This story is 100% better for the appearance of a Native Hawaiian in it. I believe in this Aquaman because I can see that he was born of a people who have stayed connected with the ocean for hundreds of years. I believe in this Atlantis because it stops being a clever gimmick for the use of our story and starts being a real place grounded in fact and history.

I cannot think of a casting choice or redesign that has done more for a character. I cannot think of a presentation that has made me so strongly think: Wow, that actually makes sense. I cannot think of a character reworking that feels so embarrassingly obvious. It is the most inspired decision in comics for a very, very long time.

These are the kinds of casting choices and narratives that we deserve. This should be the new standard. I want actors and character backgrounds that enhance the stories we’re telling, rather than relying upon what we’d been given previously. I want a Pacific Islander Aquaman to appear prominently in the comics. I want a black Black Canary who has responded to the stereotype of emotional/angry black women by keeping quiet—until she’s had enough and starts to scream. I want a Wonder Woman whose misunderstanding and disregard of the patriarchy is such that she is never depicted with shaved underarms or legs.