K5a-U4BIV8c

Remember the Smallville episode that introduced "AC," aka Aquaman? That episode almost led to an Aquaman spin-off. Find out what happened, and why Alan Ritchson was replaced by Justin Hartley, in the latest episode of Atomic Abe's series Behind the Backdoor Pilot.

How Smallville's Alan Ritchson Felt When Warner Bros. Replaced Him As Aquaman (https://www.looper.com/1444909/alan-ritchson-smallville-warner-bros-aquaman-recasting-thoughts/)

Before he was Jack Reacher, Alan Ritchson was DC's "Aquaman." After debuting on "Smallville," the actor was supposed to headline his own spinoff.

Remember When ‘Reacher’s Alan Ritchson Was Aquaman? (https://collider.com/alan-ritchson-aquaman-smallville/)

Ritchson was a hero long before he was doling out justice as the "Unstoppable Force" on Prime Video's 'Reacher.'

Aquaman for the first 19 years or so of the character's existence, never appeared on a comic book cover. Not even once. Nada, not even a headshot. It wasn't until the JLA was introduced in 1960 that he finally did. He did however have stories all through the 1950s when most other superheroes that had been introduced in the Golden Age had disappeared.