I kind of already assumed that Mera's bubble in JL was more because that particular conversation was supposed to be private.
And Raj from "The Big Bang Theory" says Aquaman sucks
TBF, that's been a common joke/meme in pop culture for decades now (Family Guy also periodically takes shots at Aquaman as well for example).
When people don't read comics and only see stuff like that, it's not surprising that his reputation suffers as a consequence.
Ugh I want to get hyped for Aquaman. But damn, you've burnt me, DCEU. I opened myself up to you. Let you in. And you turned on me.
But... I think you can change. I want you to. Please.
Found a Youtube Channel with political stances you want to share? Hop on over to this page and add them.
I'm pretty darn hype for Black Manta. A glimpse of him is all I ever wanted for this movie's previews.
I hope they don't ruin it by making him, like, a minion or minor villain to Ocean Master - like the Laufey to Orm's Loki or something.
"The difference between reality and fiction is that fiction has to make sense." - Tom Clancy, paraphrasing Mark Twain.
Gotta say I'm surprised how true to text Black Manta's helmet is.
I figured they would edge it up, making it sleeker, or with more menacing eyes.
Nope, 1 to 1 from the comic pages.
Red Spade, Black Heart
I am very into the idea of Jason Momoa riding a giant sea dragon.
Is that a Wocket in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?
Ocean Master
will apparently be a Well-Intentioned Extremist.
Patrick Wilson, who plays Arthur Curry’s regal Atlantean half-brother in the upcoming DC film, gave EW some intriguing insight on the character.
“He’s kind of an eco-warrior,” Wilson says. “He’s got a very clear gripe with the surface world, which has been polluting his oceans for centuries. And that’s something for me — I’m sure for you too — that’s very easy to understand. If somebody was just constantly polluting our air and ruining how we lived …”
The motive is a rather topical issue coming on the heels of UN chief António Guterres at the G7 summit last week warning of a “global emergency” due to oceanic pollution, noting, “Unless we change course, plastic waste could soon outweigh all the fish in the oceans … It kills marine life and is doing major harm to communities that depend on fishing and tourism.”
Well-meaning comic-book movie villains are turning into a trend. Earlier this year Black Panther antagonist Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) was sympathetic in his goals to fight racial inequality. Last month, the blockbuster Avengers: Infinity War had Thanos (Josh Brolin) endeavoring to kill off half the population in the universe due to overpopulation concerns.
In Aquaman, Orm seeks to unite the seven underwater kingdoms to declare war on the surface world (that’s us), an idea that doesn’t sit well with Curry (Jason Momoa).
Wilson is a frequent collaborator with Aquaman director James Wan, who he worked with on the Insidious and The Conjuring franchises. One interesting thing about his casting is that with his blonde Anglo clean-cut features Wilson looks like a traditional Aquaman, while star Momoa resembles the type of actor who typically gets cast as the heavy.
Wan says he tapped Wilson because Orm isn’t an outright villain, he wanted an actor the audience would like — plus he just loves working with the guy.
“Patrick is such a talented actor and a chameleon as well, he can disappear into any role,” Wan tells us. “Orm’s got a soft spot for his brother who lives on the surface world and if anything just wants him to rule Atlantis and the world together, but his brother doesn’t see it that way. A lot of the clashes they have stem from their different upbringings. So I didn’t want to cast a typical villain actor.”
edited 15th Jun '18 11:37:27 AM by comicwriter
Takat Empress
WB: Steppenwolf is not a typical villain there is a story. Steppenwolf: MOTHERBOX
Mileena Madness
I was about to say that Thanos isn't the MCU villain you should be aspiring to, but:
It really shouldn't be if the objective is to appeal to comic book nerd fantasies. A lot of comic book villains were just douchebags, pure and simple. You can make that a little more nuanced, but trying to appeal to long-standing issues about race (Kilmonger), or questions about security vs freedom (HYDRA), or to those crazies who want to nuke half of the US so that the other half can enjoy hotdogs and Twinkies for a few centuries longer isn't going to work most of the time.
Kilmonger is great because he's refreshing, not because I want more villains who fit a current topic or even that they're sympathetic - nevermind the argument of if Erik even was all that sympathetic. That narrative won't work well for villains like Egg Fu, Darkseid, Penguin, Mongul, the Time Trapper, Reverse Flash, Cheetah, Grid, or any other villain they could throw at us.
I'm pretty sure people loved Hela and I doubt she was made very sympathetic. I don't know what the consensus is on Ares but I'd question how relatable/sympathetic/relevant he was too. I'd like to see them try to make Darkseid sympathetic. The only depiction of him I've seen that wasn't actively malevolent was the Gods and Monsters movie, and that was only because Highfather straight up murdered him. You'd have to alter Darkseid's agenda from "dominate the universe" to "the universe genuinely needs my domination if it's to continue."
edited 15th Jun '18 2:41:51 PM by Soble
I'M MR. MEESEEKS, LOOK AT ME!
A lot of comic book villains were just douchebags, pure and simple.
True; after all, at the basis, the concept behind a supervillain was "someone gets superpowers but instead of using them to be a superhero he decides to be a douche bag and use them for profit". They were meant to be a foil to superheroes, after all. But if I may point out, even in original comics, they often had very humans reasons to be douche bags. Most Bat-villains developped an insanity based on something they loved or hated to the point of obsessions. Loki was messing with Thor mostly out of jealousy and resentment for his better stronger brother. Luthor was out to get revenge at Superman out of a grudge for being turned bald (yes, that's a stupid reason, but at least he had one to be mad). Even the ones who really were thugs with no sympathetic motivations usually were Only in It for the Money - AKA Greed, another very human motivation. With the exception of alien invaders, they usually weren't just trying to destroy or conquer everything because evil.
Takat Empress
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
Loki had a good reason to be envious given Odin's history.
These movies are trying to appeal to more than just comic book nerds though.
Especially with Black Panther. It wasn't just fans who went to see it. It was families as well.
If this is anything like the last few times this plot has been done, Orm will likely be sympathetic but antagonistic, with Arthur not totally wanting to fight him, and then the whole thing will end with Orm being supplanted as Big Bad by Manta who is, by all means, a truly, truly awful person.
"The difference between reality and fiction is that fiction has to make sense." - Tom Clancy, paraphrasing Mark Twain.
Speaking of which, I know very little about Black Manta aside from the Young Justice incarnation. Would someone care to enlighten me, please?
I don't know to what extent Hela is well-regarded or not. The closest thing I've seen to a consensus is "fun, not particularly deep but carried by Blanchett's charisma". I also happened to enjoy Ares but the third act of WW is widely considered to be the weakest.
Not surprising, but James Wan confirmed the Aquaman trailer will debut at Comic-Con.
edited 15th Jun '18 3:33:36 PM by comicwriter
It's more an issue of making villains meaningful than of necessarily making them sympathetic. For example, HYDRA is in no way sympathetic, but their infiltration of SHIELD and the way they've gotten SHIELD to embrace their basic premises (the non-Hydra leadership of Shield did accept Project Insight, after all) speak to very relevant issues around the security state.
You've got a stronger story if the villain exists as more than just someone for the hero to punch.
edited 15th Jun '18 2:58:05 PM by Galadriel
I'm Sad Frogerson.
x4 Black Manta's depiction in the comics has been a... complicated one. He was originally just a typical pirate, then they revealed that his goal was to conquer the seas so black people would be free from oppression on shore. Then it turned out Black Manta was lying about that and was a selfish sadist, and he eventually ended up killing Aquaman's infant son. Then they tried to reveal that Manta was actually autistic, and his evil nature was the result of being treated horribly at Arkham Asylum. So Aquaman cured him of his autism, but it turned out he was still just a sadistic bastard afterwards.
I'm sure I missed some stuff, but those are some of the highlights off the top of my head.
The most recent Black Manta origin is that he was a mercenary whose father was accidentally killed by Aquaman, and now he has an obsessive grudge against him. It sounds like that is the one that will be used in the film.
edited 15th Jun '18 3:35:07 PM by comicwriter
That certainly sounds much less problematic.
I’ve always put it as: mix Deathstroke and Boba Fett with a splash of Joker and a hint of James Rourke, then put the whole thing underwater, and you’ve got Black Manta.
"The difference between reality and fiction is that fiction has to make sense." - Tom Clancy, paraphrasing Mark Twain.
Atlanna makes me think of Elsa or Rosalina.