by Greg McElhatton
Wed, September 28th, 2011 at 1:58PM (PDT)
STORY BY Geoff Johns
ART BY Ivan Reis and Joe Prado
COLORS BY Rod Reis
LETTERS BY Nick J. Napolitano
COVER BY Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Rod Reis
Pity Aquaman. He's the butt of jokes, the hero most scorned, and the only reason he's not the least successful of the "Big Seven" Justice League members is because Martian Manhunter has never penetrated the general public's sphere of knowledge. Perhaps that's why Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis have made Aquaman their new pet project; to try and push him back into prominence.
So far, "Aquaman" is off to a good start. Johns recognizes the general perception of the hero and attacks it head-on in the form of a blogger that interviews Aquaman at a diner. It's simultaneously an information dump of Aqua-history and a mission statement for the new series, and while the blogger portion is a little too annoying for words, it gets the job done.
It helps that Johns has bookended that scene with some attention-getters. Aquaman going up against bank robbers is a quick demonstration of his power, and his easy dispatch of them and their vehicle is a reminder that this is one tough guy. Sure, it gives Johns a chance for a few more Aquaman jokes from both criminals and police officer alike, but it does firmly establish Aquaman's position (or lack thereof) in the DC Universe.
Then there's the introduction of the (presumably) big villains of this first story arc, and that's where I think we've got the most potential. Johns and Reis appear to be tackling "Aquaman" with the idea that the depths of the ocean might as well be an alien world, an approach they use to great effect. The beings that rise up and attack look almost demonic in form, even as they hearken to real deep-sea creatures that you find at the greatest depths of the ocean. Their translucent skin and huge eyes are just the right adaptations for sea creatures from the deepest, darkest parts of the planet, and their fins and incredibly long teeth make sure that they are menacing as well. Reis' design of these new foes make an instant dangerous first impression.
Then again, in general, Reis and Joe Prado do an excellent job with the art. Aquaman comes across incredibly strong and imposing, and his careful spearing and hoisting of the getaway vehicle comes across as graceful and deliberate. Reis is good at letting his art tell Johns' story without any words; Aquaman's ticked-off look when one of the bullets is able to cause a tiny trickle of blood to run down the side of his face speaks volumes. Going back and looking at the facial expressions of Aquaman when being interviewed, Reis has the Atlantean king hit all sorts of emotions depending on the question and answer. Johns' script is good, but it's Reis who seals the deal into keeping new readers around.
It's been a while since we've had an "Aquaman" series, and while the character has a lot of negative sentiment attached to him, I can't help but think that Johns and Reis can make this work. I know I'd like to read a second issue, especially now that the set-up is done. A strong debut from all parties involved.
by Doug Zawisza, Reviewer, Comic Book Resources
Wed, October 26th, 2011 at 9:16PM (PDT)
STORY BY Geoff Johns
ART BY Ivan Reis, Joe Prado
COLORS BY Rod Reis
LETTERS BY Nick J. Napolitano
COVER BY Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Rod Reis
PUBLISHER DC Comics
While I may not be as big an Aquafan as Rob Kelly of AquamanShrine.com fame, I appreciate a good Aquaman story and I root for the King of the Sea to do well regardless of the creators and direction of his stories. Hell, I even bought into Justice League Detroit largely because of Aquaman! So when this series was announced (after years of being alluded to, hinted at, and presumed to occur), I got my gills ready for an undersea adventure.
After following Aquaman and Mera through “Blackest Night” and “Brightest Day” into this bold new relaunch, and reconnecting to my once-favorite hero, I found myself cringing at the possibilities of what was going to be altered/forgotten/ignored with regards to Aquaman and Mera. To this point, I’m pleased to say that Aquaman appears to be carrying on quite nicely from where he was left at the end of “Brightest Day.”
Geoff Johns used the first issue to set Aquaman upon his path of forging a new life in his father’s world. Taking up residence in a lighthouse and forsaking his duty to the throne of Atlantis, Aquaman and Mera spend part of this issue getting to know one another again. Their rekindling is interrupted by the Trench: a creepy, quick, massively carnivorous cross between anglerfish and Sleestaks. The attack gives Johns yet another chance to show just how battle-ready Aquaman is and how Mera is every bit his equal once the fight breaks out.
That conveniently gives Ivan Reis and Joe Prado a welcome range of subject matter to draw, from the sleepy fishing port of Beachrock to frenzied fish-men clawing over one another to feed. Reis draws it all with masterful skill, clean delivery, and incredible detail. Rod Reis’ colors effortlessly melt into the page, making this book look heroic and bold.
Nick J. Napolitano rounds out the visual spectacle of this issue with a fine bit of double work for the Trench’s dialog. There is one point where Aquaman reaches out to communicate with available sea life and he comes across the Trench’s thoughts. That one panel where the thoughts reverberate in Aquaman’s mind is handled so well that the creepiness pops from the page.
This issue is fast moving. I got to the end of the story and had to go back to count pages just to make sure the issue itself wasn’t abbreviated as the story was briskly paced to great effect. As the Ookla the Mok song goes, “I know there’s gonna come a day when they’re gonna stare in slack-jawed wonder as they hear me say, ‘I am Aquaman and nobody better mess with me!’” Two issues in, this series has me down with the slack-jawed wonder. As a fan of Arthur Curry, I’ve seen quite a bit, from his seahorse-riding days on “Super Friends” to the hook and back. This series, however, sets the high-water (had to do it) mark for “Aquaman.”
by Greg McElhatton, Reviewer
HOMEREVIEWS DC COMICS AQUAMAN #3
STORY BY Geoff Johns
ART BY Ivan Reis, Joe Prado
COLORS BY Rod Reis
LETTERS BY Nick J. Napolitano
COVER BY Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Rod Reis
PUBLISHER DC Comics
Wed, November 23rd, 2011 at 6:02PM (PST)
"Batwoman" is the most beautiful comic being published at DC right now, there's no doubt in my mind about it. But one of the most beautiful single pages from DC this month that isn't in "Batwoman" is probably the initial page of "Aquaman" #3. It looks like Rod Reis is coloring directly off of Ivan Reis' pencils, and the pair are going for broke here. It's one of the most color-filled sunsets you'll ever see, the sun sparkling off of the water and the orange sky above it bursting with hues. As young Aquaman is held up to view the sight, there's also a real sense of joy about that final panel in what is otherwise a slightly sad scene.
It serves as a great contrast to what comes next when you turn the page, an eruption of violence as Aquaman goes up against the monstrous creatures from the trench looking for food. Reis kicks the energy levels up almost instantly, between Aquaman's thrusts and parries as he fights the creatures, and Mera's water spouts whipping all around the dock, bending around corners and defeating the enemy. The creatures themselves look gruesome and dangerous, and in doing so Johns sells their monstrousness quite well. You don't think, "Oh, it's an ambulatory fish" but rather, "Move over piranhas, there's a new big nasty in town." And when the fight finally slows down, Aquaman's grim, "I don't know" comes across powerfully in part thanks to the strong-jawed depiction of him at the bottom of the page, the ultimate regal warrior.
As for Geoff Johns's story? It's good, although it moves faster than you might initially think. Between the fight and then some exposition, you're at the end of the comic before you realize it. There's a lot that happens here, but there's something extra-zippy about this issue. Re-reading the issue, the amount of exposition packed in here is impressive; we learn more about the sea creatures, get hints about there being more to Aquaman's trident when we think, and the addition of Dr. Stephen Shin. A strange mixture of ally and enemy, there's enough interest here to make me want to keep an eye on him and see where Johns will take the character.
"Aquaman" #3 is good, and I don't feel like it's being dragged out at all, but at the same time I found myself wishing that it felt a little longer. Overall it's a good issue, though, and Johns and Reis are definitely making "Aquaman" a compelling read. With the lead-in to what we should be seeing next issue, it looks like everything's about to get even crazier next month. I'm looking forward to it.
by Greg McElhatton, Reviewer
Wed, December 28th, 2011 at 7:22PM (PST)
STORY BY Geoff Johns
ART BY Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Eber Ferreira
COLORS BY Rod Reis
LETTERS BY Nick J. Napolitano
COVER BY Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Rod Reis
PUBLISHER DC Comics
"Aquaman" wraps up "The Trench" this month, and if there's one thing that Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis can do well here, it's make the ocean a dark and creepy place. With Aquaman himself (obviously) tied so closely to that setting, this is a good thing.
Up until this point, we've seen the invading creatures on the surface world, attacking humans and being the proverbial fish-out-of-water. Down in the trench in their own element, though, they're somehow even nastier than before. Reis draws swarms of the creatures, them coming across as a school of the beings and that much more daunting. The darkness mixed with the blue glow gives it an otherworldly feel, and for the first time in a while it makes you feel like everyone is out of their depth (no pun intended).
Even as Johns wraps up "The Trench" we have a lot of set-up for future stories. The hints on the fate of Atlantis are hard to ignore, and while we get just enough information on how the creatures at the bottom of the trench are surviving, we don't get the full story yet. In many ways, "The Trench" feels like part one of a much larger story; it's a technique that Johns used on "Green Lantern" (with Reis as artist there, too) to great effect.
Johns also continues redefining Aquaman as a badass, and so far that's working, too. Aquaman fans will no doubt like the new-found respect for the character that the supporting cast is giving him, but it's worth mentioning that it's respect that is earned in these issues, not just handed out. Johns is making him an effective hero on both land and sea. While it's fair to say that he was in the past as well, Johns is upping Aquaman's overall stature within the DC Universe to where it should have been all along.
The one complaint that I do have about "The Trench" is that when it does come to a conclusion, it does so at such a rapid speed that it feels like we're missing out. I'm a big fan of stories not being stretched out beyond a needed length, but "Aquaman" actually feels like it could have used a fifth issue for "The Trench" and still satisfied readers. A lot will depend on what happens in 2012 for "Aquaman," because with pieces of this story tied into future arcs, we'll need to wait and see how well it all comes together down the line.
Overall, though, the re-launch of "Aquaman" feels like a resounding success. The comic is fun, it's creepy, and Aquaman himself isn't the sad sack that so many writers have seemed determined to portray him as over the past few years. So far, so good.
by Doug Zawisza, Reviewer
Wed, January 25th, 2012 at 7:09PM (PST)
STORY BY Geoff Johns
ART BY Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Eber Ferreira
COLORS BY Rod Reis
LETTERS BY Nick J. Napolitano
COVER BY Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Rod Reis
PUBLISHER DC Comics
Consistency seems to be the key for “Aquaman” following the DC relaunch. That consistency coagulates in the form of good story, great art and stirring mystery.
Geoff Johns steps out of the realm of predictability in this issue by dropping Aquaman -- literally -- into a desert and seeing what happens from there. Aquaman struggles to survive and to remain sane. At one point, he collapses into the swirling sand, only to be visited by a phantom of his father in a scene that is eerily reminiscent of Luke Skywalker falling into the frozen wastelands of Hoth and reaching out to ghostly Obi Wan Kenobi who is there simply to impart advice unto his young pupil. There’s another seemingly “Star Wars” inspired scene later in the book. Both scenes are scripted well by Johns and both give depth to the world surrounding Arthur Curry and the life he is attempting to establish.
As has been the case since they first put pencils upon the character back in “Blackest Night,” Ivan Reis, Joe Prado (with Eber Ferreira in tow assisting on the inks) and Rod Reis continue to fill this book with gorgeous artwork. The four panels of Aquaman falling and impacting upon the desert floor tell you everything that you need to know to get rolling into this issue. The double page spread that follows, with Aquaman staring out at the vast desert unfolding, swirling and menacing before him is, quite possibly, the best visual representation of sand we’re going to see in comics this year.
Aquaman comes across as haunted and somewhat conflicted in this issue. It is almost as if he is second-guessing the decisions that he has recently made. It’s melodramatic and character defining, but it also has potential to get old and make the character seem mopey. Luckily, Johns finds ways to insert some zest into the would-be Sea King’s life. That balance (as long as there is the teetering balance between the two) makes Aquaman believable, likeable and worth reading.
This issue brings twenty-two pages of story (as opposed to the “new” standard of twenty) and gives us a complete tale in this issue. Plenty of mysteries and plot threads are started for the upcoming issues as the mystery of Atlantis continues to deepen. This title is a fun read with outrageous adventures that, as this issue proves, are unpredictable. Johns and company have found the way to make “Aquaman” a great title, and they’ve even done so without relying on any of Aquaman’s traditional foes.
by Greg McElhatton, Reviewer
Thu, February 23rd, 2012 at 9:26AM (PST)
STORY BY Geoff Johns
ART BY Ivan Reis, Joe Prado
COLORS BY Rod Reis
LETTERS BY Nick J. Napolitano
COVER BY Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Rod Reis
PUBLISHER DC Comics
I like the idea of Mera taking over for "Aquaman" #6. After all, "Aquaman" #5 starred Aquaman himself while Mera was back in Amnesty Bay and this month shows us what she was up to in his absence. While on the surface it's not a bad issue, there are some parts that are a little hard to swallow.
The basic plot is simple enough; going into town to buy dog food for the first time, Mera ends up involved in two different violent incidents. The first one stands out as not quite holding up to a close inspection, though. As presented to us by Geoff Johns, Mera is befuddled by dog food choices and in the process gets into an altercation with a store owner. This is the sort of sexual harassment story so obvious, it denigrates those who have been harassed for real. Store owner Randy is such a caricature of a villain, you'd expect him to twirl a mustache and laugh maniacally before feeling up Mera. Instead of going for a subtler, much more insidious and creepy harassment you'd find in real life, we get something so blatant, it's a little hard to swallow. Essentially, Randy is a punching bag dropped into the story so Mera has something to hit.
The saving grace in the writing for "Aquaman" #6 is Mera herself. Confusion over dog food choices aside, Johns generally writes her as a competent, take-no-nonsense character. We get some flashbacks from four years earlier to learn more about how Mera first met Aquaman, and it fits in well with the character we see here whom upon being asked if she'd surrendered earlier, responds with a clipped, "Obviously not." Johns continues to try and redefine Aquaman and Mera into characters the readership views as dangerous and to that end we see her water-manipulation powers kicked into a deadly mode. It's an idea we've seen before but Johns gives Mera a clinical narration to go along with its usage that gives it a little bit of a punch.
Ivan Reis just provides breakdowns this month, leaving Joe Prado to provide the rest of the art. Prado's art is good here, reminding me of a cross between Ethan Van Sciver and Jim Calafiore; the latter of whom had his own long run on "Aquaman" in years past. Prado gives us long, lanky figures with sharp edges and a great deal of texture in their hair. He's probably at his strongest when it comes to Mera's water manipulation power, weaving the strands of liquid across the page in an elaborate, elegant manner. It makes the water look active and alive and that's exactly the effect we should be getting.
"Aquaman" #6 isn't a bad issue, but it's awfully predictable and feels dumbed down in places. The first incident feels ridiculous, and the second one has an ending you'll see coming a mile away. I like the idea of Mera getting a solo outing here and the flashback moments we get are by far and away the best part of the issue. Overall, I expected a lot more from this issue than what we actually good. Not bad, but it could have been better, too.
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