Dawn of Justice's Aquaman Revealed

[endtherapture]

.....So hands up here who doesn't think this movie is gonna be a cluttered mess?

Anyway, great casting for Aquaman. Momoa knows how to act as a formidable force, and I think that's exactly what the character needs.

Yah, I didn't even know aquaman was being added in. Maybe I missed a lot of news on this. I'm sure this has all been planned in advance; but it has the feel of something they are making up as they go along. Surely, that can't be the case.

As for the casting - sure Momoa seems a good fit. No reason for me to think other wise. The tats though. You know the grown ass man that still buys stitched and bejewelled shirts at Buckle with lots of tats, but none of them of any personal significance - they are all just designs and tribal stuff picked out of the badassery cliché book? I'm instantly reminded of that guy. (NOTE: Those of you that have tattoos don't take that as a slight -- well-designed, skillfully-applied ink, esp. when the image is something of personal interest or passion to canvas, is always awesome. I also feel very honored when someone commissions me for a design) The scale theme is cool and all, but what is the rest of that mess?

All those beautiful colorful fish in the ocean - or the cool sleakness of a shark or marlin - or the mirror sheen of so many others, and the disign crew goes with the scheme that's all camoflaged and washed out. Awesome. So exciting.

Like that of a flounder or something. Flounder Man.

He certainly doesn't look kingly, or even the least bit regal. But this is the Zack Snyder aesthetic now; and it's a given. Some people will like it and that's ok. Others won't like it and that's ok too.

I don't think it's fair to criticise his tattoos, because Jason Momoa actually has tattoos like that. He had them in Game of Thrones, Stargate Atlantis too and they are always integrated pretty well into whatever character it is.

And either way, we don't know what mer-people would actually be like. Maybe they'd have tribes.

I do like the scale ones and the triangle ones (some of which as you mentioned, are actually his own) a lot here. They do look good and are thematically consistant with the ocean/fish scales/etc.. I'd say they are the best part of his design even. - and I probably should have mentioned that in my original post. The others, like accross the chest it just isn't clear what those ones are or what significance they could have thematically (looking closely, they might even be straps accross the chest for the guard on his shoulder; but I can't be sure as it all blends together in that region of the body. And strictly from a design standpoint, I find that to be problematic). And you're correct, they could have tribes or any form of social structure really, and any number of ways to visually represent that structure.

It isn't so much that I'm harping on Momoa's personal tattooing choices. Rather my criticism is directed at the studio's overall design choices - given they can take away or add at will, as they have added here with what I find to be hit and miss results.

I focused on it first impression, simply because of what immediately came to my mind, personally. The design, on the whole comes accross, again - just to me personally, as trying way too hard or looking back in time a little too far aesthetically. Harkening back to my "badass" comment. Forbes calls the design "'Outrageous'" and and Screen Rant states, "Zack Snyder promised the world a 'badass' Aquaman." Which sounds exactly like Zack Snyder. Badass just for badassness' sake. And that's fine. But nothing really stands out to me as being as uniquely "Aquaman King of Atlantis".

Here's a question (not meant as snark in any way - it's genuine curiosity for your opinion: Take away his triden and the title - and all the extra cues outside of the image itself (like the title of the article). You just have the image. Would you be able to determine, by design alone that you were looking at Aquaman?

No, but Aquaman isn't a well known hero with a defining silouette. The classic Aquaman is just a blonde dude in some scale mail, with a trident. If you took away the claws from Wolverine, it's tough to see that he's Wolverine. Take away the bat accessories from the Batman suit, and he's just a guy in a black suit with a cape. Its unfair to do that to Aquaman because he's not particularly well known or iconic like other heroes - this is his first ever outing on the big screen, so giving him Jason Momao + a strong visual design is going to be THE first glimpse at Aquaman for many people.

 

[coheedswicked]

You know, bitching about changing the colour scheme seems a bit silly when you consider that one of the most mocked and despised aspects of Aquaman IS his original colour scheme.

That's a pretty good point actually. Maybe Jason Momoa can actually dispel the saying: "Aquaman sucks, even underwater."

Still they're going to have to do a pretty good job with the dawn of justice movie for the actual Justice League movie to have a chance. But seeing as how certain parts of the team seem to have been selected because they hate comic books... Hope runs a bit thin, and thinner if they think the answer to DC's character-less characters is to make it all dark and gritty. Personally I think what's gonna happen is it's gonna go of as DC/WB trying to jump on the Marvel fuelled comic book movie bandwagon, but missing it by providing too little, too late.

Really if they wanted to do something productive with DC it would be to basically introduce all the characters, give them a bit more of a classic and campy spin, and only then think of doing Justice League. As it stands Marvel dominates the more serious minded comic book movie market, so campy DC would be a fun way to off set that.

What Marvel movies have you been watching? Sure Winter Soldier was pretty serious but look at Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy. Those movies had just as much comedy and fun as they did awesome action scenes. DC is trying to replicate the success of the Dark Knight trilogy by making all of their characters Batman. People are wondering who the seventh will be, answer: another Batman.

That being said, I think it's a good idea for DC to try to make their movies very distinct from the overall bright and cheerful Marvel. I'm just afraid they may be taking it too far in some cases. I don't like the mopey Superman from Man of Steel, I'm hoping he'll actually have some character development in this next movie (since it's technically his sequel) and become the paragon of hope that we all know and love, while Batman can still be the dark, brooding cynic we all know and love. This will give the movie great contrast and still allow them to keep their more serious tone.

 

[vagabondwillsmile]

No, but Aquaman isn't a well known hero with a defining silouette. The classic Aquaman is just a blonde dude in some scale mail, with a trident. If you took away the claws from Wolverine, it's tough to see that he's Wolverine. Take away the bat accessories from the Batman suit, and he's just a guy in a black suit with a cape. Its unfair to do that to Aquaman because he's not particularly well known or iconic like other heroes - this is his first ever outing on the big screen, so giving him Jason Momao + a strong visual design is going to be THE first glimpse at Aquaman for many people.

Yah, that's a good point about it being the first glimpse for people. It will be interesting to see how it all shakes out.

 

[Atmos Duality]

Once upon a time, I might have been excited to see Khal Drogo as Aquaman.
...But I saw Man of Steel...and dearly wished I hadn't.

That movie gave me such a migraine.