What we also have to remember is that Aquaman is the king of Atlantis. I find it difficult to believe that he would not be highly trained in the art of war and hold such a position. This isn't King Joffrey we're talking about here, this is a dude who moonlights with the Justice League, after all. I doubt that he carries that big *** trident as a "stylish accessory." I'm sorry, and this isn't directed towards you, but more toward the geek community as a whole. Point being: **** gets old. Aquaman is a great character with lots of potential, and I get tired of people judging the guy solely based on the silver age version that would be sitting ringside in a GL constructed kiddie pool while the rest of the JL does battle. It's not fair to the character.
For God's sake, Batman fought rainbow monsters and wore multicolored bat suits, yet we don't dwell on that. So, what is it about Aquaman that makes him get all the ****? Personally, I think the character could be a huge money maker for WB and DC if done right. Just imagine a sweeping LotR style epic with Atlantis as the backdrop and King Arthur as the protagonist. You could have the betrayal of his brother, and, if you really wanted to go dark with it, the death of his infant son at the hands of his nemesis.