A DC Autistic Character Who Had a Bad Representation of Autism

The David Hyde, AKA Black Manta, who debuted in Aquaman #35 (1967) is considered autistic (until a retconned in 2003 of issue #8 of the 2003 Aquaman comic series stated that he was "cured" of his disorder and became a supervillain, which had gotten a ton of negative criticism because autism often comes with gifts and harmless differences as well as disabilities, and the more disabling indications can be dealt with independently).  

David was an autistic youth who was born in Baltimore, Maryland and adores playing by the sea. During his childhood, he was abducted and compelled to take a shot at working on a ship for an unknown amount of time. Later at a certain point, David apparently witnessed Aquaman with his dolphin friends and attempted to get his help by signaling him but he did not show up. He finally was forced to protect himself with a knife by murdering one of his victimizers. David began to hate the sea (especially Aquaman, who he saw as its representative) and the child was resolved to become its master.

David was later put into an organization for his mental "illness" and was treated brutally by his “helpers”. He experienced being engaged in water as beautiful pleasure, while the softness of the cotton sheets of his bed bore for him terrible agony. The employees would bind him to the bed nonetheless, and to choke his cries of discomfort, they would suppress him with pillows until he loses consciousness. David could hardly talk, usually repeating a few words, such as "love swim." The doctors began performing new treatments on him, tests that appeared to painfully affecting him. One of these tests was effective enough that he became able to talk in full sentences. Make use of his brand-new ability to appear ordinary, David put his doctor calmly enough to remove the straps on him. Then, David used the injection that was used to help him communicate was used to assassinate the doctor. Afterward, David later flees from the room.

 As an adult, David created his costume and took the name Black Manta. Manta and his masked army became a force to be reckoned with. He also joined the short-lived Injustice League.