Dorma (comics)
| Dorma | |
|---|---|
Art by John Buscema
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance |
Motion Picture Funnies Weekly, (April 1939) (cameo) Marvel Comics #1, (October 1939) (full) |
| Created by | Bill Everett (writer / artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Dorma |
| Species | Homo mermanus |
| Place of origin | Atlantis |
| Partnerships |
Namor Namora Namorita Fin |
| Abilities | Fully amphibious physiology, Superhuman strength |
Dorma is a fictional character appearing in comic books by Timely Comics (later known as Marvel Comics).
A native of the undersea kingdom of Atlantis, the character was Namor the Sub-Mariner's cousin and his close confidant in many of his original appearances in the 1940s, and was reintroduced in the late 1960s and early 1970s as his lover and wife-to-be, before her death.
Dorma first appeared with a cameo appearance in 1939 in the prototype for a planned giveaway comic titled Motion Picture Funnies Weekly, produced by the comic book packager Funnies, Inc. The only eight known samples among those created to send to theater owners were discovered in the estate of the deceased publisher in 1974. When the giveaway idea fell through, creator Bill Everett used the character for Marvel Comics #1, the first comic book by Funnies, Inc. client Timely Comics, predecessor of Marvel. The final panel of the earlier, unpublished eight-page Sub-Mariner story had included a "Continued Next Week" box that reappeared, sans lettering, in an expanded 12-page story. Dorma's first full appearance followed in Marvel Comics #1.
Her first Silver Age appearance is in Fantastic Four Annual #1.
Dorma, an Atlantean aristocrat, was a close friend of Namor during their childhood. She fell in love with him when they grew up, but Namor fell for the surface-worlder Betty Dean, a policewoman. When Namor's enemy Paul Destine, empowered by Serpent Crown, destroyed Atlantis and left Namor an amnesiac vagrant, Dorma and the other Atlanteans became nomads. Dorma believed that Destine had killed Namor and was heartbroken.
Many years later, the Fantastic Four's Human Torch restored Namor's memory and Namor returned to Atlantis. Seeing Atlantis in ruins, he attacked the surface world, but fell in love with Susan Storm, the Invisible Girl. With the help of the Fantastic Four, Namor found the surviving Atlanteans and they returned to Atlantis. Dorma was engaged to the Warlord Krang, but left him for Namor. When she found out that Namor was in love with Susan Storm, she tried to kill her and very nearly succeeded. Sue was a prisoner and her arms were tied behind her back. Lady Dorma broke the glass wall of Atlantis saying, "let us see if the surface girl can breathe water". Sue decided to make a futile attempt to reach the surface, but with her arms tied behind her back, the blonde girl could barely swim at all and got helplessly caught in deadly kelp at the bottom of the sea. With her air running out, Namor found her, saved her and took her to a hospital. His actions alienated Dorma and the other Atlanteans who saw the surface-worlders as enemies and they abandoned Namor.
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