Warlord Krang was a high-ranking member of the Atlantean military when the prince of Atlantis, Namor, disappeared and joined the surface dwellers as an amnesiac. While he was away, Krang assumed that he would be given the crown of Atlantis and have Lady Dorma as his queen. But Namor soon returned after searching for his lost empire and reclaimed the throne of Atlantis. Krang was upset, but willing to serve under the prince; though, with Namor’s return, Lady Dorma also spurned his love and broke her promise to marry him. This frustrated Krang and he continued to try and claim her, but when he did she professed her love, again, to Namor.

Krang helped lead the Atlantean troops alongside Namor to invade the surface world, starting with New York City. But the Fantastic Four’s Mister Fantastic soon built a device to evaporate the water in their helmets, which they needed to survive outside of the ocean, and Krang was repulsed along with his troops in a mad dash for the safety of their home waters. When Namor then kidnapped the Invisible Girl, Krang joined him on his imperial command craft. The rest of the Fantastic Four, however, caught up with them and fought with Namor for the return of Susan. While the Atlanteans watched, Susan implored Krang to stop the fight to save both her teammates and their prince. Krang realized that Susan was not just a hostage, and that Namor was actually in love with her. Dorma became incensed by this and smashed out a window of the craft to try and drown Susan, who swam away and was saved by Namor and the Thing. Krang insisted that with Namor in love with the human, Dorma was free to marry him, but she again turned him down. While the Fantastic Four and Namor discussed what to do, Krang repaired the craft. Namor then returned and ordered Krang, Dorma, and the gathered Atlanteans to leave the vehicle so that he could more swiftly travel to the surface world to save Susan’s life. Krang and Dorma protested fiercely, but he ejected them both nonetheless, and left to get help for the human woman he loved.

When Namor finally returned to Atlantis, he found that Krang and the rest of the Atlanteans had deserted him because of his betrayal. Though later, when the Fantastic Four came after Namor, who had kidnapped Susan again, Krang and the Atlanteans returned to their prince, realizing that they could not abandon him.