As a young adult, David Hyde lived with his father on a houseboat, earning some reputation as a diver and a treasure hunter. He and his father sought out the Black Pearl which would allow the user to possess Hydrokinetic abilities. He began his search in the Bermuda Triangle where he discovered the lost Atlantean kingdom of Xebel. There he seduced a woman who would adopt the name 'Lucia Hyde,' wanting the map to the Pearl. However she smelt out his evil intention so made a proxy map. Because of this David wasn't able to find the Pearl until much later.
He was contracted by Doctor Stephen Shin to procure a sample of Arthur Curry's blood to prove that the young man was an Atlantean. During the encounter, Arthur's father, Thomas, came to his son's defense and suffered a heart attack. Thomas died three days later, and Arthur swore revenge. On the day of Thomas' funeral, Arthur stormed the boat belonging to the man he deemed responsible for his father's death. In the rain and darkness, Arthur murdered Hyde's father, on the assumption that he was the killer. Out of vengeance, Hyde crafted weapons and armor, and went hunting. When the Atlantean became a publicly-known hero as Aquaman, David became Black Manta.
Manta would come into conflict with Arthur and his team The Others many times. The Others wanted to find and safeguard the Seven Relics of Atlantis- powerful artifacts forged by the first king of Atlantis Atlan. Manta attempted to stop the team at every turn but they were too strong as a unified force. Eventually the Others found the artifacts and split up across the globe, each member taking one artifact with them except for the seventh relic that was never found. Aquaman would later go on to fall in love with the princess of Xebel Mera and co-found the Justice League, both aspects of Arthur's life that Hyde wanted to rip away from him.
Featured in these Comics
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![Aquaman]()
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DC Comics2011 - 2016 -
![Aquaman]()
17
DC Comics2016 - Present -
![Aquaman / Justice League: Drowned Earth]()
1
DC Comics2018 -
![Aquaman: Rebirth]()
1
DC Comics2016 -
![Aquaman: Secret Files & Origins]()
1
DC Comics -
![Batman / Superman]()
1
DC Comics2019 - Present
Character History
CREATORS: Bob Haney & Nick Cardy
PRE-CRISIS FIRST APPEARANCE: Aquaman Vol. 1#35 (August, 1967)
POST-FLASHPOINT FIRST APPEARANCE: Aquaman Vol. 7 #7 (May, 2012)