Uploaded December 2023 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Beyond The Blonde: How Momoa's Aquaman Shattered a White Narrative || Jason Momoa's time as Aquaman and reshaping him as a Polynesian-American hero helped dismantle the historical white privilege and often overlooked bigoted undertones surrounding the character; both in the real world and in the DC Universe. Now the traditionally white, often Eurocentric narrative usually associated with Arthur Curry is properly applied to a character that makes more sense.
Start streaming Aquaman 2018 online exclusively on Max!
Get "Aquaman (2018)" Here!
amzn.to/3vfG04T
Subscribe to READUS 101 for racial, social and queer film & tv analysis and perspective on your favorite bits of geek and pop culture media!
References & Resources
The Invention of the White Race, Volume 2: The Origin of Racial Oppression in Anglo-America by Theodore W. Allen
amzn.to/3D5H8Zf
The Cross of Redemption: Uncollected Writings by James Baldwin
amzn.to/3PItO4F
Excelsior! The Amazing Life of Stan Lee by Stan Lee and George Mair
amzn.to/3RVV3cK
New Heroes on the Block: "Justice League" introduces Aquaman, the Flash, and Cyborg by Emily Zemler
latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-ca-mn-justice-league-aquaman-flash-cyborg-20171110-story.html
Justice League - Q&A With Jason Momoa (Arthur Curry/Aquaman) by Andrew Germishuys
https://www.samdb.co.za/blogs/blog/2017/10/17/justice-league-qa-with-jason-momoa-arthur-curry-aquaman/
Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics | Full-Length Documentary | Warner Bros. Entertainment
Jack Kirby Interview by Gary Groth
tcj.com/jack-kirby-interview
Bob Kane: The Man Behind Batman
npr.org/2008/07/11/92448501/bob-kane-the-man-behind-batman
Cronin Theory of Comics: "Keith Giffen As Plotting God - Scripting Devil" by Brian Cronin
cbr.com/cronin-theory-of-comics-keith-giffen-as-plotting-god-scripting-devil
Shades of Prejudice by Shankar Vedantam
nytimes.com/2010/01/19/opinion/19vedantam.html
A Sociologist Examines the "White Fragility" That Prevents White Americans From Confronting Racism by Katy Waldman
newyorker.com/books/page-turner/a-sociologist-examines-the-white-fragility-that-prevents-white-americans-from-confronting-racism
How White Victimhood Fuels Republican Politics by Alex Samuels and Neil Lewis Jr.
fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-white-victimhood-fuels-republican-politics
Bright: The Apotheosis of Lazy Worldbuilding | Video Essay
"Why Aquaman's Villain Looks Like the OG Hero" by Keely Flaherty
fandom.com/articles/why-aquamans-villain-looks-like-the-og-hero
How did the Nazis Construct an Aryan Identity?
https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/how-did-nazis-construct-aryan-identity
Patrick Wilson talks playing Orm - Aquaman Exclusive Interview (2018)
Click here to see how Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” helped recontextualize body snatcher horror as an allegory for white homogenization!
youtu.be/9rJt6SeZfC0
Recording Equipment:
Canon Rebel T7i DSLR - amzn.to/313eINX
Padcaster Parrot Teleprompter Kit - amzn.to/3fKMD23
Tascam DR-60DMKII Portable Digital Recorder - amzn.to/3lLmgzc
VidPro XM-55 Condenser Shotgun Microphone Kit - amzn.to/3CsNAIu
ePhoto Photography Studio Lighting Kit - amzn.to/2NkSzm7
ESDDI Softbox Photography Lighting Kit - amzn.to/314KHgy
Subscribe to Readus 201!
youtube.com/@readus201
Subscribe to Readus 101: The Newsletter!
readus101.substack.com
Support My Patreon!
patreon.com/readus_101
Make One-Time Donations At:
paypal.me/readus101
ko-fi.com/readus
Buy Official Readus 101 Merch Here!
readus101.creator-spring.com
_____________________
00:00:00 Introduction
00:07:06 The Bluest Eye
00:27:07 Atlantean Fragility
00:53:25 Ain’t Yo’ Mamma Atlantean?
01:07:45 The (Ocean) Master Race
01:20:59 Conclusion
Music
“Blue Rose” by B-RadGfromOV
newgrounds.com/audio/listen/591741
Readus 101 Theme:
“Phantom” by B-RadGfromOV
newgrounds.com/audio/listen/595212
Facebook: facebook.com/readus101
Twitter: twitter.com/Readus_101
Tumblr: readus101.tumblr.com
Instagram: instagram.com/readus101
TikTok: @Readus101
#aquaman #aquamanandthelostkingdom #dccomics
youtube.com/watch?v=xWMoBzz7r_M
Beyond The Blonde: How Momoa's Aquaman Shattered a White Narrative || Jason Momoa's time as Aquaman and reshaping him as a Polynesian-American hero helped dismantle the historical white privilege and often overlooked bigoted undertones surrounding the character; both in the real world and in the DC Universe. Now the traditionally white, often Eurocentric narrative usually associated with Arthur Curry is properly applied to a character that makes more sense.
Start streaming Aquaman 2018 online exclusively on Max!
Get "Aquaman (2018)" Here!
amzn.to/3vfG04T
Subscribe to READUS 101 for racial, social and queer film & tv analysis and perspective on your favorite bits of geek and pop culture media!
References & Resources
The Invention of the White Race, Volume 2: The Origin of Racial Oppression in Anglo-America by Theodore W. Allen
amzn.to/3D5H8Zf
The Cross of Redemption: Uncollected Writings by James Baldwin
amzn.to/3PItO4F
Excelsior! The Amazing Life of Stan Lee by Stan Lee and George Mair
amzn.to/3RVV3cK
New Heroes on the Block: "Justice League" introduces Aquaman, the Flash, and Cyborg by Emily Zemler
latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-ca-mn-justice-league-aquaman-flash-cyborg-20171110-story.html
Justice League - Q&A With Jason Momoa (Arthur Curry/Aquaman) by Andrew Germishuys
https://www.samdb.co.za/blogs/blog/2017/10/17/justice-league-qa-with-jason-momoa-arthur-curry-aquaman/
Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics | Full-Length Documentary | Warner Bros. Entertainment
Jack Kirby Interview by Gary Groth
tcj.com/jack-kirby-interview
Bob Kane: The Man Behind Batman
npr.org/2008/07/11/92448501/bob-kane-the-man-behind-batman
Cronin Theory of Comics: "Keith Giffen As Plotting God - Scripting Devil" by Brian Cronin
cbr.com/cronin-theory-of-comics-keith-giffen-as-plotting-god-scripting-devil
Shades of Prejudice by Shankar Vedantam
nytimes.com/2010/01/19/opinion/19vedantam.html
A Sociologist Examines the "White Fragility" That Prevents White Americans From Confronting Racism by Katy Waldman
newyorker.com/books/page-turner/a-sociologist-examines-the-white-fragility-that-prevents-white-americans-from-confronting-racism
How White Victimhood Fuels Republican Politics by Alex Samuels and Neil Lewis Jr.
fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-white-victimhood-fuels-republican-politics
Bright: The Apotheosis of Lazy Worldbuilding | Video Essay
"Why Aquaman's Villain Looks Like the OG Hero" by Keely Flaherty
fandom.com/articles/why-aquamans-villain-looks-like-the-og-hero
How did the Nazis Construct an Aryan Identity?
https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/how-did-nazis-construct-aryan-identity
Patrick Wilson talks playing Orm - Aquaman Exclusive Interview (2018)
Click here to see how Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” helped recontextualize body snatcher horror as an allegory for white homogenization!
youtu.be/9rJt6SeZfC0
Recording Equipment:
Canon Rebel T7i DSLR - amzn.to/313eINX
Padcaster Parrot Teleprompter Kit - amzn.to/3fKMD23
Tascam DR-60DMKII Portable Digital Recorder - amzn.to/3lLmgzc
VidPro XM-55 Condenser Shotgun Microphone Kit - amzn.to/3CsNAIu
ePhoto Photography Studio Lighting Kit - amzn.to/2NkSzm7
ESDDI Softbox Photography Lighting Kit - amzn.to/314KHgy
Subscribe to Readus 201!
youtube.com/@readus201
Subscribe to Readus 101: The Newsletter!
readus101.substack.com
Support My Patreon!
patreon.com/readus_101
Make One-Time Donations At:
paypal.me/readus101
ko-fi.com/readus
Buy Official Readus 101 Merch Here!
readus101.creator-spring.com
_____________________
00:00:00 Introduction
00:07:06 The Bluest Eye
00:27:07 Atlantean Fragility
00:53:25 Ain’t Yo’ Mamma Atlantean?
01:07:45 The (Ocean) Master Race
01:20:59 Conclusion
Music
“Blue Rose” by B-RadGfromOV
newgrounds.com/audio/listen/591741
Readus 101 Theme:
“Phantom” by B-RadGfromOV
newgrounds.com/audio/listen/595212
Facebook: facebook.com/readus101
Twitter: twitter.com/Readus_101
Tumblr: readus101.tumblr.com
Instagram: instagram.com/readus101
TikTok: @Readus101
#aquaman #aquamanandthelostkingdom #dccomics
youtube.com/watch?v=xWMoBzz7r_M
