Aquaman in popular media
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Aquaman has made several appearances in numerous media and has been referenced beyond the scope of traditional comics superhero entertainment.
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[edit] Appearances in other media
[edit] Television
[edit] The Filmation animated series
Aquaman's first media appearance was as the star of his own animated series, The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure, from 1967 until 1968; the series failed to find a large audience[citation needed]. The series featured Mera, Aqualad, a pet walrus named Tusky, and Aquaman and Aqualad's large seahorses, Storm and Imp. In addition to his usual array of abilities, this version of Aquaman had the power to throw 'water balls' which had considerable concussive impact. Aquaman was voiced by Marvin Miller, better known as the voice of Robby the Robot from Forbidden Planet.
[edit] Super Friends
He was also a major character in the original season of the animated television series Super Friends (1973). Super Friends is often credited with having exposed Aquaman to a much wider audience outside of the comic book community. In this series, Aquaman was shown to display superstrength--hefting a bulldozer blade over his head, for example, and using it to help stop a tidal wave. He also had encyclopedic knowledge of oceanography and oceanology, in addition to his more familiar water-breathing power and aquatic telepathy.
However, the various successor series (Challenge of the Super Friends, The World's Greatest Super Friends, Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show, The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians) have been blamed for making Aquaman unpopular and even laughable alongside other heroes[citation needed]. They are accused[citation needed] of having portrayed him in an unflattering light, as they focused almost exclusively on his water-breathing and telepathic powers, thus reinforcing a weak image of the character.
During his Super Friends tenure, he was often paired with Wonder Woman, leading some fans to speculate[citation needed] on a possible romance between the Atlantean King and the Amazon Princess. When Grant Morrison took the JLA title, it was specified that both characters share a special friendship bond.
In the first two seasons of Super Friends, he was voiced by Norman Alden, and for the rest of the series he was voiced by Bill Callaway.
[edit] Superman: The Animated Series
The character made an appearance in one episode of the 1990s animated television series Superman: The Animated Series, where he was voiced by Miguel Ferrer. He was drawn in the "classic" Aquaman appearance as having an orange shirt, green gloves, green pants with green boots, a gold belt with gold "A" insignia belt buckle, short hair, and a clean-shaven face. In the episode, Aquaman, regarded as an urban legend, comes into conflict with Lex Luthor when one of Luthor's undersea construction plans starts causing damage to Aquaman's home, Atlantis. As King of Atlantis, he tries to stop the tests peacefully but his "peaceful" attempts are "met with violence and capture." Lois Lane finds him a prisoner of LexCorp's institute, and she is in turn captured and taken to be killed with him, but Aquaman manages to escape with Lois and returns to stop the tests under the ocean. He almost attacks the surface world with his army, but Superman dissuades him from doing so. When Aquaman tries to leave peacefully, one of Luthor's men tries to shoot him in the back, unsuccessfully, and Aquaman's army in turn destroys Luthor's vessel. Aquaman advises Superman to make sure the "surface dwellers" show more respect to the oceans in the future before disappearing.
[edit] Batman Beyond
As seen in the Batman Beyond episodes "The Call: Part 1" (airdate November 11, 2000) and "The Call: Part 2" (airdate November 18, 2000), Aquaman's daughter Aquagirl is a member of a future Justice League. During the episode, Terry McGinnis/Batman goes over profiles of the current Justice League members. According to Aquagirl's profile, Aquaman is currently missing.
[edit] Justice League/Justice League Unlimited
Aquaman has guest-starred in several episodes of the animated television series Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, where he was voiced by Scott Rummell. This version was based closely on the hot-headed anti-hero persona (the producers were aiming for "Conan underwater") of the 1994 and 2001 Aquaman comic book series, with the Viking-like appearance and hook, but some feel his animated appearances gave him even more depth than his Viking phase had given him[citation needed]. Here, he sacrificed his hand to save his infant son from being killed in a plot against his life by his evil brother Orm (Ocean Master). Though he was a founding member of the Justice League in the comic books, he was left out of the main line-up for the animated series in favor of Hawkgirl so that the team could have another female character opposite Wonder Woman. While the Justice League series remains popular, a number of Aquaman fans were genuinely disappointed that their hero was not included as a regular character[citation needed]. According to the website Television Without Pity, producers created Devil Ray and removed Aquaman and Black Manta from the series before the episode "To Another Shore" because the rights to Aquaman were no longer available.[citation needed]
[edit] Smallville
Arthur "AC" Curry appeared in an episode of the television series Smallville titled "Aqua," which aired on October 20, 2005. The episode features Arthur investigating the devastating effects on marine life from a project Lex Luthor has been developing for the U.S. military. In the process he also manages to date Lois Lane before leaving to continue his fight for the ecosystem. Like his Filmation counterpart, this version of the character is shown to have the power to throw 'water balls' having tremendous concussive impact; he could also swim faster than Clark Kent. It is also revealed that Arthur wears an orange and green costume because he attends the University of Miami, whose Miami Hurricanes team colors are green, orange, and white. Arthur was played by former American Idol contestant Alan Ritchson. In an allusion to the HBO program (below), when Arthur is asked which environmental group he is working for, he responds "I don't travel with an entourage." "Aqua" was Smallville's highest-rated episode that season.[1]
Ritchson reprised his role in the 2007 episode "Justice", as a member of Green Arrow's unnamed superhero team. Along with Victor "Cyborg" Stone and Bart "Impulse" Allen, they fought to stop Lex Luthor from creating an army of superhumans which he has kidnapped. During this second appearance, he is now using the codename of "Aquaman", and wears a costume similar to his traditional one.
[edit] Mercy Reef; Self-titled TV series
The CW Television Network had announced a live action Aquaman television series called Mercy Reef (or Aquaman), but on May 18, 2006, it was confirmed that CW did not pick up the show for the 2006/2007 schedule. Reports (beginning after the upfronts) said The CW was still considering Aquaman for midseason due to interest piqued by the leaked promotional trailer. The pilot episode is available at Apple's iTunes Music Store and the Xbox Live Video Marketplace and can be viewed for free at AOL Video's In2TV. It was also broadcasted on Canada's YTV on June 9, 2007. It starred Justin Hartley as Arthur "A.C." Curry/Aquaman, with supporting roles by Ving Rhames and Lou Diamond Phillips. There have been no talks of picking up the series since June of 2006.
[edit] Entourage
A fictional Aquaman movie played a central role in the second season and part of the third season of the HBO show Entourage. The show has movie star Vincent Chase playing Aquaman/Arthur Curry in a big-budget film production of the comic book, directed by James Cameron. In the episode "One Day in the Valley", Aquaman premieres to much fanfare and opens with a three-day weekend record of just over $116 million (barely beating Spider-Man's $114.8 million). HBO even took out a very realistic looking two-page ad in "Variety" magazine after the episode, promoting the show by saying Aquaman earned $116 million in its first three days. This appeared enough to fool CNBC, which reported that the three day weekend box office gross of Pirates of the Caribbean 2 had beaten the previous record of Aquaman,[2] but Joe Kernan later stated he was a watcher of Entourage and was completely aware that it was fake.[3] Mandy Moore and James Woods were also cast in the film, as the love interest and villain respectively.
[edit] Undeveloped Justice League film
It was confirmed that Aquaman would have been one of the seven members of the Justice League in the now shelved live action film."[4]
[edit] Aquaman film
Sunrise Entertainments Alan and Peter Riche are bringing Aquaman to the big screen for Warner Bros. Pictures. Ben Grant, a first time scribe, will be writing the screen play. [2]
[edit] Direct to DVD
[edit] Justice League The New Frontier
"Arthur of Atlantis" made a cameo appearance in the animated film Justice League: New Frontier, based on the graphic novel DC: The New Frontier. Alan Ritchson, who played the character in live action on Smallville, voiced Aquaman. In this film, he and some Atlantean doctors were seen treating Superman's injuries.
[edit] Video games
Aquaman also appeared in the Justice League Task Force Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Mega Drive video game as well as in Aquaman: Battle for Atlantis for Xbox and GameCube.
Aquaman appeared as an unlockable character in the Justice League Heroes game for Xbox and PlayStation 2. He can be unlocked by paying 27 orange shields when collected.
[edit] Cultural references
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- In Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, the Apache Chief-themed episode "Very Personal Injury", Black Vulcan states his codename was originally "Super Volt" until Aquaman suggested he change it, to which Vulcan responded he should change his own name to "White Fish".
- Thomas Farr and Jeff Klein made a fan film starring Aquaman entitled "The Cast of the Angler" in 1984. Running for 21 minutes, it was never released commercially.[3]
- In an episode of the sitcom Seinfeld (1989 – 1998) called "The Deal" (airdate May 2, 1991), George and Jerry debate Aquaman over lunch. "What's the deal with Aquaman?" asks George. "Can he go on land, or is he restricted only to water?" Jerry replies, "No, I think I've seen him on land a couple times."
- In Episode 202 (1994) of MTV's sketch comedy show The State (1993 – 1995), Aquaman is belittled by the other members of the Super Friends for his comparably uninteresting powers. Superman assigns all of the other members difficult tasks, and then flippantly tells Aquaman to "go...talk to some fish."
- A song by Australian comedy band Tripod refers to the character's allegedly useless powers.
- The song "Arthur Curry" by the band Ookla the Mok on their album Less Than Art (1997) talks about the grimmer and grittier portrayal of Aquaman in the comics.
- In an episode of Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist (1995 – 1999) called "Electric Bike" (airdate June 29, 1997), Dave Chappelle discusses Aquaman with Dr. Katz, asking why anyone would want to be Aquaman. "What the hell would you want to say to a fish?" The episode points out that a fish's lack of short-term memory (a common myth) would make Aquaman's conversations with them rather uninteresting.
- The political blog IMAO.us frequently makes jokes about Aquaman's uselessness as a superhero.
- Aquaman has been referenced on multiple occasions in the animated television series The Simpsons (1989 — ). In "Treehouse of Horror VIII" (airdate October 26, 1997), in a sequence entitled "The Homega Man," the Comic Book Guy is shown reading an Aquaman comic as he states aloud, "But Aquaman, you can't marry a girl without gills. You're from two different worlds." In "Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder" (airdate November 14, 1999) when Homer is drowning at the beach, he shouts out to his infant daughter, "Maggie, help! Call Aquaman!" In "The Wife Aquatic," when the fishing boat he was on sinks during a monsoon, Homer prays to the god of the sea, addressing it by its multiple names, "The Greeks call you Poseidon... the Romans... Aquaman." Later, in "Homerazzi" (airdate March 25, 2007), Lisa is seen reading G.B. Shaw's Man and Superman while Bart is reading Aquaman and Superman by DC Comics. In another episode of The Simpsons entitled " Husbands and Knives", Bart is searching through comics and one of them happens to be a Justice League comic entitled " The Death of Aquaman".
- In an episode of the sitcom Home Improvement (1991 – 1999) called "Believe It Or Not" (airdate April 29, 1998), Tim Taylor (Tim Allen's character) explains what happens when he gets high on fumes while working in his garage: "Have you been inside shellacking all day? If you don't get enough ventilation, it can really... [Tim points to his head] Y'know. I do that, I think I'm Aquaman!"[4]
- The 1998 hit song "One Week," by the Canadian rock group Barenaked Ladies, includes the line, "You think you're lookin' at Aquaman." It then goes on to explain that the singer would use this power to make sushi, with an apparent aversion to anything that has "touched a frying pan."
- In the animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants (1999 — ), the characters of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy, first introduced in the episode "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy" (airdate August 21, 1999), are parodies of Aquaman and Aqualad, but in the style of the camp Batman series.
- In an episode of the animated television series Drawn Together (2004 —) called "Lost in Parking Space, Part One", Captain Hero is depicted as having caught fin rot from fellow superhero Aquaman.
- An episode of the animated television series South Park (1997 — ) called "Super Best Friends" (airdate July 4, 2001) includes a superhero character named "Sea-Man" (pronounced "semen" by the other Super Best Friends), who is a spoof of Aquaman and the only non-religious icon in the team.
- The video game review television show X-Play (1998 — ) often refers to the Aquaman: Battle for Atlantis game (2003) as "the worst game ever." The game was so bad, that they named their worst games ever awards — The Golden Mullet Awards — after Aquaman's mulleted appearance in the game. In a later episode, the show is an extended parody of the horror film Saw, with a killer named Memory Card murdering the G4 hosts in videogame related deathtraps. It is revealed that Memory Card is Aquaman, who went insane following the critical panning of his game.
- In an episode of the animated television series The Fairly OddParents (2001 — ) called "Power Pals" (airdate May 18, 2004), Timmy Turner wishes for "the best friends ever," and receives spoofs of several superheroes, including an analog of Aquaman named "Wet Willy," who summons whales to crush things and has an anchor in place of a right hand. He is continuously made fun of by the others for his useless powers. Also in Somehing's Fishy, there was a movie named Wet Willy: The Movie which in this episode, was badly criticized, as there were quotes referring to the movie such as That was the most terrible thing I've ever seen!.
- In the Robot Chicken episode "The Deep End", Aquaman (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) is one of seven housemates in the fictional parody of The Real World called The Real World: Metropolis. Here, Aquaman is repeatedly insulted and degraded by Superman and the others. He also has effeminate mannerisms, and his own fish do not listen to him. In the end, Superman uses his heat vision to melt his head, killing him. In the episode "Tapping a Hero," Aquaman (voiced by Seth Green) was seen in the Superheroes Tonight segment where he is putting his powers to use as a whaling industry consultant.
- In an episode of the animated television series Family Guy (1999 – 2002, 2005 — ) called "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz" (airdate December 18, 2005) the opening scene shows the Griffin family watching Aquaman (on television) portrayed as a lazy, unfair ruler who abuses his powers to command sea-life by giving them trivial errands.
- One Cartoon Network promo had Aquaman and Wonder Woman captured by the Legion of Doom. Tied together, Aquaman tells Wonder Woman: "My ability to talk to fish is of no help, Wonder Woman!" She rolls her eyes in response. They are then rescued by the The Powerpuff Girls. For a time, Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block ran a series of bumps where the Super Friends incarnation of Aquaman would appear in random live-action settings (such as a cow pasture) and spontaneously begin dancing.
- The titular character in the 2005 movie The 40-Year-Old Virgin owns a vintage Mego Aquaman action figure, as well as exclaiming "I am Aquaman!" when he places a Magnum condom on his arm, simulating webbed fingers.
- Captain Squid, an ally of Radioactive Man in Bongo Comics continuity, is a parody of Aquaman.
- The Atomic Sub of Big Bang Comics is a tribute to Aquaman.
- In the adultswim series The Venture Bros., Hank sleeps in clothing similar to Aquaman's (specificially, green briefs and socks with an orange shirt). Similarly, his brother Dean wears pajamas styled after Spider-Man.
- Jason White wears Aquaman pajamas in Superman Returns.
- WWE superstar and pro-wrestler turned superstar The Rock insulted the superhero-gimmick-carrying wrestler, the Hurricane, by saying that even Aquaman, "the dude who talks to the little fishies, can whip that little candy-ass, just like that!"
- In Chris Rock's 'Bigger & Blacker' HBO comedy special, he refers to people calling Hillary Clinton a hero after the Monica Lewinsky scandal and says she is no hero. "Aquaman's a hero! He can talk to the fishes! What the fuck can Hillary do?". Later he speaks of Christopher Reeves' paralysis saying "Superman can't walk. What's next? Aquaman gon' drown in the tub?"
- In October 2006, author Glen Weldon published a short piece in the internet magazine McSweeney's titled Aquaman, King of the Seven Seas, Has Fucking Had It With You, Man, an imagined monologue in which Aquaman angrily dismisses the popular meme representing him as lame and useless. The monologue is available here [5].
- In 2007, an independent filmmaker from Pennsylvania made a short film titled The Lords of the Halls. There is a scene early in the film where two main characters discuss superpowers and the main character reacts unfavorably to his best friend praising Aquaman; referring to him as the "most useless hero in comic book history". The film is available here: [6]
- In the Duck Dodgers episode, Till Doom do us Part, a parody of Aquaman, Sea Man is present at the Martian wedding of Queen Tyr'ahnee and Marvin Martian.
- In the Comedy Central animated series Lil' Bush, the prepubescent George W. Bush wears Aquaman underpants during a schoolyard confrontation with Lil' Kim Jong Il, according to a press release. And in a commercial for the program, Lil' Bush cites the reasons that people should watch the show: "Terrorists. 9/11. Embolden. Aquaman. Tacos. I think I've made myself clear."
- On The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, host Craig Ferguson plays Aquaman in a self-help segment called Dear Aquaman.
- On an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! they had a guy dressed as Aquaman being one of the judges judging peoples dives in a pool.
- The Mark Aaron James song "Aquaman's Lament" is sung from the point of view of Aquaman as he tries to woo a woman away from Batman.
- In the Back at the Barnyard episode "Cowman and Ratboy", Otis and Pip, upset over the others' criticism of their titular superhero identities, remark that they're better than other superheroes, with Otis stating, "Yeah, like the Aqua-dude. I mean, his tights are silly, and how much crime really happens underwater?"
- In Comic Book: The Movie, Aquaman and the Flash accompany Commander Courage/Don Swann (Mark Hamill) during his dash through the convention crowd.
[edit] References
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