Aquaman (fictional chararcter)
Aquaman is a fictional character from DC Comics, first introduced in 1941. Known as Arthur Curry, he was raised among humans, unaware of his royal lineage as the son of an Atlantean queen and a lighthouse keeper. His dual heritage equips him with superhuman abilities, including strength, swift swimming, and the power to communicate with marine life. Throughout his journey, Aquaman acts as a mediator between the underwater city of Atlantis and surface dwellers, often feeling alienated from both worlds due to ongoing conflicts, particularly related to ocean pollution and other environmental issues.
He is a member of the Justice League, forming alliances with other superheroes while also contending with formidable enemies, notably Black Manta, who seeks revenge for personal losses linked to Aquaman. The character has undergone various transformations in appearance and storyline over the decades, including a significant relaunch in 2011 as part of the New 52 initiative. Aquaman has been featured in numerous comic book series, animated shows, and live-action films, including a prominent role in the DC Extended Universe and standalone movies. He is also known for his complex relationships, particularly with his half-brother Orm and his romantic partner Mera, a princess from another aquatic kingdom.
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Aquaman (fictional chararcter)
Aquaman is a character who appears in DC Comics. He was raised on land among ordinary humans, unaware of his origins in the underwater city of Atlantis. He did not learn the truth about his origins or abilities until he was grown.
Aquaman mediates frequently and plays the role of peacekeeper in conflicts between Atlanteans and surface dwellers, who frequently disturb the world's oceans with pollution and harmful actions. Although he lives in both worlds, Aquaman often feels as though he belongs to neither due to the conflicts he confronts. He uses his many powers, including strength, swift swimming, and telepathy with sea life, in his efforts to calm the troubled waters. He has forged partnerships with other superheroes, including the members of the Justice League, who have fought by his side. Aquaman has also made enemies, however.
Background
Aquaman first appeared in a comic book in 1941, when he was featured in More Fun Comics #73. His name is Arthur Curry, and he believes himself to be a normal human until the residents of the sea intrude upon his life.
The queen of Atlantis—Atlanta—saved the life of a man during a storm. She and the man, a lighthouse keeper named Thomas Curry, fell in love and Atlanta became pregnant. She wanted to give up the throne so she could have a life with her human lover, but instead she was imprisoned. She escaped and gave birth to her son on the shore. She left the baby with Thomas in secret, to keep them safe from her enemies in Atlantis. Atlanta returned to her kingdom, where she had no choice but to marry. She had another son, Orm, who inherited the throne after the murder of his parents. Orm is also called Ocean Master.
As he grew up, Arthur Curry developed superpowers. His father was concerned because he did not understand how to help his son learn to control these powers. Thomas found a marine biologist, Stephen Shin, and shared his family secret. Shin agreed to help them and became a good friend. When Arthur became a teen, however, Shin decided to tell the world Arthur's true identity. Thomas stole all of Shin's research connecting Arthur to Atlantis, breaking their bond of trust. In frustration, Shin hired a treasure hunter, Manta, to get a blood sample from Arthur to support his claims about the superhuman.
The resulting feud between Aquaman and Manta (he later takes the name Black Manta) has been explained in different ways in several comics. In one early version, Manta was a captive on a ship who comes to hate the sea and its king; a second story explains that he was a child sent to Arkham Asylum, where he was treated for autism but became violent as a result.
In the 2011 reboot of Aquaman, Arthur saves his father from an attack by a mysterious man, but a weakened Thomas dies a few days later. Arthur, enraged and grief stricken, goes in search of the man who attacked Thomas and kills the man he finds on the treasure hunter's ship. That man was Manta's father, however. From then on, Aquaman and Manta become mortal enemies.
Overview
The Aquaman character has appeared in numerous comic book series, including a relaunch in 2011 of many DC superheroes called the New 52. Aquaman has also appeared in films and in both animated and live-action television series. In 2016, a modern incarnation was introduced in a cameo in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. This glimpse set the stage for further appearances in the DC Extended Universe films Justice League (2017), Zach Snyder's Justice League (2021), and The Flash (2023), as well as two feature-length films, Aquaman (2018) and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023).
In the comic books, the character's appearance has changed as different artists took over. Early images feature Aquaman in a costume that was orange on top, green on the bottom, and featured black boxers and an A belt buckle. He also wore green gloves. Later issues found him in purple with black, red, and golden scales. He was clean-shaven at first, but over time, his hair became long and he wore a beard reminiscent of Poseidon, the sea god. He lost his left hand, which was replaced by a harpoon for a while. Later, the harpoon became a trident, and he could retract it and replace it with a telekinetic water hand. Aquaman's garb in the New 52 is gold scales and armor, with green pants and gloves.
Aquaman has a number of friends and foes. He joins forces with several superheroes, and together they form the Justice League. The original members include Batman, the Flash, Green Lantern, the Martian Manhunter, Superman, and Wonder Woman.
He meets his younger half-brother, King Orm, with whom he has a complicated relationship. Following a war between the Justice League and the Atlanteans, Orm is imprisoned and gives up his throne. Aquaman becomes king, although he is in doubt as to how the citizens of the seas will receive him. Aquaman also encounters Mera, a superstrong woman from another underwater kingdom, Xebel. Mera is a princess who has been trained as an assassin. She is sent to kill the king of Atlantis in retaliation for the long-ago exile of her people. Mera at first works to gain Aquaman's trust, but she finds herself falling in love with him. They eventually marry, but Mera remains conflicted. Her love betrays her people, but she cannot fulfill her mission to kill him. Through Aquaman, Mera also learns to appreciate the surface world, which she was taught to despise.
In a February 1960 comic book, Aquaman gained a sidekick called Aqualad. Aqualad, whose Atlantean name was Garth, was the son of a king of the Idylists, a group of peace-loving people who used magic. Garth was born in Atlantis after his pregnant mother was banished. His father, King Thar, was protecting his people from his sorcerer brother, but the Idylists misunderstood what was happening and killed their king, believing he was insane. Aqualad later became a founding member of Teen Titans, a group of young superheroes. He took on the name Tempest.
Aquaman's earliest foe continues to dog him throughout his life. Black Manta is determined to get revenge for his father's death. He builds a super suit that gives him strength, allows him to swim underwater, has a jetpack, disrupts Aquaman's telepathy, and makes Manta bulletproof. He also creates a variety of weapons. Black Manta was the primary villain in the 2023 film Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
Bibliography
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