Black Manta is about to discover Aquaman's version of Kryptonite. This will occur in Black Manta's new series, spinning out of Aquaman's 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Special, releasing on August 31. Naturally, the series will be set near Atlantis and will explore the aforementioned villain as more of an anti-hero. This new adventure will lead him to discover a new mineral that could very well spell doom for all of Atlantis.
Every character, whether they are a hero and villain, has weaknesses. Even DC's strongest superhero, Superman, has a number of ways that his villains could depower and weaken him. Superman's greatest weakness is his vulnerability to kryptonite, a rock originating from Krypton. It has the power to completely disarm the Man of Steel and put him into a state of pure agony. The term "kryptonite" has since been used to describe other character's ultimate weaknesses.
DC Comics has released the solicitation for Black Manta #2 by Chuck Brown and Valentine De Landro, which features the titular villain on the hunt for a deadly new mineral. What Black Manta is looking for is a rare metal, seemingly discovered for the first time somewhere in the ocean. He will be pursuing the newfound metal which DC promises has special properties. Not only is it one-of-a-kind, but it's also Aquaman's kryptonite. The solicitation teases that it's a "metal that kills anyone with Atlantean DNA!" Clearly, this new metal is a riff on Superman's kryptonite and would be deadly if the wrong forces got ahold of it.
- BLACK MANTA #2
- Writer: CHUCK BROWN
- Artist: VALENTINE DE LANDRO
- Cover: VALENTINE DE LANDRO
- Variant Cover: SANFORD GREENE
- $3.99 US | 32 PGS | 2 of 6 | $4.99 US VARIANT (Card Stock)
- ON SALE 10/12/21
- Black Manta and Gallous pursue a deadly metal, coveted across the seven seas...a metal that kills anyone with Atlantean DNA! Is it this terrible treasure that summons Torrid, a woman from Black Manta's past, who just literally broke out of Hell to attack him? And how does it connect to Devil Ray, the new bad boy of the oceans, looking to punish the surface world? From the writer of Bitter Root and the artist of Bitch Planet comes a wild new chapter in the story of one of DC's most iconic villains!
Potentially, Black Manta could wipe out the entirety of Atlantis, if he were to attain the rare metal. However, it seems he isn't the only villain searching for the deadly mineral. Torrid, an old acquaintance of Black Manta, is summoned from Hell by the mysterious metal. The two will cross paths, but can Black Manta trust his hellish friend? Nevertheless, Aquaman will have to do something about this dangerous new substance as it could threaten Atlantis' entire existence. The properties of the metal remain unknown, but somehow, like kryptonite to Kryptonians, Black Manta's desired metal is set to have the same effect on Atlanteans.
Ultimately, DC's new solo series dedicated to Black Manta is sure to have its twists and turns. And it's pretty obvious that Black Manta is in for redemption, or at least a partial one. Especially, as Devil Ray arrives. He threatens Black Manta's reign as the most dastardly villain of the seven seas. If Black Manta gets his hands on the metal first, he will have the upper hand, considering that Devil Ray is a non-land dweller. It can be presumed that he is probably from Atlantis and would be susceptible to the metal, unlike Black Manta. Black Manta #2 releases on October 12 in comic book stores and on digital platforms.