Let’s be honest: who hasn’t laughed at Aquaman at least once?
I’d be lying if I said I always thought he was interesting and not a borderline joke of a character. I mean, look at him. The thing he’s most known for is “talking to fish”, he’s really only at his best potential when he’s in water and when you put him next to powerhouses like Superman and Wonder Woman, it’s hard to imagine why he would ever be needed. Aquaman’s early appearances in animated shows like Super Friends made him something of a punching bag in comic book/popular culture over the years and shows like Family Guy or Robot Chicken continue to make it pretty easy to get a chuckle out of a character who talks to fish. I completely understand all the criticisms at face value, I really do. But not too long ago, I read something that not only changed my overall opinion of the character but reignited my love for comic book reading as a whole.
Last year, my girlfriend got me the first volume of Aquaman’s New 52 series (“The Trench”/Issues # 1-6 by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis and Joe Prado) for my birthday. She got it more as a gag gift which I enjoyed and laughed along with. I’ve always been a comic book nerd and we’ve been enjoying seeing all the Marvel/DC movies, going over the various references and connections throughout the shared universes. However, I hadn’t actually picked up an issue since my high school days (pretty sure the last comic book I actually bought before recently was one of the first runs of Ultimate X-Men). I didn't stop reading for any particular reason, it just kind of fell away from me over time. One night, I decided to sit down and actually read this comic book…and I genuinely couldn’t believe what I was reading: a story about Aquaman that I was thoroughly enjoying. I felt that same simple joy again that I used to feel reading comic books after high school or on Saturday mornings after cartoons as a kid. This book has great artwork, solid writing and a self-aware sense of humour that pokes fun at the various jabs the hero has endured over the years. It’s a perfect introduction point for the man that even the book itself calls “nobody’s favourite superhero”.
By deliberately pointing out the cultural criticisms and jokes in the first few pages, the rest of the book is allowed to move past them and focus on who Arthur Curry is; a powerful but conflicted hero, torn between his adopted home on the surface and his tangled loyalties to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis. The first few panels also establish a lot of Aquaman’s powers upfront for the relative newcomers like me. We immediately see that he is bulletproof, he’s incredibly strong and resilient and even his “talking to fish” is properly explained as a form of “marine telepathy” that allows him to psionically bend all sea life to his will. As the book progresses, we get more of a glimpse into Aquaman’s life; namely his relationship with fellow sea-dweller Mera as well as his complicated relationship with his human father and Atlantean mother (because what superhero doesn’t have a complicated relationship with his/her parents?). It all comes to a head when a group of dangerous monsters (the aforementioned “Trench”) emerge from the depths and it’s up to Aquaman and Mera to do the hero thing in enjoyable, gripping fashion. The panels of the aquatic duo taking on the Trench do a lot to showcase why these two work the best underwater.
Once I was done with The Trench, I simply had to know what happened next. I went and bought the next two collected issues and after reading the incredible Throne of Atlantis story-arc, I was hooked all over again. The simple nostalgic love I have for comic books re-emerged as I began to pick up many more books from the New 52 run and eventually, a whole heap of comics from DC and Marvel alike. Everything from The Infinity Gauntlet to Sinestro Corps War, I had to read it. I’m now continuously looking out for the next comic to check out; whether it’s something I read as a kid and haven’t seen in years or something brand new. For me, reading comic books is like sliding on a pair of old comfortable slippers. It’s just so familiar and relaxing to read about the exploits of these larger-than-life characters again, particularly from an adult perspective. The fact that Aquaman was the thing that got me reading comic books again still amazes me. Who would’ve thought that a gag gift about an orange-and-green tights-wearing dude that talks to fish could lead to picking up an old hobby again?
In conclusion, my underestimating of Aquaman ultimately caused a resurgence of comic book reading in my life as well as a newfound appreciation for the King of Atlantis that I never expected. As much as I’m enjoying the Marvel and DC movies, I never really thought I’d read the source material again. But I am, and at the end of the day, it makes me happy. It’s important to stop and enjoy the little things in life that make you smile, especially as we get older and busier in our lives. Whether it’s a show or a book or video games, whatever it is that lets you disconnect from the stresses of life and makes your imagination and creativity take off, it's worth holding onto.
What are your thoughts on Aquaman? Comment below and let me know! I’ll be talking more about comics and related things in future articles to come. Until next time!
O.N.