An Aquamanifesto (With Apologies)

Better men than I have said it, but that doesn't mean it doesn't warrant saying again: DC needs to bring back the real Aquaman.

I'll admit that I'm a bit of a latecomer to the character of Aquaman. I jumped on the bandwagon with the beginning of his most recent series. Luckily for me, I was out of the country and without access to comic books for the entire year of the Rick Veitch run. If I hadn't, I might have dropped the book.

As it was, I came back, slogged through those first twelve to fourteen issues, and then came upon something wonderful. For it was Will Pfeifer's run on Aquaman that really made me love the character.

Here was the man that so many had mocked over the years. But this was no man deserving of mockery. This was a hero in the truest sense. Valiant and self-sacrificing, the Aquaman of Will Pfeifer and John Arcudi was a sight to behold.

I think what drew me most to Aquaman was his passion. At first glance, Aquaman seemed angry all too often. But I came to realize that Aquaman wasn't angry like a Batman, or angry like a 90's "grim 'n' gritty" anti-hero. When Aquaman was angry it was a righteous anger. His anger was pure; it was driven by a love of justice and a hatred of evil. And it was impressive.

In reading more distant stories, I came to see another Aquaman. The Aquaman of the Justice League. I've always been a big believer in the centrality of the Martian Manhunter to the the Justice League. I still am. But I've also come to realize that Aquaman is just as important -- if not more important -- than Martian Manhunter is.

Of course, I'm not talking about "Orin," the bearded, shirtless guy with the swimming-impractical hair. I'm talking about Arthur Curry, the once and future king; the man who had the courage and drive to lead the Justice League again and again, in many incarnations. As Martian Manhunter holds the League together, so should Aquaman be at its forefront.

But Aquaman is gone. And though we know all to well that he won't be gone forever, he is not present in the here and now. And the DC Universe suffers for it. In a universe of legacy -- in a time when heroes of old are returning from the darkness -- how can we go on without one of original heroes of the Golden Age?

I echo the sentiments of others: the current author of Aquaman seems primed to return the original character to his rightful place. From there, it is just a short step back to a prime position in the Justice League of America, and the honor Aquaman deserves. These are things that will -- in time -- come to pass.

Now is that time.