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2018’s Aquaman introduced a villain that probably isn’t well-known to the DCEU audience, yet the connoisseurs of comic books recognized the black suit and bug-eyed helmet almost instantly. Of course, we’re talking about Black Manta, Aquaman’s greatest and most menacing foe, portrayed by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. Still, even those who immediately recognized one of the best and most iconic super-villains don’t know his true origin story and the Black separatism that goes along with it.
It’s hard to tell which Black Manta origin story is true since DC Comics retconned his origin several times over the years. The character first appeared in Aquaman #35 issued in 1967 and quickly established himself as Aquaman’s archnemesis, capable of inflicting great harm upon the superhero. Though very little was known about the character and his background, apart from the fact that he wants to defeat Aquaman and gain power for himself through the conquest of Atlantis, DC Comics regularly used Black Manta to paint a stark picture between Aquaman’s heroics and the antics of a true villain. The two have clashed ever since.
However, during one of their clashes, in the Adventure Comics #452 issued in 1977, ten years after introducing the character, Black Manta removes his bug-eyed helmet revealing why he named himself Black Manta — he’s Black. Black Manta’s ethnicity isn’t all that surprising since there are numerous African American/Black superheroes and villains within the worlds of comics. But his mission, as stated by Black Manta himself, is to conquer Atlantis and have Black people dominate the ocean after being oppressed for centuries on dry land. Coincidentally, his mission also coincides with one of his origin stories.
Black Manta’s initial origin story was introduced in issue #6 of 1993’s Aquaman comic book series, in which the character reveals his origin through a series of flashbacks. Manta was a young African American boy kidnapped by sailors while playing at the docks. He was forced to work on the ship for an unspecified amount of time, often starved and physically abused — so it’s pretty obvious that his life suddenly took a sharp turn for the worse.
One day, he saw Aquaman swimming with dolphins while cleaning the deck and tried calling the King of Atlantis for help. But, unfortunately, as his cries for help went unheard, the boy plunged into hatred towards the sea and Aquaman as its representative. Left with no one but himself to rely on and forced into self-defense, the boy killed his tormentors with a knife, becoming determined to become the master of the sea, which brought him nothing but misery, pain, and suffering.
Another origin story was introduced years later, in issue #8 of the 2003 Aquaman comic book series, in which Black Manta was an autistic orphan named David, placed in Gotham’s Arkham Asylum. This version isn’t any less grim than the previous, as even the touch of cotton sheets in Arkham felt excruciatingly painful to the boy, and they continuously experimented on him. However, as opposed to the torments of being restrained to the cotton-sheeted bed and smothered with a pillow until he passed out every night, David only felt comfortable while submerged in the freezing cold water.
One of the experimental treatments he was subjected to cleared the boy’s head, enhancing his strength and reflexes while also making him incredibly violent as a result. Fueled by violent rage and endowed with newfound strength David killed the very scientist who administered the treatment and escaped Arkham. In this version, the young Black Manta was fascinated by Aquaman after seeing him on television during his stay at the asylum.
The third origin story introduced in May 2012’s Aquaman Vol. 7 #7, in which Black Manta, named David Hyde, is a descendant of the Deserters, the lost tribe of Atlantis. His father raised him on the family fishing boat named Black Manta, from which he operated as a diver and a treasure hunter. While acting as a mercenary, David injured Thomas Curry (Aquaman’s father), who later succumbed to his injuries. Seeking revenge, Aquaman stormed the Black Manta ship and, in the rain and darkness, murdered Hyde’s father, under the assumption that he was the killer. So, David crafted weapons and armor and became the Black Manta.
It’s not unusual for comic book characters to have many different backstories over the years, especially when introduced more than 55 years ago. However, one thing persisted through his origin stories, in nearly all iterations, either directly or indirectly — his desire to take over the oceans for Black people to rule. In fact, Black Manta stated his intentions in the same issue in which he revealed his face before revealing his first origin story in the 1993’s comic book. Canonically speaking, this instance of black separatism is still tied to his original origin story.
However, there’s also some underlying character development between origin stories, and Manta’s intention to win the oceans for Black people might’ve vaned over the years. His third origin story ties him to his Atlantean ancestry, a story which is further explored in the most recent release of Black Manta comic book, Vol 1 #3, released in January 2022. In it, Black Manta is granted a vision of Atlantis before the Great Deluge. In his vision, he witnesses a tribe of his Black Atlantean ancestors abandon Atlantis and flee to Africa just before Atlan sank the city.
In the meantime, a new villain called Devil Ray (obviously a Black Manta fanboy) coordinated a series of terrorist attacks around the globe, announcing his intentions to take over the oceans for Black people, as Manta once claimed he wanted to do. Later on, the new villain told Manta that he idolized him as a child and even modeled his life after him, but had become disillusioned after realizing that Manta only ever helped himself, rather than their people.
In conclusion, Black Manta is one of the greatest comic book villains ever, right there in the same category as his better-known colleagues, such as the Joker, Lex Luthor, or Reverse-Flash. Unfortunately, outside of several animated DC series and films, and a live-action Aquaman, one of the best villains DCEU has to offer, hasn’t received much screen time. However, that’s likely to change judging by the Aquaman post-credit scene, in which Black Manta is rescued from the ocean by marine biologists. Who knows, he might even get a spin-off.
2018’s Aquaman introduced a villain that probably isn’t well-known to the DCEU audience, yet the connoisseurs of comic books recognized the black suit and bug-eyed helmet almost instantly. Of course, we’re talking about Black Manta, Aquaman’s greatest and most menacing foe, portrayed by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. Still, even those who immediately recognized one of the best and most iconic super-villains don’t know his true origin story and the Black separatism that goes along with it.
It’s hard to tell which Black Manta origin story is true since DC Comics retconned his origin several times over the years. The character first appeared in Aquaman #35 issued in 1967 and quickly established himself as Aquaman’s archnemesis, capable of inflicting great harm upon the superhero. Though very little was known about the character and his background, apart from the fact that he wants to defeat Aquaman and gain power for himself through the conquest of Atlantis, DC Comics regularly used Black Manta to paint a stark picture between Aquaman’s heroics and the antics of a true villain. The two have clashed ever since.
However, during one of their clashes, in the Adventure Comics #452 issued in 1977, ten years after introducing the character, Black Manta removes his bug-eyed helmet revealing why he named himself Black Manta — he’s Black. Black Manta’s ethnicity isn’t all that surprising since there are numerous African American/Black superheroes and villains within the worlds of comics. But his mission, as stated by Black Manta himself, is to conquer Atlantis and have Black people dominate the ocean after being oppressed for centuries on dry land. Coincidentally, his mission also coincides with one of his origin stories.
Black Manta’s initial origin story was introduced in issue #6 of 1993’s Aquaman comic book series, in which the character reveals his origin through a series of flashbacks. Manta was a young African American boy kidnapped by sailors while playing at the docks. He was forced to work on the ship for an unspecified amount of time, often starved and physically abused — so it’s pretty obvious that his life suddenly took a sharp turn for the worse.
One day, he saw Aquaman swimming with dolphins while cleaning the deck and tried calling the King of Atlantis for help. But, unfortunately, as his cries for help went unheard, the boy plunged into hatred towards the sea and Aquaman as its representative. Left with no one but himself to rely on and forced into self-defense, the boy killed his tormentors with a knife, becoming determined to become the master of the sea, which brought him nothing but misery, pain, and suffering.
Another origin story was introduced years later, in issue #8 of the 2003 Aquaman comic book series, in which Black Manta was an autistic orphan named David, placed in Gotham’s Arkham Asylum. This version isn’t any less grim than the previous, as even the touch of cotton sheets in Arkham felt excruciatingly painful to the boy, and they continuously experimented on him. However, as opposed to the torments of being restrained to the cotton-sheeted bed and smothered with a pillow until he passed out every night, David only felt comfortable while submerged in the freezing cold water.
One of the experimental treatments he was subjected to cleared the boy’s head, enhancing his strength and reflexes while also making him incredibly violent as a result. Fueled by violent rage and endowed with newfound strength David killed the very scientist who administered the treatment and escaped Arkham. In this version, the young Black Manta was fascinated by Aquaman after seeing him on television during his stay at the asylum.
The third origin story introduced in May 2012’s Aquaman Vol. 7 #7, in which Black Manta, named David Hyde, is a descendant of the Deserters, the lost tribe of Atlantis. His father raised him on the family fishing boat named Black Manta, from which he operated as a diver and a treasure hunter. While acting as a mercenary, David injured Thomas Curry (Aquaman’s father), who later succumbed to his injuries. Seeking revenge, Aquaman stormed the Black Manta ship and, in the rain and darkness, murdered Hyde’s father, under the assumption that he was the killer. So, David crafted weapons and armor and became the Black Manta.
It’s not unusual for comic book characters to have many different backstories over the years, especially when introduced more than 55 years ago. However, one thing persisted through his origin stories, in nearly all iterations, either directly or indirectly — his desire to take over the oceans for Black people to rule. In fact, Black Manta stated his intentions in the same issue in which he revealed his face before revealing his first origin story in the 1993’s comic book. Canonically speaking, this instance of black separatism is still tied to his original origin story.
However, there’s also some underlying character development between origin stories, and Manta’s intention to win the oceans for Black people might’ve vaned over the years. His third origin story ties him to his Atlantean ancestry, a story which is further explored in the most recent release of Black Manta comic book, Vol 1 #3, released in January 2022. In it, Black Manta is granted a vision of Atlantis before the Great Deluge. In his vision, he witnesses a tribe of his Black Atlantean ancestors abandon Atlantis and flee to Africa just before Atlan sank the city.
In the meantime, a new villain called Devil Ray (obviously a Black Manta fanboy) coordinated a series of terrorist attacks around the globe, announcing his intentions to take over the oceans for Black people, as Manta once claimed he wanted to do. Later on, the new villain told Manta that he idolized him as a child and even modeled his life after him, but had become disillusioned after realizing that Manta only ever helped himself, rather than their people.
In conclusion, Black Manta is one of the greatest comic book villains ever, right there in the same category as his better-known colleagues, such as the Joker, Lex Luthor, or Reverse-Flash. Unfortunately, outside of several animated DC series and films, and a live-action Aquaman, one of the best villains DCEU has to offer, hasn’t received much screen time. However, that’s likely to change judging by the Aquaman post-credit scene, in which Black Manta is rescued from the ocean by marine biologists. Who knows, he might even get a spin-off.
Story: Si Spurrier / Artist: Matais Bergara / Image
Every so often, I have to make subtle adjustments to the creator attribution at the topic of the comic. Sometimes, it’s because the writer and the artist are one and the same. Sometimes, it’s because the narrative was the result of one person and the actual script was from another. Today’s case, it’s because to call Simon Spurrier the “writer” of Step by Bloody Step would be factually incorrect because there are no words in the comic. At all. There’s barely any lettering at all. It’s one of the most surreal comic book experiences I’ve had in a while, and I loved every second of it.
The premise of Step by Bloody Step is staggeringly simple. There is a little girl with a large, armored guardian. They have no language, no names, and seemingly no memories. All they have a singular purpose to traverse the harsh landscape, and that’s it. That’s all there is. It is a simple high concept fantasy work, and it’s the exact type of thing that Spurrier would excel in. Even though we don’t have any of Spurrier’s signature banter, we still have the makings of his wildly fantastical vision of a strange world, brought to life painstakingly by Bergara.
Without any discernible dialog, Bergara has the incredibly gargantuan tasks of converting whatever script was handed to him into a full double-sized comic. And as a result, we the readers are treated to forty pages of magnificent characters and set pieces. This is a world that stands alongside other established properties with ease. The sheer sense of scale and environmental diversity makes for favorable parallels to Shadow of the Colossus and Pacific Rim. The Guardian has a real heft and weigh with the illustrations. Lopes’s colors draw out unique details of the different biomes traversed. It’s an incredibly ambitious feat of storytelling and while the narrative is simple, the execution is wonderfully haunting.
We know as much about the world as the protagonists and witnessing the start of their odyssey was a true pleasure. I have loved Spurrier’s stories in the past and while a textless comic is a hard sell, I think the entire creative team rose to the occasion and this is a must buy.
9.4 “Footprints” out of 10
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The post ‘Step by Bloody Step #1’ Review appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Gloriann Sacha Antonetty Lebrón, the Afro Puerto Rican that’s Amplifying Black Voices in Puerto Rico
The denial of their existence and lack of representations are just some of the daily struggles of Afro-Puerto Ricans living in Puerto Rico. Many Afro-Puerto Rican writers, poets, and storytellers combat this issue. Puerto Rico’s history involves being colonized by Spain and then the United States. Despite their oppressed past, there is a beauty and strength that runs through the veins of Puerto Rican people, which was evident through my conversation with Gloriann Sacha Antonetty Lebrón.
I was recently approached by Ketchum, about interviewing Lebrón on the amazing work she has done and continues to do to represent Afro-Puerto Ricans. BGN spoke with Lebrón over Zoom on February 23, 2022, about the importance of representation in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Lebrón is an impressive woman with many titles, including poet, author, communicator, professor, and more. I, however, was very interested in how she defines herself without these titles.
“I love to call myself an Artivist. I also consider myself a strategist. I love to communicate in different ways. I recognize the power of stories. The stories that they try to forget about, the stories about the contributions of Black people. My grandfather was a writer and journalist and I helped him with his radio station. He spoke and wrote about Black women. Now I have the opportunity to gather information about Black culture and present that beauty and resistance through different forms of art.”
What was it like growing up as an Afro-Puerto Rican in Puerto Rico?
“It’s hard growing up here as a Black person, no matter your gender identity. Colonization is still impacting society. The belief system is that Black people are less than every other person on the island and the world. They say that [racism] happens in the United States, but it doesn’t happen here. We grew up with books saying that Puerto Rico is the most white of all the Caribbean islands and people think that Black Puerto Ricans are few.”
This question led her to speak about the hyper-sexualization of Black women and how they often get told they do not belong in spaces that allow them power and influence. Through Lebrón’s work, she proves that Black women deserve to be in whatever space they choose. As she transcended into various careers such as working as a professor, working within an Ad agency, and corporate business she often had to remind herself that she deserved to be there.
What was it like to break into corporate spaces where you didn’t see people that looked like you?
“I have to come back to my family. I understood that I deserved to be a part of every space. That I have to go with my chin high. I know I deserve to be here, and I’m here paying this debt to my ancestors. I’m creating a space for future generations to understand that they belong in every sector of Puerto Rico and every part of the world.”
Her parents spent their lives moving between Puerto Rico and the United States and experienced movements that amplified Black voices. Her mother grew up in communities that preserved Black history. She got her sense of pride from her parents, and she carries that pride into spaces where Black people aren’t represented.
You have a deep connection and talent for words. Why have you chosen to express yourself through written form?
“It’s one of my biggest expressions to heal. If I’m going through something, I heal through writing. I understand the power of stories and words and how that impacts film and music. If you have strong stories or words, that becomes art. Words are how we can take back our power.”
Over the past few years, Lebrón has created Revista Ethnica, a magazine that represents the full shades of Puerto Rican people.
What was your dream for Revista Ethnica, and how have you seen that dream come to life?
“I’ve had a strong fascination with books and magazines since I was a little girl. In Puerto Rico, we have a lot of magazines that come from America Latina, Cosmopolitan, Vogue, and I stood in front of those magazine racks and never saw myself represented. I never saw the beauty of my family, friends, and culture. I remember telling my father that there are no magazines representing Black people. I don’t know how he did it, if he called one of our uncles in New York, but he received Ebony and Essence magazine through mail. When I saw them, I thought, I can do this, and I can do this in Spanish. I’m working to continue the legacy of Black writers.”
Revista Ethnica is now opening a publishing company to support other Black Puerto Rican writers.
How can others support Revista Ethnica?
Among the other Black communities within Latina America, the United States, and the world, it’s important to recognize that Afro-Latinos exist. We need to create more things together and see how we can create more sustainable enterprises and always present ourselves as valuable.
When you hear the word Afro-Puerto Rican, what does that word mean to you?
It’s everything.When I listen to that word, I feel the love and power of our grandmothers, our mothers, our girls, and our Black men, who have struggled so much with things that didn’t deserve. Our aesthetics are that word. You can hear music with Afro-Puerto Rican. It’s magic and dignity.
What are some of the projects you are currently working on?
We are working on the 4th edition of the magazine, hopefully launching on the 12th of March. We investigated women who have been killed because of gender violence. Since 2013, over 60 percent of the women killed were Black women. What’s most important is healing. We created a creative writing project for the survivors to heal. We finished with an anthology, and it’s going to be the first published book with Ethnica publisher.
What would you say to other writers out there?
You have to start with your family or community, with the people who inspire you.Try to look for the story you would never hear about. Some ancestor or family member will call you to write that story. We can also start working on our own stories. You can create whatever you want. Start writing and put it out here so someone will notice and understand the struggle, beauty, and magic we create every day.