Aquaman’s makeover has own storyline
Aquaman is ready for his Hollywood close-up.
When a film centered on a comic-book character is set for release, the live-action and comic-book styles typically mirror each other as much as possible.
In the pages of DC Comics, for example, Superman and Batman are now trunkless, a la Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel and Ben Affleck’s Batman.
Similarly, the comic-book Wonder Woman recently received an armored suit with a leather skirt, inspired by Gal Gadot’s look in three films: “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” “Wonder Woman” and the upcoming “Justice League.”
Until recently, though, the Aquaman presented in comics hadn’t resembled the on-screen version portrayed by Jason Momoa in “Batman v Superman.”
When Momoa was cast as Arthur Curry and the first
image of him as Aquaman was revealed in 2015, fans noticed that he still wore the long, grungy locks and beard that he’d made famous as Khal Drogo in the HBO series “Game of Thrones.”
He might have had some sun-drenched yellow streaks of hair, but Momoa was channeling an Aquaman style that hadn’t been seen since Peter David’s run writing Aquaman comics in the 1990s.
Even DC’s recent companywide comic-book reboot, “Rebirth,” featured the standard short-haired, blond and beardless Aquaman.
All that changed recently when the 25th issue of Aquaman hit newsstands in print and digitally.
The cover — illustrated by artist Stjepan Sejic, who also illustrated the interior pages of No. 25 — depicts an Aquaman in transition.
On the cover, in the dark edges of the deep sea, a light is shone on Aquaman. The classic orange, green and gold Atlantean armor is there — a symbol of Arthur Curry’s time as the king of Atlantis — but his face is covered in a beard and long hair that would make the character unrecognizable were he not wearing his famous suit. Which is exactly the point. Aquaman’s new look actually plays a vital part in “Underworld,” the new Aquaman comic storyline written by Dan Abnett.
In the story, Aquaman has been usurped as king of Atlantis by Corum Rath, who reasons that Arthur’s halfbreed status (Arthur’s father is human; his mother is from Atlantis) gives Arthur no right to the throne because of his connection to the “surface world.”
Arthur Curry is presumed dead at the orders of Corum Rath. As the cover to Aquaman No. 25 shows, however, he is only hiding.
Arthur now swims in plain sight in the Ninth Tride of Atlantis — a section of the water world where the Hadalin (a slur given to the people of the Ninth Tride) are assumed to be the lowest of the low that Atlantis has to offer.
Refusing to always hide in the shadows, Arthur — inspired by what he knows about fellow Justice League member Batman — takes on a vigilante role in the Ninth Tride to protect its citizens. The locals — convinced that he is their old king, back from the dead — begin calling him by his “surface” name, Aquaman.
Word spreads of Aquaman’s presence, and both Atlantis’ new king and former queen, Mera (who will also appear in “Justice League” and the “Aquaman” movies, played by Amber Heard), eventually find out that Arthur might still be alive.
Corum Rath demands that Aquaman be dealt with, wanting no challengers to his throne; Mera, meanwhile, rushes back to the sea, looking to regain the love of her life.
Neither task will be easy, as Aquaman is prepared for a fight and meets a potential new love interest.
Anyone excited about Momoa’s Aquaman who has been looking for a reason to dive into Aquaman comics, now is the time.
As DC Comics “Rebirth” era continues to produce hits and make everyone forget about the New 52, Aquaman is a series at the top of the list of best reads offered by “Rebirth.”