Atlanteans vs. Wakandans: Which Nation Is Stronger in Marvel Comics?

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has just released its newest trailer during the San Diego Comic-Con 2022, and this allowed us to see that the Wakandans are going to eventually butt heads with the Atlanteans led by Namor. Of course, we don’t know a lot about how the MCU will portray the Atlanteans in this impending war against the Wakandans, but we do know that one of these nations is stronger than the other, based on what the comics say. So, which between Atlantis and Wakanda is stronger in Marvel comics?

Wakanda will win in a battle against the Atlanteans. While Atlanteans are also technologically advanced and have physical attributes that are superior to any normal human, the Wakandans have Vibranium technology and a much bigger population and army compared to Atlantis.

It should be fun to see how Atlantis and Wakanda are going to square off with one another in the MCU, especially with T’Challa now confirmed to be dead. Nevertheless, from what we know, Wakanda is still the strongest nation in the world in Marvel. Now, with that said, let’s look at this battle from what we know about what the comics say about them.

Atlanteans vs. Wakandans: Physical Attributes

The Atlanteans, in the comics, are actually alien species that managed to migrate to Earth a long time ago and settled in the oceans of the planet due to the fact that they cannot physically survive on the surface without any breathing apparatus. Due to their alien physiology and the fact that they have to live under the pressure of water, they are physically stronger and faster than regular human beings and are capable of carrying up to four tons and running faster than the fastest human athlete.

The Wakandans are, for all intents and purposes, regular human beings, except for the ones who were chosen to carry the Black Panther mantle. In that regard, almost all of the Wakandans have the same physical attributes as regular humans, although they are probably trained in the art of warfare. But, as far as the comics and the MCU are concerned, Wakandans are no different from any regular human being in terms of their physiological capabilities.

The fact that Atlanteans are much stronger and faster than humans means that they are also physically superior to Wakandans. Although the Wakandans can breathe on the surface, which is something that Atlanteans cannot do, that probably wouldn’t matter as long as the Atlanteans use special breathing equipment.

Atlantis 1, Wakanda 0

Atlanteans vs. Wakandans: Population

Considering that they live underwater and have been hiding for a long time, the Atlanteans aren’t too abundant in terms of their population in the Marvel Comics universe. It is estimated that there are only fewer than 10,000 Atlanteans in existence. Of course, not all of those Atlanteans are part of the military, and that means that the military force of Atlantis isn’t too large when compared to the militaries of the other nations on the planet.

While the Wakandans used to live in secret in South Africa, there are actually a lot of them in the entire kingdom as there is an estimated number of six million people living in the kingdom. That means that there are actually a lot of Wakandans, even though the population of the kingdom pales in comparison to the populations of the other big cities and countries around the world. Nevertheless, no one would think that there are actually six million of them living in that secluded and isolated kingdom.

No matter how you look at it, six million is a lot more than 10,000. Assuming that all 10,000 Atlanteans have to fight all six million Wakandans, each Atlantean has to defeat 600 Wakandan. The numbers won’t lie, as the Wakandans simply have the bigger nation.

Atlantis 1, Wakanda 1

Atlanteans vs. Wakandans: Technology

Given that the Atlanteans are an alien race, they were already technologically advanced enough to migrate from another planet to Earth. In that regard, they are quite capable in terms of their technology, although they may be limited in terms of their resources on Earth. Nevertheless, in the comics, they have technology that is much more advanced than mainstream human technology as they have ray-based weapons and are capable of using compounds that allow them to breathe on the surface.

The Wakandans are known to be the most powerful group of people on Earth for a good reason, and that is due to their technologically advanced society. Wakandan tech is largely based on Vibranium, which is one of the best metals in the entire Marvel Comics universe due to how dense, light, and versatile it is. The Wakandans have mastered the art of using Vibranium, and this has allowed them to develop weapons and technology that are far more advanced than what mainstream human society has to offer.

While Atlantis relies on alien-based technology, we don’t know a lot about what their tech can do aside from the fact that they have strong weapons. However, the entire Wakandan nation is able to keep itself hidden from the world and can even wage war with the entire planet due to its Vibranium technology.

Atlantis 1, Wakanda 2

Atlanteans vs. Wakandans: Notable Residents

The Atlanteans are not short on notable residents, as Namor, the Sub-Mariner, is their most prominent hero. In the comics, Namor became a member of the Avengers, although his true allegiance has always been with Atlantis. While he may have human genetics, Namor is still much stronger than any of the other Atlanteans. Other notable Atlanteans include the exiled Attuma and Namorita, who are both quite strong in their own right as well.

Of course, the most notable hero in the Wakandan civilization is the Black Panther, which is a title that has been passed down from one generation to another so that Wakanda will always have a protector. T’Challa is the most notable Black Panther in the current Marvel Comics generation. Meanwhile, other notable Wakandan residents include Shuri, Erik Killmonger, M’Baku, and T’Chaka. All of these characters are strong and capable enough in a fight.

While the Atlanteans probably are stronger individually, there are simply more notable residents that have some of the best feats in Marvel Comics history. We are not saying that Namor and the Atlanteans are weak, but they do pale in comparison to what the Wakandan heroes have accomplished.

Atlantis 1, Wakanda 3

Atlanteans vs. Wakandans: Military Training

The Atlanteans are known to be a powerful military, despite the fact that they are not quite that abundant. This is due to the fact that the Atlanteans are quite hostile to the humans living on land, and that means that they have to make sure that they are ready for any war that will come if the humans decide to assert themselves over the Atlanteans. In fact, Atlantis was actually against the Axis Powers during World War II in the comics, and that means that they are quite capable in terms of their military training and might.

The Wakandans are often called the strongest military force on Earth not only due to the fact that they possess Vibranium technology but also because they are all well-trained in the art of combat. Most Wakandans are all gifted hand-to-hand and close-quarter fighters. On top of that, plenty of them know how to make use of their Vibranium weapons to their advantage, and that gives the Wakandans an edge over any military force on Earth.

Simply put, both the Atlanteans and the Wakandans undergo superb military training because these nations are isolated and secluded from the rest of the world. That means that they have to prepare for war when the rest of the world makes contact with them.

Atlantis 1, Wakanda 3