Everyone’s talking about the fact that Marvel
might be introducing Civil War to the movies.
That is a rumor! What’s not a rumor: Archie
vs Predator.
Chris: It’s finally happening!
Meanwhile, we’re talking about Aquaman!
Aquaman: Don’t let your repeated and crushing
defeats get you down, old chum!
♪♪ Only your heart will win us the fight!
♪♪
NO, NO, NO. STOP IT. If you’re expecting
a musical number, you have got the wrong show.
Seriously, people think that Aquaman is a
joke and this is what we’re leading off
with… Guys come on, we are better than this.
Let’s show this fish talking bastard some respect, alright?
Megan: Respect the Aqua!
Respect the Aqua.
Welcome to Meanwhile the show that introduces
you to the world of comics and connects it
to the shows and games you already know and
love. My name’s Nathan Faudree, let’s get started.
Aquaman was created in 1941 by by Paul Norris
and Mort Weisinger. When he first showed up
he was the son of a marine biologist who was
studying Atlantis. Of course Dad teaches him
the atlantean way of life and he becomes Aquaman.
He could breathe water and he could communicate
with fish for a whole minute.
Megan: A whole minute Nathan?!
I know!
His original origin was a little underwhelming.
The thing about comics is that many writers
contribute to a story over time, so this origin
progressively changed and grew. By the 1950s
and into the 60s, Aquaman had become Arthur
Curry, the son of an Atlantean Princess and
a Lighthouse keeper. As the son of a princess
he is also the ruler of the kingdom of Atlantis
and guardian of the Seven Seas. Ok, this is
a way cooler origin.
Respect the Aqua.
He was even one of the founding members of
the Justice League. But he was still the guy
that could swim real good and talk to fish.
And he was married had the requisite sidekick
AquaLad, an octopus sidekick named Toppo and
he rode a giant seahorse… with his Aquababy.
Megan: Aquababy?
Chris: Sounds ******* awful.
And people wonder why he became a joke, right?
Chris: I didn’t wonder.
The late 70’s brought a darker tone that
began with the murder of Aquababy at the hands
of his greatest enemy Black Manta. Then to
add insult to injury, his series was cancelled.
Chris: DUN DUN DUN!
Several attempts were made in the 80’s to
revive him, but it wasn’t until Peter David
came along and revamped his origins by bringing
in some Atlantean history and intrigue that
the book finally took off again. Well, that
and they had his hand eaten off by piranhas
and replaced by a mechanical harpoon. He also
grew a beard to be really broody and regal.
It’s kinda like Game of Thrones but underwater…
No actually it’s a lot like Game of Thrones
cause then his hand got eaten off by piranhas
and replaced with a mechanical-
Chris: I haven’t seen that episode yet!
MMM!!!!
Aquaman has had a varied history in which
he’s fought all manner of villains from
Black Manta
Megan: Who is he?!
He’s some dude in a wetsuit who shoots lasers
from his eyes, ok?
To Ocean Master his half brother. And he always
seems to be defensive as to why he is relevant,
even though he controls 2/3rds of the Earth’s
surface and he rules a super advanced world power.
Megan: Respect the Aqua
Chris: #RespectTheAqua
Respect the Aqua
American Tidal by Will Pfeifer. After the
90’s brooding beard and harpoon hand, Aquaman
came back in this character defining piece.
San Diego suffers a massive earthquake that
causes part of the city to fall into the sea,
killing thousands, but not as many as everyone
expects, because it turns out that many of
the citizens can now breathe underwater. Unfortunately,
not in air anymore. Aquaman comes in to help
these people learn a whole new way of life
and it helps us get reintroduced to what Aquaman
really is. A king.
Megan: Respect the Aqua
Respect the Aqua
Chris: #RespectTheAqua
Brightest Day by Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi.
So, Aquaman has died. A lot. And come back.
A lot. This mini series follows the events
of Blackest Night a huge DC event, which sees
Aquaman resurrected from the dead. This is
another defining character piece that shows
how he fits into the DC universe as a whole
and again, and again plays with his origins
and reasons for being. It’s also written
by Geoff Johns, which will become important
in 3,2,1…
Geoff Johns, DC’s Chief Creative Officer,
kicks off the Aquaman run in DC’s company
wide relaunch “The New 52”. This is the
place to start. Book one of the relaunch,
The Trench is the best version of the character
that has come along yet and it’s one of
my absolute favorites of “The New 52”
as a whole. It really feels like after 70
some odd years, they have a characters stride.
Now, that you know which fish in the sea to
be picking with Aquaman.
Megan and Chris: (Catching on) Ahhhhh!
Make sure to subscribe and feel free to add
any story suggestions that you love in the
comments section below and Meanwhile… We’ll
be eating up the next issue like a fat man
at an all you can eat seafood buffet. Without
that weird full, hating yourself feeling afterward.
Chris: If you say, Meanwhile… I’m underwater,
I will put you underwater. Visual effects
Nice! Meanwhile... I'm underwater!
You’re not gonna put us underwater are you.
Chris: Nope.
