April 13, 2022
Gay Superhero Aqualad Swims from Page to Screen on HBO Max
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Gay DC Comics superhero Aqualad is set to make the jump from comics page to HBO Max. Described as a "dramedy" in a report at Variety, the hour-long series is currently in development and is executive produced by Charlize Theron.
The character – who is derived from a YA graphic novel titled "You Brought Me the Ocean," by Alex Sanchez and Jul Maroh – will also have a love interest, reports noted: Swim team captain Kenny Liu.
Variety and Nerdist described the show as a coming-of-age story centered around gay teenager Jackson Hyde, a New Mexico native who attends college on the East Coast and discovers an affinity for the ocean that includes the ability to breathe underwater.
Nerdist and Variety recalled that Hyde has roots in two versions of Aqualad. The first – a young sidekick for Aquaman – was named Garth and was part of the Teen Titans. Hyde is a newer creation, introduced in 2010 as a half-Atlantean who is also known as Kaldur'ahm; the character was revamped as gay in 2016, when DC underwent a brand-wide reboot.
"The 21st century Aqualad has received a popularity that the original never really had," Nerdist recounted. "When the 'Young Justice' animated series returned after many years, they also revealed that Kaldur'ahm was LGBTQ. He is now one of DC's premier gay heroes."
Both reports noted rumors that Aqualad will appear in the next installment of the "Aquaman" movie series, where Jason Momoa plays
the legendary superhero and hereditary King of Atlantis. No casting news has yet been announced for Aqualad either in film or on television.
Variety took note of the numerous DV properties that have been turned into (or are being developed as) TV shows for HBO Max, including "Titan," "Doom Patrol," and an animated series focusing on Harley Quinn.
Moreover, Variety noted, "HBO Max is currently prepping a spinoff of 'The Batman' starring Colin Farrell as The Penguin as well as a 'Green Lantern' series from Greg Berlanti among several other projects."
Previous reports have noted that Berlanti's "Green Lantern" project will feature an out version of that character as well, played by "Stonewall" actor Jeremy Irvine.
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
