Aquaman: Underrated and Unappreciated

In November 1941, a new superhero was born on the pages of More Fun Comics #73...Aquaman!  This character, created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, has had his origins changed and retold more times than most characters in any comic book universe.  He is a character that has been undervalued, under appreciated and under done.  Why do we so preach?

Aquaman has been written as the rightful King of the Atlantis and Lord of the Ocean.  That being the case, then Aquaman is royalty and should therefore be viewed as such.  His realm would include an area for more larger than any human government on land and, of course, more dimensional.  His power and control over the underwater creatures could be used in very unique ways for the defense of the ocean and the whole planet.  Imagine the possibilities that could come from understanding the the instinctive thoughts of those creatures, some of which are the biggest creatures on Earth.  The stories that could be told!

When you consider that there are depths of the oceans that create such pressure that man made machines are needed to explore it, machines that require immense amounts of internal pressure and dense materials, it is truly a powerful man that has the ability to endure such depths.  At such depths where sunlight fails to reach, powerful eyesight would be necessary in order to focus and see. Therefore, anyone who could withstand such depths should be able to have some sort of telescopic vision and focus.  The density and strength required to survive would make one's power rival, at the very least, that of Superman's, especially when on land  How is it, then, that such a being with the kind of power to withstand the depths of the ocean and the ability to telepathically control sea life could lose his hand to some piranhas?  It is as ridiculous as Superman being beaten by Doomsday. 

The long haired, shirtless one-handed Aquaman appears more like a rebel biker than a royal king and superhero.  As a founding member of the Justice League, Aquaman should be portrayed as a powerful, moral and respected ruler and hero.  His abilities and possibilities have been underrated and ignored.  In the 1990's, Erik Larsen tried to take the character in a direction as the one described here but due to creative differences he did not stay on the book for very long and this legendary hero faded once again into the background. 

Aquaman is a man, a hero, that could come to play a vital role in the DC Universe.  He could come to have the kind of power and influence that Tony Stark/Iron Man came to have in the Marvel Universe but with a more positive atmosphere.  DC should get away from the angry rebellious attitude of Aquaman as it is too similar to that of Namor the Sub-Mariner.  I would love to write an ongoing Aquaman series, but unfortunately I have not been asked.  He certainly has this comic lover's respect.