Variety has done a big write-up on DC’s efforts to make Aquaman a relevant, viable character in today’s superhero-obsessed marketplace. Despite being one of the longest running, and most recognizable comic book characters- with a history that goes back over 70 years- he has failed to find his footing in contemporary pop culture. DC, and their owners over at Time Warner, want to change that. They want to elevate the “King of Atlantis” to the point where a film or TV adaptation about him would be a hot commodity.

“He’s a priority character for the company,” says DC Entertainment’s chief creative officer Geoff Johns. “There is no doubt in my mind that this is one of the most well-known characters among superheroes, and in popular culture,” he added. Johns, who’s about to wrap up the nearly three years of work he’s put into reviving the character’s comic books, also thinks that his sea setting should add to the character’s appeal. “We are finding new areas in the ocean every day. It’s as alien as going to outer space,” he said.

Aside from trying to enhance Aquaman’s supporting cast, develop his villains, and adjust his personality to make him more than that “smiling guy who rides a seahorse,” DC has lined up several big story arcs involving him in the coming months that will cross into their “Justice League” books. “He’s a character that we talk quite a bit about,” says Johns. There are also some apparent efforts to give him prominent face time in upcoming video games.

What do you guys think? Will Aquaman ever cross over into the mainstream? Would you see a standalone Aquaman movie? Personally, if they found a way to keep the story as sea-driven as possible, with visuals that rival James Cameron’s Avatar, I could see myself checking out a movie of his. I’d think it’d be cool to see a fully-realized Atlantis with today’s technology.