Who’s curious to find out who Jason Momoa will be squaring off against in his first “Aquaman” solo cinematic outing?
Arthur Curry aka Aquaman can not only talk to fish, he also possesses a powerful giant trident and can summon sea creatures to fight his foes. Seeing as how much of a badass superhero he can be, it’s only appropriate that this Justice League member gets a formidable supervillain to face off against.
Meet Black Manta everyone. Just like Aquaman, this bad guy hasn’t had much exposure to the mainstream audiences, but to the majority of DC Comics fans, selecting Black Manta as the main villain is a no brainer. To quote Ryan Scott, “Black Manta is essentially to the character of Aquaman what The Joker is to Batman, or what Doctor Octopus is to Spider-Man“.
Different versions of Black Manta have been introduced over the years. His original origins in 1967 during “Aquaman #35” is dark, and the hatred between him and the Atlantean King has only intensified over the years. While the character doesn’t have any actual superpowers, his trademark high-tech suit enhances him with great strength and the ability to swim across the ocean and battle Aquaman.
Initially, Manta was a young boy who was kidnapped and sexually abused by his captors. At one point, he saw Aquaman swimming with his dolphin friends and tried to signal for help, but the Atlantean King didn’t hear him. This unintentional snub essentially sparked the animosity he had for Aquaman.
In the recent “New 52”, Black Manta is an assassin who holds a grudge against Aquaman for murdering his father, when in fact the crime was committed by the young Black Manta himself. So begins the villain’s thirst for revenge. Interestingly, Manta was also approached by Amanda Waller during his time in Belle Reve prison, but turned down her offer to join the Suicide Squad.
Regardless of which version of the bad guy will appear in “Aquaman”, it’s a great way to show off what the aquatic hero is capable of when he square off against Black Manta.
Aquaman will be appearing in “Justice League“, which comes out on 17th November 2017, followed by his solo movie on 5th October 2018.
Sources: Movie Web, Cinema Blend (1)(2).
