How does Jason Momoa's new Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom suit compare to Arthur Curry's comic book gear? Translating Aquaman from the pages of DC into live-action is no mean feat, especially within the DCEU's grittier tonal palette. Arthur Curry has long been the butt of fandom jokes and his bright orange and green costume doesn't help matters, making Aquaman look closer to a root vegetable than a member of the Justice League. DC negated the character's comic silliness by casting Jason Momoa - an actor who could make a Pikachu cosplay seem intimidating. Directed by James Wan, the 2018 Aquaman solo movie also gave Curry's superhero suit a much-needed modern makeover, muting the flamboyant colors and evolving the getup into something more armor-like.
But Aquaman's old DCEU gear still retained the core qualities and colors of his comic counterpart - especially compared to the dulled royal green costume he debuted in 2017's Justice League. Now, Wan and Momoa have unveiled Arthur Curry's brand new outfit for Aquaman 2, and it's a vast departure from anything that's come before on the big screen. Sleeker and bluer than his Aquaman and Justice League costumes, the updated design is one color all over and adorned with metallic plating down the limbs. It's closer to something Batman or an especially broody Clark Kent might wear than the King of Atlantis, but Aquaman 2's fresh threads do have precedent in DC comics.
The closest like-for-like comparison is Aquaman's 1980s "camouflage suit," which Wan admits served as primary inspiration for the sequel's redesign. Arthur Curry's blue outfit first appeared in February 1986's "The Rise & Fall & Rise of Atlantis," written by Neal Pozner and drawn by Craig Hamilton. It was designed (in-universe, at least) for hiding among the ocean waves, as Aquaman sought to thwart the evil machinations of Ocean Master, but was only worn in a handful of issues.
Though it draws heavy influence from the 1980s outfit, Jason Momoa's Aquaman 2 gear is still strikingly unique. The comic version bears an actual wave pattern across the entire piece, melding together light and dark tones of blue to resemble something you'd see a surfer pull on in real life. In Aquaman 2, the stealth suit's shimmering blue is consistent all over. Whereas the original was just a glorified wet suit, the live-action interpretation adds thick metal plating and a belt adorned with Arthur's logo, and it's these qualities that strike closer to Deep Dives #6, released in May 2020. This more recent DC comic revived Aquaman's blue Pozner suit, but downplayed some of those 1980s surfer vibes, adding silver pants and a belt with the trademark "A" symbol. This version also placed silver on the forearms and made the torso's wave pattern far more subtle, making for a more direct comparison to Aquaman 2.
Despite resembling the 2020 redesign much more closely, it's easy to see how Aquaman's new DCEU costume acts as a live-action modernization of the blue 1980s comic gear, adapted to fit the franchise's realistic world and Arthur Curry's royal status. Aquaman looks like he's going to war, not taking his board to the beach. Nevertheless, it's also clear how Jason Momoa's updated armor could slip unnoticed through the water, with the blues and silvers rendering Aquaman impossible for enemies to spot. In this sense, the stealth suit fulfills the primary purpose of DC's comic book camouflage suit perfectly.
Although Aquaman 2's costume has strong foundations in the source material, Arthur Curry is still predominantly known for his carrot-colored fashion sense, and James Wan has reached deep into Aquaman lore to find a less conspicuously colored costume. This might suggest a heavier, more serious tone for Aquaman 2 - exploring Arthur's character in a way Atlan's bright armor might undermine. The presence of the stealth suit in Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom might also hint toward a significant role for Patrick Wilson's Ocean Master, who is confirmed to return for the DCEU sequel. Just as the villain forced comic-Aquaman to don the camouflage costume, might Wilson's character push Jason Momoa to enter stealth mode in 2022?
