- If the stone doesn't kill me during this quest, I fear something else will.
Black Manta #1 is an issue of the series Black Manta (Volume 1) with a cover date of November, 2021. It was published on September 7, 2021.
Synopsis for "Assassin of the Sea"
Black Manta believes he is dying and is thinking about his legacy and whether he will only be remembered as Aquaman's villain. He was drawn to a mysterious nugget of metal, and ever since he found it he has been having painful aneurysms. He is trying to find out where the stone came from before he dies and writes a letter to his son detailing his thoughts.
Captain Demo stole the stone from Manta's broker Gallous the Goat so Manta goes to retrieve it. He mercilessly kills the crew and takes the rock. He then leaves, seemingly ignoring Demo's hostages, but he makes eye contact with a young black boy as he departs.
Meanwhile in Metropolis, D-list supervillain the Human Flame and his African-American henchmen "Blue", "Orange" and "Red" successfully rob a bank, but during the getaway Blue abruptly slits Human Flame's throat and forces him to transfer his essence into a box on Blue's wrist. Blue invites the shocked Red and Orange, who are weapons and explosives experts, a chance to join his much grander plans. He takes them to his hideout, a magical pocket dimension hidden in a junkyard, where he has a much larger sample of the mysterious metal. He explains that the Human Flame's fire is the only one hot enough to cut the metal, which the three of them will shape into a weapon.
Around the world, seemingly unconnected black people are suffering the same attacks as Black Manta. After his latest attack, Manta chastises Gallous for her lack of ruthlessness, as her moral scruples cost them time and money vital to their mission. She responds that Manta taught her to be merciless but precise with force, but he has lately become far more violent and reckless.
In the Underworld, a statue explodes, freeing a woman wearing a necklace made of the mystery metal. She conjures a sword of fire and fights her way through the surrounding demons.
Appearing in "Assassin of the Sea"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Captain Demo (First appearance)
- Captain Demo's Crew (Single appearance)
- Demons
Other Characters:
- Aqualad (Jackson Hyde) (Behind the scenes)
- "Blue" (First appearance)
- Cal (Dr. Shin's student) (Single appearance) (Cameo)
- Human Flame (Michael Miller) (Apparent Death)
- Dr. Shin (Cameo)
- Torrid (First appearance; unnamed)
- Gruff (First appearance; unnamed) (Cameo)
- Unnamed hostages (Single appearance)
- Sam (First appearance; unnamed)
- Aquaman (Arthur Curry) (Mentioned only)
- Atlanteans (Mentioned only)
- Batman (Bruce Wayne) (Mentioned only)
- Gods of Olympus (Mentioned only)
- Kryptonians (Mentioned only)
- Manta Men (Mentioned only)
- Martians (Mentioned only)
- Superman (Clark Kent) (Mentioned only)
- Xebelians (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Multiverse
- Devil Ray's Lair/Unnamed Pocket Dimension (First appearance)
- Earth 0
- Ethiopia (Cameo)
- Japan (Cameo)
- United States of America
- Boston (Unnamed)
- Coast City (Cameo)
- Gotham City (Cameo)
- Metropolis
- Star City (Cameo)
- Bermuda (Mentioned only)
- Bialya (Mentioned only)
- China (Mentioned only)
- Sphere of the Gods
Items:
Vehicles:
- Captain Demo's Ship
- Manta-Sub
Concepts:
Notes
- This comic follows on from the story "Red Sea" in Aquaman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1.
See Also