Warning: major spoilers ahead for Dear DC Super-Villains!
Aquaman has defeated Black Manta numerous times, but the super villain has now suffered his most humiliating loss. Dear DC Super-Villains pits the Legion of Doom against themselves — as well as the Justice League. Black Manta is now single-handedly responsible for giving his arch-nemesis all the keys to beating them.
Like other supervillains, Black Manta has had numerous plans foiled by Aquaman and the rest of the Justice League over the years. Some battles are harder for the heroes to win than others. In this new graphic novel, Black Manta just gave Aquaman his easiest win ever. Dear DC Super-Villains is a sequel to Dear Justice League and it expands on the idea of kids asking iconic DC characters questions.
Dear DC Super-Villains was created by Michael Northrop, Gustavo Duarte, Cris Peter, and Wes Abbott. In it, Black Manta gets an e-mail via the Legion of Doom Tip Line of Evil, from a "fan" going by the name of Artie Fishman. While this name initially seems strange to the villain, he brushes it aside when he sees what the e-mail has to say. Artie Fishman claims to be Black Manta's biggest fan and even attaches drawings of his exploits. After stroking his ego just a bit more, Artie finally asks the ultimate question: what is Black Manta's next evil scheme?
It isn't unusual for a villain to give away their plan by providing clues to the hero or even via a lengthy monologue. However, it IS unusual for one to just send it all via an e-mail with only the briefest hesitation. Yet this is exactly what Black Manta does. The next big exploit that the Legion of Doom has planned is revealed in its entirety to Artie Fishman — who is none other than Arthur Curry — Aquaman himself. While it is a hero's job to foil the evil plans of their foes, Black Manta has made it far too easy. Naturally, the Justice League show up and all the villains are stopped, all because of one villain's massive ego.
Villain egos are notoriously large and Black Manta's is no exception. With the addition of modern technology into the lives of heroes and villains, it is clear that a few villains could use a remedial course in sharing personal information. Specifically, what should and should not be shared. Aquaman just pulled off the easiest online undercover operation and it cost every Legion of Doom member their freedom. The King of the Seven Seas is a master tactician, but this tactic definitely doesn't take a genius. It can't be said that Aquaman doesn't know his foe. He clearly knows that Black Manta is full of himself and that boosting him up as a grand figure would cause him to sink his own ship with a pair of loose lips — or rather quick-moving fingertips.
The worst part about it all is that Black Manta KNOWS that it is a bad idea. He decides to do it anyway. While considering the question he literally speaks to himself, asking if he should "tell some random kid" his plans. He knows it isn't a good idea, he knows it sounds silly, yet he decides to go ahead and reveal his plan to "Artie." It's no wonder that Sinestro is insistent on ignoring his teammates' potential messages. Getting a bunch of villains with dreams of world domination to work together is a difficult enough task without their egos ruining the most basic plans. Aquaman is a great hero, but Black Manta shouldn't have been so gullible — this method of getting the jump on the Legion of Doom in Dear DC Super-Villains is truly humiliating.