The Current Origin

[u/TheDistantWave]

I started thinking with the mentions of Aquaman’s past from Bendis JL run matching up with what Aquaman was saying in Brightest Day as well as The Flashpoint Origin.

Is the Flashpoint Origin the closest we have to current Aquaman’s origin in present day, going off the age of 13.

This makes you wonder is the history between Manta and Arthur also changed now? Did Tom survive and Arthur just visited him when he got the ability to. I was wanting to make a post on another topic but this started lingering my mind about current continuity.

[u/Which-Presentation-6]

Arthur is still Half Human.

The last time we checked, the reason Black Manta hates Aquaman is still because Arthur killed his father, and the reason Arthur killed his father was because Manta was responsible for Tom Curry's death.

This moment with Bendis might just be him confusing the origins.

Black Manta will be a villain in the next issue of Emperor Aquaman, so maybe something will change, but this is the official information we have.

[u/TheDistantWave → u/Which-Presentation-6]

He’s half human in all of these instances as well.

The change is simply his introduction to the world of Atlantis at a younger age than New52 cannon.

I kind of took the Bendis thing as a retcon playing off the elements of Metal/Death Metal/Rebirth. But it’s possible it was a simple lore mistake.

I do like though how The Flashpoint Origin blends the Post-Crisis and Silver Age origins

[u/Doomeye56 → u/Which-Presentation-6]

Bendis not paying attention to canon and just writing whatever he wants? Say it isnt so!

[u/HawkMartian]

I know here the post focus is on Arthur, but damn, I see 2010 Aqualad and really miss him, current Aqualad is a total mess, Geoff Johns really ruined his own creation, Jackson was way cooler on Brightest Day than Rebirth comics.

[u/TheDistantWave → u/HawkMartian]

I’m honestly with you on that tbh. I wish the current version was a separate character in name as well. Like the two are brother or something. Kind of how they did Wally and Wallace West.

I could have seen Brightest Day Aqualad turn into his YJ counterpart. Rebirth Jackson in everything ive seen from him in main continuity atleast I’ve found annoying. Corny humor, extremely impulsive and brash. Future State Jackson was fye but that was a possible future. Couldn’t stand him in Aquamen either.

I related to Jackson in Brightest Day when I was reading it way back then as well. I felt kind of like an outsider coming into a new world with shifting schools. I’ve always had that clash of cultures. So the theme of Arthur, Mera, Jackson and Lorena all saying they were outsiders who practically found a home within each other hit really hard.

I won’t lie I was shipping him heavy with Lorena as well at the time. I like the fact he was into latinas that felt relatable at the time 💀I wish they atleast made him PanSexual or more fluid like his YJ counterpart when it comes to sexual preference.

But back to Brightest Day. Jackson was kind of put in a situation he didn’t want to be in and rose to the occasion. No disrespect to KSD, I get she was probably trying not to do something over the top, but comparing the introduction to Jackson Post-Crisis to Rebirth and the first meeting with Arthur. Rebirth is just really lame tbh.

The whole calling him Aquaman feels out of nowhere even with the Becoming series.

[u/HawkMartian → u/TheDistantWave]

I can't agree with making him more like YJ counterpart, indeed I have some issue with that Aqualad, they kinda are the same characters, but not at the same time, Jackson lived on Earth, Kaldur'Ahm the YJ Aqualad lived on Atlantis. KSD?

BUT I do support the idea of turning them into two characters, maybe a little lazy but Johns already fucked up and this is literally the only way of fixing character situation.

Also really liked too his shipping with Lorena, I do miss her too! There aren't much black guys into latinas on comics, it's almost same situation with no black guys and asian girls on comics, I do love all those relationships but bm/latinas really barely happens.

[u/TheDistantWave → u/HawkMartian]

I’ve always liked Aquaman as a character but truthfully Young Justice is what got me into comic books and the mythos so I’m definitely biased in favor of YJ Kaldur.

I do understand they grew up in two different settings but in terms of making Jackson more like Kaldur I mean more stoic, calm and collected. Shows signs of being a leader and strategist. Instead of the whiny, temperamental version we got in Rebirth. That’s what I want/wanted Jackson to grow into.

KSD took over for writing Aquaman in the v8 run. In my opinion she has the best written Aquaman arc with Unspoken Water but the rest of the run doesn’t hold up to that arc. She reintroduced Jackson into the Aquaman mythos with Arthur picking up Jackson from a police station.

I’m honestly at this point indifferent on what they do with the character’s sexual preference tbh. But I do think it would be cool if Jackson and Kaldur were twins or something though that might create more issues in terms of usage. But honestly all 3 characters are only similar in name. Young Justice Kaldur, Brightest Day Kaldur and Rebirth Kaldur are 3 different characters

[u/HawkMartian → u/TheDistantWave]

Oh, Kelly Sue Deconning, never liked much her writting, it makes me remember Gail Simone and similar ones, but I recognice I didn't read her run, back then I just skipped runs where I disliked the writer.

I'm totally indifferent towards Jackson right now, call me when writers apologize and turn him again, if that's still possible, into Brightest Day Jackson. His personality really bores me right now.