Comics are Awesome III

[Dominic]

It looks like they need more time to figure it out.

[Sparky Prime]

It looks like they need more time to figure it out.

I think it has more to do with Geoff Johns being the main architect behind this story. He tends to have things planned out well in advance and takes his time to tell it. Like when he started work on Green Lantern, he said he had 3 major story arcs planned, which was Rebirth, Sinestro Corps War and Blackest Night. And those stories took roughly 7 years to unfold.

[andersonh1]

I read some 90s Peter David (Marvel 2099). It has not aged well, in part because David was constantly trying to prove how whimsical and clever he was. I can see DC wanting to discard a hold-over from the Silver Age. (Does "talks to fish" really add that much to the character?)

My opinion is that DC editorial sat down and tried to figure out how they could salvage Aquaman from the reputation that Superfriends had given him of being useless, and for whatever reason, they zeroed in on "talks to fish" as an element that was dragging the character down. Like Superman's red shorts, they decided that it was "outdated". I don't see it myself. The character works fine without being able to have conversations with fish, but that also cuts off and distances him from the undersea world that he's a part of. The current approach to the character is not at all invalid, but the older approach offered more storytelling opportunities and allowed for a more fantasy-style storytelling, as opposed to just the Atlantean politics and relations with the surface world that we have now.

[Sparky Prime]

My opinion is that DC editorial sat down and tried to figure out how they could salvage Aquaman from the reputation that Superfriends had given him of being useless, and for whatever reason, they zeroed in on "talks to fish" as an element that was dragging the character down. Like Superman's red shorts, they decided that it was "outdated". I don't see it myself. The character works fine without being able to have conversations with fish, but that also cuts off and distances him from the undersea world that he's a part of.

I don't think they decided that "talking to fish" outdated Aquaman. I mean, it's not like they got rid of his ability to telepathically control sea life altogether like they did Superman's red shorts. He still can command sea life, he's just not having conversations with it. How does that cut him off from the undersea world? He's part Atlantean, not part fish.

[Shockwave]

My opinion is that DC editorial sat down and tried to figure out how they could salvage Aquaman from the reputation that Superfriends had given him of being useless, and for whatever reason, they zeroed in on "talks to fish" as an element that was dragging the character down. Like Superman's red shorts, they decided that it was "outdated". I don't see it myself. The character works fine without being able to have conversations with fish, but that also cuts off and distances him from the undersea world that he's a part of.

I don't think they decided that "talking to fish" outdated Aquaman. I mean, it's not like they got rid of his ability to telepathically control sea life altogether like they did Superman's red shorts. He still can command sea life, he's just not having conversations with it. How does that cut him off from the undersea world? He's part Atlantean, not part fish.

I actually like this idea better. The idea that he can control sea life rather than talk to it makes more sense. Like Ant Man controlling ants. I mean, talking to fish is kinda stupid. Fish are stupid, no one is going to have any sort of meaningful or deep conversation with a fish.

[andersonh1]

To me, Aquaman not being able to talk to fish is kind of like cutting Green Lantern off from being able to talk to aliens. It closes off some dramatic possibilities. In the past, fish could be spies or messengers for Aquaman. These days he can still command them, so they haven't entirely lost a narrative function, but still... it seems a little arbitrary to say that a man telepathically commanding fish is fine, but actually talking to them is outdated and silly. But to each his own.

[Dominic]

There is legitimate question about how stupid fish actually are.

But, Aquaman having a special bond with fish is kind of stupid. "He can talk to, or control, fishes because he lives in the water." Really? Because, uh, living on land lets people talk to and control land animals? Being the amphibious ruler of an under-sea nation is not enough?

[Sparky Prime]

Yeah, realistically a fish brain isn't developed to have any sort of meaningful conversation with them. Unlike the aliens Green Lantern talks to, which developmentally are closer to the same level as humans. I like Shockwave's comparison, that Aquaman is able to control fish sorta like Ant Man is able to control ants. Only for Aquaman it's a natural ability rather than science. Maybe through evolution, the Atlanteans had this ability as a means to lure in prey, only Aquaman uses it as a means to give some basic commands to sealife. Makes more sense to me that way than Aquaman being able to actually talk to fish.

[andersonh1]

But, Aquaman having a special bond with fish is kind of stupid. "He can talk to, or control, fishes because he lives in the water."

No, actually, he's the only one who can do it, except possibly for Aqualad/Tempest. All the other Atlanteans do not have the ability to communicate with sea life or command them. It has nothing to do with living in the water. Explanations as to why he has the ability have varied over time.

http://comicvine.gamespot.com/aquaman/4 ... h-1641268/

Aquaman, For sometime Garth, and Kordax I believe all displayed the ability to control sea life.

In most versions its simply Aquaman is simply gifted because of his rare genetics from being half human and atlantean. It being mentioned I believe some times that his physiology is different from either because of that,

In the 90's I believe its played off as part of the curse of Kordax on the reasoning why he has a connection to sealife.

My favorite way its been played is rare genetic make up, also being connected to the "Clear" a type of ecosystem where everything in the sea is connected.

His telepathy even referred to as a sixth sense.

Yeah, realistically

And there's the problem... trying to apply to much realism to a fantasy concept.

[Sparky Prime]

And there's the problem... trying to apply to much realism to a fantasy concept.

Like you said earlier, to each their own, but really I don't see how it's a problem or applying too much realism by simply having Aquaman control sealife rather than talking to it. The ability makes more sense to me that way, and it's still a fantasy concept.