Aquaman #33 - A Review

With Mera's life in the balance, Arthur leads what few forces The Resistance can muster to bring down The Wall Of Thorns. Can they stand against the combined forces of The Silent School of Atlantis' mages, who stand loyal to the usurper King Rath?



Politics takes a back seat to action in this issue of Aquaman, but Dan Abnett proves as skilled at writing exciting action stories as he is political thrillers. The artwork astounds, as always, with Riccardo Federici and Rick Leonardi's art featuring a depth as vast as the ocean itself and Sunny Gho's color art glowing upon the page. This is one of DC Comics' most underrated series.

The Final Analysis: 9/10.

Aquaman #32 - A Review

Aquaman has found his lost love, Mera, but the magical curse shielding Atlantis will kill her unless she is returned to the surface immediately. Thankfully, he'll find some unexpected aid from the mystic order known as The Widowhood, but they have their own agenda for helping him... and it involves putting Mera on the throne of Atlantis in place of the usurper King Rath!


There are several aspects of Dan Abnett's story I want to take issue with. The chief one is the idea of the people of Atlantis suddenly rallying behind the banner of Queen Mera, when her status as a native of Xebel (a prison plane the ancient Atlanteans used for holding certain undesirables) when such a big deal was made about the people never accepting her as a ruler in previous issues. Granting that circumstances have changed, it still seems a bit sudden. I'm also not overly fond how the sudden love triangle that seems to be forming between Mera, Dolphin and Aquaman, merely because it makes Dolphin suffer as a character and the whole thing seems derivative of the Tinkerbell/Wendy/Peter Pan relationship... even ignoring Dolphin's muteness and light powers.

Still, Abnett makes the action of the story engaging outside of those points and the drama here a Mera agrees to sacrifice the live she wants for the sake of seeing Rath defeated is true to the character and truly touching. The artwork by Riccardo Federici and Sunny Gho captures the script perfectly and looks fantastic throughout.

The Final Analysis: 8/10. I my not like parts of this story but it is still well-told. 

Aquaman Annual #1 - A Review

With his plans for an embassy with the surface world dead in the wake of a terrorist attack by Black Manta, Arthur Curry has begun to seek another way to unify the two worlds. Enter Crownspire - a city built between surface and sea which will, in time, house Atlanteans and humans in peace and harmony.

Flash forward to a glorious day when Crownspire is no longer a dream. When Aquaman and Mera are gladly retired from heroism. When their son is schooled alongside human children. And when an unseen enemy seeks to destroy what they have built...



Albert Einstein once said that the secret to creativity is learning how to hide your sources. This proves true of Aquaman Annual #1, which does a poor job of hiding its connection to a more famous and better written story involving a hero's perfect world. Despite this, Phillip Kennedy Johnson's story is not wholly without merit and his portrayal of the older Mera and Arthur is an engaging one.

The artwork is similarly mixed. Much of Max Fiumara's artwork seems vague and unfinished. He draws fantastic sea-creatures but his humanoid figures look alien and strange. The colors by Dave Stewart, however, are fantastic.

The Final Analysis: 5 out of 10. A serviceable but ultimately forgettable annual. 

Justice League #33 - A Review

With the rest of The Justice League in the clutches of The Dark Knights, if falls to Cyborg to save the day. Yet doing so many require Victor sacrificing what remains of his humanity to fully empower the Motherbox that powers his cybernetics. Will he make the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of all reality?


Despite being largely devoted to explaining Cyborg's powers and setting up the next part of the Dark Nights Metal event, Justice League #33 is an enjoyable little book. Teen Titans fans will be glad to know the story also reaffirms the friendship between Cyborg and Raven (something missing in the Rebirth reality) and there's a sequence I'm fairly certain is a nod to one of the better episodes of Teen Titans Go!  The artwork is equally brilliant, with the colors of Arif Prianto and Jeromy Cox giving the pencils and inks of Tyler Kirkham and Mikel Janin an almost painted appearance at times.

The Final Analysis: 7 out of 10. It would have been higher if they'd confirmed the song Cyborg plays to inspire himself is "The Night Begins To Shine"

Aquaman #30 - A Review

The Atlantean people have joined their heroes in rising up against the unjust King Rath. Will Arthur Curry step forward to lead them, not as a king but as a hero? Will the other rebels accept him? And what of Mera and her efforts to break through the wall around Atlantis?

Part political parable. Part high-octane action thriller. All amazing. Story. Artwork. Everything.  If you aren't reading this series, you need to be. Dan Abnett and Stjepan Sejic are crafting a modern masterpiece.

The Final Analysis: 10/10

Justice League #32 - A Review

Batman is lost. Superman is trapped in another universe. And now The Dark Knights have used Cyborg to trap what remains of The Justice League in "Bat Caves" designed to drag them down before their inevitable deaths!




Justice League #32 is a thrilling piece of filler. There's not much to be found here beyond non-stop action but Robert Venditti's script presents that action well enough as The Justice League faces down their counterparts in The Dark Knights.

Liam Sharp's artwork is as finely detailed and well-presented as one would expect based on his recent work on Wonder Woman. Adam Brown does an equally impressive job on the color art. In terms of plotting relative to the rest of Dark Nights Metal, this issue may not be essential, but it is enjoyable for what it is.

The Final Analysis: 6 out 10.

Aquaman #29 - A Review

As Dolphin tries to convince a despondent Arthur to continue to fight for the people of Atlantis, other heroes work to save their nation from the excesses of King Rath. Vulko, one-time adviser to the last Queen of Atlantis, scours the ghost-haunted archives for a weapon that might stand against the artifacts Rath has accumulated. Meanwhile, Mera and Garth (now called Tempest) struggle to breach the magical barriers that surround Atlantis.


It is good to see Dan Abnett take an issue to focus on the supporting cast of Atlantean heroes. Garth and Vulko haven't gotten any time in this book since DC Rebirth began (Indeed, I'm not sure if Garth has appeared in Aquaman at any point since The New 52 started!) and are given some much needed definition. Indeed, we learn more about Garth here than we have in Abnett's Titans title.

What can I say about Stjepan Sejic's artwork I haven't already? I find myself unable to say anything beyond the artwork is gorgeous and that Atlantis has never looked better. Then again, perhaps that's all I need to say.

The Final Analysis: 10 out of 10.

Batman: The Drowned #1 - A Review

The Dark Knights continue their assault on Earth 0, as Aquaman and Mera face off against The Drowned. Hailing from Earth -11, this Batman is a Batwoman. Fearful of the potential threat posed by the metahumans of her Earth, she set about killing them all. This led to her ultimately transforming herself into a water-breathing monstrosity in order to wage a one-woman war on Atlantis itself!


With this issue, the novelty of the various Dark Nights specials is beginning to wear thin. Dan Abnett weaves a great story and The Drowned is easily the most unique of the various dark dimension Dark Knights to date. Unfortunately, the plot is exactly the same as most of the other specials, with a flashback detailing the background of The Knight in question, a battle in the present against their Justice League counterpart and Dr. Fate showing up at the end to spirit the hero away when the Evil Batman proves to be too much for them. It's still a good read but one feels it could have been great.

The artwork is similarly conflicted. There's two great art teams at work here, though their styles are so different as to completely wreck the visual flow of the book. It would have been better to have one artist but everything looks good in spite of that.

The Final Analysis: 7 out of 10. It's good but it could have been better.

Aquaman #28 - A Review

As the deposed Arthur Curry and his new ally, Dolphin, evade the minions of the Atlantean crime-boss Krush, Mera recruits the former Aqualad (now called Tempest) to try and penetrate the magical barriers around Atlantis. At the same time, the former Chief Elder, Vulko, makes his own play to bring down the corrupt regime of the new King, leading a clandestine raid on the royal treasury.



The most miraculous thing about Aquaman #28 is how accessible it is to new readers. Despite having one of the more involved mythologies of the DC Rebirth tiles, this book passes the Stan Lee test for every comic being written as if it was going to be someone's first exposure to the characters and their world. Dan Abentt's script manages this exposition smoothly and naturally, fitting it in between some stunning action sequences.


The artwork by Stjepan Sejic proves equally astonishing. I'm not sure if Aquaman has been officially bumped to a monthly-release schedule or is running late due to Sejic requiring more time for his intricate, beautiful and unique style of art. In either case, Aquaman has never looked better and it is well worth the wait.

The Final Analysis: 10 out of 10. Flawless. Absolutely flawless. 

Aquaman #22 - A Review

The key to the monster dubbed Dead Water lies revealed, as two more of the special team assembled by the US Navy start to transform! With a nuclear fail-safe armed and a strange new life form at the center of it all, Aquaman will face a difficult decision with a harsh price no matter what he does.



I said last time that this story-line had come to resemble a good Doctor Who story in terms of the unique science-fiction ideas suggested. The ending of H2-0 reminds me of Doctor Who for an entirely different reason. Change Mera into the companion pleading for another way to end things without violence and Aquaman to The Doctor at his most angry and you could run this story pretty much intact as a Series 10 episode. While the plot is gripping, that characterization doesn't ring true given the characters of Mera and Arthur in Rebirth. Until now, Mera was always depicted as the more aggressive of the two with Arthur working for understanding at any cost.

The artwork is similar mixed. Philippe Briones is a talented artist but some of the poses he draws here are incredibly forced. The artwork is also too heavily detailed and over-inked at points, making it frequently difficult to process the perspective. The colors by Gabe Eltaeb are nicely rendered but a good paint job can't disguise a hole in the wall.

Final Analysis: 5 out of 10. Competently executed but

Aquaman #21 - A Review

The  substance called "Strange Water" - dubbed H2 Point O by the US Navy - has revealed more mysteries to Aquaman and Mera. Responding to their powers - and seemingly irresponsible for the creation of the monster called Dead Water - the substance seems to have come from some manner of underwater gateway. Unfortunately, this revolution discovery may soon be spoiled by the couple's so-called allies...


With Aquaman #21, Dan Abnett shifts gears yet again, entering into the realm of pure science-fiction after two issues of horror. It's a good change, however, and the script has the same spirit as a top-notch Doctor Who episode. The artwork is equally varied and memorable. Scot Eaton, Wayne Faucher and Gabe Eltaeb are each delivering some of the best work in their careers. This is one book every comic fan should be reading!

Final Analysis: 8 out of 10.

Aquaman #20 - A Review

Sealed inside a secret US Navy research facility with the monster known as Dead Water, Aquaman and Mera must forge an unlikely alliance with their enemies The Aquamarines and The Scavenger to survive. Yet even if they manage that, there is still the mystery of "Strange Water" - the substance that Atlanteans cannot breathe which seems to transform ordinary humans into monsters - to solve...


Aquaman #20 breaks the format of the book to date, being a military/horror story rather than a political thriller. Dan Abnett writes this sort of thing well but the fact remains that most of the characters here are cliche stock types (the treacherous academic the loyal grunt, etc.) that exist only as canon fodder. The artwork by Philippe Briones and Gabe Eltaeb looks fantastic, however. Just don't expect there to be as much depth to the story as there is to the ocean and this is an enjoyable bit of entertainment.

Titans Annual #1 - A Review

Eight heroes. Four mentors. Four pupils. Four Titans. Four Justice League founders. Trapped in a maze that resists their every effort to map it or escape it by an unseen enemy, they must overcome their paranoia as they puzzle out who has trapped them and why. But can they really trust each other?


Describing Titans Annual #1 as Cube with superheroes - while an apt summary - would do it a disservice. Dan Abnett's script is far more than that, playing off of Abnett's knowledge of their characters and the reader's uncertainty as to just how things stand between these characters in the Rebirth reality. In this, Abnett is able to define another piece of the lost lore of the Titans while spinning a riveting tale and making use of an underused villain I was quite pleased to see return.

And yes, it must be said, we do discover Donna Troy's origins in the Rebirth reality here. It's something wholly original (as far as I know) and rather fitting given the changes to Diana's background in The New 52. More I will not say beyond this issue being a must read for any Wonder Girl fans out there.

The artwork for this special is outstanding. Minkyu Jung does a fine job of keeping the story moving visually - no small feat given how much of the story is the characters just talking! The use of light and shadow is particularly impressive and the colors by Adriano Lucas are perfectly chosen.

Aquaman #19 - A Review

The Aquamarines were created by the US Government with one purpose in mind - creating a team of super-powered soldiers capable of bringing down Aquaman if necessary.  Now, they have come to Arthur Curry requesting his help in dealing with a mutual enemy - the nightmarish creature called Dead Water and the "strange water" substance that created it.

Dan Abnett is one of the best when it comes to writing good science-fiction with a militaristic flair. Aquaman #19 is a prime example of the genre. Unfortunately - from the perspective of one who enjoys more character-based adventure - this issue is a bit dry. No pun intended. The Aquamarines are all ciphers with little in the way of personality and the opening scenes of the book are heavy with exposition. This gives the reader little chance to establish a rapport with any of the cast and little reason to care about them being endangered when the action begins.


Once the action does start, however, Aquaman #19 becomes an entirely different book. Philippe Briones is given ample opportunity to showcase his talents for depicting both unusual beasts and fantastic fight scenes. The colors by Gabe Eltaeb provide the perfect conclusion to the pencils and inks.

Aquaman #18 - A Review

Aquaman confronts the living weapon known as Warhead, discovering the creature's horrific past and what caused it to break its programming. Somehow, the telepathic construct that sows conflict around it has tapped into his telepathy, making every memory as painfully real to Arthur Curry as it is to him. Can Aquaman overcome this most unusual foe?




Dan Abnett is to be commended for having crafted one of the most unique and original characters in recent comics history. Though the ideas put forth in this issue are born of classic science-fiction, the conceit of confronting the classic questions of whether or not artificial intelligence constitutes an actual soul have never been dealt with in this precise manner to my knowledge. Pairing this character up with Aquaman, whose powers make him uniquely emphatic while still being a warrior, proves an equally brilliant conceit.

The art for this issue matches Abnett's script in complexity and thoughtfulness.  Scot Eaton, Wayne Faucher and Gabe Eltaeb are one of the strongest power trios among all the artist/inker/colorist teams working today. Every page of this issue is a testament to their skills as individual artists and as a group.

Aquaman #17 - A Review

With a rough peace established with The United States, Arthur Curry can now pursue the next step of his plan to improve relations between Atlantis and the surface world - winning the United Nation's recognition as an allied nation. Unfortunately, his diplomatic mission is interrupted by the emergence of Warhead - a cybernetic being who can control people and weapons systems in the same way that Aquaman "talks" to aquatic life...


This may be the second part of this story but this is still a fantastic first issue for new readers. Dan Abnett's script does a good job of setting up the premise and explaining Aquaman's current goals. What really sells this issue, however, is the battle with Warhead, who is easily one of best and most original ideas for a super-villain in sometime.

The action of the issue is ably illustrated by Scot Eaton and Wayne Faucher. Together they are one of the strongest inker and artist teams working in modern comics and Gabe Eltaeb's colors provide the perfect finishes to one of the best looking books on the stands.

Aquaman #16 - A Review

The war between Atlantis and the United States is over. Now is the time for rebuilding - both homes and relationships. Yet Arthur Curry may find some things beyond even his ability to mend as he and a team of Atlantean volunteers work to rebuild his childhood hometown of Amnesty Bay...


Aquaman #16 introduces a new villain into Aquaman's life but there's little to say about them at present. The heart of this issue lies in Dan Abnett's exploration of Arthur Curry's central conflict - that he is a man of two worlds and yet an outsider to both of them - and how that conflict alters other people's perceptions. This includes both the sheltered Atlantean councilors whom Arthur tries to expose to the good parts of the surface world and the townies whom he tries to convince that he is still plain old Arthur Curry - even if he is now a Justice League member and King of Atlantis.



The art team brings Abnett's script to life with great skill. I fear getting smacked with the pun hammer for describing Brad Walker's style as fluid but the adjective applies as Walker shows great versatility throughout. The finished art pops on the page thanks to the inks of Andrew Hennessy and the colors of Gabe Eltaeb.

Aquaman #14 - A Review

As Aquaman continues his quest to prove the existence of the sinister organization NEMO and their plot to start a war between Atlantis and The United States, a warmongering faction of the US Government has launched their own attack against the Atlantean King. Dubbed The Aquamarines, this group of genetically altered covert super-soldiers were created for one purpose - killing Aquaman!


The story for this issue seems like filler but it is well-crafted filler in spite of that fact. Dan Abnett writes a damn fine action sequence, but the action is hampered by The Aquamarines lack of depth. In terms of characterization they are as uncomplicated and inoffensive as the villains in an action-figure line.


The artwork, thankfully, remains as strong as ever and Philippe Briones does a fine job bringing the Aquamarines to life. The characters are striking, even if the base concept is a bit silly and unlikely to ever appear again after this issue. Regardless, Briones is a fantastic visual storyteller and one of the best artists to ever handle Aquaman and Mera.

Aquaman #13 - A Review

NEMO's attacks on The United States and Atlantis continue. Aquaman has evidence of their attempts to start a war between the two nations but still needs the final bit of proof - an actual NEMO soldier who can prove the existence of the secret group. Now, as his allies in the Justice League move to convince the American government that Atlantis is innocent of the attacks on them, Aquaman must fight to protect his people.


Dan Abnett moves the story of The Deluge through its various subplots like a master plate-spinner. There's a lot going on, with a combination of political drama, war thriller and superheroics making up the action of this issue. Despite the different genres and tones involved, the story is fact-paced and not a bit of it feels unnecessary or drawn out.


The artwork proves equally energetic and exciting. Scot Eaton, Wayne Faucher and Gabe Eltaeb are to be commended for their seamless workmanship on this series. This is one of the best-looking books on the stands today!

Aquaman #12 - A Review

Having taken over control of the secretive group NEMO, Black Manta has launched a false-flag war, using stolen Atlantean technology on American targets. Now Aquaman must fight a war on two fronts, protecting both his home nations from each other while simultaneously searching for proof of NEMO's existence and intentions.


Dan Abnett has a long history writing military fiction. It's not a genre I've ever felt much affinity for but Abnett does a fantastic job of drawing on that experience with this story. This issue feels less like an Aquaman comic and more like The West Wing mixed with The Last Ship. Yet the story is still engaging and it's an interesting change of pace to see how a military conflict would work in the science-fiction setting of the DC Universe mixed with the usual superheroic action.

Abnett's script requires an artist of diverse talents and Philippe Briones proves worthy of the challenge. The battles in this issue depict traditional military aircraft, the sci-fi ships of Atlantis and a number of giant Godzilla-style monsters. Briones depicts them all expertly and Gabe Eltaeb's colors finish the artwork perfectly.