Aquaman Quick Answers
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This is the page to catch up on Aquaman lore without having to search the entire site.
Who or What is Aquaman?
Aquaman is a comic book character first created in 1941 by National Periodical Publications (which later became DC Comics). Aquaman was published continually as a feature for over forty years, and has been an active part of the DC Universe even when he hasn't had his own feature.
How Many Comic Books Are We Talking About?
Aquaman has had five ongoing solo series, three mini-series, and a number of specials. Before he had his own book, he was a feature in four different DC anthologies and also had a trial run in Showcase.
If you count all his solo stories, and not even bother with the Justice League and guest appearances, he's been the main character in over 500 stories.
The Five Volumes of Aquaman
- Aquaman Volume One ran from Feb 1962 to Apr 1971 bimonthly, with a brief revival in 1977-78.
- Aquaman Volume Two ran from Dec 1991 to Dec 1992 and was 13 issues long.
- Aquaman Volume Three ran from Aug 1994 to Jan 2001 and was 77 issues long with five annuals and a Secret Files special.
- Aquaman Volume Four ran from Feb 2003 to Dec 2007. It started with an arc in DC's flagship title JLA devoted to the return of the character (Obsidian Age) and ended with a new character taking the mantle of Aquaman for a short time.
- Aquaman Volume Five starts in Nov 2011 and is an ongoing.
Aquaman Mini-Series
- The first Aquaman mini-series ran four issues from Feb to May 1986, and featured a new costume.
- The second Aquaman mini-series ran five issues from Jun to Oct 1989, and included the death and disappearance of Aquaman's wife, Mera.
- The third Aquaman mini-series ran four issues from Dec 1993 to Mar 1994 and was subtitled Time & Tide.
Everything Else
- Aquaman had two specials, The Missing Peace in 1988 and The Legend of Aquaman in 1989.
- Aquaman had five annuals during Volume Three.
- Aquaman had two Secret Files specials, one in 1998 and one in 2003.
- A related series to Aquaman, The Atlantis Chronicles, ran Mar to Sep 1990 and featured the history of the DC Universe's Atlantis up to the birth of Aquaman.
- Aquaman's adopted son/little brother Garth had a mini-series that ran from Nov 1996 to Feb 1997 that changed his superhero name from "Aqualad" to "Tempest".
- Aquaman also is a regular in the Justice League and related titles, and has made many guest appearances in the DC Universe.
Aquaman's Uniforms
Aquaman has had three different main costumes. His traditional look was designed by artist Paul Norris in 1941 and didn't change much (besides the color of his gloves) until the 1986 mini-series, which rolled out a blue outfit.
Although blue outfit was well received, it wasn't easy to draw, and Aquaman reverted back to his original outfit for the next mini-series.
Aquaman next changed his costume in the 1994 series written by Peter David. David had Aquaman lose his left arm and replace it with a harpoon, and changed the costume at the same time.
Aquaman remained in the new outfit, which was more of a non-outfit, until the 2003 series, when he gained another non-outfit before reverting to his classic uniform with issue #15. When he returned to the DCU at the end of Blackest Night, it was in a variation of his classic outfit.
Aquaman's Powers
Some of Aquaman's abilities have been consistent throughout the years, some have been added more recently or changed, and some have been portrayed very inconsistently.
- Aquaman can breathe and live comfortably underwater, constantly.
- Aquaman can also live and breathe above the surface of the water, although on the surface he suffers from dehydration faster than a normal human.
- Aquaman can communicate with sea life of any type, and can direct most sea creatures to do his bidding.
- Aquaman can endure water pressure far greater than any human and greater than most other Atlanteans.
- On the surface, Aquaman is much faster and stronger than humans, because he is used to the greater resistance and pressure underwater.
- Aquaman is a King, and during the times he chooses to be associated with Atlantis, he can call on their army.
- Aquaman's water hand was a mystical construct that could temporarily heal. He could also shape it through willpower into limited useful forms.
