Aquaman
Aquaman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in More Fun Comics #73 (November 1941).[1] Initially a backup feature in DC's anthology titles, Aquaman later starred in several volumes of a solo comic book series. During the late 1950s and 1960s superhero-revival period known as the Silver Age, he was a founding member of the Justice League. In the 1990s Modern Age, writers interpreted Aquaman's character more seriously, with storylines depicting the weight of his role as king of Atlantis.[2]
For other uses, see Aquaman (disambiguation).Aquaman
More Fun Comics #73 (November 1941)
- Mort Weisinger (writer)
- Paul Norris (artist)
Arthur Curry
Atlantis (Earth)
- Mera (wife)
- Aqualad (various)
- Aquagirl (various)
- Nuidis Vulko
- Topo
- Orin
- King Orin
- King of the Seven Seas
- Dweller-in-the-Depths
- Aquatic Ace
- Marine Marvel
- Terra Firma
- Rider of King Tide
- AC
- Protector of the Deep
- Superhuman strength, intelligence, durability, endurance, speed, agility, and senses
- Telepathic control of all aquatic life
- Divine empowerment
- Weather manipulation and electricity manipulation via trident
- Hydrokinesis
- Liquid absorption
- Magic
- Aquatic adaptation
- Master strategist, tactician, and field commander
- Skilled martial artist and hand-to-hand combatant
The son of a human lighthouse-keeper and the queen of Atlantis, Aquaman is the alias of Arthur Curry, who also goes by the Atlantean name Orin. Others to use the title of Aquaman include a short-lived human successor, Joseph Curry; his protégé Jackson Hyde; and the mysterious Adam Waterman, who was briefly active during World War II. Aquaman's comic books are filled with colourful undersea characters and a rich supporting cast, including his mentor Vulko, his powerful wife Mera, and various sidekicks such as Aqualad, Aquagirl, and Dolphin. Aquaman stories tend to blend high fantasy and science fiction. His villains include his archenemy Black Manta and his own half-brother Ocean Master, among others.
The character's original 1960s animated appearances left a lasting impression, making Aquaman widely recognized in popular culture and one of the world's most recognized superheroes. Jokes about his wholesome, weak portrayal in Super Friends and perceived feeble powers and abilities have been staples of comedy programs and stand-up routines,[3][4][5] leading DC at several times to attempt to make the character edgier or more powerful in the comic books.[6] Modern comic book depictions have attempted to reconcile these various aspects of his public perception, with many versions often casting Aquaman as serious and brooding, weighed down by his public reputation, his responsibilities as king, and the complex world of Atlantean politics.[7]
Aquaman has been featured in several adaptations, first appearing in animated form in the 1967 The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure and then in the related Super Friends program. Since then he has appeared in various animated productions, including prominent roles in the 2000s series Justice League and Justice League Unlimited and Batman: The Brave and the Bold, as well as several DC Universe Animated Original Movies. Actor Alan Ritchson also portrayed the character in the live action television show Smallville. In the DC Extended Universe, actor Jason Momoa portrays the character in the films Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League and its director's cut Zack Snyder's Justice League, Aquaman, the HBO Max series Peacemaker, The Flash, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.[8][9][10]
Creation[edit]
Artist Paul Norris spoke on the inception of the character stating, "One day when I had brought in a finished script to Murray Boltinoff, I was told that Whit wanted to see me...I stopped in Whit’s office. They wanted to start a new feature about a character that lived in the sea. Whit asked me to create the character... that is how AQUAMAN was born."[11]
Publication history[edit]
Aquaman's appearances began in More Fun Comics #73 in 1941 and continued until issue #107, after which all superhero stories were replaced with humor features. At this time, in 1946, Aquaman was transferred to Adventure Comics with issue #103 along with the other superhero features from More Fun Comics. Aquaman would continue to feature in Adventure Comics for the next 15 years, being one of the few DC superheroes to appear continuously throughout the 1950s.
In 1961, Aquaman starred in a four-issue run in the anthology series Showcase in issues #30–33. These Showcase issues are notable as Aquaman's first cover appearances in any comic. Simultaneously, the Aquaman backup feature ended in Adventure Comics with issue #284 and was transferred to Detective Comics with issue #293.
Soon thereafter, the first Aquaman solo series began, with the first issue cover-dated February 1962. The same month, the backup feature in Detective Comics ended with issue #300. Simultaneously with the solo series, an Aquaman backup feature was also published in World's Finest #125–139 (cover-dated May 1962 to February 1964). The solo series Aquaman would last 56 issues in its initial run until 1971.
After a three-year hiatus, Aquaman returned as a backup feature in Adventure Comics for issues #435–437 before becoming the main feature in issues #441–452. This run transitioned into a revival of the Aquaman solo series in 1977, resuming the initial run's numbering at #57; however, the series ended after just seven issues with #63 in 1978.
Aquaman once again returned to Adventure Comics as part of the Dollar Comics revamp of the series, appearing in issues #460–466 over 1978–1979. When this ended, Aquaman appeared in three issues of World's Finest Comics (#262–264) and then returned to Adventure Comics as the first feature for four more issues (#475–#478) and as a back up in issues #491–500. The feature found a new home as a backup in Action Comics for 14 issues (#517–521; #527–530; #536–540), which would be the end of Aquaman's Pre-Crisis solo appearances.
Aquaman's first Post-Crisis appearance was in the four-issue miniseries Aquaman (vol. 2) in 1986, which gave the character a new blue costume which did not reappear in any later series. This blue "camouflage" suit, however, was used as inspiration for one of the main suits in the Aquaman film sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom in 2023. In 1988 the character starred in the one-shot Aquaman #1, followed by the Legend of Aquaman Special one-shot issue in 1989. This was followed by the five-issue miniseries Aquaman (vol. 3). A new ongoing series, Aquaman (vol. 4), began in 1991, but was cancelled after 13 issues.
The character was reinvented in the 1993–1994 miniseries Aquaman: Time and Tide, which provided a revamped origin for Aquaman. This was followed by a new ongoing series, Aquaman (vol. 5), which lasted until 2001 with 75 issues altogether, making it the longest-running Aquaman solo series to date.
Aquaman (vol. 6) was launched in 2003, following on from the Obsidian Age storyline in JLA. In the wake of the DC event miniseries Infinite Crisis and DC's "One Year Later" relaunch, the series was renamed Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis with issue #40 until the final issue (#57); these 18 issues starred a brand new, younger Aquaman named Arthur Joseph Curry. There were no more solo Aquaman publications in Post-Crisis continuity, although the original Aquaman did feature as a main character in the limited series Brightest Day.
The New 52 continuity reboot in September 2011 saw the beginning of the ongoing series Aquaman (vol. 7). A spin-off team title, Aquaman and the Others, also ran for 11 issues from 2014 to 2015. Aquaman vol. 7 lasted for the entirety of the New 52 era of DC, ending with issue #52 in 2016 as part of the line-wide relaunch DC Rebirth. The New 52 volume was immediately followed by the one-shot issue Aquaman: Rebirth, preceding the launch of the current ongoing series Aquaman (vol. 8), which ended with issue #66.
Upon cancellation of Aquaman vol. 8, Aquaman did not have a self-titled release until a digital only series titled Aquaman: Deep Dives released in 2020. Throughout 2022 Aquaman appeared in both Aquaman: The Becoming, and Aquamen which saw Aquaman train Jackson Hyde/Aqualad to take over his mantle. However, by the end of 2022, it seemed DC was moving away from this decision as they began publishing regular Aquaman team-up stories again. These included the seven issue series Aquaman/Green Arrow: Deep Target and the three issue Aquaman/The Flash: Voidsong. In August 2022, Aquaman received a three issue mini-series called Aquaman: Andromeda under DC's adult audience comic series DC Black Label. The most current Aquaman titled released was the Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Special one-shot, released in October 2023 to coincide with the release of the Aquaman sequel film of the same name.
Powers and abilities[edit]
Marine Telepathy[edit]
Aquaman's most widely recognized power is the ability to communicate with marine life, which he can summon from great distances. This was originally described in the stories as an ability to actually speak with fish (in a similar manner to Dr. Dolittle's ability to speak to animals).[84] This portrayal of his powers was later retconned into the ability to communicate with them telepathically. He once stated that this power more relied on encouraging and compelling the subject rather than full control, citing piranha as a species he has trouble commanding under any circumstances due to their ruthlessness and hunger.
In the New 52 onwards, Aquaman's telepathy abilities changed; acknowledging that most marine life does not possess enough intelligence to carry on a meaningful telepathic communication, Aquaman is now stated to simply add compulsions and needs in the mindset of aquatic life, compelling them to do his bidding by a subtle altering of their cerebellum.[68] It is later revealed during Drowned Earth event that Arthur's ability to speak with the ocean comes from a metaphysical energy known as the Life Force,[85] a vast ocean of genesistic power which enables him to connect with any and all forms of sentience within the cosmos, even from across realities.[86] Through it, Arthur could also use its power to revert lost forms and assert varying consciousnesses within, like making the human shell of Mother Salt's monster daughter, the Cailleach, subservient to her human host's will; even restoring the true forms and divine powers of long-forgotten ocean gods while calling out to them through his aquatelepathy.[87]
Physical abilities[edit]
The character has a number of other superhuman powers, most of which derive from the fact that he is adapted to live and thrive in the harshest of underwater environments. He has the ability to breathe underwater and possesses a superhuman physique strong enough to withstand attacks from superhuman opponents and resist machine gun fire.[88] Aquaman frequently displays feats of super-Atlantean (the average Atlantean can lift/press approximately two tons) and superhuman strength. While not on par with Superman and Wonder Woman, he has proven capable of leaps up to six miles.[89] He can swim at extremely high speeds, capable of reaching speeds of 3,000 meters per second[88] (10,800 km [roughly 6,700 miles] per hour) and can swim up Niagara Falls.[90] He can see in near total darkness and has enhanced hearing, granting limited sonar.[2]
Although Aquaman can remain underwater indefinitely without suffering any ill effects, he grows weak if he remains on land for extended periods. Originally, when Batman invented Aquaman's water suit, he was able to walk on land for an indefinite amount of time and was no longer vulnerable to a "dehumidifier".[2] This weakness was later removed from continuity in 2011, establishing that he grew up on land before learning of his Atlantean heritage,[91] but he still runs the risk of dying by dehydration within incredibly hostile environments, such as deserts.[92] Aquaman had also been bestowed an ability he never showcased before, given to him by an old Sea Monarch, granting him the ability of unaided flight using his own power.[93]
Other powers and abilities[edit]
While typically able to mostly telepathically commune with marine animals, Aquaman has at times demonstrated the ability to affect any being that lives upon the sea (e.g., sea eagles), or even any being evolved from marine life (e.g., humans and some aliens). Pre-Flashpoint Aquaman has had an ill-defined level of telekinetic capability he would use every so often. It's very, very rarely touched upon and the only times he ever used it few and far between; often applying these abilities as a focus for team battles to strengthen combo attacks with other supers.[94]
At various times in his life, Aquaman has been transformed into a purely oceanic entity with power over all the seas of the world;[95] this was usually temporary, as he would often revert to normal afterwards.[96][97][98]
Reception[edit]
Aquaman was listed as the 147th-greatest comic book character of all time by Wizard magazine.[131] IGN also ranked Aquaman as the 53rd-greatest comic book hero of all time, opining that "even though he'll forever be the butt of jokes thanks to his fishy powers, comic readers have come to love Aquaman as a noble (and very powerful) figure who is forever torn between the worlds of land and sea."[132] In a 2011 reader poll, Parade magazine ranked Aquaman among the top 10 superheroes of all time.[133]
By 2008, cultural critic Glen Weldon noted that Aquaman had become ridiculed by a popular mindset that cast him as an ineffectual hero. This was due to the perception that his heroic abilities were too narrow. Weldon wrote that critics and pop culture comedians who chose to focus on this had overplayed the joke, making it "officially the hoariest, hackiest arrow in the quiver of pop-culture commentary."[134][135]
