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Aquaman, in any of his incarnations, is not known for having an infamous rogues gallery. His recurring foes have not achieved the same level of fame as Batman's adversaries or the Flash's Rogues gallery. Through the years though, there has been a slowly growing cast of foes that has been known give Aquaman headaches from time to time – the most dangerous of which stems from his own family tree: Ocean Master.

History

In the Golden Age continuity of Earth-Two, the original Aquaman had very few recurring foes. In his first public adventure, he fought against Nazi naval officers aboard a German U-boat. Soon after however, he encountered a one-eyed modern day pirate named Black Jack. Aquaman matched wits against the criminal on many separate occasions. The final fate of Black Jack however, has yet to be recorded.

In Earth-One continuity, Aquaman began attracting the attention of a bevy of costumed villains. These ranged from the silly (the Human Flying Fish) to the truly menacing (Ocean Master). In fact, Aquaman would later discover that the Ocean Master was actually his own brother. The Ocean Master's history and demeanor has been inconsistent over the years, a lot of which owes itself to the villain's ever-deteriorating sanity. The Ocean Master has presented himself as both a scheming murderer as well as an aloof nutcase. Since Aquaman never grew up with any true sense of family, he always tried to show restraint when it came to the Ocean Master. When the two first clashed, the Ocean Master suffered from amnesia and had no idea that the man he sought to destroy was actually his sibling.

Although the Ocean Master is probably Aquaman's most powerful foe, he is not the most dangerous. The one man who has cost Aquaman more anguish than any other is the mysterious underwater pirate Black Manta. For years, Black Manta served as little more than just another masked super-villain, but he solidified his position as Aquaman's arch-nemesis on the day that he kidnapped and murdered Aquaman's two-year-old son Arthur Curry, Jr. [1] This single act changed Aquaman's life forever. It permanently affected his personality and demeanor and cost him his kingdom and his wife.

Lesser known foes that have cropped up over the years include the Fisherman, a mercenary with penchant of using hi-tech fishing rods and lures as weapons. There was also the Scavenger, another criminal who terrorized the seas in his submersible Scorpion-Ship.[2]

Aquaman has also had dealings with a criminal organization known as O.G.R.E. (Organization for General Revenge and Enslavement). O.G.R.E.'s primary mission was to destroy Aquaman's native home Atlantis. Aquaman did succeed in reforming two of O.G.R.E.'s agents, the Huntress and Typhoon.

Another threat that came from beneath the waves was Karshon, a mutated Tiger Shark. Although the Shark was primarily a foe of Green Lantern, his chosen venue made him an ideal combatant for Aquaman as well.

As years passed, Aquaman's ever-evolving rogues gallery began to grow and included foes such as King Bres, a race of sentient giant jellyfish, and the alien dragon known as Tiamat.

Charybdis, one of Aquaman's more minor foes, proved to have a major impact on the Sea King's life. It was through the machinations of Charybdis that Aquaman lost his left hand to a pool of starving piranhas.[3]

Membership History

Arch-Villains:

  • Ocean Master: Aquaman's secondary archenemy and half-brother who plots to take over the Throne of Atlantis and destroy the surface world.
  • Black Manta: Aquaman's primary archenemy. Primarily being a mercenary, Black Manta killed Aquaman's son. In a fit of revenge, Aquaman murdered Black Manta's father. This sparked an eternal hatred that becomes an endless battle between the two. He is the father of the second Aqualad.

Recurring Villians

Minor Villains

Recommended Reading


See Also

Links and References



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