Aquaman (Vol.9) #10

"Future Ride" by Dan Abnett, Brad Walker, Andrew Hennessy, and Gabe Eltaeb.

In her meetings with The Oracle of the Widowhood, Mera is presented with nightmarish visions of Atlantis' utter destruction. The Widows reveal that they oppose Mera's marriage to Aquaman not because of her Xebel roots, but because of these visions. They think Mera will take over after the king has died, and her reign will lead to the end of the world.

Mera is, of course, skeptical, and heads back to Amnesty Bay for some quiet contemplation. After reuniting with Salty (Aquaman Shrine FTW), Mera finds a note left by Lt. Stubbs, who saved Mera's life when Spindrift Station was attacked. They meet at a nearby restaurant, only to fall victim to an attack from a member of N.E.M.O.! Normally, this would not present much of a threat to Mera, but the assassin's heavy weaponry and disregard for innocent bystanders gives him just enough of an edge to get the drop on her. 

While being crushed by a wave of hard water, the assassin drops some sort of grenade, and Mera has to do everything she can to contain the blast. She does, but in the confusion her adversary gets away. Mera decides she has to find Aquaman, and it's up to Stubbs to tell her the bad news: that in his fight with The Shaggy Man, Arthur is in critical condition. To be continued!

The previous iteration of the solo Aquaman series did something similar, giving Mera a solo spotlight during the first year of the book. I thought that was a great idea, and fairly well executed. I'm happy to say that it works again here, with writer Dan Abnett putting the Queen of the Sea through her paces in an exciting, involving story.

He is immeasurably aided by the work of Brad Walker, who I have been gushing over since Aquaman #1. His idiosyncratic style meshes well with the stories Abnett is telling, and he does some of his finest work here, adding wonderful little bits of character-based details, like Mera squeezing her hair dry when she comes out of the water (see above). Walker is exceptional at facial details, and even though he's only drawn a small handful of issues, I feel as though he has already staked a claim for giving us a distinct Aquaman and Mera. Considering how many artists have drawn these characters (hundreds, at this point), that's no easy feat.

Aquaman #10 was one of my favorite issues of the series so far, with both Abnett and Walker doing top-flight work. And speaking of top flight, you all know I have been a big fan of Joshua Middleton's variant covers, always taking pains to post them as part of the bi-weekly issue reviews. But he really outdid himself this time:

DC, please make this a poster. Or, at the very least, the cover to some sort of Mera-centric TPB collection.

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Aquaman (Vol.9) #9

"A League of His Own" by Dan Abnett, Scot Eaton, Wayne Faucher, and Gabe Eltaeb.

The Shaggy Man has landed ashore and begins his smashy-smashy bit in Amnesty Bay. The Atlantean army wants to pursue, but the Sea King orders them to stand down, explaining that if Atlantean warships start landing on U.S. soil, it will trigger another international incident, right at a time when Aquaman is trying to calm things down.

Aquaman takes on the Shaggy Man one-on-one, resulting in a lot of bruises to his face, but not much progress. Murk gets involved, demanding to know why Aquaman won't just call in the Justice League for help. It gets heated enough to the point where Murk alleges that its pride that is causing his king to act the way he is, which Aquaman denies. He then tries to his final gambit--he gets up close to the beast, jamming his JLA ID badge in its thick fur. He then issues a command to the Watchtower, and in an instant the Shaggy Man is transported into outer space, where he floats away, helplessly.

The conflict now resolved, Aquaman collapses into unconsciousness. To be continued!

Back in my review of issues #, I was worried that Aquaman was being dragged back into Atlantis, which I was dreading. I am happy to report that was a only a brief stay, and we got a full issue of our hero in his new home, fighting a giant monster. What's not to like?

I absolutely loved the trick Aquaman pull at the end. And even though the Shaggy Man is a robot and not truly alive, it still felt really badass for the Sea King to just beam him into outer space. Hopefully he won't get picked up by a Zeta Beam, because that will cause all kinds of problems on Rann.

With this issue writer Abnett ties Aquaman strongly to his new home, and we have multiple scenes of him interacting with the locals, only some of which are happy to see him. I was very happy about this, as anyone knows who has been reading the Shrine for a while, I loved giving Aquaman a base of operations on land and I hope over time Amnesty Bay becomes something similar to Gotham or Metropolis, the default setting for any story featuring his particular hero.

On the art front, Eaton and Faucher continue to do solid work, they know how to do action (good thing!) and there are a number of great shots of Aquaman as he races from one place to the next. I hope we see stuff like this replicated in the movie!

Aquaman #9 is on sale now!

Aquaman (Vol.9) #8

"Unstoppable" by Dan Abnett, Scot Eaton, Wayne Faucher, and Gabe Eltaeb.

We open with Mera at the Tower of Widowhood, an ancient temple run an order of less-than-humorous Atlantean women who plan on conducting test to see if Mera is "good enough" to marry their king. Meanwhile, Aquaman is alerted to the seismic booms taking place outside the city, and he, Murk, and some of the others go to investigate. It doesn't take long before they spot the massive creature lumbering its way forward.

Aquaman tries to communicate with it, which is met with a left cross, sending the Sea King flying. Not only is the creature incredibly strong, but it seems to be able to heal itself instantly. After falling back, Aquaman and Tula discuss strategy, and they bring out the big guns--literally. Atlantean craft fire "plasmit cells", which only stop the monster long enough for its real identity to be discovered--it's the old JLA foe, The Shaggy Man!

As Aquaman tries to stop it, he is told that the monster's target isn't, in fact, Atlantis, but--Amnesty Bay! To be continued!

After an issue of Aquaman whining about running Atlantis, I'm of course happy to have him back out getting involved in super heroics, and bringing in an old(?) JLA foe is a good way to do it! Like the Sea King, I'm not thrilled that he will potentially be separated from Mera for months, as she undergoes her tests, but luckily comic books can compress time so it (hopefully) won't take that long. (By the way, I assume Diana Rigg will be playing the head widow in the upcoming Aquaman movie?). I liked the moment where Aquaman realized that Tula is pretty good at what she does, and she doesn't need to be micromanaged like her assumed. Does this mean we'll eventually get our power couple back to Amnesty Bay and have Tula run Atlantis? I'd be up for that (and I think she would too).

As usual, the book's cover by Brad Walker is outstanding. The inside art by Eaton and Faucher is solid if indistinct, although the action sequences are pretty good. I have mentioned before, both here and on The Fire and Water Podcast, that I wouldn't mind the book going back to a typical monthly schedule if it meant we could get Brad Walker doing every single issue. In the meantime, I do enjoy seeing so much Aquaman, I have to admit. At this rate, we'll get to issue #76 in no time!

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Aquaman (Vol.9) #7

"Uneasy Lies The Head That Wears The Crown" by Dan Abnett, Scot Eaton, Wayne Faucher, and Gabe Eltaeb.

Aquaman and Mera are back in Atlantis, dealing with the various, sundry details of running a kingdom. He is, of course, most concerned with just who is trying to sabotage relations between Atlantis and the Surface World, but a lot of other stuff is getting in the way. One of the elders, Koah, suggests that if Aquaman is to marry Mera, she undergo a series of "tests" to prove her worthiness. Aquaman is, of course, aghast at this, and tells a stuttering Koah to get out.

Aquaman then meets with Murk, who was there at the wreckage of the Navy vessel. Murk shows him an Atlantean helmet found there, "proving" it was the work of one of them, Except--the helmet has been retrofitted with an air-breathing apparatus, meaning the person using it could not breathe water. Meanwhile, in Venice, at the HQ of N.E.M.O., Black Manta makes quick work of those who oppose his forced ascension to leader, after killing the previous Fisher King. 

Aquaman goes to see Corum Rath, the head of the resistance group known as The Deluge. Corum sees Aquaman as an illegitimate ruler, a half-breed (a crack which earns him a left cross from Tula). He refuses to help Aquaman get to the bottom of who is behind all this. Later, Aquaman has a discreet line of communication (an "Aqua-Phone") set up with Agent Irving of the FBI. He thinks that the FBI's investigation of the Scavenger--and who he sold his stolen Atleantean treasures to--might provide some clues. 

Not too far away, N.E.M.O. launches its first plan--unleashing some sort of giant beast the emerges from the Atlantean sea bed, and lumbers its way toward Atlantis. To be continued!

I have joked many times that I am really tired of seeing Aquaman get bogged down in Atlantis, and I have referred to it as the "'uneasy lies the head that wears the crown' bit." And here is Dan Abnett literally calling a story that, which didn't fill me with confidence, I have to admit. I just don't understand why Aquaman writers--virtually every single one of them--are so obsessed with getting Arthur back in Atlantis and dealing with all this palace intrigue stuff. Even Geoff Johns, who did more than any single Aqua-writer to transform the view of Aquaman into a full-fledged superhero, couldn't help bringing the story back to Atlantis during his final issues of the previous series.

That said, I still enjoyed Aquaman #7, watching the Sea King get pulled in several different directions. It would be easy to just blame the Deluge, especially since Corum is so unrepentant. But Arthur knows something else is going on, so he has to do a little detective work and see the bigger picture. Traditionally, Aquaman was written as a hothead and Mera was the calmer, more deliberate one, but Abnett has flipped that here. Heck, Aquaman would probably still be in a jail cell if Mera hadn't had enough and broke him out.

Abnett's political commentary is even more explicit this issue, right down to Corum trying to insult his king by calling him "progressive." To some, that is an insult, but to others, it just underscores how sadly stuck The Deluge is in its view of the way world is now vs. the way it was. The Deluge is going to Make Atlantis Great again, come hell or high water. 

On the art front, I do miss Brad Walker, but the Eaton/Faucher team do nice work here, especially with some of the close-ups. That shot of Corum saying "False King" I thought was quite good, as is a later shot of Aquaman talking to Agent Irving. And colorist Gabe Eltaeb continues to do an exceptional job with the colors.

Aquaman #7 is on sale now!

Aquaman (Vol.9) #6

"The Drowning Part Six: Out of His League" by Dan Abnett, Brad Walker, Andrew Hennessey, and Gabe Eltaeb.

Aquaman and Mera find themselves face-to-face with the Man of Steel. Things get worse from there, leading to punches being thrown. Aquaman, fighting for his life and his people, manages to get a couple of good shots in on Superman (as does Mera). Superman takes the abuse, until a low rumble that signals an invading Atlantean army is heard. But before things get worse, Aquaman asks his people to stand down. Aquaman and Mera head back for Atlantis, knowing this all has to be fixed--now. To be continued!

Nice to finally have Brad Walker back, and I enjoyed his work here just as much as I did in issue #1. Considering that most of this issue is just a big fight, I think it helps having someone with a fairly idiosyncratic style handle it. A lot of the poses are unique (like when Mera hauls off and knocks Superman off his feet) and he really gives the fight an extra level of visual interest.

While DC has done a lot to ramp up Aquaman's strength levels since the New 52, clearly Superman is humoring the Sea King here. I'm just not buying that the Sea King could even really get a shot in, so it's kinda nice of Clark to not make Aquaman feel too bad. It also seems like DC and/or Dan Abnett is re-positioning Aquaman, moving into the role Batman filled in the late 90s--namely, the good guy who's not totally on board and needs to be reined in once in a while. Not that Aquaman didn't have this shading previously, but the conversation he and Superman have throughout this issue reminded me of how Supes and Bats talked in The Dark Knight Returns.

There's also the developing sub-plot of Black Manta having been drafted into N.E.M.O. Of course, with Manta being the giant jerkwad he is, he thinks nothing of killing its leader and installing himself. Good to know that this new Black Jack is no more competent than the original 1940s version. Some things never change.

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Aquaman (Vol.9) #5

"The Drowning Part Five: Executive Sanction" by Dan Abnett, Philipe Briones, and Gabe Eltaeb.

Having been "freed" by Mera from a government detention center, Aquaman and Mera find themselves face to face with a small army (literally), all ready to fire upon our heroes. When fired upon, Mera is ready to respond with lethal force, but Aquaman still tries to keep things from getting too out of hand. Despite being outnumbered, the soldiers don't pose much of a threat, leaving Aquaman and Mera enough room to have an ongoing discussion about their relationship throughout the melee!

Meanwhile, tensions get ratcheted up in both the White House Situation room, and Atlantis, as they respond to the events. Finally, the fight is halted when a another party arrives: Superman!

I have to assume that writer Dan Abnett is having a bit of a laugh with this issue, since I couldn't help but chuckle at our heroes having a "talk" about their relationship, while at the same time flipping tanks and stopping choppers in mid-air. It's not intended as criticism; in fact I liked the comedic aspect of it, mixed in with the big action moments. Aquaman and Mera are complete butt-kickers here, so watching them squabble in a manner a lot of us can relate to I thought was charming.

And while I want to see the whole Aquaman vs. America think wrapped up soon, I did enjoy seeing the White House consider the Sea King the "most dangerous" member of the JLA. I wonder what Batman would think about that?

As I mentioned last issue, I think Philipe Briones is getting better with each issue (where have you gone, Brad Walker, a nation turns its lonely eyes to you), with his rendition of Mera still his most effective. Another thing he's good at is scene setting--both the sub-plots in Atlantis and Antarctica (where Black Manta meets the head of N.E.M.O.) have lots of interesting visual design going on and are interesting to look at.

Speaking of the art, I have been loving Brad Walker's covers for this series--they have a real fluidity of movement combined that reminds me a touch of the great Michael Golden. They have consistently been winners.

Aquaman #5 is on sale now!

Aquaman (Vol.9) #4

"The Drowning Part Four: Semper Fidelis" by Dan Abnett, Philipe Briones, and Gabe Eltaeb.

Aquaman allows himself to be arrested and imprisoned, thinking it will tamp down the escalating tensions between Atlantis and the U.S. Government. Mera consults with Tula, who is investigating the situation from their home base. The mysterious group known as N.E.M.O. (headed by a woman named Black Jack) transports Black Manta to meet their leader. Mera, tired of waiting for the Surface World to see the truth, breaks Aquaman out of prison. They escape long enough to find themselves surrounded by armed forces, all of whom are pointing their weapons at our heroes.

Writer Dan Abnett is clearly channeling real-world events in both Britian and the United States, with Aquaman's discussion about how a small subset of Atlanteans "fear change" and have turned angry and violent. He (Aquaman) even seems a bit sympathetic, but all that has to be set aside when Mera comes charging in.

I enjoyed Mera's exasperation with her beau, who reminded me a bit of Superman in Kingdom Come, so determined is he to Do The Right Thing. It's an interesting idea, to have the book's main character not be the one who drives the action, but then Arthur has always been a bit stubborn, sometimes to his own detriment.

I didn't mention this last issue, but I'm tickled that writer Abnett has chosen "Black Jack" as the moniker for this new villain. For those Golden Age Aquaman fans, Blackjack was of course the moniker of pretty much the only recurring bad guy the Sea King ever faced. As a bad guy, he was a miserable failure, and this new version has already outperformed her namesake by managing to break Black Manta out. I can only assume this was on purpose--if so, I enjoy the little nod to Aqua-History.

After being lukewarm on Philipe Briones' work last issue, I was much more enthusiastic about it here. All the scenes in Atlantis with Tula are filled with visual invention, and Mera gets a good amount of distinctive facial reactions that reminds one a bit of the work of Kevin Maguire. I don't think he's quite got a handle on Aquaman yet, but the rest looked pretty nifty, and he can stage action sequences well.

My apologies for the late review of this issue, Aquaman's increased publication combined with Olympics Fever (where I'm following a real life Aquaman) has really thrown a monkey wrench into my Shrine posting schedule.

Aquaman #4 is on sale now!

Aquaman (Vol.9) #3

"The Drowning Part Three: Capitol Crimes" by Dan Abnett, Philipe Briones, and Gabe Eltaeb.

Aquaman is in Washington DC to get Merrick Garland confirmed!

Actually, no, he's dealing with something even harder than Congress: after learning that Spindrift Station has been closed following Black Manta's attack, the Sea King heads to DC to try and fix the situation. Unfortunately, a Navy ship in the South Atlantic is attacked by the Deluge, all in the name of Atlantis. The U.S. Government doesn't take too kindly to this, and they move to arrest Aquaman. Mera isn't about to just stand there and watch her beloved carted off into chains...until Arthur tells her that's exactly what he wants her to do.

After what seemed like a promising start, I'm sad to see Aquaman and Mera have problems with the Surface World again (and so soon!). Arthur even sort of debases himself by suggesting his fellow Justice Leaguer Superman "vouch" for him, all to no avail. At the same time, the band of super-villains who kidnapped Black Manta last issue explain who they are ("N.E.M.O."--cool handle) and after he demonstrates how ruthless and effective he is, he is told he's going to meet "the boss."

I was a little thrown off by how different Aquaman looks via penciller Philippe Briones--not that he could, or should, just ape what Brad Walker did in issue #1, but I liked that distinctive appearance (seen on the nifty, 60s-esque cover) and missed it this time. But Briones makes up for it with Mera, who gets some great facial reactions--the final two panels show her looking aghast, followed immediately by an almost cartoony confusion. 

Overall, I'd say this was a fine issue, but not much more than that. Aquaman #1 was such a great start that it was going to be hard maintaining that momentum, hopefully we can get it back for issue #4, in just two weeks.

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