA truck Daredevil had caused to go towards the docks. Mister Fantastic causes the Atlanteans and the other villains to forgot this event. He created tidal waves in another attempted invasion of the surface world, and was this time defeated by the Avengers, after they were alerted by the kidnap of the Wasp, although Attuma nearly succeeded in drowning them. Attuma enslaved the nomadic Atlanteans after the destruction of Atlantis. After Atlantis was rebuilt, Attuma attempted another invasion during the wedding of Namor and Dorma. Attuma allied with the Red Ghost, and used mind-controlled sea creatures in another attempted conquest of the surface world, and was this time defeated by the Defenders. With Dr. Dorcas and Tiger Shark, Attuma invaded Hydro-Base, but was then defeated by a teaming of Namor and Doctor Doom. Attuma then enslaved the Avengers to use them against Namor, but unintentionally instigated a battled between the Avengers and Doctor Doom. Attuma was defeated by Namor, Doom, and the Avengers.

When the ruling Council of Atlantis asked Prince Namor to abdicate the throne, Namor obliged and left Atlantis. Attuma was hired with his men as mercenaries to end the Atlantean civil war. Several Atlantean nobles battled for the throne, but Attuma took the throne and became the new ruler of Atlantis. His rule was not a popular one though and Attuma kidnapped Marrina Smallwood, Namor's new wife to embarrass Namor in the eyes of the Atlantean people. Namor, with the help of various superheroes including Alpha Flight and the Avengers, freed Marrina and battled Attuma. Attuma ended the battle when he realized that Namor was happy with Marrina and did not want to return to Atlantis. He did swear vengeance against the superheroes who had allied against him and joined the Lethal Legion, a group of supervillains, shortly afterwards. The Legion was short-lived though and Attuma returned to Atlantis. During the events of The Evolutionary War, Attuma joined forces with the Lemurians and reserve Avengers against the High Evolutionary.

As depicted in the crossover Atlantis Attacks, Attuma allied himself with Ghaur and his Deviants and Llyra and her Lemurians against humanity. He battled Iron Man and Namor, and then learned that the superhero Andromeda was his estranged daughter. Attuma mobilized his troops for an assault against the United States. He abducted Marvel Girl as part of Ghaur's plan. Attuma then finally met his daughter Andromeda again, who now led a group of Atlantean rebels against him. Attuma fought his daughter and defeated her in personal combat, but Ghaur spirited her away. Attuma was angered, but continued with their plans. Ghaur and Llyra tricked him though and while Attuma attacked the surface world, battling Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four, Ghaur and Llyra attacked Atlantis and killed a large part of the population as a sacrifice to their god Set. When hearing about Atlantis' destruction, Attuma went into a stupor and the Atlanteans retreated. Attuma was put on trial, but made his way back to Atlantis.

Shortly afterwards, Attuma briefly lost control of Atlantis and Namor returned to the throne, but Attuma regained the throne of Atlantis, when Namor was cursed as one of the Defenders, a curse which would transport Namor away whenever the Defenders were needed and leave Atlantis undefended. Attuma formed the group Deep Six, to defend Atlantis from Namor and the Defenders. (Attuma's "Deep Six" was named after the first Deep Six, a group of heroes who aided Namor, including Andromeda.) Though outnumbered, the Defenders outsmarted Attuma and Namor retook Atlantis.

Attuma returned to his barbarian hordes and would make other attempts to conquer Atlantis and the surface world, but without any success. One such attempt would come after Attuma allied his Barbarian hordes with the forces of the futuristic conqueror Kang. His armies would pick Canada as their point of invasion; however they would be turned back by the superhero group, the Avengers.

Attuma attacked New York City with an undersea horde once again. He was confronted by the Sentry, but before Attuma could finish boasting of his plans, the Sentry beheaded him.

During the Dark Reign storyline, Attuma is restored to life by Victor Von Doom after he reattaches Attuma's head to his body, and Attuma is offered a new chance of power in the vow of destroying Namor once and for all.

Fear Itself

During the Fear Itself storyline, one of the seven Hammers of the Worthy lands near Attuma. He is able to lift it and becomes Nerkodd: Breaker of Oceans. He fights Alpha Flight after he tried to attack Vancouver, but he was defeated. Then soon after that, he heads to Atlantis to overthrow Namor's rule and become the new king of Atlantis.

Marvel NOW!

Sometime later, Attuma found and unlocked the secrets from the Lost City of Lemuria, using it to attack several places on land. S.H.I.E.L.D then sent Hulk to deal with the threat.

Powers and abilities

Attuma possesses various superhuman abilities common to the Atlanteans. However, his strength, stamina, resistance to physical injury, and swimming speed are much higher than the majority of his race. Like most Atlanteans, Attuma could not survive out of water for more than 10 minutes without the aid of mechanical devices or certain chemicals, for most of his life. His stamina, agility, and reflexes also were reduced when out of the water. Like all Atlanteans his specially developed vision allows him to see clearly in the murky depths of the ocean.

After certain genetic and surgical enhancements following his resurrection at the hands of Victor von Doom his strength has been fortified to be on par with the strength of Namor as well as granting him the ability of self-propelled flight and living on land unaided.

Attuma is a skilled Atlantean warrior, trained in the use of many different weapons. He is an expert hand-to-hand combatant, especially underwater, and has achieved mastery in the use of most Atlantean weapons. He usually prefers his three-pronged iron sword, but he has access to highly advanced weaponry.

Other versions

Marvel Adventures

In this child-friendly continuity, Attuma becomes involved after the Invisible Woman is accused of stealing a precious Atlantean artifact.

Marvel Zombies

A zombie Attuma makes an appearance in Dead Days on one panel fighting the Thing. A zombie Namor from a separate continuity fondly remembers finding Attuma and his forces in the Marinaras Trench and slaughtering them.

In other media

Television

• Attuma appeared in The Marvel Superheroes animated series from 1966, where he was the recurring nemesis of Namor.
• Attuma appeared in the 1967 Fantastic Four episode "Danger in the Depths" voiced by Henry Corden.
• Attuma appears in The Avengers: United They Stand episode "To Rule Atlantis", voiced by Philip Akin. He was using a Dynamo machine to cause earthquakes at Atlantis and the surface world and has allied with Namor's subjects Pecos and Dara. This event causes Namor to work with the Avengers to thwart Attuma. Namor manages to defeat Attuma and destroy the Dynamo machine with the Avengers' help.
• Attuma appears in the Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes episode "Atlantis Attacks."
• Attuma will appear in Avengers Assemble.

Video games

• Attuma is a boss in the 1997 PlayStation Fantastic Four video game.
• Attuma appears as a villain in the video game Marvel: Ultimate Alliance voiced by Gregg Berger. He is a member of Doctor Doom's Masters of Evil. He uses machines called Sonic Emitters (given to him by Doctor Doom) to take over the minds of the people of Atlantis (except for Namor and Namorita, due to their half-human physiology). The Atlanteans capture Namor, and Attuma (with the aid of Tiger Shark) ascends to the Atlantean throne and he has Warlord Krang and Byrrah guard some of the Sonic Emitters. Responding to a distress call by Namorita, the heroes defeat and question who gave them the sonic emitters to Attuma and Tiger Shark (who turns out to be Doctor Doom when Tiger Shark answers them upon being afraid of being assaulted by a mob of angry Atlanteans).

External links

• Attuma at Marvel.com
• Attuma at The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe