Warning: contains spoilers for Are You Afraid of Darkseid? #1
Jackson Hyde, aka Aqualad, may work alongside Aquaman to protect both Earth and Atlantis, but he's also the son of Arthur Curry's nemesis, Black Manta. While Aqualad is more or less estranged from his father, Black Manta still looms large in his life, and in "The Ogopogo" readers are reminded of this fact. The story appears in Are You Afraid of Darkseid? a special one-shot anthology featuring horror stories starring the heroes and villains of the DC Universe.
The son of Black Manta and an Atlantean woman, Jackson was hidden away from his father for many years. Thanks to his Atlantean heritage, Aqualad has many of Aquaman’s powers, such as the ability to breathe underwater, superstrength and enhanced endurance, but what sets him apart from Aquaman are his hydrokinetic abilities, allowing him to shape water into hard constructs, such as swords. Due to his adoptive parents, Aqualad grew up free of his father’s corrupting influence, but they have crossed paths many times since, with Black Manta leaving a lasting impression on his son that raises its head in Are You Afraid of Darkseid?
The story, written by Ed Brisson, with art by Christopher Mittens, colors by Tony Avina and letters by Becca Carey, opens with Aqualad and Aquaman confronting Naitaka, a legendary sea serpent that has been attacking ships. They learn that Naitaka, also known as "Ogopogo," is defending her nest from a group of mysterious monsters. These monsters have secreted a psychotropic substance that is causing Naitaka to lash out. During the course of the battle, Aqualad is dosed with the substance, causing intense hallucinations - one of which involves Aquaman adopting a monstrous new form which starts morphing into Black Manta, telling Jackson he is worthless, a disgrace to his lineage and not a hero. Aqualad finds it within himself to fight back against the visions, and ultimately they are able to help Naitaka as well.
Black Manta does not have an active presence in his son’s life, though the two do meet once a year so Jackson can ask his father to turn himself in. Aquaman has stepped into that parental role and kept Aqualad from going down the same path as his father, becoming a mentor and a father figure. Yet Aqualad still carries the shame of his father’s actions, and most likely will for the rest of his life, wondering how they reflect on his own potential for evil. This story perfectly illustrates that while he may view Aquaman as his father figure now, Black Manta will always be a presence in his life. Jackson's anxieties about living up to Aquaman's legacy and his fear of turning out like Black Manta merge together in this horrific hallucination.
As he takes on the responsibility of becoming DC's new Aquaman, Jackson is reckoning with his relationship with Black Manta, and while Aqualad is a hero through and through, this story makes it clear that his biological father's legacy will always haunt him, inextricable from his worries about his role as a hero.