Aquaman is the King of the Seven Seas. He commands the oceans and everything in it. As the ruler of the powerful underwater Kingdom of Atlantis, Aquaman aka Arthur Curry is one of the most powerful characters in DC. Arthur Curry was born of two worlds. His father is a surface dweller while his mother belongs to the Atlantean Royal Family. Aquaman, for many years, was never taken seriously. It was only after Justice League that people realized that the Jason Momoa played superhero actually has the balls to go against the most powerful of Titans. He also happens to be one of the oldest DC legacy superheroes. A hero that old is sure to have some interesting tales in his pocket. Presenting – 10 Super-Fishy Aquaman facts DC is never going to let you know!!
He was not the first underwater superhero but the third
Aquaman is generally seen as the authoritative figure when it comes to underwater adventures and escapades. He may be a legacy superhero, but he is far from being the first vintage water-themed protagonist of the comic books. That honor belongs to Namor the Sub-Mariner of Marvel Comics. Namor first debuted in 1939. The second water-themed superhero was The Fin. He was a creation of Daring Mystic Comics in 1941 and was the ruler of Neptunia. His primary villains were Nazis who wanted to conquer Neptunia and its vast resources. Aquaman debuted first in the back pages of ‘More Fun Comics.’ He was a guy who hailed from Atlantis and also fought Nazis like the rest of the two.
He has had two unsuccessful origin stories
In 1941, Aquaman’s first origin story revealed that Arthur curry was actually a human being, a surface dweller. His father was an Oceanology expert and an admirer of the lost Kingdom of Atlantis. Arthur got his powers due to an experiment gone wrong in his father’s laboratory on the ruins of Atlantis. The second origin story revealed that Arthur was raised by Dolphins and had a baby with an Inuit woman. His real name was Orin, and he was adopted by a lighthouse keeper when he was young. Both these stories were scrapped in 2011 to bring us the official origin story that you see in the movie.
Aquaman’s first sidekick was an Octopus
Aquaman has had several sidekicks in the ensuing years since his introduction. Aqualad is no more just one guy but a mantle, just like Robin is to Batman. But Aquaman’s first ever sidekick was not an Atlantean. As a matter of fact, it was not even a human being. Aquaman’s first sidekick was Topo the Octopus. The movie paid homage to the character when they showed Topo playing the drums during the Aquaman vs. Orm Ring of Fire match in the Atlantean Stadium.
Atlanteans are terrible body-shamers
In the Kingdom of Atlantis, if a baby is born with blonde hair, they are labeled with a curse called the “Curse of Kordax.” Whoever possesses this curse is left to die of hunger and exposure at a place called the Mercy Reef. Arthur curry escaped that atrocity by a close margin. Garth aka Aqualad of the Teen Titans was born with purple eyes. Atlanteans with purple eyes are said to possess a gene that allows them to breathe air as well as water. This was frowned upon, and they were ready to kill him before Aquaman intervened.
There are two or maybe three Aqualads existing simultaneously
Aqualad, as we mentioned in an earlier point, is no longer one guy but a mantle that keeps passing on to one Atlantean after another. The Young Justice animated series introduced Kaldur’ahm, the African American Aqualad. In the comic, another character that goes by the name of Jackson Hyde is called Aqualad. The difference – they are one and the same. Only the names are where the line is drawn. To make matters worse, the comics also revealed that there is another African American Aqualad that is actually the son of the Aquaman Villain called Black Manta.
Mera is stronger than Aquaman in every possible way
In the comics, Mera belongs to an extra-dimensional underwater space called Dimension Aqua. All residents of Dimension Aqua have the power of Hydro-Kinesis – the ability to control and manipulate water. Aquaman could only talk and control the fish then. To help him keep up, Aquaman’s abilities were enhanced. He later gained bullet immunity, superhuman physical attributes and a whole list of other abilities. Still, Mera’s abilities stand a class apart. In the new continuity, Mera belongs to Xebel, a penal dimension that houses Atlantean dissenters. She was sent to assassinate Aquaman but fell in love with him instead.
Black Manta killed Aquaman’s baby
Aquaman and Mera finally tied the knot in the 1960s, and in 1964, Aquaman was blessed with a son. The son of Aquaman was then killed by Black Manta in cold blood, which is why Aquaman and Mera hate him. That part of Aquaman’s history has been rewritten multiple times. In every rewritten version, Aquaman Junior ends up either dying or separated from his parents. In the current timeline, Mera and Arthur Curry still hate the Black Manta, but no one knows the reason why.
Aquaman has founded the Justice League six times!!
Justice league is the amalgamation of the world’s strongest and most influential superheroes on Earth. DC Comics reveres them with the highest honor. If there is anything or anyone that is thought to be invincible and/or un-killable, the Justice league can do it. And Aquaman has been part of the Justice league six times, one for each time it was founded. The only other superhero who has managed to be in the opening line up for the six times the team was brought up from scratch is the Flash.
He was once the leader of the Justice League
To be honest, Aquaman became the leader of the Justice league because there was literally no one else more competent enough to take charge. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Flash were out of the equation. The only members available were Elongated Man, Martian Manhunter and Zatanna. It was in the 1980s. They were later joined by Gypsy, Vibe, Steel and the Vixen. The team ended up badly hurt. One freak accident led to the deaths of several League members, and that storyline was buried deep under water, just like Aquaman’s prospects of becoming the Leader of the Justice League again.
There are actually two Kingdoms of Atlantis
DC Comics once gave us “The Girl in Superman’s Past” storyline. In this arc, a girl by the name of Lori Lemaris falls in love with Clark Kent. Mori is secretly a mermaid and hails from Atlantis. She explains her predicament and claims why they could never be together. Superman lets her go. Aquaman also hails from Atlantis. The difference is that – Lori has a fishtail like a mermaid. Aquaman does not. For years, the DC Comic book fan base had been asking that question to the DC overlords. They finally answered it in style when they revealed that there are actually two Kingdoms worthy of the name of Atlantis in the DC Comic book universe. One Kingdom is the Poseidonis; the one Aquaman hails from. The other Kingdom which Lori belongs to is Tritonis, where the Atlanteans evolved further to develop fish tails and became true mermaids.
Aquaman, directed by James Wan and played by Jason Momoa, released last year. The official film synopsis for the movie reads:
Once home to the most advanced civilization on Earth, the city of Atlantis is now an underwater kingdom ruled by the power-hungry King Orm. With a vast army at his disposal, Orm plans to conquer the remaining oceanic people — and then the surface world. Standing in his way is Aquaman, Orm’s half-human, half-Atlantean brother and true heir to the throne. With help from royal counselor Vulko, Aquaman must retrieve the legendary Trident of Atlan and embrace his destiny as protector of the deep.
