Black Manta question from a novice

[Mikey]

I don't read comics.

99% of what I know of Black Manta comes from Superfriends

Was just reading after the fact it was revealed Black Manta is a black man.

My question, was this done (behind the scenes) because of his name - ie Black Vulcan etc ?

[hedrap]

Most likely.

IIRC, it started in the 80's.

I've never bothered to read his background, but I think he's connected to an alt-dimensional plane. Pre-52, that is. Peter David junk.

[Earth 2 Chris]

I believe making him black was a retcon, and at first, I think his motivation was "angry black man" once this was revealed. Then they said he suffered from a form of autism or something, then he got turned into a Manta-mutant by Neron (DC's Satan). It got REALLY weird with Manta.

But man, is that guy COOL looking.

Chris

[jwyblejr]

^Yeah,the anger was from something to do with the cotton in bedsheets or some other nonsense.