Arthur Curry / Aquaman Appreciation Thread 2020

[Korath]

What's bull is anyone dismissing cultural appropriation as a problem.

If it isn't done in bad faith ("It's totally not african breads!" or "I wear it better than curly-haired girls anyway" kind of bad faith, or the old white savior trope, a la Atlantis: The Lost Empire, where the main characters knows the technology of the Atlanteans better than them... when they are the exact same, immortal Atlanteans from before the sinking!) I have no problem with it.

It's called créolisation in French (and while it's debated, because some peoples argues that it'd prevent peoples of non-European descent to be anything other than, well, non-European-descent peoples, it came from a thinker who was black, from the former colonies in the Caribbean and opposed the negritude movement Edouard Glissant. And today, the Left in France is starting to realize that it's only natural that cultures, habitus and traditions evolve with the mixing of populations from different origins, by the way, and that the new whole is different from the old, but just as precious, if not more.

[Flash Gordon]

I just love this page spread but...

Bruce, what are you doing here ? I mean, you use your usual cape and cawl when the pressure should kill you. And you'll do what, move slowly so sea-dwellers can hit you easily ?

LOL yeah when Arthur put out The Call at the end of the last issue I was thinking "I hope that mixed in with all the sea animals and sea gods, Batman shows up in his lil Batsub". I'm lowkey disappointed that he's just in Atlantis with a breathing mask on (but I did kind of expect it tbh). There's a Mike Allred variant cover (for the BATMAN '66 covers that ran during the New 52) on a Jeff Parker issue and Batman is just in a lil sub with Aquaman exploring and I have a deep fondness for that image.

Anyway- haven't read this issue yet. Should get it by the end of the week- but what a certifiably rad spread. His use of The Call is the dopest way to close this terrific run. Arthur communicates, that's what makes him #1.

[Frontier]

maybe it's just me but I don't think this particular case is cultural appropriation tho. i mean for one, it's not like aesthetically they're all that far removed for Jackson's tattoo. also, it's a homage to his most iconic iterations and in story it both resonated with the connectivity theme of the run and it was added pretty tastefully. far moreso than the clear white savior type of appropriation of a Iron Fist or a Richard Dragon or even early Dr. Strange where they are just taking the culture to use it as window dressing for their white character. he didn't come in and conquer their culture and slapped the tats on to show how he's become the bestest polynesian fighter of blahs blahs chosen one blah, he earned it as a mark of familial connection and gratitude. they have narrative and intertextual significance to his character (and I think the meaning lines up in real-life too, I have to check) so I think it's a fine nod; if maybe a bit overindulge at times. mind you I'm not polynesian, so I can't 100% stay how strict or lax they are about cultural diffusion. if it's one of those things that requires some kind of strict cultural vetting of some sort then sure, it's probably inappropriate, but I think it works fine so long as they let him dress for the occasion when it's time to get to business.

I know Mamoa is popular now but I'm not sure I'd go so far as to call his look the most iconic iteration...especially when now most people probably envision Momao with the scalemail. If anything him just being shirtless and beareded is referencing PAD's Aquaman juts minus the hookhand more than it's really homaging Momoa since comic Arthur doesn't really look like Momoa even with the tats tacked on.

It just doesn't feel necessary at all to me.

[Flash Gordon]

I agree, the scalemail is iconic. Jason Momoa in the full costume in AQUAMAN is "Aquaman". He really rocks it.

[lemonpeace]

I know Mamoa is popular now but I'm not sure I'd go so far as to call him his most iconic iteration...especially when now most people probably envision Momao with the scalemail. If anything him just being shirtless and beareded is referencing PAD's Aquaman juts minus the hookhand more than it's really homaging Momoa since comic Arthur doesn't really look like Momoa even with the tats tacked on.

It just doesn't feel necessary at all to me.

i meant to say one of but i would say that it very well could be if the DCEU can continue his momentum and the comics continue pumping out quality content with it in the meanwhile. pulling the numbers he did and how almost universally well received his take on Aquaman is, barring Aquaman 2 bombing insane, the MCU effect means he's going to be (and frankly already is) a lot more people's favorite Aquaman going forward. Aquaman is just such a niche character, he never really reached the upper tier of popularity until last decade, that's when the character started picking up steam if we're being honest. Peter David came and went and Aquaman still was in that recognizable but relatively niche space he occupied up to that point. that's what allowed the Aquaman jokes to stick and permeate in popular culture so easily and persistently.
I mean wasn't there even a story in JLA around Peter David's run where Wonder Woman is still taking the piss out of Aquaman's character? how many people in general can honestly point to the Peter David when talking about Aquaman? Hell, I love Aquaman but I'd still point to JLU before I point to PAD's run; and i actually know of it's existence. I'm not denying its a take on Aquaman that has been done before, it's clearly made with Martin England's design in mind, but Momoa's take is still singularly distinct and more widely recognizable than most other takes on the character.

look on the bright side, just count your lucky stars we don't have to deal with the shitstorm of if they decided to go ALL the way with the Momoa-fication and retcon Thomas Curry as Islander. it's not much of a stretch considering the last time Thomas Curry's background is touched on is like the 90s or early 2000s at latest, Arthur gets most if his "white" traits from his magical fish-person mother and Thomas is drawn as just a vaguely dark haired character .

edit: also, I'm. ot saying the him being shirtless is more iconic that him wearing his scalemail, I'm talking about the overall iteration of the character.

[Frontier]

i meant to say one of but i would say that it very well could be if the DCEU can continue his momentum and the comics continue pumping out quality content with it in the meanwhile. pulling the numbers he did and how almost universally well received his take on Aquaman is, barring Aquaman 2 bombing insane, the MCU effect means he's going to be (and frankly already is) a lot more people's favorite Aquaman going forward. Aquaman is just such a niche character, he never really reached the upper tier of popularity until last decade, that's when the character started picking up steam if we're being honest. Peter David came and went and Aquaman still was in that recognizable but relatively niche space he occupied up to that point. that's what allowed the Aquaman jokes to stick and permeate in popular culture so easily and persistently.
I mean wasn't there even a story in JLA around Peter David's run where Wonder Woman is still taking the piss out of Aquaman's character? how many people in general can honestly point to the Peter David when talking about Aquaman? Hell, I love Aquaman but I'd still point to JLU before I point to PAD's run; and i actually know of it's existence. I'm not denying its a take on Aquaman that has been done before, it's clearly made with Martin England's design in mind, but Momoa's take is still singularly distinct and more widely recognizable than most other takes on the character.

look on the bright side, just count your lucky stars we don't have to deal with the shitstorm of if they decided to go ALL the way with the Momoa-fication and retcon Thomas Curry as Islander. it's not much of a stretch considering the last time Thomas Curry's background is touched on is like the 90s or early 2000s at latest, Arthur gets most if his "white" traits from his magical fish-person mother and Thomas is drawn as just a vaguely dark haired character .

edit: also, I'm. ot saying the him being shirtless is more iconic that him wearing his scalemail, I'm talking about the overall iteration of the character.

I understand the MCU effect. I hate it, but I understand it. All the same I don't think it really should matter as far as stories and depictions are concerned because at the end of the day the comic version is still distinct from the movie version even if the movie version ended up being very in-line with Johns' take in many ways. I guess a fresh adaption might be a different story but there's only so much you can get by aping a specific actors take without actually being the actor in my opinion. I know I've gone about this in my head a lot when it comes to Chis Hemsworth and Thor.

I don't really remember Wonder Woman taking a dig at PAD's Aquaman. I remember the Sleeping Beauty kiss, and I think Diana and Arthur interacted a lot in that run, but that's about it. Maybe she complained about his machismo a little, now that I think about it.

[Robanker]

Long beard and hair makes Arthur look more regal than Reis design tho

Really? He looks like the drummer of every metal band for the last twenty years. Nothing regal about shirtless, long hair, beard and tattoos.

[Korath]

Really? He looks like the drummer of every metal band for the last twenty years. Nothing regal about shirtless, long hair, beard and tattoos.

Well, mediaval kings had long hair and often beard. It's something I associate with it. And I find that his shirt-less style works better to look regal than the orange scalemail really, who makes him look more like a normal super, at least to me.

[Frontier]

Well, mediaval kings had long hair and often beard. It's something I associate with it. And I find that his shirt-less style works better to look regal than the orange scalemail really, who makes him look more like a normal super, at least to me.

I can't see how shirtless makes him look more regal compared to what comes off as actual armor, unless we're going by "savage" standards of regality like he's Khal Drogo (and yes, I know he's played by Khal Drogo).

[Robanker]

I can't see how shirtless makes him look more regal compared to what comes off as actual armor, unless we're going by "savage" standards of regality like he's Khal Drogo (and yes, I know he's played by Khal Drogo).

I think people see a beard and long hair and think romanticized barbarian king. I just see biker. Kings are groomed and adorned in wealth, traditionally. Especially those like Arthur who model after, well, King Arthur. He'd wear armor and clothes if going regal. This isn't regal, and that's fine, but they're going for biker surfer bro because they're copying Momoa and that's his image. The rest is just trying to make that work in headcanon.

[Stanlos]

Really? He looks like the drummer of every metal band for the last twenty years. Nothing regal about shirtless, long hair, beard and tattoos.

This is kinda like WW's armoured bikini bottoms. There isn't anything 'dirty' or 'overtly sexual' about the costume on its own but it can be rendered by the artist to convey an overt, consumerist sexuality if that is where they are at. Similarly, some artists ALWAYS make Orin look regal and majestic. Bryan Hitch crew the PAD era costume in a fashion that was regal, imposing, and dynamic. Gleason drew the waterhand version regal. Alex Ross drew the superfriends era costume regal. So it really just depends on where the artist is and the vibe that s/he is trying to convey.

[Robanker]

This is kinda like WW's armoured bikini bottoms. There isn't anything 'dirty' or 'overtly sexual' about the costume on its own but it can be rendered by the artist to convey an overt, consumerist sexuality if that is where they are at. Similarly, some artists ALWAYS make Orin look regal and majestic. Bryan Hitch crew the PAD era costume in a fashion that was regal, imposing, and dynamic. Gleason drew the waterhand version regal. Alex Ross drew the superfriends era costume regal. So it really just depends on where the artist is and the vibe that s/he is trying to convey.

I would argue that's more about the artist and posture than the costume, which is being rendered as regal in spite of itself. But the design itself does nothing to denote any majesty because that's actively not what it's going for. The current look is a better fit, with the more trimmed beard/hair and the scale shirt. It's a compromise I can live with.

[Frontier]

I would argue that's more about the artist and posture than the costume, which is being rendered as regal in spite of itself. But the design itself does nothing to denote any majesty because that's actively not what it's going for. The current look is a better fit, with the more trimmed beard/hair and the scale shirt. It's a compromise I can live with.

I really don't like it being a shirt but I don't think that's going to last past this volume.

[Robanker]

I really don't like it being a shirt but I don't think that's going to last past this volume.

I imagine it's an armored one. Bare chest to scalemail sounds like a real problem.

[Stanlos]

I would argue that's more about the artist and posture than the costume, which is being rendered as regal in spite of itself. But the design itself does nothing to denote any majesty because that's actively not what it's going for. The current look is a better fit, with the more trimmed beard/hair and the scale shirt. It's a compromise I can live with.

That is the point that I was making. There isn't anything that must read as grungey drummer about the long hair and beard nor the Orange shirt version whether you take it as heavy mail or as a "shirt" nor even the silver metal armor. But the artist drawing can imbue those qualities.