Black Manta

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Black Manta
Aliases:	David Hyde Ray Delane
Continuity:	DC Universe
Notability:	Antagonist
Type:	Supervillain
Gender:	Male
Race:	Altered human
Location:	Atlantic Ocean
Associations:	The Society Injustice League
Known relatives:	Jesse Hyde Jackson Hyde
Status:	Alive
First:	Aquaman, Vol. 1 #35

Black Manta is a fictional super-villain featured in comic books published by DC Comics. He is associated with the Aquaman line of comic titles and first appeared during the Silver Age era of DC's publishing history. He was introduced in Aquaman, Volume 1 #35 in August, 1967 and has remained as one of Aquaman's arch-villains ever since. Black Manta's real name is unknown, though it is believed that his first name might be David. He is an undersea pirate who seeks to plunder everything beneath the ocean waves, but mostly, he is obsessed with conquering and/or destroying Atlantis, and its liege, Aquaman. Black Manta was kicked up into the upper echelon super-baddies when he murdered Aquaman's infant son, Aquababy. Black Manta has appeared in various forms of media including the Aquaman segments from the Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure, and Challenge of the Super Friends cartoon series from 1978 where he was voiced by Ted Cassidy. He also made a brief appearance in the "Prophecy" episode of Smallville, and was played by an unidentified extra.