] type='image/vnd.microsoft.icon'/>

Saturday, January 04, 2014

Aquaman (Vol.8) #26 - Feb. 2014

sg
"Pressure" by Jeff Parker, Paul Pelltier, Netho Diaz, Sean Parsons, and Ruy Jose.

A new chapter for Aquaman and Mera starts here!

In the Northern Atlantic, some deep sea researchers are investigating some fossilized remains that are over 2,700 years old. After some laser cutting into its surface, the remains suddenly open, swallowing the craft!

Miles away, at Amnesty Bay, a reporter is doing some investigating on Aquaman. But for some reason none of the townsfolk will talk with him, not even acknowledging they've heard of "Aquaman."

Back below the surface, an undersea volcano has erupted, risking the lives of some Atlantean engineers. Luckily, Aquaman and Mera are on the case:

sgsg
After getting the engineers to safety, Mera reminds Aquaman that a royal forum is being held at that very moment. Aquaman dutifully takes off so he can attend.

Aquaman and Mera arrive, the meeting having already started. Quickly, our heroes get the sense that the other leaders of the Atlantean ruling parties are less than pleased with having to deal with them. Two of the officers, named Kae and Marga, are more honest, telling Arthur and Mera what's rubbing the others the wrong way: namely, they question Aquaman's divided loyalties to Atlantis and the Surface World.

But before they can continue, an alert sounds, there's trouble off the coast of Maine. Some sort of creature is attacking, and Aquaman and Mera pull off a new trick to get Arthur there as quickly as possible:
sgsg

Aquaman engages in a pitched battle with the creature, throwing punches and stabbing it with his trident, to little avail. Watching all this is Mera and other members of the Atlantean government. One of them recognizes the creature as the Karagan, a being considered an Atlantean myth.

Seeing brute force doesn't work, Aquaman tries something Mera warned him not to do: try and communicate with the creature telepathically. But as soon as he does:
sg
...to be continued!


Overall, I thought this was a great start to Jeff Parker's run on the title. The whole "Fastball Special" thing that Aquaman and Mera did is goofy, ridiculous, and totally fun: I could see this bit being done by Bob Haney and Jim Aparo in an issue of Brave and the Bold. I want to see them do this every third issue.

I still wish Aquaman didn't have to deal with Atlantean nonsense (his sad sack face when Mera tells him the royal meeting is something I. Don't. Want. To. Ever. See. Again. But luckily it goes by quickly and then we're treated to ten pages of the Sea King punching a monster!


If you want to hear more of my thoughts on Aquaman #26, be sure to tune in to Monday's episode of The Fire and Water Podcast where we will discuss this issue!

1 comment:

Count Drunkula said...

From these pages, it looks like colorist Rod Reis' absence is felt as much as Geoff Johns'. Is Ruy Jose the permanent colorist on the book now or just a fill-in?