Aquaman

Aquaman, American comic strip superhero, defender of the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, and sometime member of the superhero consortium Justice League of America. Aquaman made his debut in 1941 in the anthology series More Fun Comics and since that time has appeared in numerous DC Comics magazines.

Although Aquaman’s origin and even identity have been revised several times over the decades, in most iterations he possesses superhuman strength, the ability to breathe underwater, and the capacity to communicate telepathically with creatures of the sea, among other powers. He has curly blond hair and usually wears skintight clothing that includes a scaly orange shirt and green pants and gloves. For most of his career, he has been the monarch of Atlantis. The best-known version of Aquaman, developed in the “Silver Age” of comic books in the 1950s and ’60s, is the son of a lighthouse keeper and an Atlantean outcast. In 1964 he became one of the first superheroes to get married when he wed the undersea queen Mera. His nemeses include the supervillain Black Manta, who murdered one of Aquaman’s sons, and Ocean Master, who is also Aquaman’s half-brother Orm.

The first story featuring Aquaman was written by Mort Weisinger, who likely created the character, and illustrated by Paul Norris. Weisinger, a former science fiction editor, is better known as the creator of Superman. Norris’s career included updating the look of DC’s Sandman series and working with Hanna-Barbera, drawing such figures as Yogi Bear and Scooby-Doo.

In the Silver Age, artist Ramona Fradon helped define Aquaman’s iconic appearance. In the later “Modern Age” of comics (mid-1980s to the present), writers such as Peter David, Keith Giffen, Kurt Busiek, and Kelly Sue DeConnick adapted and redefined Aquaman for new generations of readers.

Aquaman starred in animated television shows in 1967 and ’68 and in numerous animated versions of Super Friends starting in 1973. He also appeared as a character in the live-action television drama Smallville (2001) and as the featured character in the made-for-TV movie Aquaman (2006). Jason Momoa portrayed Aquaman in Justice League (2017), the character’s feature film debut. Momoa reprised the role for Aquaman (2018), a film that met generally positive reviews and, with more than $1.1 billion in earnings globally, nearly doubled Justice League’s anemic box office performance.

DC in the Golden Age and Silver Age of comics

In 1938 DC published the first Superman story in Action Comics no. 1. The massive commercial success of that character was responsible for creating the costumed superhero genre, which has been a mainstay for the comic book industry ever since. DC introduced many superheroes throughout the so-called Golden Age of comics, most notably Batman (1939) and Wonder Woman (1941). The success of those characters was amplified by Licensing Corporation of America, a division of National Periodicals. Licensing Corporation of America, which was created as Superman Inc., marketed DC’s various characters through a wide range of products, and it oversaw the use of DC characters in other media.

Throughout the first half of the 1950s, the popularity of superhero comics dipped, though comic books featuring Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman remained popular. DC canceled its other superhero titles, concentrating on books in genres such as science fiction, westerns, and crime drama. Beginning in 1956, under the supervision of editor Julius Schwartz, DC began reintroducing superhero comics. In Showcase no. 4 (October 1956), writer Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino unveiled an updated version of the 1940s-era hero the Flash. In doing so they ushered in the Silver Age of comics, and over the next few years new versions of classic characters such as Green Lantern and Hawkman also appeared. Superheroes regained popularity among readers, and the commercial success of DC’s superhero books soon led rival companies (most notably Marvel Comics) to also return to the genre. A live-action Batman television series starring Adam West and Burt Ward premiered on ABC in 1966, and the entire superhero genre benefited from the show’s success.