FACELESS ONES

Classification: Terrestrial, aquatic race

Location/Base of Operations: Subterranean realm at the bottom of the sea, outside of Atlantis

Known Members: None identified

Affiliations: Beast King, Elder Whales, krakens, Seaweed Men, stonefish, War Reef;
    Neptune (Poseidon, god);
    former agents of Suma-Ket and the Unforgiven Dead;
    Zantor (former gatekeeper)

Enemies: Atlanteans (Homo mermani), Dorma, Harran, Namor, Tiger Shark

First Appearance: (Mentioned) Tales to Astonish I#72 (October, 1965), (seen) Tales to Astonish I#73 (November, 1965)

Powers/Abilities: The Faceless Ones are savage, carnivorous creatures, able to shred flesh and bone with their claws and teeth (?--see comments).  They are aquatic and thus able to breathe underwater and survive the cold and pressure at the ocean's depths.  Presumably they cannot survive out of water.

Height: 3'
Weight: 90 lbs.

Traits: The Faceless Ones tend to work in large groups, numbering in the thousands, descending upon their victims and ripping them to shreds.  They have demonstrated minimal intelligence, culture, etc., and no technology.

History:
The Faceless Ones may have diverged from Homo Mermani at some point in the past (see comments).

(Namor, the Sub-Mariner I#38 (fb)) - Around 5900 BC, thirty years after the death of the Atlantean ruler Kamuu, during his son Harran's reign, the Faceless Ones besieged Atlantis, swarming through its streets and slaughtering the people.  A northern tribe of Homo Mermani known as the Old Ones, led by Suma-Ket, offered to eradicate the Faceless Ones in exchange for being allowed to settle within Atlantis.  Ket quickly fulfilled his promise, using magical means, banishing the Faceless Ones to a subterranean realm.

(Namor: The First Mutant#3 (fb) - BTS) - At some point some of the Faceless Ones joined the Aqueos vampires and became more humanoid for some unrevealed reasons.

(Tales to Astonish I#72 - BTS) - For disobedience of Warlord Krang--who had usurped the rule of Atlantis, Lady Dorma was sentenced to be banished to the subterranean world of the Faceless Ones.

(Tales to Astonish I#73) - Both trapped and protected in a plasti-steel cage, Dorma was sent into one of the Faceless Ones' caves.  As they swarmed towards, Namor rushed to her rescue.

(Tales to Astonish I#74) - Namor fought his way through the swarm of Faceless Ones, reaching Dorma just as they shattered her plasti-steel cage.

(Tales to Astonish I#75) - As Namor held the unconscious Dorma in his hands, he prepared for a second onslaught on the Faceless Ones.  However, one of their number called a halt, as an image of Neptune appeared and announced that by choosing to save Dorma over his previous quest, he had earned the right to claim Neptune's trident and the throne of Atlantis, in turn. The Faceless Ones dispersed, and Namor brought Dorma back to Atlantis.

(Namor, the Sub-Mariner I#36 (fb) - BTS) - Within a chamber of the Faceless Ones, Socus watched over "Fen" (now Artys-Gran) and the newly arrived Seth.

(Namor, the Sub-Mariner I#36 (fb) - BTS) - "Fen" had already been sent out to find Namor when Seth was allowed to escape.

(Namor, the Sub-Mariner I#33) - The Faceless Ones left their subterranean caverns and swam towards Atlantis, slaughtering all in their paths. A kelp farmer heard a distant trumpet sound just before seeing the Faceless Ones...and it sounded again soon after they swarmed over the farmer.

(Namor, the Sub-Mariner I#34) - The Faceless Ones swarmed over a clan of nomads in the Hinterlands outside Atlantis, slaying all present, with the exception of Arlys, the human mutate formerly known as Tiger Shark.  Amongst those slain was Mara, the pregnant wife of Arlys, who had helped him to achieve a peaceful existence.  His bloodlust resurfacing, Tiger Shark tore through the Faceless Ones for a period of time lasting perhaps hours or days.  He finished the battle with the assistance of Tamara Rahn, who convinced him to join her in opposing those who had summoned the Faceless Ones.

(Namor, the Sub-Mariner I#37) - Arlys led Namor, Tamara Rahn, Seth, and Morel to follow the scent of the Faceless Ones. Seth confirmed as they approached the chamber to which he had been taken by the Faceless Ones, and Morel speculated that the chamber may have been built by the "Old Ones. Seconds later, a swarm of Faceless Ones overwhelmed Namor, Tamara, Arlys, Seth and Morel. Those five awakened in chains with Suma-Ket (with Socus at his side) as their captor.

(Namor, the Sub-Mariner I#40) - Pouring out of crevices in the ocean floor, the Faceless Ones answered a call from the Old Ones and swarmed towards Atlantis.  However, Suma-Ket was killed in battle with Namor, and with his death, the life forces of his followers were lost as well.  The Faceless Ones descended on the fallen bodies of the Old Ones, feasting like that had not in many a year.

(Namor: The First Mutant#2) - Some Faceless Ones joined other Aqueos during an attack on New Atlantis. A Faceless One controlled vampiric deep sea creatures and attacked Namor, who ultimately impaled him. All Aqueos eventually retreated.

SECRET WARS III HAPPENED

(Namor II#4) - In the Undershore The Beast King united the Seaweed Men, Faceless Ones, Elder Whales, Krakens and other creatures from the deepest seas under his rule. The Beast King rose on the War Reef with his army to attack Atlantis after the captured the former king Namor, who had abdicated from Atlantis' throne. Namor tried to convince the Beast King to abandon this war, but the Beast King was not willing to abandon his plan to become the true king of Atlantis.

(Namor II#5) - The Beast King continued to rise with his army from the deepest seas on the War Reef with his army of Seaweed Men, Faceless Ones, Elder Whales and more.

(Namor II#6) - The armies of the seven would-be kings finally met on the plains of the deep to wage war over the throne of Atlantis, but Namor challenged all of them by himself.

(Namor II#7) - Armed with swords the Faceless Ones joined the battle against Namor on behalf of the Beast King. Namor fought the armies for hours, but only wounded his enemies. Eventually all armies retreated to lick their wounds while Namor sang.

(Namor II#7 - BTS) - The Beast King's army was the first to attack Namor once again, but he convinced many of the monsters to join his side only to keep them from fighting any further. In the end all armies and their leaders kneeled before Namor and declared him their king, but he destroyed the throne of Atlantis instead of taking it. (see comments)

Comments: Created by "Smilin'" Stan Lee and "Amiable" Adam Austin (who was actually Gene "The Dean" Colan working under an assumed name as revealed by Chris Matterface and as confirmed in this interview.)

    In the Namor issues, beautifully drawn by Jae Lee, the Faceless Ones had--faces: little red eyes and mouths full of big, sharp teeth.  Check out the first page of Namor#40, if you don't believe me.
    
    Perhaps they shield their faces when fighting, and only expose them when feeding?...artistic license?...forgetting the name of what you're drawing?

 

    I can't find the reference for the Faceless Ones which named them as a divergent branch of Homo Mermani.  I have it in my "Master List"  notes, but didn't even remember that until I checked that while writing the profile.  I'd have thought it equally possible that they were products of Deviant mutation, or possible demonic offspring of some unnamed being...
    Anyway, let me know if you can identify the reference (I've been looking for this information since like 2002, so I suspect it may be erroneous, but let me know if you find anything to support it).

    In re-reviewing the story arc, it does not seem to explicitly spelled out that the Unforgiven Dead summoned the Faceless Ones...but

• In Namor, the Sub-Mariner I#33, the Faceless Ones appear and slaughter a kelp farmer...a trumpet is heard in the distance before and after (or during) the attack.
• On the next page, Master Khan read through ancient Atlantean scrolls and referenced "written millennia ago...the thoughts and dreams of mystics and prophets who never once saw the sun or stars or sky...the very religion of a hidden race..." Opening another scroll, he was shocked, "Is it possible? By the unknowable...it has already begun."
• As Ket leads the Unforgiven Dead towards Atlantis in Namor, the Sub-Mariner I#38, trumpets sound.
• The Unforgiven Dead summoned monstrous leviathans from the depths via trumpets in Namor, the Sub-Mariner I#38.
• Artys-Gran had possessed the form of Fen decades before (like 1958, when Paul Destine leveled Atlantis) via the magic of the halfling Socus. This partially broke the spell holding the Unforgiven Dead, but nothing would happen further for decades. This flashback was in Namor, the Sub-Mariner I#39.
• Artys-Gran possessing Fen showed up in Namor, the Sub-Mariner I#29
• A text only flashback in #36 noted that Socus had directed the Faceless Ones to bring Seth to him, and that Fen was sent out before Seth was allowed to escape. This is the first evidence to me the Faceless Ones were under the direction of the Unforgiven Dead, or at least Socus...and this precedes #33.
• In Namor, the Sub-Mariner I#34, Socus predicted to Byrrah the coming of the Faceless Ones
• In #40, the Faceless Ones answered Ket's people's call and swarmed towards Atlantis.
• The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe entry on Suma-Ket also references Ket as having sent the Faceless Ones on their carnivorous rampages, which were shown in #33 #34.
• In #37, the Faceless Ones overwhelm Namor, Tamara, Tiger Shark, Seth & Morel. Those 5 awaken in chains and Suma-Ket (with Socus at his side) is their captor. Seems like the Faceless Ones were pretty clearly under their sway.

    To the best of my knowledge, there is not evidence that Ket sent the Faceless Ones to attack Atlantis back around 5800 BC - the one that ended after the return of Kalen.
I would certainly believe that Ket's people or Ket himself did this to make the Atlanteans need Ket's aid, but I don't recall, nor could I find anything to support that actually being stated (or even hinted at)

    The Faceless Ones have an entry in Marvel Legacy: The 1960s Handbook.

   I have no clue what the deal with the Faceless Ones (they were actually faceles) among the Aqueos was. They were taller, more humanoid looking and resembled the original Faceless Ones not at all. Mutated due to vampirism? Artistic license? Another species going by the same name?
--Markus Raymond

   No Faceless Ones were seen during the final attack on Namor by the Beast King's army in Namor II#7, but they were presumably there. Some of them were probably also around in #8 as citizens of the new and united Atlantis, but they are pretty diminutive and probably vanished within the crowd. It is also possible that the Faceless Ones serving the Beast King just didn't stay around and left after failing during the first attack in #7.
--Markus Raymond

Profile by Snood. Profile updated/edited by Kyle Sims.
Update by Markus Raymond (2010-2024).

 Clarifications:
No known connection to:

• Faceless One - Kt'kn, would-be conqueror of Earth--Astonishing Tales#2
• Faceless Man ( Windom) - --Tomb of Dracula I#46
• Faceless Priests - Microverse, resurrected Shaitan--Micronauts I#21/2

Kamuu - the early ruler of undersea Atlantis--Sub-Mariner I#64/2, should not be confused with

• Kamuu - the last ruler of pre-Cataclysmic Atlantis--Sub-Mariner I#62/2
  both of whom were married to women named Zartra!

Old Ones - see clarifications under Elder Races

images:
Namor, the Sub-Mariner I#33, p6, pan4 (main)
Tales to Astonish I#73, p12, pan3 (in shadows)
Tales to Astonish I#75, p2, pan5 (holding trident)
Namor: The First Mutant#2, p18, pan5 (Aqueos Faceless One full body)
Namor: The First Mutant#2, p19, pan5 (Aqueos Faceless One head shot)
Namor II#7, p10 (fighting Namor)
Namor, the Sub-Mariner I#40, p1, pan2 (face side)
Namor, the Sub-Mariner I#40, p1, pan3 (face front)

Appearances:
Tales to Astonish I#72-73 (October-November, 1965) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Adam Austin (Gene Colan) (pencils), Vince Colletta (inks)
Tales to Astonish I#74-75 (December, 1965 - January, 1966) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Adam Austin (Gene Colan) (pencils), Vince Colletta (inks)
Namor, the Sub-Mariner I#33-34 (December, 1992 - January, 1971) - Bob Harras (writer), Jae Lee (artist), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
Namor, the Sub-Mariner I#38 (May, 1993) - Bob Harras (writer), Jae Lee (pencils), Bill Sienkiewicz, Shawn McManus, Chris Ivy, Malcolm Jones & Jimmy Palmiotti (inks), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
Namor, the Sub-Mariner I#40 (July, 1993) - Bob Harras (writer), Scott Kolins (artist), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
Namor: The First Mutant#2 (November, 2010) - Stuart Moore (writer), Ariel Olivetti (artist), Jeanine Schaefer (editor)
Namor: The First Mutant#3 (December, 2010) - Stuart Moore (writer), Ariel Olivetti with Fernando Blanco (artists), Jeanine Schaefer (editor)
Namor II#4 (December, 2024) - Jason Aaron (writer), Paul Davidson & Alex Lins (artists), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Namor II#5-7 (February-April, 2025) - Jason Aaron (writer), Paul Davidson & Alex Lins (artists), Tom Brevoort (editor)

First Posted: 05/04/2003
Last updated: 10/10/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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