Note: The following are the winners and runners up of our Aquaman: Sea Change contest! Thanks so much to everyone who participated, and to our pals at Whitechapel, Superhero Cocoa, and Superhero of the Month, who all joined on on the Aquaman fun. Today is Project: Rooftop’s fifth anniversary, and Aquaman is just the hero for this OUTRAGEOUS celebration! Joining us are noted Aquaman experts Tom vs. Aquaman podcaster Tom Katers, NPR comics blogger Glen Weldon, Aquaman Shrine caretaker Rob Kelly, and DC Comics writer Chris Roberson! Congrats to the winners and runners up, and be sure to check back later in the week for the incredible honorable mentions post! – Dean Trippe
First Place Winner: Daniel Mikah Govar!
Daniel Mikah Govar
Total Score: 97.5 (Out of a possible 110 points)
Dean: 10. Yeah, that’s perfect. The familiar belt emblem’s been moved to join the collar, which is wide, similar to several previous depictions of the character. As a combined accessory, the collar piece now evokes sea life structures as well as evoking a crown shape. The orange armor is upgraded to full three-dimensionally, and the pants are now simply divided into black and green sections, in a simple wave pattern, recalling Arthur’s blue ocean camouflage look from the 80s. I like the bare hands and surprisingly intimidating clawed & webbed boots. This is exactly what Aquaman should look like, in my opinion. This is a huge win.
Vito: 10. When Daniel said he was entering a piece in the contest, I pretty much expected him to earn a 10 from me. He didn’t disappoint. The first thing I like is that he didn’t shy away from what came before; it’s sometimes a subtle fix that changes everything. The “A” logo is moved up to the neck and funny enough, Daniel and Alex Mitchell have a weird almost briny construct creating it. The fish scale shirt (if it’s actually fish scales; I’m just referring to it as such because that’s what it calls to mind) is almost exaggerated, making it stand out. But the pants…Dean said it reminds him of the blue water camo, and that’s exactly what I see. In the Aquaman stories I’ve written (in my head), he’s the Flash of the sea (he’s the Superman of the sea, too), and as such, his costume should give some kind of blur effect in the art. Accomplished here. I think the one thing about this costume to note is that, in all honesty, there’s nothing wrong with it.
Tim: 9.5. Daniel has come in with a relatively traditional, yet powerhouse redesign. I’m with Dean and Vito on almost everything here. The only thing that keeps this from being a perfect 10 for me is the monstrous webbed feet. I think they go a little too far, and this costume might benefit from more humanoid feet. But the rest of this costume captures the essence of Aquaman—regal, dangerous, aquatic, ready for battle—without going so far away from his classic look as to be unrecognizable. Good stuff.
Jon: 5. The scalloped feet—which unfortunately give Aquaman the appearance of having scary duck boots on—and the golden “A” collar—which looks like bling—turn me off, I’m afraid. I’m not sure how I feel about the “waves” on the legs, but I do know I wish that the shirt and the pants had some greater sense of unity, instead of bisecting him at the waist.
Rachel: Can we agree that “Scary duck boots” is the phrase of the contest? I mean! Scary duck boots!
Rob!: 8. The scalloped feet make total sense, yet they still kinda bother me—makes Aquaman seem less than human to me, almost kinda scary. The rest of the suit is top notch and I love making the tunic more like chain-mail armor.
Glen: 9. I get what Jon’s saying about placing the “A” on the collar—it does look like a pendant—but I’m okay with that, because that collar is so cool. I mean, if freakin’ AQUAMAN can’t rock a boat-neck collar, who of us can? I like going full-on with the classic scaled tunic—it’d be hell to draw, panel after panel, but it’s certainly striking, and kingly. Don’t mind the scalloped feet—always thought the guy should have webbed fingers and toes, if only to provide a peg for Aquaman/“Man from Atlantis” slashfic.
Chris A: 9.5. Bravo. Govar really takes what’s come before with the Aquaman design and escalated it to a natural but progress permutation. Haircuts don’t normally classify as design, but I have to say the curls are really befitting of Aquaman and play well with the golden tunic. Other artists have drawn that golden tunic before, but Govar gives it a very unnatural reflective quality that is very striking. Imagine seeing Aquaman swimming in a deep undersea trench where its dark and then a luminescent sea creature gives light to glint off that. That would be a great visual.
Tom: 9. I love the shiny scales on top and the freakazoid feet. The shimmering look of the scales scream ocean and water to me. I dug on the webbed feet as they give the whole look some balance. I see this guy coming out of the water and I am going to want to get a look at that orange top, and then I am going to jump back when I see those feet. The outcast king has to buy his shoes at a specialty store.
Chris R: 10. Yes. Just, YES. My favorite interpretation of Aquaman’s traditional costume has always been Alan Davis’s, and one of the signatures of Alan’s design was a wide, WIDE collar, and treating the orange shirt as scale-mail and not just a skin-tight shirt with scallops drawn on. What Daniel has done here is to take those basic elements and turn the knob up to 11. And the collar and “A” combining as a kind of crown? Brilliant. I love, love, LOVE everything about this design.
Jessi: 7.5. Loving the top-half of the costume, from the “A” in the center of his boat-neat collar, to the razor sharp fish-scale plates. Top half screams a totally regal, sea do-gooder, but the bottom half loses me. Its flat and lacks cohesion with the top.
Rachel: 10. This is good. This is REALLY good. This is super-pissed-off-underwater-elf-prince-superhero fusion so sharp that if it ever showed up in an official comic, Namor would invade from the Marvel Universe out of sheer jealousy. The wrought collar with the logo worked in, turning the texture of the top into full-blown scale mail, and the subtle waves on the legs—which could easily have clashed with the scale pattern if they’d been even a touch less subtle—work together beautifully. And I LIKE the slightly monstrous feet; again, I don’t know the character well, but they set him off from the run-of-the-mill spandex set in really interesting and evocative ways.
Second Place Winner: Jordan Gibson!
Jordan Gibson
Total Score: 92.5
Dean: 8. I love this one from Jordan. The colors just rock. I dig the dark teal bodysuit, reddish-orange armor (pushing the orange in the opposite direction of most Aquaman depictions, which tend to lean yellow), and the BRILLIANT green logo and wrist/ankle-bands. The belt logo is badass as hell, leaving this design looking cleaner and more “Silver Age Revisited” than any of our other entries.
Vito: 7. I just get a sense of royalty looking at this, which is a good feeling to get when you look at a costume for the king of the seas. I love the Brightest Day collar (Nehru?) and I lean toward those designs that utilize it because it is so doggone eye-catching, in light of the conclusion of Blackest Night, that I can’t tear myself away from my love for it. The belt seems a little busy, but not terribly.
Jon: 9. Boss. Great integration, love the dynamic Aqualad-sympathetic color-scheme, love the bands on the bare feet and hands, the all-around texturing, one of my favorites.
Vito: Oh, good call on the Aqualadish color scheme, Jon!
Tim: 9. If you had described this costume to me, I would have said that it’s the wrong way to go for the character, but Jordan completely pulls it all off by keeping it simple in just the right places, yet adding that intricate belt design and high color to give it the right touch of ancient regality. This redesign says “Gold Key Aquaman” to me, but I think that’s a great approach to the character, bringing back a sense of exploration and wonder (and the idea that anything’s possible under the sea) that popped up in Silver Age Aquaman tales, but also echoing some of the stranger reverberations of other publishers of that era. In other words, this costume? Yes.
Rob!: 8. I like going with a different color scheme, and the suit is very simple and classic.
Glen. 10. Clean, simple, iconic. As noted, it’s reminiscent of a wetsuit—but doesn’t that make perfect sense? I mean, he’s looked like a sailor, a pirate and a lighthouse keeper over the years—why not a surfer? Love the colors, and the simplicity of the rest of the costume permits—practically cries out for—the slightly elaborate design elements of the belt-insignia.
Chris A: 7. This is one of the best examples of an awesome and iconic belt design for Aquaman, and I like the echoes in the bracelets, anklets and necklace. But the color scheme otherwise reminds me too much of Aqualad, not Aquaman.
Tom: 7.5. Simple design that really brings out the uniform side of the costume. Functional without a lot of flair. It does feel like something a general would wear as opposed to a king. Since I haven’t met a general or king my opinion that is purely speculation. I would tweak the color scheme a little bit as I feel it might be a bit too uniform in that regard.
Chris R: 10. A big thumbs up for Jordan’s sleek, Silver Age-y approach. Just so clean and simple, but it REALLY works. Love the belt and the matching wrist bands and collar trim. I’m with Tim in thinking that, had you simply described this to me, I wouldn’t have thought it would work. But seeing it executed in Jordan’s VERY appealing style, I buy it hook, line, and sinker (if you’ll forgive the nautical pun).
Jessi: 9. I want his belt in my life. I don’t know what else I can add to this costume’s clever design that hasn’t been said. So very Silver-Age and such a fresh, sharp take on Aquaman.
Rachel: 9. Regal, sleek, iconic, and clean without being boring. I have no idea why the colors work, but they really, really do.
Third Place Winner: Nate Bellegarde!
Nate Bellegarde
Total Score: 89.5
Dean: 9.5. Holy flip, this is incredible. Nate’s bordering on reimagining the character here, with a whole new color scheme, detailed fin elements, and the BRILLIANT bioelectric depth mode. Fortunately, the new “A” logo keeps me thinking Aquaman. Check out the fin shapes all mirror Nate’s “A” emblem, btw. So cool. It’s so cohesive and beautiful. Every pose feels effortless, like the master swimmer Aquaman is. I’m floored by this one.
Vito: 9. I feel like Nate has brought this forward from some secret vault and said, “Oh guys, did you see this?” I immediately recognize this as Arthur Curry, Orin of Atlantis, Aquaman of the JLA. It’s possibly the most innovative design in the contest, but the antennae are throwing me off just slightly. Don’t dislike them, but I’m just thrown off a step. Still, if Julie Schwartz held this up and said, “Here’s your new Aquaman,” the only thing that would make me flinch is that Julie is somehow talking to me in real life.
Jon: 9.5. A bazillion points for the illuminated highlights, and subsequent gazillion more for the fish-tail “A” on the belt. I’m taking away a half-a-point for the antennae, which I don’t really get, I’m afraid, but totaled up he gets a Brazilian points from me.
Tim: 7. This is an amazing-looking costume, and if I had a bazillion points left to give out (sadly, I only have a measly billion-and-a-half) I would double up on Jon’s generosity. Electric eel mode, go! I would also give a kajillion for the bravery of this design, breaking free from Aquaman tradition like it does. But I don’t see Aquaman when I look at this image, and that’s where it falls apart for me. This might be a more interesting guy than Aquaman (though I doubt it, because Aquaman is the King Of The Frickin’ Seas) but he’s someone new. A new underwater guy. One who looks damn cool (though I’d still recommend losing the bell-bottom fins).
Rob!: 7. Very bold, very different. I could see this as an Aquaman 2099 kind of thing. Beautiful art. I like the antennae, makes me think Aquaman is starting to incorporate some of his finny friends’ physical abilities.
Glen: 8. Seriously, why has no one ever thought to design Aquaman’s “A” insignia like that? It’s so simple, so inevitable, so perfect. And that choice is no fluke (I’m SORRY, okay?)—the whole look is a feat of (re)imagination. I’m okay with the catfish barbels—I like how they subtly evoke a high, kingly, Ming-the-Merciless collar—but they do seem like they’d be awfully vulnerable in a fight. And when he’s out of the water, would they just…hang there? Not as sold on the cut of the top, which doesn’t seem so much feminine as…a bit background-dancery to me. But man, those poses are great, as fluid and kinetic as the element that surrounds him.
Chris A: 8. I’m flipping my sh*t here. It’s as if Nate redesigned Aquaman from the ground up with only text and no art to go by. The bioluminescence! The whisker/tentacle things! The finned logo! Nate’s got some real balls to do this, and he’s got the style and design sense to back this up.
Tom: 8.5. WOW. Evocative of the best elements of Abe Sapien’s design while keeping the Aquaman vibe. I love the hair, especially mixed with that color scheme. It has that high fashion alien style working. Is he cold and unfeeling? Is he stoic but with a heart of gold? There are some many awesome vibes coming off of this design. Again I have to voice my concern about male shoulders being exposed.
Chris R: 7.5. I am a HUGE fan of Nate’s art, and I think that he’s come up with some of the most interesting designs for new characters that I’ve seen in recent years. And that’s what this feels like to me: a new character. If you showed me this piece and said it was from a fantastic new comic called “Underwater Guy,” I would rush out and buy it in a HEARTBEAT. It just moves a BIT too far away from the concept of Aquaman for my tastes.
Jessi: 8.5. So great. I am loving the illuminating pieces; he is underwater most of the time, it just feels natural to have this as being a part of Aquaman costume. Nate’s Arthur belongs in the sea.
Rachel: 7.5. This strikes me more as a new character than as a costume redesign—and a cool enough one that it seems unfair to it to judge it as just a costume redesign. I love the stealth luminescence, and the aquatic alienness of the whole thing.
Runners Up!
Mike Maihack
Total Score: 88.5
Dean: 7. This is just lovely, as expected from Mr. Maihack. The armor looks tough here, unlike the usual fish-scale tights. I also love how the golden accessories have an ancient vibe about them. The trident is rad, too.
Vito: 10. It’s everything I expected from all of the designs: regal, recognizable, and yet forward thinking. It’s got that new collar, which I love, and I can’t get over the integration of the chest armor and the shirt/collar beneath…they flow so well. Great job, Mike!
Jon: 8. Love Mike’s work, as always, particularly the insignia and belt and the armor-like vest. Bold and regal.
Tim: 9.5. Almost perfect in every way. Mike’s redesign alters every component of Aquaman’s costume without much changing how it would look from a distance. It’s so clearly Aquaman, yet it has a bold and bulky and iron-clad quality that suits the character well. I love the aqua-dynamic ridges along the chestplate and leggings, and I think the belt is just great. I’m not completely sold on the one-long-glove look, because the forearm bracers kind of hold the arms together on their own. But, man, this is a good one!
Vito: Ho-lee cuh-rap! I just noticed that Mike even took into consideration that one hand might have been chopped off and replaced with water! Anyone else notice that he’s wearing a glove on one hand? CLASSIC! Can I give Mike another 10 for that?
Rob!: 7. Very nice, very regal, nice art. Would make a great character design for an animated series.
Jessi: 7. Rob, I agree with you, I could totally seeing this as a design for an animated series! Beautiful artwork.
Glen: 8. I’m not normally given to armoring superheroes up, for that way lies madness, and 1997. But I’m on board for this, because the artist isn’t just slapping on pauldrons and spaulders, all higgledy-piggledy (too many artists in the 90s played pin-the-cowter-on-the-hero). No, he’s giving us a straightforward cuirass that picks up the belt insignia without complicating or overshadowing it. We all keep busting out that word “iconic,” but that’s what he’s captured here. Nice.
Chris A: 8. Mike really brought an Arthurian (as in King Arthur!) vibe to this, and I like it. Expanding the chain mail idea into full-on armor? Brilliant. It really makes him seem more than just a “trivial” superhero/adventure but a man responsible for an entire race of people. I’d love to see how other artists would draw Mike’s design.
Tom: 7. Here is your knight of the ocean. I like going with the look of almost just straight up armor on top. If there was just a bit more of an underwater vibe to it I would probably dig it a bit more.
Chris R: 8. I like a LOT about this design, and I LOVE Mike’s style. The only thing that bugs me are the bare arms, but other than that I think it works REALLY well. It reads as regal AND badass, and that’s a great combination.
Rachel: 9. Bare arms make sense on Aquaman; plate-mail, less so. That particular gripe aside, this is really gorgeous. I love the slightly muted palette and the subtle variations in texture.
Sean Izaakse
Total Score: 88
Dean: 7. This is a strong, clean update of the classic Aquaman uniform. The finned gloves, lighter green sections, and very clean “A” emblem are just incredibly appealing. Like some of the other entries, I think it’s a tad too conservative, but I really love some of the thinking here. I’d absolutely approve of this update being brought into the comics.
Vito: 9.5. Dean’s right, the key word is “clean.” It’s incredibly strong and kind of beautiful. The yellowish green elements on the legs could go darker, or maybe just green (which I can understand if not since it wouldn’t look like much of a departure). I do love the way that they tie in to the inner glove, though. Sean’s design is, without the benefit of a cape or crown, really royal. It’s probably just the pose, but this guy commands the room.
Jon: 8. The collar alone is an impressive re-think, as is the belt. The piping on the legs is, unfortunately, a little distracting, the outfit could probably have done better without it. Outside of that, it’s almost a picture perfect streamlining.
Tim: 9.5. Sean’s redesign is the one that probably looks least like a redesign to the average citizen. Most people would probably say, “doesn’t Aquaman already wear that costume?” But Sean takes the best features of the classic look (the color scheme and the textures) and refinishes them to make the outfit look like so much more than a tunic and tights. The collar is a brilliant touch, and the waves on the legs look perfect. My adoration for this design puts me firmly in the traditionalist camp when it comes to Aquaman, but I’m okay with that.
Rob!: 7.5. Not too far from what’s already used in the comics, I could see this one actually being used by DC and put into use.
Glen: 7. I like that the artist has distilled Aquaman’s classic look to its essence, and decided to devote his attention and imagination to changing up a few key elements (the beltline and the collar). That’s essentially what most Aquaman artists over the years have done. Ultimately, however, this didn’t push far enough, for me.
Chris A: 9. Starting from the top —the high neck of the costume gives him a real regal stature. The simple lines of the sleeve show someone who thinks about a costume design as clothing—which I love, and the elegant but powerful cut of the trident really sings. The lines on the pants really strike me as fluid to off-balance the metallic upper body.
Tom: 7.5. Really elegant and very pretty. I especially like the interplay between the two shades of green in the legs. It keeps the piece from looking too stiff. A little too close to the starting point to really wow me.
Chris R: 8.5. I’ll echo what others have said about the collar. It TOTALLY works. And as I said when commenting on Daniel’s redesign above, I’m normally a guy who prefers a wide, WIDE collar on Aquaman. It’s an approach that tweaks the regular Aquaman costume JUST enough to make it something cool and new. The only thing I’m not quite sold on is the lighter green bands down the legs (though I think the light green palms totally work).
Jessi: 7. This one has a very classic look to him, and as others have said before me, I can see this as a working costume. I’m left wanting a little more, though.
Rachel: 6.5. Not bad, but not much of a departure, and I’m not fond of the neon green on the leggings.
Ron Salas
Total Score: 87
Dean: 9. This is just an astonishing level of craft from our pal Ron Salas. The lines and colors are mesmerizing. The details are so clever. Check the collar and cuffs on the sleeves, and the piping at the ankles. I don’t know about Arthur wearing this all day every day, but good grief this should be the official formal wear of Atlantis. It perfectly says Aquaman, but amps up both the ancient regal qualities as well as keeping the superheroic vibe. Great job. This is one of my favorite pieces in this contest.
Vito: 9. Just like Nate’s, I immediately recognize that this is Aquaman, but this one takes less convincing. The only thing that keeps this from a full 10, for me, is the busy-ness of the top. The blue area might not be necessary. But, as an Aquaman design, I dare anyone to put this into canon and tell me this isn’t Aquaman. Bare feet…such a smart move, Ron.
Jon: 7.5. Hypnotic, exceptionally regal. The sleeves and legs might be a bit long for an action costume, but there’s a lot to like in this very royal outfit.
Tim: 9. Huh. I’m not quite sure why this costume doesn’t absolutely wow me, because I like so many of the details here. I think it falls apart in the middle, where the A doesn’t stand out from the V at the top as clearly as it needs to, as if Ron wasn’t sure exactly what to do with all these design details meeting in the middle. But I do like the overall silhouette here and the leggings and feet are the best out of all the entries. Ron’s design might be a bit wayward in the middle, but it sure comes together in the end. Or the feet.
Rob!: 9. While I may not be totally on board with the costume, I am so taken by the illustration—its simply beautiful—that I’m swayed. Love the extra splash of color, too.
Glen: 7. Agreed; this is a gorgeous illustration, and the details at the ankles, wrists and collar really work. Color me a traditionalist, but I don’t think Aquaman needs aqua in his costume, and its presence here amid all the other business going on the torso confuses the eye, a bit. My eye, anyway. If this look were pared back slightly, I think it’d land harder.
Vito: I think that the aqua would work well with other blue tones, like the ocean camouflage costume, but as in my assessment above, and as you said, Glen, it just pulls me out of the orange/green classic, which is right there.
Chris A: 7. I really enjoy Ron’s attention to detail here. I wish I had one of those football commentator pens so I could draw on the screen and point out specifically the things other people might miss but Ron really put into it. I’d like to see the costume short-sleeved with maybe some alternate ideas for the midriff but Ron’s really bringing it.
Tom: 7. I love the drawing. It has a lean and strong look. The costume has a uniform feel but the ankle and wrist details give it enough uniqueness to befit a king. The one major problem is that there are just too many colors on top. Cut out the aqua and I think you have a stronger look.
Chris R: 8. I love, love, LOVE Ron’s art, and I think this is a FANTASTIC redesign. I think the bare feet AND hands is a good choice here. It just feels a bit too formal for everyday wear. I could TOTALLY see this as the Atlantean “dress uniform,” though, worn for ceremonial occasions. I dig it!
Jessi. 7.5. I’m getting the uniform feel of it too, which isn’t a bad thing, but I don’t see this as an adventuring outfit. The detail of the arm cuffs and the piping are fantastic. Its very regal overall.
Rachel: 7. I’ll echo everyone else’s “regal.” I love the details of the cuffs, but there’s something that strikes me as slightly off about the balance of the torso—I think I’d prefer it without the coif.
Note: Lots more Aquamans after the jump! – D.T.
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