Concern

[captain_slinky]

I'll come right out and say it - I'm concerned about the whole Aquaman situation.

Aquaman, beloved (though dorky) member of The Superfriends and Justice League. You remember him, the one in the green shorty-shorts and orange sweater? Super power was the ability to talk to fish? He was the butt of so many jokes and the focus of so much degredation over the years that it's easy to see why his self esteem is so low. Near the end of The Superfriends series, he was little more than an adult chaperone for the Wonder Twins, and they would repeatedly have to save his sorry ass. SAVED BY THE WONDER TWINS?!?!? Is there a bigger humiliation???

So anywho, I guess Aquaman went through a lot of changes between 1985 (when the final episodes of The Superfriends aired) and now. Have you *seen* him on the Cartoon Network's Justice League cartoon? Where once there was a happy, clean-shaven dork in green speedo and wet sweater now stands this hulking, angry, sullen, scruffy guy with a HOOK in place of his hand! A HOOK!!!

I swear that if we were to search his room we'd find lots of Maralyn Manson CD's, violent video games, gun magazines, trench coats and a detailed "Fan Fiction" story he's working on where he mercilessly guns down all his classmates. HE'S ANOTHER COLUMBINE WAITING TO HAPPEN!!!

We need an intervention. 'Cuz this superFRIEND needs a superHUG. Before it's too late :(

Comments

[the-4th-doctor.livejournal.com]

The hook, the not shaving, etc., all came about in the comic book a few years ago, in issue 2 of the previous series if I'm not mistaken. I forget who did it to him, but he got his hand stuck in a river full of piranhas, and they ate it. From there, he got a hook, stopped wearing shirts and shaving, and got a bit more serious overall. So, if you don't like the new cartoon version, you can blame Peter David, any DC editor who might've made him do that, or the Warner Bros executives who want the cartoon and comic versions of the characters to be identical.

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but Peter David had nothing to do with "Jeepers, Jayna! If we don't get Aquaman to some water quickly, he may DIE! Form of... an ice bridge!"

And to be fair, Erik Larsen had a bit to do with the Darkification of Aquaman as well. But the comics have no bearing on the cartoons and vice-versa (in my world), and never the twain shall meet :)

[the-4th-doctor.livejournal.com]

True, true. Although Erik Larsesn said in interviews that he was told by the Powers That Be to both make things funnier and darken it up at the same time, so he never knew quite what to do.
And speaking of which, did you ever see the episode of "Dexter's Laboratory" where Dexter tried to give himself superpowers? The Aquaman bit was the best.

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Never saw that one... the popular phase of Dexter's Labratory were in the "Dark Times" when I didn't have cable, now I get to try and catch up thanks to the gazillion Nick channels I get. I hope to see it soon!