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Friday, February 26, 2016

Aquaman (Vol.8) #49


"Rising to the Surface" by Dan Abnett, Vicente Cifuentes, John Dell and more.

"This will begin to make things right."

This issue of Aquaman opens back in Amnesty Bay, in the lighthouse home of our heroes. Arthur, Mera, and Salty the Aquadog are enjoying a quiet evening at home. Officer Erika Watson arrives to make sure the town's most famous residents are coming to the annual "Sea Festival." Mera is skeptical, but Arthur assures they will be there.


After an interlude with a prisoner in Albuquerque, which involves a cup of water coming alive and killing him, we're back in Amnesty Bay and the Sea Festival. Then we see the same strange killings take place in other cities, all the while Aquaman and Mera try to have fun at the festival. Arthur has an easier time of it, but Mera struggles ("This is undignified").

The conversation continues on to Arthur's idea to form an Atlantean "mission" on dry land, to ensure better relations between the two worlds--and he wants Mera to lead it. Later that night, Mera decides that she's going to do it, and jumps into the pool hip deep:


This issue is pretty much just one long conversation, and I'm fine with that; it's nice to see Arthur and Mera getting along again. Plus: Salty! Plus Plus: Mera in Aquaman's classic costume!

I'm not going to waste my/your time relitigating what happened previously with this title. It's clear that writer Dan Abnett had one mission: to right the ship, patch the holes, and get it steady in time for Rebirth in a few months. And that he did, so it's on to the next issue!


19 comments:

Lucien Desar said...

Nice quick review! I had a lot of fun reading this issue and it reminded me one of those moments where the Justice League had pizza nights (aka downtime).

Earth 2 Chris said...

Did they just pull a Bobby Ewing?

Chris

DotD said...

Good I can get back to actually reading the book now

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
r duncan said...

Seeing the current dour incarnations of Garth and Tula really make me long for the fun old days of the 60s.

(Welcome back, Rob.)

Joshua Rainey said...

I absolutely loved this issue! Yes, this is a long conversation, but do we always need punch-kick-hit stories? It's nice to get indept with the characters. I felt I really got to know them. Aquaman, Queen Mera, Garth, Tula, and Murk at the Sea Festival was so much fun. Tula and Murk really enjoying cotton candy for the first time. Aquaman and Queen Mera taking a picture was hysterical. I love the lighthouse song, with Queen Mera singing it repeatedly throughtout the issue. You see a connection between her and Queen Atlanna, since she originally like that song. Yes, Salty was in it! Aquaman and Salty just sitting on the couch was great. This issue showed them as people--thinking, feeling, living in a natural world, not just props for some half-baked plot. And I love the direction its going in. Aquaman setting up a plan to make a relationship betwen the surface and the sea with him making sure theres no conflict from either side. Thats where he should be, in the center of these two worlds. He is a lighthouse shining a spotlighr on things. This issue has turned things around from the previous run, and I think its building a better world than Geoff Johns run. Thats if they continue to stay more character driven than plot driven. There are parts to this story featuring a creature, which will lead to the introduction of Dead Water. Im hoping this run doesnt turn into a retread of The Trench. And I hope with Rebirth this series doesnt get shuffled in some crossover event. Aside from those apprehensions, Im really looking forward to what happens next, and Im very happy, because I havent been able to say that in a long, long time.

Joshua Rainey said...

I absolutely loved this issue! Yes, this is a long conversation, but do we always need punch-kick-hit stories? It's nice to get indept with the characters. I felt I really got to know them. Aquaman, Queen Mera, Garth, Tula, and Murk at the Sea Festival was so much fun. Tula and Murk really enjoying cotton candy for the first time. Aquaman and Queen Mera taking a picture was hysterical. I love the lighthouse song, with Queen Mera singing it repeatedly throughtout the issue. You see a connection between her and Queen Atlanna, since she originally like that song. Yes, Salty was in it! Aquaman and Salty just sitting on the couch was great. This issue showed them as people--thinking, feeling, living in a natural world, not just props for some half-baked plot. And I love the direction its going in. Aquaman setting up a plan to make a relationship betwen the surface and the sea with him making sure theres no conflict from either side. Thats where he should be, in the center of these two worlds. He is a lighthouse shining a spotlighr on things. This issue has turned things around from the previous run, and I think its building a better world than Geoff Johns run. Thats if they continue to stay more character driven than plot driven. There are parts to this story featuring a creature, which will lead to the introduction of Dead Water. Im hoping this run doesnt turn into a retread of The Trench. And I hope with Rebirth this series doesnt get shuffled in some crossover event. Aside from those apprehensions, Im really looking forward to what happens next, and Im very happy, because I havent been able to say that in a long, long time.

Anonymous said...

Hooray! This sounds like a great chance to turn things around. Also, far-be-it for me to sound like Shag, but my goodness, Mera in Aquaman's costume...yikes!

I haven't got a chance to read this yet, but this just sounds so bright, hopeful, and positive. This sounds like the turn around I was hoping for. I'm excited, which is something I haven't been able to say for Aquaman in many months!

Unknown said...

I am not crazy about Mera wearing an Aquaman costume in this issue. It seems like they are trying to turn her into a generic female counterpart to Aquaman. One of Mera's strengths as a character is that she is powerful in her own right, not merely Aquawoman. That being said, I am quite happy they have returned to the lighthouse. Good things appear to be on the horizon.

Joe Slab said...

I loved this issue as well and it has been a long time in coming for me to be able to say that.

I'm actually quite in awe of what Abnett as his work on TITANS HUNT has failed to engage me so I'm even more impressed that he was able to restore the central theme (and build further upon it)of Johns AQUAMAN in just one issue.

I don't think Arthur and Mera have ever seemed so real, human and emotionally accessible to me. Johns wrote Aquaman (and Mera too) a bit to harshly for my taste at times but here we have a softer, more relaxed royal couple. I mean Arthur & Salty cuddling on couch was precious, uncovered territory for an Aquaman book!!! :) One of the best things to ever come out of The New 52 is Aquaman having a viable identity as Arthur Curry, not just the fact that it is his given name.

In addition, Deep Water looks like he could become the Killer Croc of Aquaman villains and Mera reluctantly embracing an Aquawoman persona has fun written all over it. Can't wait for #50!

Harley097 said...

This was a really fun issue and it felt like it could have been from Geoff's run but can you guys please use your vast Aqua powers and talk to the colorists working on this book?
Tula's hair color keeps changing. She had an almost red color in the Johns run, brown in Parker's run, blonde hair in the first few Bunn issues and now it's almost black. The inconsistency is driving me nuts

Darrin said...

Very excited about the new direction and hope it isn't derailed by rebirth!

KJ Sampson said...

Got to join the chorus: I've been a fan of Dan Abnett's writing for many years and he's rarely disappointed. His take is an absolutely pitch perfect return to what made this volume great (whereas Bunn's was basically Veitch 2.0 — better done, yes, but a weird left turn into a wrong lane).

David J. Cutler said...

Such a relief to hear I can start reading this book again. Been a while.

Ander said...

This issue was fantastic. After eight months of a near, unbearable story, we are finally able to take a breather and relax with Aquaman and Mera. This issue felt like a perfect continuation of the Johns/Parker run. I know it might seem a bit early to say but I think Aquaman is back on track, and it's finally a book that I am eager to once again pick up every month. Abnett completely understands Arthur and Mera and I would be happy to see him take on the book with Rebirth (provided Johns isn't on it already). Also the art looked WAY better than it has in the last few issues, which is surprising because it was the same artist! I couldn't help but think how adorable Mera was throughout the entire issue, singing the lighthouse song throughout the entire issue. We also got some quick looks at our new Aquaman villain, Dead Water, who already seems like he can be a terrifying new addition to Arthur's rogues gallery. I also found Arthur's idea of building Atlantean bases on the surface to be very intriguing. While Mera looked very cute in the "Aquawoman" outfit, I do hope it's only temporary. To me, it kind of strips her of her individuality by forcing her as a generic counterpart (as Thad mentioned earlier) like Batman/Batgirl, Superman/Supergirl, etc. I'd hate to see that with Mera in the long run, as she has more than made a name for herself without having to resort to "Aqua" in her name. Overall, it was such a fun and enjoyable read, and while I know it might not be to everyone's liking, and I know a few might call it filler, but to me we needed this. Aquafans needed an issue like this after eight months of dreary storytelling. I'm very excited for this new direction with Abnett and I am so happy that I can look forward to picking up Aquaman each month.

9/10

scott said...

I've missed these. Great issue. Fun review.

Joe Slab said...

Here's the problem: We spoke to Rod Reis who in our opinion is the definitive Aquaman colorist and was on the book when Tula debuted. He said Tula's hair color fluctuated between purple and brown and a definituve hue was never determined before the creative team broke-up. Rod was replaced by Rain Beredo during Jeff Parker's run and he ditched the purple hue and colored her hair brown, as does Guy Major who's currently on the book. The panels where her hair appears black are a coloring error which in a medium like comics happens all the time. When Rebirth hits in June there will be a new colorist on the title and hopefully Tula will remain consistent but if not we'll send the editor a note on it :)

Harley097 said...

Thanks for looking into it and I really appreciate the update, Joe!

Anonymous said...

This issue was boring as hell and the last image was idiotic... somehow Mera thought her tight green "cleavage" outfit wasn't sexy? So she has to look like a sorry excuse of a female version of Aquaman?? That's the only way people are going to take her seriously??? It's bad enough that most people just call her "Aquawoman" when she has her own character, outfit, and unique abilities...

I waiting for the moment Mera finds out that Aquaman slept with Siren, I can't wait to see his pathetic excuse for that one, "You see Mera, even though your doppelganger didn't act like you at all, I mean even a blind retarded child could see that she wasn't really you... but I thought my dick could just solve the problem... I thought I could bang the bad out of Siren... you can't hold that against me... right???"