Let’s get the formalities out of the way: yes, Aquaman has long been considered one of the also-rans of the superhero world: he doesn’t have an obvious classic storyline like, say, The Long Halloween, his costume is orange, and he “talks to fish” (it’s actually a telepathic connection, thank you very much). And yes, that reputation has happily begun to change in recent years, with Aquaman gaining a larger fanbase and even a movie adaptation, the public realizing how cool the character can truly be, thanks in large part to the efforts of prolific comic writer Geoff Johns.
Johns took over the title back in 2011, when DC launched its “New 52” initiative, that is, when they rebooted fifty-two of their biggest titles with new continuity, in an effort to freshen things up. The New 52 received a mixed reception and the concept was ultimately abandoned, but one bright spot was undeniably Aquaman: while not an origin story, its status as a reboot makes it highly new-reader friendly, and everything you need to know to jump aboard is soon revealed.
It goes like this: Arthur Curry, aka Aquaman, is half-human and half-Atlantean, giving him extraordinary powers, and making him rightful heir to the throne of Atlantis, which survived its long-ago sinking and is now a vast underwater civilization, showcasing a fascinating combination of science-fiction and fantasy that I love to see in fiction. Curry is something of an outcast, distrusted by both Atlanteans and surface-dwellers, and he’s not exactly enamored of them either. Still, that doesn’t stop him from stepping up to protect others, and when monstrous forces arise from a deep-sea trench, he finds himself fighting to defend both of his homelands.
This was easily one of my favorite comics that I read last year. Feeling like a great superhero movie, spanning over seven hundred pages altogether, this an epic, but surprisingly focused and cohesive story. (Well, mostly. More on that in a bit.) Soon, we realize there are forces at play that go beyond the threat from the trench, involving Black Manta, Arthur’s archnemesis, and ultimately leading to a dark entity called (DUN DUN DUN) the Dead King. Along the way, we’ll encounter sea monsters and lost Atlanteans tombs, we’ll see battles amidst tidal waves and a ship being used as a club, and generally have more excitement than you can shake a trident at.
A considerable part of the appeal is the supporting cast; indeed, they sometimes steal the show from the man himself. Most obviously, there’s Mera, Arthur’s girlfriend and fellow warrior; dispatched by a rival undersea kingdom to assassinate him before the story began, she, as fictional assassins tend to do, fell in love with him instead, and now fights alongside him. She’s an immediately likeable heroine, involved in plenty of action and adventure in her own right, and her attempts to integrate into land life provide both drama and comedy.
The compelling ensemble also includes Black Manta, whose viciously personal blood feud with Aquaman threatens to send both of them spiraling out of control; Vulko, a loyal supporter of Arthur’s claim to the throne; Murk, a veteran Atlantean soldier who doesn’t trust him; Dr. Shin, Arthur’s ex-friend who wants to redeem himself for tragic mistakes; and Tula, a member of Atlantis’ special forces (they ride seahorses!) and, awkwardly, a member of his family thanks to the brother they share. If I threw a lot of names at you, well, it’s because I found myself invested in all of them. There’s even a dog named Salty.
Special mention goes to King Orm, Arthur’s half-brother who currently rules Atlantis. Orm was a frequently fascinating character; proving my theories wrong, he’s not the Loki-type figure you might expect and is all the better as a result, his insistence that he loves his brother and wouldn’t plot against him entirely sincere. He’s the kind of brave warrior-king you’d want leading you into battle, and he might have been a hero but for the contempt for humanity instilled in him by Atlantean culture. As war explodes between the surface and Atlantis and the Justice League gets involved, his actions get increasingly drastic and he finds himself on a collision course with Arthur.
Orm’s story ultimately goes in an unexpected direction, and is a bright spot near the end when the book falters a bit, with the inclusion of two standalone issues (cowritten by Tony Bedard), focusing on Black Manta and Orm, respectively, with the latter being far more interesting. The stories coincided with DC’s Forever Evil crossover, and maybe it wouldn’t have bothered me if I’d read that particular story, but as it stands, their inclusion comes off as awkward, as Aquaman disappears and we get Black Manta wandering around with dramatic happenings going on off-page, culminating in a brief recap of what happened in a totally different comic. Readers will likely be relieved when we get back to business, as Arthur and Mera prepare for the final battle to save Atlantis.
And while the story reaches a satisfying conclusion, there was one discordant note: Johns was planning an epic crossover event called Rise of the Seven Seas when he was abruptly removed from the series, getting the reader hyped for a massive conflict that never came to pass. (Old versions of the comic even ended with the phrase “to be continued”.) It’s frustrating that this storyline will probably never see the light of day, but I don’t think that’ll dampen readers’ enjoyment of this volume, available in a convenient, decently-priced omnibus.
The artwork, by Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Paul Pelletier and Sean Parsons is vibrant and exciting, with superheroes, monsters, battles, and Atlantis itself all looking terrific. Bottom line: plenty of action and cool concepts are taken to the next level by some great characters, and create a story that works remarkably well, with just about everything you could want in a superhero tale. This book is likely to win over even the skeptics, and allows King Arthur to take a well-deserved place in the superhero pantheon.
