Aquaman isn’t just a superhero, but the leader of an entire culture; we recently spoke to writer Dan Abnett about this and how important it is in his current storyline. Based on the last issue, things are getting very escalated for Aquaman and Atlantis, but how is today’s issue? Is it good?
Aquaman #12 (DC Comics)
So what’s it about? The full summary reads:
“THE DELUGE” part one! It’s war! With the undersea army of N.E.M.O. at his command, Black Manta draws the U.S. and Atlantis into the war Aquaman has been fighting to prevent. Now the sea king races to uncover proof of N.E.M.O.’s deception before the two nations destroy each other.
Why does this book matter?
Based on the cover, things are going to get a lot worse before they get better. To add to this, Aquaman is attempting to keep his country safe from an unknown threat, the US government and maybe even the Justice League.
Fine, you have my attention. What’s good about it?
Stop killing my home town of Boston you jerks!
Abnett is fleshing out the supporting character list in this issue, with plenty of Atlantean backup for Aquaman to work with. Meanwhile, the US government gets a fresh set of marine soldiers to throw at Aquaman, N.E.M.O. enacts their big plan, and this issue furthers Mera’s conflicted feelings about marriage. All in all, this issue sets the stage for big action next issue whilst moving along all of the storylines.
The real win for this issue is how Abnett manages to keep everything clear, concise, and well paced. N.E.M.O. attacking cities helps infuse action into the issue while Aquaman readies his troops and the U.S. government progresses their plans too. This all leads to a cliffhanger that could go in many different directions, though punching is surely going to start soon enough. The coolest part of the cliffhanger is how it may have Tower of Babel vibes given how Aquaman needs to protect his people first. I’ll say no more to avoid spoilers!
Artist Philippe Briones draws a very detailed book here, one that’s excellent at capturing the facial expressions necessary to lift up the dialogue. Just look at this fantastic panel that not only conveys the characters in the room, but the urgency of the situation and details on their screen too. The colors by Gabe Eltaeb continue to add a bit of flair to the Atlantean garb, whilst keeping the surface world looking realistic. Considering how much goes on in this issue, the art packs it all in an easy to consume package.
See what I’m talking about!
It can’t be perfect can it?
There’s an important scene between Mera and Aquaman that portrays Mera as flighty and overly emotional. Not enough is done to convey her feelings in an honest way, which makes her come off as unnecessarily weak.
Is It Good?
The story in Aquaman is ramping up ten fold and this issue balances all the table setting well with big reveals. Aquaman is shaping up to be the Michael Bay action blockbuster with all the drama of West Wing.
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