Injustice 2: Black Manta Character Render Surfaces, Renews Hope for DLC

The Injustice 2 hype hasn’t faded yet, my nerds, and we have some exciting news on the Black Manta front today. An artist from NetherRealm Studios named Jessie Graybeal just uploaded some really detailed character model designs on ArtStation, a website where artists and designers can show off their work and put together portfolios for future employment. Think of it like a LinkedIn for game designers and artists.

Jessie had the honor of working on a fantastic rendering of Black Manta, which we see in Injustice 2 when playing on Aquaman’s Atlantis stage. If you’re able to slam an opponent into a stage transition, after they get chewed to bits by an enormous sea creature, you’ll see Black Manta closeline and slam them back down into the stage with his trident.

So, technically, Black Manta is already in Injustice 2, and he already has an incredibly detailed character model. This bodes well for the character’s future in the game, as fans continue to hope for a permanent spot on the roster with his name on it. If these renderings are any indication, that seems like a really strong possibility. Get an even better look at him below from a few different angles.

The Goods

Here we get a fantastically detailed look at David’s (Black Manta’s) suit from different angles. His helmet and jet-pack are seen very clearly, though we’re not sure what he has strapped to his ankles. Black Manta has canonically used a variety of weapons besides his trident, so those could be knives or batons. Manta has been known to dual-wield blades, so we’re thinking if he makes it into the final roster that we’ll get to see some brutal close-range combos with those puppies.

We know that Black Manta’s jet-pack is perfectly functional on land as well, so we’re thinking that he would play as a highly mobile character and provide a nice contrast to Aquaman by commanding the air as well as the ground surrounding him. We could very well see some zoning attacks if Manta is given lasers to shoot from his eyes or telepathic attacks.

In case you’re wondering why we’re talking about Black Manta as though he’ll be included as a playable character, check out the image below, which seems to confirm Black Manta as a DLC character.

The Evidence

Remember this image? NetherRealm Studios teased the remaining six Injustice 2 DLC characters when they revealed Starfire, Red Hood, and Sub-Zero for the first time. In true NetherRealm fashion, the characters’ silhouettes are teased very clearly in the background, but none of them are revealed outright. There are, however, two very distinct shapes.

On the left side you can clearly see the pipe-hoses connecting Black Manta’s suit to hit helmet. Far and away this is the most recognizable shape of the bunch, though Raiden also seems like a pretty sure bet based on the shape of that straw hat on the right. After looking at this image and comparing it to the official Black Manta render that’s already in the game, it’s hard not to assume that he’s on the way as a DLC character soon.

So what do you think? It just makes too much sense, doesn’t it? NetherRealm has been known to intentionally mislead fans about DLC characters in the past (we’re looking at you, MKX), but we’re thinking this would be too cruel. Do you think Black Manta is a sure thing? Weigh in on the poll below.

Black Manta a Sure Thing?