McFarlane DC Super Powers Black Manta Walmart Exclusive

As we reported on our McFarlane DC Super Powers Wave 4 leaked list a couple months ago, Black Manta was supposed to be part of the DC Super Powers Wave 4. Well when McFarlane Super Powers Wave 4 Preorders came out today, one name was missing from those preorders that showed up on Entertainment Earth and BBTS, and that name was, you guess it, Black Manta! Well the reason for that is that today, we get the announcement from McFarlane Toys that Black Manta will be a Walmart exclusive! You heard me, yes a Walmart Exclusive, suffice to say this guy might be a bit hard to find at first, but with any luck he will be stocked a plenty as the rest of the DC Super Powers eventually have been.

Black Manta

Black Manta, Aquaman’s nemesis is another exciting name to be leaked in the DC Super Powers Wave 4. Black Manta was never made for the vintage Super Powers line, so it is be very cool to get a Kenner style version of him! I love that he is a bright blue color and includes the hoses to his face mask just like in the animated Super Friends cartoons! It’s was so cool to see the reveal for Aquaman today, so it was only fitting that we get his arch enemy Black Manta!

Where to Buy

We want to thank Cullin Guzik for uncovering the listing to Black Manta on Walmart.com, and the listing is below. He shows check availabilty for now, but bookmark this link, and keep checking back!

Below is my DC Comics Multiverse Aquaman Between Two Dooms SDCC 2018 3 pack! These were a very cool set and and I really love how they executed Black Manta for that line.

According to Black Manta | SuperFriends Wiki | Fandom

Black Manta was a criminal who on one occasion tried to rule the oceans. Later he became a member of the Legion of Doom, constantly pitting himself against Aquaman.

Black Manta debuted in Aquaman vol.1, #35^[3] (October, 1967).

He was created by Bob Haney and Nick Cardy.

Black Manta’s first animated appearance was on the Aquaman animated series (a Filmation cartoon that premiered on CBS on September 9, 1967, and ended June 1970); in which he was also a featured as a regular villain.

Black Manta’s first appearance in the The All-New Super Friends Hour marks the unofficial first time that a DC supervillain appeared on Hanna Barbera’s Super Friends.

Black Manta | SuperFriends Wiki | Fandom

Interestingly, he did not go by Black Manta, he went by just ‘Manta.’

In this appearance his suit color was olive brown.

His first origin was given in DC Comics Aquaman, Vol.4, #6^[4] (May, 1992), by writer Shaun McLaughlin. It is part of the Modern Age / New Earth continuity. In this origin, the boy who would become Black Manta grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, and loved to play by the sea. As a youth he was kidnapped and sexually abused on a ship for an unspecified amount of time. At one point he apparently saw Aquaman with his dolphin friends and tried to signal him for help but was not seen. Finally, he was forced to defend himself, killing one of his tormentors on the ship with a knife. Hating the emotionless sea (and Aquaman, whom he saw as its representative), the boy was determined to become its master.

His second origin was given in DC Comics Aquaman, Vol. 6, #8^[5] (September 2003), by writer Rick Veitch. It is part of the Modern Age / New Earth continuity. In this origin, the boy who would become Black Manta was an orphan who has autism and was placed in Gotham City‘s Arkham Asylum. He felt comfortable in freezing cold water, while cotton sheets were excruciatingly painful. Because the attendants at Arkham didn’t know how to deal with autism, they would end up restraining him to the bed as he struggled and screamed whenever they tried putting him there. The boy was also fascinated when he saw Aquaman on television. The boy would end up being subjected to experimental treatments. One treatment seemed to clear the boy’s head, but left him violent as a result; he killed the scientist who had administered the treatment and escaped from Arkham

While we are at it, let’s take a look at Black Manta’s nemesis, Aquaman!

Aquaman – Rebirth

Aquaman, King of the Seven Seas is the next of the latest Wave 4 figures. The packaging for this Aquaman is similar on to it’s Kenner vintage counterpart but with an incredible illustration the more modern Aquaman Rebirth on the front and cross sell and file card on the back. The new Aquaman Rebirth is a more modern movie version of Aquaman with the long hair, beard, and no black shorts, rather than the classic Super Powers Aquaman we all know and love. Aquaman still looks pretty cool, and he does include his classic trident, but hopefully this means we will get our classic Arthur Curry vintage style version of him!

Aquaman Rebirth DC Super Powers Package rear

Kenner Aquaman

Aquaman was one of my favorites Super Powers figures as a kid. I never got many toys as a child, but I remember my mom taking me to Toys R Us as a child to pick out my Hannukah gift and I immediately went over to the aisle where the Super Powers figures were hanging. I picked out Aquaman and he was the first action figure I remember getting as a kid! I used to carry Aqui with me everywhere! I remember to taking him to school one day, and he had been holding his trident in his hands all day, but I suddenly noticed that the trident was missing! The horror, I lost his accessory and panic suddenly came over me, when I looked across the room, only to see a school mate using my Aqui’s trident as a freakin tooth pick!! I immediately ran across the room and ripped it out of that kids hands and washed it! How dare he, that as my prize possession! I still have my childhood Aquaman and he is the pride of my Super Powers Collection. shown to the right.