Autistic representation in DC Comics

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DC Comics has confirmed that Black Manta is "the only prominent DC character who has ever explicitly been identified as autistic in the comics" – making it clear that the publisher is committed to including neurodivergent characters in its stories, but also that they have a long way to go to be more inclusive.

In DC's latest edition of ?Ask The Question – DC Comics’ online platform where fans submit questions answered by the editorial team – one answer highlighted how DC still has progress to make in officially and effectively integrating autistic characters into its universe. This is especially true for the often underrepresented autistic community in comic books, with Black Manta being cited as one of the few canonically autistic characters in the publisher's wide roster of heroes and villains.

According to Alex Jaffe, who identifies as being “on the spectrum” himself, the number of autistic DC characters can be counted on one hand — and even then, DC doesn’t quite get it right.

DC Has Tried To Address Its Lack Of Autistic Characters – Unfortunately, The Effort Is Only Just Beginning
DC Comics has confirmed that Black Manta is "the only prominent DC character who has ever explicitly been identified as autistic in the comics" – making it clear that the publisher is committed to including neurodivergent characters in its stories, but also that they have a long way to go to be more inclusive.

In response to DC fan Zac, who posed the question, Alex Jaffe wrote:

“Hi, Zac. Thanks for being a reader. As a person on the autism spectrum myself as well, I’ll be open and candid with you here: there really aren’t very many canonically identifiable DC characters with autism. DC still has a lot of work to do in neurodivergent representation. Abby Holland (Swamp Thing’s wife), Alix Harrower (The Bulleteer) and Guy Gardner have all worked in education for children with special needs, but have no identified neurodivergences themselves. Amistad, the young son of Rocket, was explicitly identified as autistic in season four of the Young Justice animated series, but never in the comics. The only prominent DC character who has ever explicitly been identified as autistic in the comics is actually Black Manta. Unfortunately, the stories which approach this subject at all do so with a particularly callous insensitivity. DC strives for greater inclusion with every year, but this is an area where there’s still room for a lot of improvement.”

As Jaffe noted, unfortunately, DC's depiction of Black Manta's autism falls short of the thoughtful handling that fans have come to expect. DC's handling of Black Manta's autism has been, to put it mildly, less than acceptable, which Jaffe readily admits to. While DC's introduction of Black Manta's autism in Aquaman (2020) #54 was one of the earliest efforts to bring autistic representation into the DC universe, and commendable in that regard, the story's depiction of Black Manta was fundamentally problematic.

Black Manta may be one of the best villains of all time, but he just revealed the saddest part of being an unintimidating C-List Villain.

The narrative of that issue directly linked Black Manta's autism to his obsession with Aquaman and his villainous path, implying, or at least not refuting, some manner of connection between autism and criminality. Even more concerning was Aquaman's attempt to "cure" Black Manta of his autism, framing it as a problem to be fixed, rather than a part of who he is. In both cases, this portrayal perpetuates harmful stereotypes and misrepresents the autistic community – making the character's diagnosis a bit of a mixed blessing, if that.

Black Manta Is A Step Toward Greater Inclusion In The DCU, But The Publisher Needs To Take The Next Step
Following Jaffe's perspective, DC missed a valuable opportunity to accurately and heroically portray a complex and nuanced depiction of autism in a powerful character. The decision to make Black Manta a member of the autistic community is a great first step, but it is not enough. More tangible representation would undoubtedly have resonated with fans of the comic book series, particularly those in the autistic community. However, as Jaffe acknowledges, DC has come a long way from the years when inclusivity was rarely addressed, let alone an active part of the publisher's focus.

There's still time for DC Comics to improve its portrayal of autism and strengthen its connection with the autistic community, creating a positive outcome for everyone – perhaps starting with Black Manta.

In other words, fans shouldn't castigate the publisher for how it is failed, but neither should they be complacent with the ways it has only begun to address creating a more inclusive DC Universe