Definition
Aquaman is a DC Comics superhero created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, first appearing in 1941. The character’s real name is Arthur Curry, the half-human, half-Atlantean king of the underwater city of Atlantis. Aquaman’s traditional powers include superhuman strength, the ability to breathe underwater, telepathic communication with sea life, and — most famously — the ability to swim very fast. For decades, Aquaman was the punchline of the superhero world: his powers were considered lame, his costume was bright orange and green, and his signature ability (talking to fish) was endlessly mocked in pop culture. The 1990s animated series Super Friends cemented his reputation as the useless superhero who rode a seahorse and shouted “Outrageous!” The character’s reputation began to shift with the New 52 reboot in 2011, which gave him a more serious, brooding persona, and the 2018 film Aquaman directed by James Wan, starring Jason Momoa, which transformed the character from a joke into a billion-dollar franchise star.
Why It Matters
Aquaman is the internet’s favorite underdog superhero. The mockery of Aquaman was so widespread that it became a meme in itself: “What does Aquaman do? Talk to fish?” became a shorthand for useless superpowers. But the mockery also created a devoted fanbase that defended the character with unexpected passion. The internet’s relationship with Aquaman is a case study in reclamation: a character who was defined by mockery was reclaimed through self-aware humor (the 2011 comic run openly addressed the jokes) and through sheer star power (Jason Momoa’s charisma made Aquaman cool by association). The 2018 film leaned into the absurdity while taking the character seriously, creating a visually insane underwater epic that grossed over $1 billion. Aquaman matters because he is the proof that no character is irredeemable. The internet can destroy a reputation, and the internet can rebuild one. Aquaman was the joke. Then he was the king. The fish were always there. They were just waiting for their moment.
Example
“He made fun of Aquaman at 12. Aquaman talked to fish. Aquaman rode a seahorse. Aquaman was lame. At 30, he watched the Aquaman movie. Jason Momoa was on a trident. The ocean was neon. The fish were everywhere. He didn’t make fun of Aquaman. He cheered. He didn’t know when the shift happened. Maybe it was Momoa. Maybe it was the CGI. Maybe it was that the world had become so absurd that a man who talked to fish was no longer the weirdest thing. Aquaman was king now. The fish had voted.”
Related Terms
- Jason Momoa — The actor who transformed Aquaman’s public image
- Atlantis — The underwater kingdom Aquaman rules
- Super Friends — The animated series that cemented Aquaman’s reputation as the lame superhero
- New 52 — The DC Comics reboot that began Aquaman’s rehabilitation
- Talking to Fish — The power that defined Aquaman’s mockery and eventual redemption