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Post by String on Nov 24, 2018 15:08:51 GMT -5
Recently, I received a copy of Back Issue #108 which is an all Aquaman issue, focusing on his Bronze Age adventures and early Post-Crisis appearances. Typically, I am more of a Namor fan, believing Arthur to be more a lower-tier character, a perception enhanced by my memories of his appearances on the Super Friends cartoon.
In fairness though, I decided to peruse this issue and see what I may have indeed been missing out upon. An early interesting note, in anticipation of the upcoming release of the Aquaman movie, next month DC is releasing a deluxe collection of Aquaman #40-48 by Skeates and Aparo which reprints (apparently for the first time ever) their multi-part saga of the kidnapping of Mera (which I'm intrigued enough to consider purchasing).
However, mention was made of the difference(s) between Aquaman's participation in the Super Friends cartoon and his DC comics appearances of that time. In Super Friends, Arthur was more helpful, willing to be a strong team member whereas in the comics, he sometimes carried the usual Namor-like attitude of intruding upon the problems of surface world only when it seemed to interfere with the underwater world and/or his own personal life, an interesting attitude that I was unaware of him ever really displaying (yes, I admit, I've read very little Aquaman comics of any Age).
This caused me to wonder, do you feel Aquaman should be a member of the Justice League? If so, why?
I know he's generally listed as a founding member of the League and his superhuman abilities would certainly qualify him to stand toe-to-toe alongside other members but considering how his aquatic nature apparently lent to inherent problems for writers to include him satisfactorily in League missions and this new revelation of his possible aberrant behaviour towards the surface world, I have to wonder if his inclusion makes sense for the team.
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Post by tarkintino on Nov 24, 2018 16:29:47 GMT -5
Recently, I received a copy of Back Issue #108 which is an all Aquaman issue, focusing on his Bronze Age adventures and early Post-Crisis appearances. Typically, I am more of a Namor fan, believing Arthur to be more a lower-tier character, a perception enhanced by my memories of his appearances on the Super Friends cartoon. If you are ever able to catch episodes of Filmation's Aquaman cartoon from 1967, you will see a more commanding character truly in charge, and not the raspy-voiced add-on from Super Friends. Somehow, by the 1970s, animators--or Hanna-Babera--decided to make him effectively useless, like the old housekeeper trope from a 1960s sitcom who just sits around offering advice, but never doing much more beyond that. Interesting! A great period for the character, to be sure. Yes, as the character moved on from the Silver to Bronze Age, comic book Aquaman could be downright antisocial when it came to his protectionist attitude about his realm, despite his (apparently) close bonds with other superheroes. Well, ask yourself the following question: Namor was just as susceptible to his biological shortcomings while on the surface world, but did that prevent him from being an effective member of the All-Winners Squad? The Invaders or the Defenders? It all boils down to why such a character is necessary (which is not always job-title specific, as in his aquatic abilities), and if he adds a needed dimension to the hero team that would leave said team feeling colorless and hollow in his absence. |
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,353
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Post by shaxper on Nov 24, 2018 21:05:04 GMT -5
I have never understood the point of having aquatic heroes who fight crime and do team-ups above the surface. There are great story possibilities deep beneath the sea where no human has ever been, but Aquaman on the JLA always seemed like a heavy weight holding back the premise, just as with Aqualad and the Teen Titans. Either you under-use him, or you work hard each month to get the team to water in a way that rarely feels earned.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2018 21:06:50 GMT -5
Well despite Namor being portrayed as a loner anti-hero he sure has been on a lot of teams. All-Winners Squad. The Invaders. The Defenders. The Avengers. X-Men. So IMO Aquaman has been portrayed as more friendly than Namor so he definitely should be on the JLA.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2018 21:11:53 GMT -5
In fairness though, I decided to peruse this issue and see what I may have indeed been missing out upon. An early interesting note, in anticipation of the upcoming release of the Aquaman movie, next month DC is releasing a deluxe collection of Aquaman #40-48 by Skeates and Aparo which reprints (apparently for the first time ever) their multi-part saga of the kidnapping of Mera (which I'm intrigued enough to consider purchasing). If you have not read it I recommend the Aquaman: The Death of a Prince collection with a story that spanned Adventure Comics and Aquaman. |
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Post by beccabear67 on Nov 25, 2018 0:18:40 GMT -5
I have to give the edge to Namor myself, but I like Aquaman too. I was probably exposed to him through his own tv cartoons when I was little and one big little book. I did not like when they made him a ballet dancer in the late '80s, a friend had bought the mini series of that and loaned it to me, though I suppose salt water might make someone's hair go all permy or whatever that was. Heck I liked Marine Boy as well, I grew up during the time of all those Jacques Cousteau tv specials.
Of course they need a Justice Leaguer to patrol the world's oceans!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2018 1:02:41 GMT -5
I'm very disappointed in Filmation approach in Aquaman
The team is made up of Superman, Atom, Hawkman, Green Lantern, and Flash. Although Aquaman is a prominent part of the Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure and even appears in the Justice League of America theme song, he never appears in any of the three episodes listed below.
Between Two Armies
Target Earth
Bad Day on Black Mountain
I was thinking about this for some time here and I felt that the Superman Aquaman Hour of Adventure should had Aquaman in these adventures listed below -- one of them should had been Bad Day on Black Mountain, and possibly Between Two Armies, and not Target Earth because of the invasion angle. I'm a bit sad that they showcases Aquaman in the JLA Intro Clip and not in the Cartoons. To me, that is being disrespectful to that character alone -- Aquaman.
When, Super Friends and JLA Animated Series ... came around Aquaman got more and more respected and to me, you need a superhero that patrols 71% of the Earth's Surface and that's why he did not get the respect in the Filmation Series. Back then, he was a nobody and it's took a long time for him to gain respect and that's something worth noting for. I just find him an asset a character that's has an unique ability to swim underwater and communicate the oceans denizens.
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Post by beccabear67 on Nov 25, 2018 1:07:39 GMT -5
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Post by Reptisaurus! on Nov 25, 2018 1:14:51 GMT -5
I mean, sure, he's as worthy as the Elongated Man, Vibe, or Aztek. Or the freakin' Phantom Stranger who nobody seemed quite sure if he was actually in the League.
But as a comics critic I tend to focus more on creators than characters - And I think that Aquaman is a challenging character to utilize.
Good.
Aquaman separates the JLA top-tier creatives from the creatively brain-dead, the super-scribes from the amateurs. Anyone and their dog can make a cool Batman, Green Lantern or Wonder Woman scene.... But it takes a real WRITER and a real ARTIST to make Aquaman look awesome in the JLA.
If your JLA book doesn't have Aquaman in it, I don't think you are worthy of the job.
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Post by tarkintino on Nov 25, 2018 2:16:11 GMT -5
I'm very disappointed in Filmation approach in AquamanThe team is made up of Superman, Atom, Hawkman, Green Lantern, and Flash. Although Aquaman is a prominent part of the Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure and even appears in the Justice League of America theme song, he never appears in any of the three episodes listed below. Well, this is not a problem with "Filmation's approach to Aquaman", as the JLA segments were the middle act of the characters half of The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure (CBS, 1967-68). He was only in the JLA title sequence, but viewers were not at a loss, since those three JLA segments were not very significant to the presentation of the character. The main Aquaman series (that beccbear67 refers to) is the real Filmation treatment of the character, where he was the strong, oft-mentioned "King of the Seven Seas", and until the so-called "Timmverse" version appearing in the 90s Superman - the Animated Series, Filmation's was the best adapted representation of the character....yes, that's skipping over the nightmare that was a part of the Super Friends from 1973-86. [/quote] |
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Post by berkley on Nov 25, 2018 3:04:14 GMT -5
I never liked him - so yes, eminently worthy of the League!
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Post by rberman on Nov 25, 2018 8:25:53 GMT -5
The twelve part Justice mini-series painted by Alex Ross was in part a lengthy apologia for making Aquaman a contender, indeed the main character, in a "Super Friends vs. the Legion of Doom" face-off. A guy who can thrive at the bottom of the ocean has plenty of abilities relevant on the surface, even if he doesn't have winged feet.  |
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Post by hondobrode on Nov 25, 2018 8:43:58 GMT -5
Both Namor and Aquaman are difficult characters to get a handle on, but, should Aquaman be a member of the Justice League ?
Absolutely
His kingdom covers 70% of the planet. If for no other reason that he has one of the largest and most powerful super powers, politically.
Also, the guy is no push over.
He's not only an Atlantean, but a super-Atlantean because of his royal lineage, sort of an underwater Superman, with superhuman strength, durability, reflexes, and stamina.
Resistant to energy and heat attacks.
Can breathe both on land or underwater, and can be underwater indefinitely. What other member can do that ?
His senses of hearing, vision, and smell are all enhanced.
We all know he has marine telepathy, but along with it he has demonstrated telepathic abilities including mind - to - mind communication, mind probes, mental domination of a non-aquatic mind, accessing ancestral portions of land dwelling creatures minds that existed from the times when all life came from the sea, and can use The Clear (think The Green or The Red polymorphic energy fields of plant life or animal life i.e. Swamp Thing or Animal Man) to see and sense through aquatic life anywhere on the planet.
Obviously he's a master swimmer, but also an expert tactician and combatant as well as an accomplished diplomat.
Let's not forget his Trident of Neptune allowing Arthur to manipulate and conjure water, and generate energy bolts and force fields. The trident has magical abilities allowing command of the sea with tidal waves, whirlpools, or columns; controlling the weather with rain, lightning, storms or rainbows.
With all that being said, how could you NOT consider him as a member of the Justice League ?
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Post by rberman on Nov 25, 2018 9:15:13 GMT -5
His kingdom covers 70% of the planet. If for no other reason that he has one of the largest and most powerful super powers, politically. A point made by the man himself in Kingdom Come when the surface heroes proposed to use Atlantis as a dumping ground/prison for super-villains:  |
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Post by Icctrombone on Nov 25, 2018 9:40:45 GMT -5
Why not, they have members with no powers at all.
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