In Tom Taylor's Elseworlds storyline DCeased, Aquaman (Arthur Curry) falls victim to the techno-organic Anti-Life Equation, turning into a horrific 'Anti-Living' monster. Controlling the ocean's vast marine life with his corrupted telepathic powers, the undead King of Atlantis becomes a catastrophic, apocalyptic threat to humanity and Earth-55's surviving heroes.
La Scena
Aquaman's tragic transformation begins when he boards a cruise ship infected by the digital Anti-Life virus spreading across global screens. Swarmed and bitten by an infected mob, he is quickly turned into one of the first high-profile Justice League members to succumb. Corrupted and merciless, Arthur returns underwater to decimate Atlantis, turning its population and sea creatures into Anti-Living horrors while forcing Mera and Garth to flee. The terror culminates during a massive amphibious siege on Paradise Island (Themyscira), where an infected Aquaman rides into battle atop a giant, zombie Kraken alongside his undead Atlantean army. His terrifying invasion finally comes to an end during the battle against the Amazons and surviving heroes, when Green Arrow (Oliver Queen) shoots an arrow cleanly through infected Aquaman's eye.
Significato
Aquaman's infection in DCeased marks a decisive turning point that robs Earth-55's survivors of any safe haven at sea. Controlling over 70 percent of the planet's surface, Arthur Curry's vast telepathic dominance over marine life transforms the oceans from a potential sanctuary into an inescapable death trap. By subjugating Atlantis and turning the ocean's apex predators into Anti-Living spawn, his downfall completely destabilizes Earth's aquatic defenses. Furthermore, his assault on Themyscira demonstrates that even isolated, mythical sanctuaries cannot withstand the Anti-Life horde, cementing Aquaman as one of the most destructive and terrifying vectors of the outbreak.
Design
The DCeased version of Aquaman reimagines the majestic King of the Seven Seas as a terrifying biological horror. Overwhelmed by the techno-organic Anti-Life virus, his appearance features pale, decaying flesh, sunken blank eyes, and dark, vein-like Anti-Life corruption etched across his body. His classic orange-and-green scale armor appears tattered, weathered, and stained with blood from underwater massacres. Stripped of his noble demeanor, his physical posture is predatory and feral. Mounted atop a gigantic, decaying Kraken, this visual design masterfully combines royal Atlantean aesthetic with grotesque, zombified aquatic dread.
