Aquaman, Why?

[Lee Stone]

Btw... looking at Mycomicshop, I count 316 issues of Aquaman titles, up to #9 of the current series.
Including three runs that ran for five or more years (one of which went nine years, went on hiatus and came back for one more year) and one run that just missed five years by a few issues.

Unless you're Batman, Superman or Wonder Woman, five years could be considered 'successful'.

[WillieMorgan]

Yes, he's a smashing success the way they depict him, isn't he? God forbid that anyone would take him out of the punchlines of The Big Bang Theory.

Here we go again. This is you once again using a thread on CBR to try and pitch your own ideas to DC and using the fact that the Aquaman comic isn't selling a quarter of a million copies every month as some sort of justification.

I wouldn't mind if this was a character that was actually struggling. As has been pointed out more than once, the perception of Aquaman is more down to his depiction in other media back in the day. Screw 'The Big Bang Theory', the Aquaman jokes on there are just lazy and ill-informed.

This isn't the first time you've sparred with others on here regarding Aquaman. It's because you plainly have zero understanding of him. The character that you're trying to pitch has no redeeming features whatsoever.

[Agent Z]

THis is what I always thought.

More people remember the Superfriends Cartoon than the 60's Filmation cartoon which had Aqualad and Mera.

Almost nobody remembers that cartoon (or the Flash, Hawkman and GL toons that were also features then for that matter) but Filmation fans
and DC heads of a (cough) certain age.

My...um older brother told me about them. That is my story and I'm sticking to it.

Superfriends may have helped make Aquaman a joke, but that is better than the pop cultural non entity that was Hawkman
(who didn't show up on Superfriends until later).

Being a pop cultural non-entity can have some disadvantages. It might mean you don't have any misconceptions to overcome.

Nobody is laughing at Aquaman.

Well, some people still are.

[Trey Strain]

Here we go again. This is you once again using a thread on CBR to try and pitch your own ideas to DC and using the fact that the Aquaman comic isn't selling a quarter of a million copies every month as some sort of justification.

I wouldn't mind if this was a character that was actually struggling. As has been pointed out more than once, the perception of Aquaman is more down to his depiction in other media back in the day. Screw 'The Big Bang Theory', the Aquaman jokes on there are just lazy and ill-informed.

This isn't the first time you've sparred with others on here regarding Aquaman. It's because you plainly have zero understanding of him. The character that you're trying to pitch has no redeeming features whatsoever.

First, I thought you claimed that DC doesn't read this stuff and has never used any idea of mine. But if they have, then you have to admit those ideas were pretty good, don't you? Anyway you need to get your story straight about that and then stick to it.

Second, why can't I talk about how to make a comic sell? What's wrong with that? Is it that you like the character the way he is and don't care whether he sells? Why do you say this character is so deep and great that he shouldn't be changed so he can sell a comic? If Geoff Johns wanted to do what I've proposed, you'd be gung ho for it, wouldn't you? I bet you'd say, "That Geoff! He's done it again!"

If you think I've strayed from the topic of the thread, then go back and read the first post. The OP said he thinks Aquaman has nothing to offer. I agree with him.

[Grim Ghost]

Namor can do all that? I don't even keep up with him. And what's random about this? Aquaman has more powers but he still comes from Atlantis. It's just that nobody has to swallow the nonsense that it still exists in the modern world.

If you think Aquaman is fine the way he is, you're entitled to. The sales of the comic don't reflect a lot of support for that depiction.

I understand your other arguments even if I disagree with them, but what is your issue with Atlantis existing in the DCU? It doesn't seem any sillier than something like Paradise Island, Krypton or whatever else to me.

[Trey Strain]

I understand your other arguments even if I disagree with them, but what is your issue with Atlantis existing in the DCU? It doesn't seem any sillier than something like Paradise Island, Krypton or whatever else to me.

That's a good point about Paradise Island. Krypton is gone though. The idea of an underseas civilization existing in the modern world is way out there. Wouldn't people try to go there? Wouldn't the people there visit the surface world? You're talking about something that would drastically alter everyday life for all humans. You need to stay away from stuff like that in a funny book. Don't change the whole world just to tell a story.

[Trey Strain]

Something else too -- if Aquaman has no home to go back to, then you're free from any dependence on a watery environment in the stories. Making him a full-time land dweller removes any special requirements for him. He's always on hand and available where the stories are happening and where the readers are present.

[MadFacedKid]

Of course he fits you have the guy who represents the technological Era, the guy that represents crime and combating it, the gal who represents equality and female empowerment, the guy who ultimately is what each of us should strive to be, the everyday guy, and what aquaman represents is the environment he kind of reminds us that we need to take care of the environment.

And it's funny considering



Also he's typically referred to as King of 2/3rds of the planet. It isn't really that he offers the JL something it's just that him being on the JL keeps him updated because the protection of Earth anywhere seriously concerns him.

Without Manhunter on the League he also brings Telepathy if they decide to go that way and without the Hawks he brings a weapon that can combat magic.

[LifeIsILL]

Aquaman can already do almost every single one of those, barring the regeneration.

Actually he can regenerate too. Read the Justice series.

Something else too -- if Aquaman has no home to go back to, then you're free from any dependence on a watery environment in the stories. Making him a full-time land dweller removes any special requirements for him. He's always on hand and available where the stories are happening and where the readers are present.

So you want him to stay on land full-time, along with super powered heightened senses (which he already has) and regeneration abilites, just sounds like a more powerful Daredevil/Wolverine.

[Trey Strain]

Aquaman can champion the oceans without living in one.

[LifeIsILL]

Actually his comics are outselling both Daredevil and Wolverine at this point....

[MadFacedKid]

That's a good point about Paradise Island. Krypton is gone though. The idea of an underseas civilization existing in the modern world is way out there. Wouldn't people try to go there? Wouldn't the people there visit the surface world? You're talking about something that would drastically alter everyday life for all humans. You need to stay away from stuff like that in a funny book. Don't change the whole world just to tell a story.

Discovery Channel had a program that got people believing in Atlantis and Mermaids to the point they had to come out and say it was a what if.

Humanity has shown they can believe in something even if they can't find it. *Big Foot. On top of that most of the Ocean is unexplored which is brought up constantly, which is one of the reasons John's took up writing Aquaman.

On top of that getting ancient literature talking about the lost kingdom makes it so much more interesting.

I have no problem with you giving your opinion but at least do research before you suggest something "doesn't work"

[Ascended]

TL;DR

Arthur's super strong, durable, quick, possesses a immensely powerful magical artifact, has limited telepathy, and rules the oldest, largest, most advanced nation on earth.

He might not be as physically strong as Superman or Wonder Woman but Aquaman is the most dangerous, powerful person on the Justice League. Hell, he's one of the most dangerous, powerful people in the entire DCU, hero or villain.

And his wife could kill any of the League with minimal effort.

The real question here isnt why the League needs Aquaman, its why Aquaman needs the League.

[Ascended]

I don't think Aquaman should do that stuff. Anyway Namor still pretty much stays in the water, right? Aquaman shouldn't because there's no place for him to go back to.

This is still the same character but with more powers. He still comes from Atlantis but nobody has to swallow the idea that Atlantis. still exists.

There's nothing random about it.

So....the existence of aliens who look exactly like Caucasian humans, magic, gods, and super-power granting mutations are all good.....but a xenophobic culture hidden away from the rest of the world, which has been referenced in legend and myth for centuries, is going too far?

I find that sort of funny since there are xenophobic cultures in the real world that have rarely, if ever, had contact with the outside world. Granted, those cultures live in rain forests and other remote locations, but still.

[WillieMorgan]

First, I thought you claimed that DC doesn't read this stuff and has never used any idea of mine. But if they have, then you have to admit those ideas were pretty good, don't you? Anyway you need to get your story straight about that and then stick to it.

Second, why can't I talk about how to make a comic sell? What's wrong with that? Is it that you like the character the way he is and don't care whether he sells? Why do you say this character is so deep and great that he shouldn't be changed so he can sell a comic? If Geoff Johns wanted to do what I've proposed, you'd be gung ho for it, wouldn't you? I bet you'd say, "That Geoff! He's done it again!"

If you think I've strayed from the topic of the thread, then go back and read the first post. The OP said he thinks Aquaman has nothing to offer. I agree with him.

Trey, being of sound mind I am utterly convinced that you are not influencing DC's business via this or any other message board. If that last post indicated otherwise then I apologise. It's not about 'getting my story straight' in the slightest.

Just because I called you out on your motives here doesn't mean that I'm accusing you of any misdeed either. I don't think that you've created any kind of thread-drift and you can postulate about Aquaman to your hearts content. The only problems will arise when you start accusing people that disagree with you as being nothing more than deluded fan-boys. That we're so frightened of changing 'our' characters our collective 'blindness' is affecting DC's bottom line and we shouldn't be listened to (how is it you usually put it? 'Not entitled to an opinion'?). All for a character who is only failing in your mind, not in the real world. Can you honestly say that there's no chance that you'll end up doing that?

This started because I made a comment about being grateful that you will never have any say in dictating Aquaman's future. I stand by that. Your version of the character has been separated from his world and, quite frankly, sounds generic and boring. Far from rejuvenating Arthur, that version of him would sink like a stone. That would be true whether it was written by yourself or Geoff Johns. To be honest with you, you sound like you don't even read his books.