DC Leaves New York

Last Friday, DC Comics left New York for good, ending the company's over eighty-year residence in the Big Apple.

Much has been said about the move, and from people who were there (in particular, I suggest you read former DC staffer Bob Greenberger's series of posts about it). The first thought that occurred to me was how stupid I was not to take a pic of myself in front of the amazing multi-character, multi-artist mural that decorated the wall across from the elevators the last time I was there--which turned out to be the last time I would ever be there.

(click to embiggen)

When I was a kid reading comics in the 70s and 80s, I often perused the indicia of any given DC comic, and wondered what kind of magical place these things must have come from. New York might as well have been Mars, for how far away it seemed. DC didn't do office tours, but Marvel did, and my parents were kind enough to take me to NYC and visit The House of Ideas. It was fun, I loved it, but in my heart I was always a DC kid, and longed to visit there, too.

Over the years, I was fortunate enough to be able to do just that about half a dozen times, mostly for job-related reasons. While I maintained an professional demeanor, there was a part of me that kept thinking "Wow, I'm walking the halls of DC Comics." Some part of me had hoped I would end up working there one day, but of course that never panned out. And I distinctly remember thinking "This place probably isn't as fun as I think it is" when an employee pointedly shushed Paul Kupperberg and I for talking too loud in the hall one afternoon. And here I thought DC only had two Monitors.

It makes complete sense that DC has moved to be closer to where the action is--Los Angeles, where half a dozen movies are in production as we speak. But I can't help but feel sad that New York is no longer the home of National Periodical Publications.

Aquaman and Mera's 50th Anniversary

by Shrine Correspondent Russell Burbage

Today is Arthur's and Mera's Golden Wedding Anniversary! According to the 1976 DC Calendar, they were married on June 27. Their actual wedding was shown in Aquaman (Vol. 1) #18, December 1964.


From the time I was a kid I always put Aquaman, The Flash, and Hawkman in a different, more "grown-up" group than, say, Superman, Batman, and Green Lantern. Sure, there were actual books called Superman Family and Batman Family, but think about it. What kind of hoops did Superman fly through in order to not commit to Lois Lane? How many girlfriends did socialite Bruce Wayne have? And how messed up was Hal's relationship with Star Sapphire? On the other hand, Aquaman, the Flash, and Hawkman were all happily married to smart, independent, beautiful women! To a geeky fat kid growing up, these guys were real heroes! Remember when The Atom was about to get married, and he couldn't decide whether to tell Jean Loring who he really was, or to keep it a secret? Regardless of how that marriage ended up, remember the advice Arthur, Barry, and Katar gave him? These were men who were glad to have such wonderful women in their lives. These were men who knew how lucky they were to have found such great wives.

Aquaman made his debut in 1941. His wedding was in 1964. That means that he was twenty-three years old when he got married; that seems about right for the times. (I got married when I was twenty-five, and that wasn't fifty years ago!) No word on how old Mera was; when she made her debut she appeared to be several years younger than Arthur. When asked her age she clammed up tight. For fifty years Arthur and Mera have lived, worked, and swam side-by-side. Like all married couples they have had their ups and downs; their laughter and tears. They knew the joy of bringing a son into the world; they knew the devastation of losing him.


They argue over what to watch on Netflix, and what to plant in the octopus garden. Sometimes he spends too much time at the satellite, and sometimes she goes crazy and tries to kill him. But their love has never weakened, even when threatened by murderous relatives. So join us and their innumerable friends and fans to congratulate them on their Golden Anniversary. Here's to Arthur and Mera, may you have another fifty years of happiness!     

"4 Reasons Why Aquaman Deserves More Respect: A Fan Speaks Out"

Upon news of Jason Momoa's casting as Aquaman in Batman v. Superman, Yahoo Movies was nice enough to ask me to write an article about why Aquaman is no joke. The piece, "4 Reasons Why Aquaman Deserves More Respect" can be found here!

Wanted: The World's Most Dangerous Villains!

In the early 1970s, DC and Marvel were locked in a battle for newsstand supremacy. DC had ruled the roost for decades, but now that upstart Marvel had been steadily gaining ground for a decade, and was poised to overtake the Distinguished Competition.

One of the tactics both companies employed was to flood the stands with product. DC and Marvel had lots of inventory they could fill reprint titles with, and did. But while Marvel had to rely on monster/sci-fi comics from the 1950s, DC has superhero comics, and lots of 'em!

One of the books they put out during this time was Wanted: The World's Most Dangerous Villains! which, as title suggests, focused on various costumed villains, complete with spiffy new poster-like covers by the great Nick Cardy.

I picked up an issue of Wanted a few weeks ago, and it occurred to me, hey, did Black Manta ever get a shot? Let's take a look:

I don't see much in the way of Aquaman villains, do you? Nope. But here are the heroes and villains covered in Wanted's nine issues: Batman, Green Lantern, Green Arrow, Batman, The Flash, The Vigilante, Hawkman and Hawkgirl, The Vigilante, Golden Age Green Lantern, Kid Eternity, Sargon the Sorcerer, Dollman, Starman, Wildcat, Johnny Quick, Hourman, Superman, and Sandman. The villains: Signalman, The Puppet Master, Clock King, Joker, Penguin, The Trickster, The Dummy, The Human Fly Gang, Nyarl-Amen, Solomon Grundy, Master Man, The Iron Mask, The Blue Lama, Dr. Light, The Mist, The Golden Wasp, Dr. Clever, Dr. Glisten, Captain Cold, Mister Who, The Prankster, and The Nightshade. Hard to believe DC couldn't find room for a Black Manta or Ocean Master story in there, huh?

You may be wondering what the point of this post is...after all, this is a super-obscure reprint title from almost forty years ago that came and went. Good question! I guess the reason I put this all together (other than just to look at all those neato Cardy covers) is to take a step back and reflect how good us Aquaman fans have it nowadays. Aquaman is a top-selling book, his creative team made such a splash that they got promoted to DC's--and comicdom's--single-best-selling title, where Aquaman will be playing a larger role. DC has put the Sea King back into their top tier. Heck, there's even a rumor that The Others will be getting their own book, which means Aquaman could potentially be in three monthly titles!

But it wasn't always like that. There have been times when poor ol' Arthur was almost a non-entity in the DCU. So let's all be thankful that if DC ever did a book like Wanted again, you can be damn sure he'd be included!

Top 10 Most Memorable Mera Moments

Today we're kicking off "Mera Month" on The Aquaman Shrine with a highly subjective look at Mera's "Top 10" moments in comics since her mysterious arrival from "Dimension Aqua" (as it was originally called) to the current day as co-star of the stellar new Aquaman series.

When we say "Top 10" moments, we don't necessarily mean Mera's biggest, most historical moments (although there are some of those); no, we mean those moments that gave us the greatest insights to her character, presented her in a new light, or simply gave the Queen of the Seven Seas a chance to shine.


These are in no particular order, except the last one, which the Shrine deems as Mera's Greatest Moment Ever!

The Queen Takes A King

Of course, marrying the King of the Seven Seas was a huge moment for Mera. But we're distilling the whole story to this moment, where Mera reveals she's been fooling Oceanus the whole time, only pretending to be his willing bride in order to turn the tables on him at precisely the right moment. Mera was not only beautiful, but cunning and brave, an equal partner to Aquaman. (Aquaman #18: "The Wife of Aquaman" by Jack Miller and Nick Cardy)

Tragedy and Defiance

Even though it seemed all-but-certain that her son was dead, Mera refused to give up, leaving her son in Atlantis and going back to Xebel to try one last ditch effort to save him, while her husband was more concerned with revenge. Even though the effort proved futile, this series showed Mera as someone refusing to acknowledge Death itself...a personality trait that would re-emerge decades later. (Aquaman #58: "Return to Disaster" by Paul Kupperberg, Juan Ortiz, and Vince Colletta.)

I Never Wanted To Be A Hero

This is a quiet yet powerful moment, but we felt it presents an insight into Mera that hadn't been touched on all that much. As she is trapped by yet another bad guy, Mera reminisces that she didn't really ever want to be a superhero...rather, it was something foisted upon her by her marriage to Aquaman. And yet Mera continued on, risking her life over and over when danger called. Now that's a true hero! (Aquaman #73: "Power Game" by Dan Jurgens, Steve Epting, and Norm Rapmund.)

Affairs of State?

After being absent from Aquaman's new series in the 90s, Mera makes a dramatic return to her husband's life, just as he's...gasp!...busy with Dolphin! Writer Peter David was on a roll, showing fans a far different Sea King than the one fans had known up until then. It was only a matter of time until Mera showed up, and of course she picked the absolute worst (meaning the best for the reader) moment to do so! (Aquaman #11: "Exodus" by Peter David, Martin Egeland, and Howard Shum.)

Are We Dead?

After one brutal experience after another in Blackest Night (including a brief stint as a napalm-spewing Red Lantern) Mera is finally reunited with her husband, who has miraculously returned to the land of the living. As a couple, Aquaman and Mera don't get a lot of peace and quiet, so when they do, it speaks volumes. (Blackest Night #8: "Blackest Night" by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, and Joe Prado.)

Three Characters In Search of A Dimension

Deadman was given a brief run as a back-up in Aquaman during the early 70s, and as the story evolved it was cleverly woven into the main Aquaman storyline, with the two tracks dovetailing in this issue. With Aquaman stuck in another dimension, Mera uses sheer force of will (with a little help from a Deadman-possessed Vulko) to bring Aquaman back to her, showing fans that she was a force to be reckoned with and not just window-dressing for Aquaman. (Aquaman #52: "The Traders' Trap"/"Never Underestimate a Deadman" by Steve Skeates, Jim Aparo, and Neal Adams.)

The Birth of a Prince

Not to be terribly obvious, but the birth of Arthur Curry Jr.--aka AquaBaby--simply has to be on this list, because what other superhero couple (which in itself was rare) was ever allowed to have a child? Once their son was born, it shifted the focus of Aquaman's core concept in a way that has lasted to this day. (Aquaman #23: "The Birth of AquaBaby" by Jack Miller and Nick Cardy.)

Multi-Tasking in New Venice

This is a relatively small moment, but for longtime Aquafans it was yet another example of how, at times, Mera was the more levelheaded side of the marriage. As New Venice is crumbling down around them, Aquaman gets distracted yet again by one of his old foes (in this case Ocean Master), and it's up to Mera to pull off another feat of superhero multi-tasking. That, and Mera simply looked amazing under the art of Craig Hamilton. (Aquaman Volume 2 #1: Untitled by Neal Pozner, Craig Hamilton, and Steve Montano.)

No More Singing

Really, all of Blackest Night could be used as one of Mera's finest moments, but we think it's this page--when Mera tersely, and without fanfare, shatters an undead foe into little pieces--that really showed us an all-new Mera: tough, no-nonsense, and fully accepting of her role in this dangerous new world. Practically overnight, Geoff Johns turned Mera from a classical supporting to character to an A-list hero in her own right. (Blackest Night #2: "Blackest Night" by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, and Oclair Albert.)

And now, The Aquaman Shrine's #1 all-time favorite Mera moment:

Holding Back The Ocean

In Brightest Day, we learned of the deep, dark secret that has been haunting Mera all these years. As she struggles to earn back her husband's trust, they--along with the new Aqualad and Aquagirl--are forced to stop a dual assault from Black Manta and Siren. And just when things look their worst, Mera steps up and puts on a display of guts and power like nothing we had seen before:

(Brightest Day #20: "AquaWar Part Two" by Geoff Johns, Peter J.Tomasi, Ivan Reis, and Joe Prado.)

Now, of course there are many, many other fine moments from Mera's almost fifty-year history, and we fully expect her spotlight solo adventure in the upcoming Aquaman #6 to feature a moment or two that earns a spot on this list. So if you have a favorite Mera Moment you'd like to suggest, please leave a comment and let us know!

Aquaman Family Primer

It's pretty clear that, thanks to Aquaman #1 (which was one the New 52's best-sellers), the Sea King has a lot of new fans. Consequently, that means we have a bunch of new people visiting the Shrine wanting to learn more about the character, his supporting cast, and his villains. So, in the interest of making the Shrine as useful a resource as possible, today we present a brief "primer" of the Aqua-Family!

This list is no means meant to be comprehensive or definitive, especially since Aquaman has undergone a lot of changes in character and direction over the past seventy years. But hopefully this will serve as just a brief intro to the main members of the Aqua-Family:

Golden Age Aquaman
First Appearance: More Fun Comics #73 (1941)
Created by Mort Weisinger and Paul Norris

The product of genetic engineering by his father, the original Aquaman first ran in More Fun Comics before moving over to Adventure Comics in the late 1940s. He was one of the handful of superheroes to still be continually published throughout the 50s, alongside Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Green Arrow. The Golden Age Aquaman tended to fight more land-based, non-fantastical villains, such as the modern-day pirate Black Jack.

After being replaced by the Silver Age Aquaman, the character essentially disappeared from DC Comics for decades, surfacing in the 1980s in All-Star Squadron, just in time for his entire existence to be wiped from continuity thanks to the Crisis on Infinite Earths.

New DCU status: Not yet known but Earth-2 is back!


Aquaman
First Appearance: Adventure Comics #260 (1959)
Created by Robert Bernstein and Ramona Fradon

This new version of Aquaman, with his new origin (the son of a lighthouse keeper and an Atlantean woman, making him in line to be King of Atlantis), debuted in Adventure Comics #260, though there is some dispute as to whether this is truly the Silver Age Aquaman's first appearance or not.

Only a few months after this, Aquaman would become a founding member of the Justice League of America (in Brave and the Bold #28, his first appearance on a comic book cover), earn his first solo appearances (in Showcase), then graduate into his own title (Aquaman), which would run until 1971. There have been numerous origin and appearance changes over the decades, but the Aquaman now seen in the new book is still essentially this version having his core concepts and iconic appearance restored in the Brightest Day maxi-series.

New DCU status: stars in Aquaman & Justice League. Can be seen in Batman: the Brave & the Bold & Young Justice on CN.


Mera
First Appearance: Aquaman #11 (1963)
Created by Jack Miller and Nick Cardy

The exiled queen of another dimension called Xebel, Mera met and fell in love with Aquaman, after he helped her escape capture from another member of her society.

After marrying Aquaman, she became Queen of Atlantis and soon bore him a son, Arthur Curry Jr. She and Aquaman's relationship had many ups and downs, the worst moment being when Arthur Jr. was murdered by Black Manta. They continued to be on and off in the intervening years, finally reconciling for good.

Mera played a large role in Blackest Night and Brightest Day, taking on the mantle of super-heroine as she never had before.

New DCU status: stars in Aquaman & Justice League. Can be seen in Batman: the Brave & the Bold & Young Justice on CN.


Garth aka Aqualad/Tempest
First Appearance: Adventure Comics #269 (1960)
First Appearance as Tempest: Tempest #2 (1996)
Created by Robert Bernstein and Ramona Fradon

Banished from his small, cloistered society because of his purple eyes--a mark of magical power--the young boy named Garth was discovered by Aquaman and soon became the Sea King's sidekick. Assuming the mantle of Aqualad, Garth went on numerous adventures with his mentor.

Garth eventually joined the super-hero group Teen Titans, and as he grew up worked with Aquaman less and less. He claimed his magical heritage as a young adult and assumed the code name Tempest. Following in his mentors absence, Garth became King of Atlantis before he was killed in Blackest Night.

New DCU status: Not yet known. Can be seen in Batman: the Brave & the Bold & Young Justice on CN.


Arthur Curry Jr. aka Aquababy
First Appearance: Aquaman #23 (1965)
Created by Bob Haney and Nick Cardy

Born to Aquaman and Mera, Arthur Curry Jr. was the next in line in succession to be King of Atlantis. Despite being an infant, he frequently found himself involved in many of the superhero adventures of his parents.

Unlike his adopted brother Garth, Arthur Jr. never really aged over the decade-plus he appeared in comics. He was still only a toddler when he was murdered by Black Manta, the single most defining moment of the Aqua-Family in the last thirty years. His death cast a pall over his parents' relationship, causing them to break up and reunite many times. It appears by the events of Brightest Day, the rift between them has finally healed.

New DCU status: Not yet known. Can be seen in Batman: the Brave & the Bold and Mera is currently pregnant in Young Justice on CN.


Aquagirl
First Appearance: Aquaman #33 (1967)
Created by Bob Haney and Nick Cardy

Orphaned at birth, Aquagirl (aka Tula) found herself intertwined with Aquaman and the royal family. She fell in love with Garth (aka Aqualad) soon after meeting him.

Possessed of similar abilities to that of Aquaman and Aqualad, she became a part-time super-hero, also occasionally working with the Teen Titans. She helped put down a palace coup in Atlantis while Aquaman was away searching for Mera.

Generally upbeat and carefree, she provided a nice contrast to Garth, who was frequently beset with doubt and insecurity. Sadly, Aquagirl was killed in the Crisis on Infinite Earths, which took a tremendous toll on Garth.

New DCU status: Not yet known. Can be seen in Young Justice on CN.


Aquagirl
First Appearance: Aquaman Vol. 7 #16 (2004)
Created by Will Pfeifer and Patrick Gleason

Caught in the disaster that would lead to the creation of Sub Diego (where a portion of that city was dropped into the ocean, with all of its residents genetically modified to be able to breathe underwater), Lorena Marquez gets involved in helping Aquaman restore order and build this new society.

After a run-in with Ocean Master, Lorena decided to assume the identity of Aquagirl, becoming a super-hero in her own right. Like her predecessor, her generally upbeat attitude contrasted with her new-found mentor, Aquaman.

Lorena went on to work with the Teen Titans, but returned to the fold during Brightest Day, where she helped Aquaman, Mera, and the new Aqualad fight off an attack by Black Manta and Siren (known as Aquawar).

New DCU status: Scheduled to appear in Aquaman.


Aqualad
First Appearance: Brightest Day #4 (2010)
Created by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis

The new Aqualad, aka Jackson Hyde, who, unbeknownst to him for many years, is the son of Black Manta, and possesses many amazing powers.

Pursued by Siren and Manta, Jackson and his adoptive family were rescued by Aquaman, who revealed to Jackson his true lineage and identity. Initially wanting nothing to do with being a super-hero, he changes his mind and helps Aquaman and Mera fight off an invasion of the surface world by Manta and Siren.

Deciding to accept his role, he became the new Aqualad and started training as a super-hero. He also appeared to have a bit of a crush on the new Aquagirl, Lorena Marquez (who wouldn't?).

New DCU status: scheduled to appear in Aquaman. Can be seen in Young Justice on CN as the leader of the team.


Black Manta
First Appearance: Aquaman #35 (1967)
Created by Bob Haney and Nick Cardy

An undersea plunderer with a burning hatred for Aquaman, Black Manta has (at most times), possessed no superhuman powers; rather he is a technological genius and cunning strategist, always creating some new machine to help him steal the treasures of the sea.

He dealt his foe Aquaman a blow unlike any other when he murdered the Sea King's son, forcing to make Aquaman and Aqualad fight for his amusement. When Aquaman essentially chose his son over that of Aqualad, Manta caused a rift in the Aqua-Family that took decades to heal.

Manta is the father of the new Aqualad, and always manages to resurface despite repeated defeats at the hands of Aquaman, most recently in Brightest Day.

New DCU status: Scheduled to appear in Aquaman. Can be seen in Batman: the Brave & the Bold and Young Justice on CN.


Ocean Master
First Appearance: Aquaman #29 (1966)
Created by Bob Haney and Nick Cardy

The half-brother of Aquaman, Orm Marius has always harbored a seething hatred for his sibling, because of his lack of super-powers and the fact that it seemed, to Orm, that their father loved Arthur more.

Over the years, Orm, in the role of Ocean Master, has dabbled in magic, allowing him to possess various super-human abilities. Combine that with his technological genius, Ocean Master has been a constant threat to his brother's existence, and by extension to that of Mera, Aqualad, and the rest of the Aqua-Family.

Ocean Master was not seen in Brightest Day, but rest assured he will be back to threaten the new-found happiness of his brother and sister-in-law.

New DCU status: Scheduled to appear in Aquaman and can be seen in Young Justice on CN.


Siren
First Appearance: Aquaman #22 (1965)
Created by Jack Miller and Nick Cardy

The sister of Mera, the woman born as Hila pretended to be Mera as a way to infiltrate Atlantis. After being stopped by her sister and Aquaman, he promised to reform before returning to her home dimension of Xebel.

Clearly that didn't last, because Hila (after not being seen in comics for many years) returned to threaten Mera in Brightest Day, under the new name of Siren. Leading an army, she simultaneously tried to kill Aquaman and Mera, and kidnap the new Aqualad.

Her attack was stopped by the newly reformed Aqua-Family, and she was banished back to Xebel, but, like Manta, its a guarantee she will return!

New DCU status: No scheduled appearances (yet).


Arthur Joseph
First Appearance: Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #40 (2006)
Created by Kurt Busiek and Butch Guice

Arthur Joseph, like that of the Golden Age Aquaman, received his powers thanks to experiments performed on him by his father.

During the events of Infinite Crisis (and the subsequent One Year Later), the original Aquaman was changed into a being known as The Dweller of the Depths, and helped mentor Arthur Joseph into his role as the new Aquaman. During this time Arthur Joseph had run-ins with Mera and Ocean Master, neither of whom could fully accept this stranger.

After the Dweller of the Depths seemingly died (his body dissipating into water and becoming part of the ocean), Arthur Joseph decided to abdicate his role as the new ruler of the seas, and has not been seen since. Now that the original Aquaman is back, it is assumed Arthur Joseph has fully given up his role as an underwater superhero.

New DCU status: Existence no longer in continuity. Sorry, AJ!

...and that's it for now! We hope all you new Aqua-Fans find this little primer useful, and the Shrine will be updating it as we learn more and more new things in Aquaman!

Happy 70th Birthday Aquaman!

Today is a very, very special day in the history of Aquaman--it's his 70th birthday!

And when we say 70th birthday, we don't mean the birthday DC Comics has seen fit to give him within their continuity--that's January 29. No, we mean that on this day seventy years ago--September 25, 1941--More Fun Comics #73, Aquaman's debut appearance, hit newsstands (you can see the book for sale in the above picture, two rows up and about four books to the left of the crowded news vendor).

So, with Aquaman hitting the big 7-0, and his new series only days away from debuting, the Shrine thought it a tribute fit for a king to reach out and collect birthday greetings from various writers, artists, and performers, all of whom have been involved with the Sea King in some way over these seven decades.

Some chose to offer old Arthur a birthday message; others reminisced about their time when they were creatively involved with the King of the Seven Seas. The one thing they have in common is that all of them have contributed, by their talent, vision, voice, or craft, to the seven-decade legend of Aquaman:

Dan Abnett, writer, Wonder Woman and The Furies: "Happy 70th Birthday to the Sea King...and sorry about what happened to Mera on my watch."

Norman Alden, voice actor, Super Friends: "I just tripped down a tall building and you know, after 70 years, I am kind of losing my taste for that stuff.

But really and truly I have to let the cat out of the bag and celebrate Aquaman's 70th and my 87th! The guys I worked with [on Super Friends] were the top of the line.

Rob, what this world--and Aquaman--needs is more friends like you. God bless you."

Art Baltazar, cartoonist, Tiny Titans, DC Super-Pets: "HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARTHUR! I'm here hanging out with Topo, Ark and Storm! So glad to work along side you and your Super-Pet pals, sir! I hear Aqualad is on his way to the party and he's bringing the Tiny Titans! We better save some cake! AW YEAH AQUAMAN!"

Tony Bedard, writer, Emperor Aquaman: "Happy Birthday, Your Majesty! I have to admit it was the 1960s Superman/Aquaman cartoon that hooked me on you, but I've always seen you as a first-stringer, and I prefer Happy Aquaman to Angry Aquaman any day! I spent my childhood pretending I was you every time I went swimming, and I still think that riding a giant seahorse is the manliest thing in the world! Long Live the Sea King!"

J.E. Bright, writer, Aquaman: Deepwater Disaster and Heroes of the High Seas: "Dearest Aquaman--Were you aware that you share your birthdate with Baroness Vivien Helen Stern CBE? Like you, Baroness Stern was voted into royalty, and like you, she has dedicated her life to criminal justice. Although she's certainly more academic and land-based than your adventurous aqua-self, perhaps there was something circling in the stars on September 25, 1941 that should make villains beware!
XOXO
J. E. Bright"

Kurt Busiek, writer, Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis: "Happy 70th, Aqua-guy! Whether you're the son of a scientist given powers via Atlantean secrets, the child of a lighthouse-keeper and an undersea princess, the all-Atlantean scion of an ancient sorcerer or whatever--as long as you're rocking the orange and green, you'll always be the King of the Seas!"

Nick Cardy, artist, Aquaman: "It was interesting for me to draw it [Aquaman], I enjoyed doing it. With Aquaman, I innovated a lot of things--the fish I used were actual fish. Sometimes I put too many fish in the water, and that can take more time than it does drawing the figures! But I really, really enjoyed it."

J.M. DeMatteis, writer, Adventure Comics and Action Comics: "My first regular superhero gig in comics was writing Aquaman in Adventure Comics (with art by the great Dick Giordano), so the Sea King has a very special place in my heart. I'll never forget the day editor Len Wein called and gave me the assignment: I felt like I'd finally arrived. Happy Birthday, Aquaman: here's to another 70!"

Dan Didio, writer, Co-Publisher, DC Comics: "Happy 70th Birthday to Aquaman, one of the true long lasting greats in DC's Pantheon Of Super Heroes!"

Sholly Fisch, writer, DC Super Friends and Batman: Brave and the Bold: "Your Royal Highness: After 70 years of guarding the seven seas, you've survived death (more than once), cancellation (more than once), and even chairing Justice League Detroit (thankfully, only once). All the best for the next 70 years...even if living underwater does make it hard to blow out the candles!"

Ramona Fradon, artist, Adventure Comics and Super Friends: "Aquaman was a wonderful feature for kids. While he had no personal super powers, his ability to communicate with sea creatures made him as effective as any other super hero, and his ingenious way of utilizing their abilities made them come to life for young readers. I have had more than one adult fan tell me that they had been inspired by reading Aquaman to become marine biologists."

Laura Gjovaag, creator, The Unofficial Aquaman Website: "Happy Birthday, Arthur! Seventy years is just a beginning. Who doesn't enjoy a tale an outcast orphan, a story of a person trying to find his place, the age-old journey of a hero? And when that story is told, you provide a tale of majesty, learning to lead, and being in command. The setting you provide has more potential than most heroes...you have mastered land and sea. Live on in our imaginations, Aquaman. In another 70 years you'll just be getting to middle age."

Patrick Gleason, artist, Aquaman: "Wow! Aquaman you are OLD!

But hey, don't sick a giant octopus on me yet! I'm just saying that I think that stands as a testament to the very real, and important legacy you hold in comics. Now blow out your candles...oh wait we're underwater. Glub, glub! Happy Birthday old chum!"

Bob Greenberger, editor, The Atlantis Chronicles, Who's Who in the DC Universe: "Aquaman entered my life when I began reading the JLA comic in the early 1960s but was delighted to learn more when he gained his own animated series, leading me to add his comic adventures to my expanding reading list. It wasn't until the 'Search for Mera' storyline that I really got to see his potential. I still recall that summer, away at camp, and desperate for the next issue to see what happened. That run, of course, introduced me to the fabulous art of Jim Aparo, who made the Sea King his own.

Since then, he has been interpreted and reinterpreted; denigrated and lauded. It's great to see that a new Aquaman series as part of the Rebooted DCU and to celebrate his 70th. DC isn't much for appreciating its history these days but true fans know and will be celebrating."

Mike Grell, artist, Adventure Comics: "Aquaman and I have a history that goes way back to the very beginning of my career in comics. Julie Schwartz had just looked at my portfolio and called Joe Orlando in to his office to see if there was some work he could throw my way. Joe took a chance and give me a seven page Aquaman backup story called "As The Undersea City Sleeps" by Steve Skeates that would appear in Adventure #435.

When I turned in the pencil pages, Joe pointed out that I had drawn the splash page with a shot of Aquaman angling away, body bent forward in a pose that not only blocked his face from view, I had him mooning the reader. Having survived the Dr. Wertham witchhunt of the '50s Joe felt it his solemn duty to test the Comics Code Authority at every opportunity, so he let it go just to see what would happen. Luckily it passed without incident--but--there was one panel that didn't even get past Joe.

The script called for Aquaman to be seated on his throne, but I had drawn his butt hanging down too far. Joe had me correct it, but not before showing it to Julie and just about everyone else who came by his office. Thirty-nine years later, that panel still bugs me.

That's how I became known as 'The Guy Who Drew Aquaman On The Toilet.'"

Yvet Guichet, artist, Aquaman: "I remember Obsidian Age built up quite a fresh thirst for the Waterbearer before he was reintroduced into the channel of DC lineups back in 2002. Arthur's revamp then was easily a thing of legend. When he needed a new look I had no idea when I designed his new digs how it would be taken off some guy instead of maybe grown? Sort of the way his water hand magically grew into place...then it would have done some unique things too like the hand did. One of those things should have been spawning the new look on his action figure, no? Happy 70th bro!"

Mark Gutleben, actor/performer, Sea World Superheroes Show: "Performing for the kiddies [as Aquaman] was fun. There were times when kids thought I was the Real McCoy! It was very exciting."

Ken Hooper, artist, Aquaman: "I remember getting the job--Kevin Dooley called and asked if I would like to draw the new Aquaman series, in 1990. I remember thinking, oh, Lord...the water guy...boring.... I owned all of one Aquaman book my entire thirty-year life at that point. Thanks, though, to Kevin, and, even more so, to Shaun, it was never boring. Never. And we had such grand plans..."

Michael Jelenic, Producer, Batman: Brave and the Bold: "Wishing you, Aquaman, an 'Outrageous' 70th Birthday...or as you like to call it: 'The One Where Aquaman Turned Seventy Years Old!'"

Phil Jimenez, writer/artist, Tempest: "So anyone that knows my work knows how important Aquaman and his world have been to me. I promise not to get too sentimental on his birthday, but I will say this--I can think of few characters out there who are as cool, and as underestimated, as Aquaman; few comic book worlds as awesome as Aquaman's homebase of Atlantis and the undersea "universe" he protects; few characters in comics as grand and Shakespearean; and very few that inspire such passion and vision in their fans (including one Neal Pozner, who found exceptional truths in Aquaman he was able to explore in the famous miniseries he wrote (and wherein he designed Aquaman's famous blue/white costume) in the mid 1980's).

And let's face it--no other super-hero has a kid partner as sweet and as awesomely powerful as Tempest, a personal favorite of mine (for obvious reasons).

I think the other Super Friends should have felt jealous of Wonder Woman every time she got to fly Aquaman around in her invisible jet. Just sayin'!

So happy birthday, Aquaman. You and yours inspired my best work in the business and my most personal work to date -- and for that I thank you. I wish you the best birthday this month, and many, many more to come!"

Dan Jurgens, writer, Aquaman: "I was first exposed to Aquaman as part of the Superman/Aquaman Hour, which was a relatively cool Saturday morning cartoon. That sent me scurrying for the actual comics and I loved what I found. For me, Aquaman was always something of a regal, majestic character. He was a king, for crying out loud!

I had a great time writing the book. Unfortunately, by the time I took it on, it was in really bad shape. Still, with great covers by Michael Kaluta and wonderful interior art by Steve Epting, we gave it our best.

Fortunately, the King of the Seven Seas is in good hands with Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis. Aquaman deserves nothing less!"

Paul Kupperberg, writer, Aquaman and Adventure Comics: "People make fun of Aquaman. They joke about his ability to 'talk' to fish, that his superpower is swimming, and about how the bad guys can escape him by just getting out of the water. Thanks to a couple of generations raised on Super Friends, the non-comics reading public may know who Aquaman is, but they don't take him seriously, not like they do the big guns. But for all his being better known as a punch line than a superhero, Aquaman has an endurance that few characters of his vintage can boast.

Beginning as a back-up feature in a 1941 issue of More Fun Comics, Aquaman was one of only a tiny number of comic book superheroes to survive the Golden Age and be continuously published, virtually without interruption, straight through to today. The others were Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Green Arrow, a handful of heroes in a sea of romance, western, crime, funny animals, and horror comics. Whatever it is about the King of the Seven Seas that saved him from the cancellations suffered by the majority of the 1940s heroes (including such luminaries as the Flash, Green Lantern, and the Atom), Aquaman's maintained it for seven incredible decades, still King of the Seven Seas, and now a major player in the DCU.

Laugh that off!"

Erik Larsen, writer, Aquaman: "Happy 70th Birthday to you, Aquaman. I had a fun visit."

Paul Levitz, writer, Adventure Comics, Publisher, DC Comics: "Congratulations, Aquaman--despite all the tragic tales, you've been one of comics' most consistent heroes over all these decades, swimming against the tides. And thanks for being the very first super-hero I got to write, over half your career ago!"

Original 70th Birthday Illustration by Stewart McKenny (DC Super Friends)!

Shaun McLaughlin, writer, Aquaman: ""Happy Birthday, Artie. You were my favorite super-hero as a kid and you opened some doors for me. I hope the next 70 years treat you kindly."

Darell McNeil, layout artist/animator, Challenge of the Super Friends/All-New Super Friends Hour: "I animated and laid out Aquaman and his Superfriends for three years at Hanna-Barbera on 'All-New Super Friends' and 'Challenge of the...' and I wanna toss a birthday sea bass to the once and future King of the Seas on his 70th. (Doesn't look a day over thirty....at least when I was drawing him!)"

David Michelinie, writer, Adventure Comics and Aquaman: "Congratulations, Aquaman! Few kings manage to reign for 70 years, even in the off-and-on manner that seems to have defined your rule. And yet here you are, after seven decades of battling monsters, pollution, political corruption, even that insidious bane of the publishing industry: cancellation. You still stand regal, hardy and whole (well, except for that pesky missing hand thing), giving truth to the classic Mel Brooks line, 'It's good ta be da king!' Happy Birthday, Arthur!"

Paula Nelson, actress/performer, Sea World Superheroes Show: "One of my most memorable Mera moments was of 'saving' the finale pyramid from disaster after one of the male superheroes had fallen. Only the guys supported the bottom of the pyramid, but I was confident my shoulders were strong enough to handle it. After all, I had been an Aquamaid (seriously, that's what we were called) at Cypress Gardens--World Water-Skiing Capital--and there women would step in if needed. I successfully filled in for one of the mighty male superheroes and was seriously scolded by the Justice League for doing so! 'Out of character', they said. Quite the contrary, I felt most Mera-like!

Aquaman,

Happy 70th Birthday to my favorite King of the Sea!
Here's to a bright, adventure-filled, BP spill-free year ahead.
Forever yours,
Mera"

Chuck Patton, artist, Justice League of America: "Happy Birthday, 'Your Majesty', from your pal Chuck Patton"

Joe Prado, artist, Brightest Day and Aquaman: "Happy 70th Birthday, Aquaman! Keep doing what you've always done! Being awesome and protecting us from menaces from the deep, deep seas! Keep your spirit, and brace yourself for a new era of adventures, my friend! And hey! Kick Manta's butt, and give Mera a kiss! :)"

Rod Reis, color artist, Aquaman: "To defend only a city like Gotham or Metropolis is very easy. To defend 70% of the planet Earth, live under water, talk to fishes and ride seahorses a true King is needed. Congratulations Arthur Curry, Happy 7-0 Aquaman! I am honored to color your magazine."

Alan Ritchson, actor, Smallville: "Happy 70th Aquaman! You will always be the king to me! I'll never forget your time on Smallville kicking Clark Kent's butt underwater! I loved knowing that I had the chance in some small way to remind everyone how great you really are! Having had the opportunity to portray the Sea King on Smallville, I was also welcomed into the best part of the comic world, the Aquaman family, the best fans in the world. Thanks AC and here's to another 70 years of greatness!"

Bob Rozakis, writer, Adventure Comics and Action Comics:
"Your pants, they are green
The ocean is blue
Happy 7-0, Sea King
Happy Birthday to you!"

Alex Saviuk, artist, Action Comics: "I can remember my excitement when Julie Schwartz asked me if i would like to do some Aquaman stories as back-up features in Action Comics. The oceans and what lies underneath have always intrigued me, and it was a real treat and an honor to follow in the footsteps of Ramona Fradon, Nick Cardy, and Jim Aparo in chronicling the Sea King's amazing adventures! I believe the mantle has now been passed on to Ivan Reis and Joe Prado and from what I have seen so far, Aquaman couldn't be in better hands! (although if Ivan and Joe ever need a break , I would love to step in for just one more adventure!)

Original 70th Birthday Illustration by Dan Schoening (Aquaman: Deepwater Disaster)!

Steve Skeates, writer, Aquaman: "Hereabouts there are not many heroes these days, even in comics. But Aquaman had been a hero from before even I was born, so I knew he was strong enough to survive my strange writing style--more into form than into content, sometimes silly, often too verbose. What I didn't know was that he would soon become both my best friend and my imagined self, and, as such, would make me not only a better writer, but a better human being as well. Don't ask me how that works; just allow me to thank the Sea King for being who he was."

Laurie S. Sutton, Editor, Arion: Lord of Atlantis
"Happy Birthday Wishes to King Arthur, Sovereign of the Sea, the one and only Aquaman! I had the great pleasure of chronicling the tails...er, tales of your Atlantean ancestors in Arion: Lord of Atlantis. This was a dream come true for me because I grew up reading your undersea adventures, which inspired me to write my own comic book stories and eventually become an editor at DC. Without Aquaman, I'd probably be working for Marvel. (Oh, wait, I did that. But don't worry, I never had eyes for Namor.) I lift my glass of Aquavit and offer a toast to His Marine Majesty--here's to 70 more years of aqua-tastic adventures!"

Roy Thomas, writer, All-Star Squadron: "I'll admit that, when as a kid in the late 1940s I paddled around the local swimming pool, it was always Sub-Mariner, and never Aquaman, that I pretended to be. However, I came to see over the years that Aquaman was (is) a great character in his own right, not just a copy of Prince Namor. I have a particular fondness for the work of Ramona Fradon and Jim Aparo on the character, although Nick Cardy and others have certainly had their moments. And I always loved the fact that, unlike Namor, Aquaman could speak to fish. For a couple of years there I really wanted a pet octopus I could name Topo! So--Happy 70th, Aquaman!"

A bunch of people (besides all those quoted above) were instrumental in the assembling of this special birthday post. The Aquaman Shrine gives special thanks to Correspondent Joe Slab, artist Bill Walko (who drew the above superb Aqua-Family pin-up, commissioned especially for this post!), Marc Tyler Nobleman, Eric Nolen-Weathington, John Karl Schwirian, and Mike's Amazing World of DC Comics, which (accidentally) inspired this whole thing in the first place. Every single one of them was invaluable in the creation of this post!


As we all know, Aquaman is starting his 71st year in a big, big way, with the debut of his new series this Wednesday, Sept. 28th. The Shrine cannot imagine a better way for the King of the Seven Seas to reclaim his rightful place in popular culture, and in the world of comics, than with this new series, written and drawn some of DC's top talent. And thanks to each and every person you see quoted above, the Sea King was able to be in the right place at the right time when this new generation of creators was ready to come along and grab the trident!

Happy Birthday Aquaman!

This post respectfully dedicated to the work of Jim Aparo, Otto Binder, John Daly, Dick Giordano, Bob Haney, Paul Norris, Neal Pozner, and Mort Weisinger.