Arthur Curry/Orin/Aquaman - The King of the Seven Seas appreciation 2021

[MadFacedKid]

Depends if Editors get carried away by what is proposed to them. Sometimes I am surprised how they permit certain takes, and when you read their tweets all so enthusiastic about those particular takes, I get doubts about their abilities. When its obvious that those takes will not work and they turn out so.

Yeah I mean it’s kind of hard to pretend like there hasn’t been any hiccups since Johns left. Disheartening honestly I feel like DC should of been capitalizing on Aquaman cinematic success but it’s like they weren’t expecting it so they didn’t do anything when it happened and that was how many years ago.. if they put out as much stuff they did after the GL or WW movies I’d argue his fan base would be rising (pun intended)

[Konja7]

Yeah I mean it’s kind of hard to pretend like there hasn’t been any hiccups since Johns left. Disheartening honestly I feel like DC should of been capitalizing on Aquaman cinematic success but it’s like they weren’t expecting it so they didn’t do anything when it happened and that was how many years ago.. if they put out as much stuff they did after the GL or WW movies I’d argue his fan base would be rising (pun intended)

The issue with ongoing will always be that there is no time to wait for the right writer. That's why you will find many divisive writers.

That said, sometimes DC (and even fans) think they find the right writer, but it isn't good at the end.


In itself, capitalize Aquaman movie isn't so simple. In general, comics aren't good to capitalize success of films, because current comics are a closed market and live action adaptations are too different from comics.

Also, I would be worried about the directions DC takes to capitalize Aquaman film. In Mera OGN, they try to capitalize Aquaman film, so Arthur has black hair.

[MadFacedKid]

The issue with ongoing will always be that there is no time to wait for the right writer. That's why you will find many divisive writers.

That said, sometimes DC (and even fans) think they find the right writer, but it isn't good at the end.

Also, I would be worried about the directions DC takes to capitalize Aquaman film. In Mera OGN, they try to capitalize Aquaman film, so Arthur has black hair.

I’m not necessarily talking about comics. After the release of the GL movie. Green Lantern got a video game i believe it might be mobile and 2 animated movies as well as a cartoon and his film wasn’t even categorized a success.

Wonder Woman was a success and all she got was another animated movie, and more features in comics as well as a Earth One book and prominent roles possibly in the animated realm of things.

Aquaman though? He got a bunch of stuff green lit but so far away from his movies release date that I wouldn’t even call it capitalizing on his cinematic success.
In itself, capitalize Aquaman movie isn't so simple. In general, comics aren't good to capitalize success of films, because current comics are a closed market and live action adaptations are too different from comics.

Aquaman’s been playing the back role in stuff for awhile now. When he’s a pretty big name only hindered by DC itself. They took him out of the animated movie JL’s origin in favor of Shazam who really didn’t do anything to justify that replacement. They turned Throne of Atlantis into a origin movie for him and didn’t live up anywhere to the comic inspiration of the movie. They backgrounded him in every animated movie after his introduction in Throne of Atlantis.

So outside not really getting anything like GL and Wonder Woman did they kind of shelved him outside comics and now he’s being shelved as a title as well

[Goldrake]

Yeah I mean it’s kind of hard to pretend like there hasn’t been any hiccups since Johns left. Disheartening honestly I feel like DC should of been capitalizing on Aquaman cinematic success but it’s like they weren’t expecting it so they didn’t do anything when it happened and that was how many years ago.. if they put out as much stuff they did after the GL or WW movies I’d argue his fan base would be rising (pun intended)

The first mistake was to take off Johns from the book. He said that he was ready to write it for 100 issues, that would have made Aquaman a force to be reckoned with. The other big mistake was the comic following the movie. I loved KSD's run, but the start of her run was not ideal for any potential readers brought by the movie. The first 6 issues had nothing to connect it with what they saw in the movie.

As for capitalizing the success of the movie, you are 100% correct. A wasted opportunity and had I been at AT&T heads would roll at DC for not exploiting the success. When the movie was released, the Johns Omnibus was sold out in few days, people had to wait months for a reprint but by then interest fizzled out. On a positive note they are trying to do something, an animation is being done, talks of a Mera TV spinoff, a Trench spinoff. But still I feel I can't trust them. They have a character with lots of potential and they are slow to do something. Not just about Arthur but also about Mera, who in the last decade has become very popular, they did a mini solo and an OGN, but for the rest she is not pushed enough, when she has potential to be the one of the most awesome DC female characters.

The issue with ongoing will always be that there is no time to wait for the right writer. That's why you will find many divisive writers.

That said, sometimes DC (and even fans) think they find the right writer, but it isn't good at the end.


In itself, capitalize Aquaman movie isn't so simple. In general, comics aren't good to capitalize success of films, because current comics are a closed market and live action adaptations are too different from comics.

Also, I would be worried about the directions DC takes to capitalize Aquaman film. In Mera OGN, they try to capitalize Aquaman film, so Arthur has black hair.

Well it seems they have learned the lesson in taking time to find the right writer with the right plot or at least we hope that. Williamson said that they are finding the right persons and I agree. Having a book for the sake of having one is not ideal at the moment, following a run which ended with low sales, they must not rush.

I don't fully agree that comics can't capitalize the success of the movie. John's Aquaman Omnibus was sold out within days of the movie release. As mentioned in reply to MadFacedKid, they simply mishandled it, the reprint of the Omnibus took months to be done. When it should have been done fast track and make most of the interest generated. While the then ongoing comic as mentioned also above, was not the ideal take for the purpose to attract new readers.

Apart comics, general merchandise is lacking and especially when the movie was released there was few and old stuff available.

BTW I am more worried about the stupid tattoos they gave him in the comics than hair colour in Mera's OGN.

[MadFacedKid]

The first mistake was to take off Johns from the book. He said that he was ready to write it for 100 issues, that would have made Aquaman a force to be reckoned with. The other big mistake was the comic following the movie. I loved KSD's run, but the start of her run was not ideal for any potential readers brought by the movie. The first 6 issues had nothing to connect it with what they saw in the movie.

As for capitalizing the success of the movie, you are 100% correct. A wasted opportunity and had I been at AT&T heads would roll at DC for not exploiting the success. When the movie was released, the Johns Omnibus was sold out in few days, people had to wait months for a reprint but by then interest fizzled out. On a positive note they are trying to do something, an animation is being done, talks of a Mera TV spinoff, a Trench spinoff. But still I feel I can't trust them. They have a character with lots of potential and they are slow to do something. Not just about Arthur but also about Mera, who in the last decade has become very popular, they did a mini solo and an OGN, but for the rest she is not pushed enough, when she has potential to be the one of the most awesome DC female characters.

I think Johns left on his own accord which was honestly disappointing to me, but he claimed he’d be overseeing the series and guiding it towards that whole Rise of the seven seas event we never got. I honestly think Johns just jumped onto the title to show it could work and be made into a best seller and then had other stuff he’d rather do while he was penning Aquaman. No disrespect either towards him for it, but he definitely didn’t put as much energy as he did for GL into Aquaman and arguably not as much as he did for Flash either. I feel like you can kind of tell when a character is treated as if their a focal point/ important to the universe and that hasn’t really been handled that way with Aquaman. He has the potential to honestly rival the faces of DC and Marvel in my opinion which is proven by Johns run outselling Marvel titles at points but it’s the poor handling, lack of proper timing and ironically not flooding the market with Aquaman. (pun intended) whereas with Harley you saw her everywhere when she blew up.

I’d like Johns to return but I don’t want him to half ass it, make plans and not follow up on it, and he should get full creative freedom. If PAD was interested he’s another person I’d given creative reigns to and allow to do whatever he wants given nonarguably he was the first successful run for the character who got to issue numbers people wouldn’t expect. Then I think might third pick would be Steve Orlando his deep dive issues showcase his understanding of the character in my opinion. I liked his add in of Aquaman in the Martian Manhunter series and with Orlando penning Aquaman maybe he could return the favor and have J’onn show up from time to time.

[Goldrake]

I think Johns left on his own accord which was honestly disappointing to me, but he claimed he’d be overseeing the series and guiding it towards that whole Rise of the seven seas event we never got. I honestly think Johns just jumped onto the title to show it could work and be made into a best seller and then had other stuff he’d rather do while he was penning Aquaman. No disrespect either towards him for it, but he definitely didn’t put as much energy as he did for GL into Aquaman and arguably not as much as he did for Flash either. I feel like you can kind of tell when a character is treated as if their a focal point/ important to the universe and that hasn’t really been handled that way with Aquaman. He has the potential to honestly rival the faces of DC and Marvel in my opinion which is proven by Johns run outselling Marvel titles at points but it’s the poor handling, lack of proper timing and ironically not flooding the market with Aquaman. (pun intended) whereas with Harley you saw her everywhere when she blew up.

I’d like Johns to return but I don’t want him to half ass it, make plans and not follow up on it, and he should get full creative freedom. If PAD was interested he’s another person I’d given creative reigns to and allow to do whatever he wants given nonarguably he was the first successful run for the character who got to issue numbers people wouldn’t expect. Then I think might third pick would be Steve Orlando his deep dive issues showcase his understanding of the character in my opinion. I liked his add in of Aquaman in the Martian Manhunter series and with Orlando penning Aquaman maybe he could return the favor and have J’onn show up from time to time.

No you are wrong on this, Johns was taken off by Didio, it wasn't his choice and recently revealed that he would have stayed on the book for 100 issues. He took on Aquaman against the advice of many, who told him he was to make a big mistake, even Ivan Reis related the same thing not just Johns.
It was Geoff who asked for Aquaman, when DC wanted to shelve it for good, following the disasters of Busiek etc. Had it not been for Johns there would be no Aquaman now.
The fact that he was planning 7 kingdoms and which never materialized confirms an abrupt stop from higher levels.

As for PAD, sorry hell no, after the mess he did with Mera? Yeah He did great world building but very idiotic choices from giving Arthur sons of all kinds, dolphin affair, making him a middle aged man, maimed him with a hook hand. No Thanks. his run was not that successful since writers who followed him in the immediate, discarded all that as they weren't popular with fans. His Aquaman belongs to that Aquaman fans abhor and which was made fun of. A similar take of his first run will end in disaster today.

As a matter of fact its Abnett not David who has written the largest amount of Aquaman issues.

A underestimated writer in Aquaman is Parker, his run was solid and had good sales. Pity he was taken off for that idiotic initiative of DCU with Bunn.
Ron Marz and Andy Lanning in endless winter have captured the essence of Aquaman in just one Issue. I would give them a try.

I would like a Johns return but it has to be conditional to giving it the attention that his current workload might not permit. However since Johns, the book is totally different from old Aquaman, Johns had the brilliant idea to push Mera front and center and that was part of the reason the book did so well. Mera has become very popular and she even overshadows Arthur if they don't be careful. Nowadays its not a book about Arthur alone but about Mera as well. Any writer who takes over must take notice of that.

[Konja7]

The first mistake was to take off Johns from the book. He said that he was ready to write it for 100 issues, that would have made Aquaman a force to be reckoned with. The other big mistake was the comic following the movie. I loved KSD's run, but the start of her run was not ideal for any potential readers brought by the movie. The first 6 issues had nothing to connect it with what they saw in the movie.

As for capitalizing the success of the movie, you are 100% correct. A wasted opportunity and had I been at AT&T heads would roll at DC for not exploiting the success. When the movie was released, the Johns Omnibus was sold out in few days, people had to wait months for a reprint but by then interest fizzled out. On a positive note they are trying to do something, an animation is being done, talks of a Mera TV spinoff, a Trench spinoff. But still I feel I can't trust them. They have a character with lots of potential and they are slow to do something. Not just about Arthur but also about Mera, who in the last decade has become very popular, they did a mini solo and an OGN, but for the rest she is not pushed enough, when she has potential to be the one of the most awesome DC female characters.






Well it seems they have learned the lesson in taking time to find the right writer with the right plot or at least we hope that. Williamson said that they are finding the right persons and I agree. Having a book for the sake of having one is not ideal at the moment, following a run which ended with low sales, they must not rush.

I don't fully agree that comics can't capitalize the success of the movie. John's Aquaman Omnibus was sold out within days of the movie release. As mentioned in reply to MadFacedKid, they simply mishandled it, the reprint of the Omnibus took months to be done. When it should have been done fast track and make most of the interest generated. While the then ongoing comic as mentioned also above, was not the ideal take for the purpose to attract new readers.

Apart comics, general merchandise is lacking and especially when the movie was released there was few and old stuff available.

BTW I am more worried about the stupid tattoos they gave him in the comics than hair colour in Mera's OGN.

The sales of John's Aquaman Omnibus could be benefited when the movie is released (since the movie will promote the comics). However, capitalizing would mean that the popularity of the movie could help comics months (or even years) after the movie is released.

That doesn't seem to happen in comics. MCU is extremely popular, but it doesn't help to sell Avengers comics (and Marvel has tried).

[MadFacedKid]

The sales of John's Aquaman Omnibus could be benefited when the movie is released (since the movie will promote the comics). However, capitalizing would mean that the popularity of the movie could help comics months (or even years) after the movie is released.

That doesn't seem to happen in comics. MCU is extremely popular, but it doesn't help to sell Avengers comics (and Marvel has tried).

I think your missing what we’ve both said about capitalizing on the films success. You keep bringing up comics when we’re saying strengthen the love for the character outside the books. I don’t even think at this point most of the money DC is getting comes from comic sales but probably comes from merchandise. Which is pretty weak in regards to Aquaman and his success. We’re talking more animated exposure, action figures, toys, clothes and so on. Not just comics.

Even then in regards to films we’ve seen characters benefit off cinematic success in the comics like Wolverine who basically became the face of the X-Men because of films. Or Ironman who’s pretty much forefront of the Marvel comic universe because of the MCU. You can argue outside comic exposure is what got Batman to overtake Superman even.

[Goldrake]

The sales of John's Aquaman Omnibus could be benefited when the movie is released (since the movie will promote the comics). However, capitalizing would mean that the popularity of the movie could help comics months (or even years) after the movie is released.

That doesn't seem to happen in comics. MCU is extremely popular, but it doesn't help to sell Avengers comics (and Marvel has tried).

The only attempt done to connect the comics with the movie was giving Arthur tattoos, yes tattoos and that's that.
I recall KSD saying they felt it was a way of bringing in new readers thanks to the movie. Of all things they could have done, tattoos should have been the last of the list. Many fans remained speechless, including myself. I kept thinking are they serious? Do you think that is how to capitalize on a movie, with just tattoos?

For Aquaman even if the movie brought just 5k new readers it would have been a blessing, problem was that the comic run was nothing near the movie. I don't blame any potential new reader to be put off because the comic at that time didn't have in it nor Mera, Vulko, Orm, Manta and neither Arthur was Arthur but an amnesiac guy. I liked the run, but I understand that a potential new reader had nothing in that run to connect to it. Looking back at sales numbers, Aquaman in December 18(when movie was released) registered 30k sales approximately 5/4K more than the usual average. Even non Aquafan comic readers said at the time what's this stuff? Again I don't blame them, I am one of the few who liked the run, but I understand perfectly people that might have not liked it. Tastes are subjective after all.

[MadFacedKid]

No you are wrong on this, Johns was taken off by Didio, it wasn't his choice and recently revealed that he would have stayed on the book for 100 issues. He took on Aquaman against the advice of many, who told him he was to make a big mistake, even Ivan Reis related the same thing not just Johns.
It was Geoff who asked for Aquaman, when DC wanted to shelve it for good, following the disasters of Busiek etc. Had it not been for Johns there would be no Aquaman now.
The fact that he was planning 7 kingdoms and which never materialized confirms an abrupt stop from higher levels.

As for PAD, sorry hell no, after the mess he did with Mera? Yeah He did great world building but very idiotic choices from giving Arthur sons of all kinds, dolphin affair, making him a middle aged man, maimed him with a hook hand. No Thanks. his run was not that successful since writers who followed him in the immediate, discarded all that as they weren't popular with fans. His Aquaman belongs to that Aquaman fans abhor and which was made fun of. A similar take of his first run will end in disaster today.

As a matter of fact its Abnett not David who has written the largest amount of Aquaman issues.

A underestimated writer in Aquaman is Parker, his run was solid and had good sales. Pity he was taken off for that idiotic initiative of DCU with Bunn.
Ron Marz and Andy Lanning in endless winter have captured the essence of Aquaman in just one Issue. I would give them a try.

I would like a Johns return but it has to be conditional to giving it the attention that his current workload might not permit. However since Johns, the book is totally different from old Aquaman, Johns had the brilliant idea to push Mera front and center and that was part of the reason the book did so well. Mera has become very popular and she even overshadows Arthur if they don't be careful. Nowadays its not a book about Arthur alone but about Mera as well. Any writer who takes over must take notice of that.

If that’s the case in regards to Johns then Didio dropped the ball and did damage to Aquaman. I feel like at this point in time if Johns was able to have continue with Aquaman we would of got a higher demand for stuff like the Earth One title and a stronger presence outside of the comics thanks to it. Hell the film being strongly based off Johns run to begin with showcases that. It’s honestly a depressing idea with the whole unexplored potential that kept being suggested would be touched by Aquaman and his mythos. Probably would of got the relics expanded, the other nations expanded, Aquaman’s lineage expanded, Orm would of stayed a compelling villain instead of a mustache twirling one and so on.

I feel like it would be fair to blame editorial in regards to PAD as well. I’ve said this a lot but a lot of Johns run took influence of elements PAD established prior. Johns run was a mixture of PAD and Silver Age goodness with him doing his own thing at the same time. PAD was honestly just limited by what editorial allowed him to do and they basically killed off the book when they didn’t give him the freedom he wanted. He’s stated the hook hand wasn’t suppose to stick with Aquaman it was just a matter of time he had a plan on bringing back the more traditional Aquaman it was just his run wasn’t as long as he wanted it to be. Mera was going to become more prominent again. And ironically your point is wrong when it comes to disregarding what PAD wrote or his plans. PAD had a pitch he wanted to continue with Aquaman but it wasn’t picked up by editorial. Later they picked up his ideas and ran with it without him penning it. The whole Water Wraith, Water hand and so on we’re plans of PAD but weren’t penned by him. Johns took influence off stuff PAD established too. I believe trench like creatures appeared in PAD’s story they just weren’t handled the same, Atlan was brought back by Johns a creation of PAD, Dr. Shin I believe was introduced by PAD as well it’s just Johns took those small things that were in PAD story and expanded on them and made them pretty central in Aquaman’s story. Though Atlan was more prominent of course with PAD given his connection to Aquaman. In fairness to I agree Mera is a big part of Aquaman’s mythos but I don’t think she’s needed to make him work which is proved by PAD. Johns made her more integral which isn’t a bad thing cause she works just the same, I’m a big Garth fan and he was more used by PAD then he was by Johns who actually killed Garth. Garth being apart of Aquaman’s history before Mera even.

I didn’t say PAD wrote the most Aquaman issues. Or if I did what I meant was that PAD was the first to show Aquaman can be a long written series and it no disrespect to Abnett but PAD brought popularity to Aquaman. Abnett was riding off of already established popularity, and his sales eventually started to plummet in some arcs. In regards to Parker, personally it wasn’t my favorite run it might of been because it was so short but nothing really felt ground breaking outside finding out his mother was alive which nothing has even been done with since Parker. No writer outside Johns and PAD in my opinion have brought anything that was long lasting to the character I guess outside now KSD and no disrespect to her but it’s kind of hard to just ignore the birth of a child moving forward which I feel like is going to be the only thing her run can be credited for in regards to mythos.

You said PAD didn’t do anything other writers followed which is wrong. Hell Orlando even brought back Kordax another staple in the PAD era, a lot of his telepathic potency which was strongly influenced by PAD with Orlando awesomely adding to it with that whole other world. There’s the fact Morrison even carried on with stuff PAD brought in at the time and so did the DCAU at the time.

I will say Johns is probably the writer who established more for the character without being gimmicky (hook hand) or adding hard to ignore elements (Andy) but keep in mind Johns had an event to work with in his favor for Aquaman and PAD basically had to create buzz without one

I might make an article highlighting the influences of PAD’s run in later runs because he’s honestly underrated for what he did for the character. Johns run had Mera as the co-Lead and honestly pretty much only Mera which is fine. But PAD had both Dolphin and Garth playing that role and just the same as Mera getting a mini Garth got one as well.

[Goldrake]

I think your missing what we’ve both said about capitalizing on the films success. You keep bringing up comics when we’re saying strengthen the love for the character outside the books. I don’t even think at this point most of the money DC is getting comes from comic sales but probably comes from merchandise. Which is pretty weak in regards to Aquaman and his success. We’re talking more animated exposure, action figures, toys, clothes and so on. Not just comics.

Even then in regards to films we’ve seen characters benefit off cinematic success in the comics like Wolverine who basically became the face of the X-Men because of films. Or Ironman who’s pretty much forefront of the Marvel comic universe because of the MCU. You can argue outside comic exposure is what got Batman to overtake Superman even.

Totally agreed. Comics are not the only means to capitalize on the movie, merchandise is pretty weak in regards of Aquaman. I know pretty good number of comic shops who have complained that following the movie they got requests for Aquaman stuff and literally there was nothing, except some collectible statues that cost money.
I personally bought two of these of statues(over two years) but I can't expect parents who have to make the ends meet, to buy that stuff for their kids. Nor are those statue Kids stuff.
They have been very slow to capitalize even in regards of other media. All We know they have in production an animation and plans for a Mera TV series.

[MadFacedKid]

https://www.peterdavid.net/2014/10/1...iting-aquaman/

I’m not saying everything Peter David wrote in regards to Aquaman I adore. I prefer the son of Tom take then making him underwater Jesus honestly.

I wasn’t big on the harpoon. But again it wasn’t suppose to be indefinite.

I’m also not big on Mera not having a continuous role in his adventures. But again that wasn’t indefinite.

A lot of the stuff your saying you disliked about the run according to David were temporary.

I could see the whole Affair thing still sticking but even then before David even got on the title the damage was already done between Aquaman and Mera and that wasn’t something he could just ignore. He said he had plans on bringing her back and making her main stay though.

[MadFacedKid]

Totally agreed. Comics are not the only means to capitalize on the movie, merchandise is pretty weak in regards of Aquaman. I know pretty good number of comic shops who have complained that following the movie they got requests for Aquaman stuff and literally there was nothing, except some collectible statues that cost money.
I personally bought two of these of statues(over two years) but I can't expect parents who have to make the ends meet, to buy that stuff for their kids. Nor are those statue Kids stuff.
They have been very slow to capitalize even in regards of other media. All We know they have in production an animation and plans for a Mera TV series.

And even then it’s kind of hard to call that capitalizing given how long ago it’s been since the release of the movie. DC should of been generating enough buzz in between the first movie and sequel to make people excited in seeing the next sequel. But now it’s kinda watered down.

[Goldrake]

If that’s the case in regards to Johns then Didio dropped the ball and did damage to Aquaman. I feel like at this point in time if Johns was able to have continue with Aquaman we would of got a higher demand for stuff like the Earth One title and a stronger presence outside of the comics thanks to it. Hell the film being strongly based off Johns run to begin with showcases that. It’s honestly a depressing idea with the whole unexplored potential that kept being suggested would be touched by Aquaman and his mythos. Probably would of got the relics expanded, the other nations expanded, Aquaman’s lineage expanded, Orm would of stayed a compelling villain instead of a mustache twirling one and so on.

I feel like it would be fair to blame editorial in regards to PAD as well. I’ve said this a lot but a lot of Johns run took influence of elements PAD established prior. Johns run was a mixture of PAD and Silver Age goodness with him doing his own thing at the same time. PAD was honestly just limited by what editorial allowed him to do and they basically killed off the book when they didn’t give him the freedom he wanted. He’s stated the hook hand wasn’t suppose to stick with Aquaman it was just a matter of time he had a plan on bringing back the more traditional Aquaman it was just his run wasn’t as long as he wanted it to be. Mera was going to become more prominent again. And ironically your point is wrong when it comes to disregarding what PAD wrote or his plans. PAD had a pitch he wanted to continue with Aquaman but it wasn’t picked up by editorial. Later they picked up his ideas and ran with it without him penning it. The whole Water Wraith, Water hand and so on we’re plans of PAD but weren’t penned by him. Johns took influence off stuff PAD established too. I believe trench like creatures appeared in PAD’s story they just weren’t handled the same, Atlan was brought back by Johns a creation of PAD, Dr. Shin I believe was introduced by PAD as well it’s just Johns took those small things that were in PAD story and expanded on them and made them pretty central in Aquaman’s story. Though Atlan was more prominent of course with PAD given his connection to Aquaman. In fairness to I agree Mera is a big part of Aquaman’s mythos but I don’t think she’s needed to make him work which is proved by PAD. Johns made her more integral which isn’t a bad thing cause she works just the same, I’m a big Garth fan and he was more used by PAD then he was by Johns who actually killed Garth. Garth being apart of Aquaman’s history before Mera even.

I didn’t say PAD wrote the most Aquaman issues. Or if I did what I meant was that PAD was the first to show Aquaman can be a long written series and it no disrespect to Abnett but PAD brought popularity to Aquaman. Abnett was riding off of already established popularity, and his sales eventually started to plummet in some arcs. In regards to Parker, personally it wasn’t my favorite run it might of been because it was so short but nothing really felt ground breaking outside finding out his mother was alive which nothing has even been done with since Parker. No writer outside Johns and PAD in my opinion have brought anything that was long lasting to the character I guess outside now KSD and no disrespect to her but it’s kind of hard to just ignore the birth of a child moving forward which I feel like is going to be the only thing her run can be credited for in regards to mythos.

You said PAD didn’t do anything other writers followed which is wrong. Hell Orlando even brought back Kordax another staple in the PAD era, a lot of his telepathic potency which was strongly influenced by PAD with Orlando awesomely adding to it with that whole other world. There’s the fact Morrison even carried on with stuff PAD brought in at the time and so did the DCAU at the time.

I will say Johns is probably the writer who established more for the character without being gimmicky (hook hand) or adding hard to ignore elements (Andy) but keep in mind Johns had an event to work with in his favor for Aquaman and PAD basically had to create buzz without one

I might make an article highlighting the influences of PAD’s run in later runs because he’s honestly underrated for what he did for the character. Johns run had Mera as the co-Lead and honestly pretty much only Mera which is fine. But PAD had both Dolphin and Garth playing that role and just the same as Mera getting a mini Garth got one as well.

Didio never really loved Aquaman. Probably he didn't like the fact that John's gamble worked and that he proved him and others wrong, that Aquaman was not a liability but an asset.

Johns saw in Mera the potential that no Garth or Dolphin ever had. His solution was a masterstroke. Off with the old shackles and base the book on the two Arthur and Mera. It was a winning formula. Parker in his short run kept to it and it delivered in sales as well. Bunn the less said the better.

Abnett kept to that formula in the start of his run and paid off, once he started messing through Editorial input he sank in sales. He stretched his run beyond reason with a never ending arc.
KSD had to disentangle the book from the dead end it was in, maybe her initial approach wasn't perfect but it slowly managed to right the ship. She broke the circular storytelling and all rehash we have seen along the years. However she made mistakes that cost the book to lose readers and eventually ending canceled. She like Abnett stretched some of her arcs beyond reason, some plots like the dumb killing of Arthur made fans drop the book. All that at the end brought a sharp decline in sales and fans did not return when she started to tie all loose ends.

Don't tell me about Orlando and Aquaman Deep Dives those are not canon stuff. The simple idea that he brought characters from older runs, shows a limitation that they can't come up with new ones. I liked KSD for that reason, she introduced new elements like the old gods without going back to find characters on whom to build her run. A breath of fresh air.
Johns contribution the renaissance of Aquaman is enormous. He practically remade him and not just him but also Mera.
Today Mera is so big that she can overshadow Arthur himself. At times she looks more powerful and more interesting than Arthur himself. Her fanbase is increasing at a fast rate. To an extent that DC is considering renaming the book to Aquaman and Mera.

As for Johns and other writers before him, I will quote extracts from what DC said on their website says and it summons it all..... the failures of all that came before Johns.

What do you think of when you think of Aquaman? What words come to mind? If they’re anything close to “silly,” “inconsequential” or “B-level,” then you haven’t been reading Aquaman’s ongoing comic. At least not since Geoff Johns started writing it..................

In “The Others,” Mera says something to Aquaman that she could just as well be saying to all of us: “Don’t be like the rest of the world, Arthur. Don’t undervalue who Aquaman truly is.”

Thanks to Johns and the rest of the Aquaman team, that’s no longer a problem.

Whatever the take of previous writers, Aquaman before Johns was a laughing stock, some undeserved, some deserved. We can add the superfriends portrait of Aquaman that added to the woes. But the comic version was equally not up to standard. Many Aquafans abhor all what has been done prior to Blackest Night and honestly with some solid reasons.

[Goldrake]

https://www.peterdavid.net/2014/10/1...iting-aquaman/

I’m not saying everything Peter David wrote in regards to Aquaman I adore. I prefer the son of Tom take then making him underwater Jesus honestly.

I wasn’t big on the harpoon. But again it wasn’t suppose to be indefinite.

I’m also not big on Mera not having a continuous role in his adventures. But again that wasn’t indefinite.

A lot of the stuff your saying you disliked about the run according to David were temporary.

I could see the whole Affair thing still sticking but even then before David even got on the title the damage was already done between Aquaman and Mera and that wasn’t something he could just ignore. He said he had plans on bringing her back and making her main stay though.

How? by making him have an unnecessary love affair with a girl that was old enough to be his daughter? or making him look and he was a middle aged man? His Aquaman was over 45plus.
Mera did not have a role, she didn't have any at all. Only in the end of his run he brought her back. When the sales dived downwards.
Not to speak about the art of his run which probably was the most thing I disliked of all.
Lots of the stuff you say was to be temporary? it lasted nearly 50 issues how longer should have it lasted.... the end result was he was told to leave because of sales. Immediately from the issue after he left, all that he did was removed. So lets not blame editorial for all he did and give him his fair share of blame. He was contributed to make Aquaman a laughing stock, otherwise we did not have to wait till 2011 to hear the words "Wow Aquaman is finally awesome"