Btp: Aquaman #1 Review
This article was submitted by Ryan Green. If you would like to submit an article, please e-mail to myself at jadams@nerdiest-kids.com or contact@nerdiest-kids.com
From animated portrayals in the âSuper Friendsâ, to short skits in âRobot Chickenâ; Aquaman is often the most ridiculed super-hero out there. Not just in popular media, but in comic books as well. Due to rapid creative team switch ups, Aquaman has been everything from a teenage pretty boy, to king, to eco-terrorist, all the way to a zombie, and has had almost as many continuity problems as Hawkman!
However, there may be some light at the end of the tunnel with this weekâs release of Aquaman #1, which is part of the âNew 52â relaunch by publisher DC Comics to bring more readers into comics and the DC Universe. Spearheaded by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, and Joe Prado; this creative team seems passionate about bringing Aquaman to the forefront and in the same league (figuratively and literally) as Batman, Superman, Green Lantern and The Flash. Such passion and love for a character is always a good sign when dealing with a new creative team, and now with Aquaman #1, out in stores, we can see firsthand just how this new take on the character works.
The beginning of Aquaman #1 is all about introducing Aquaman as a major power house and player in the DC Universe. As you can see in the images and preview below, Aquaman shows feats of invulnerability, great strength and, (not shown in the preview) the ability to super-leap. The great thing about these pages is that not only are they awesome Aquaman moments, they are also logical Aquaman moments for a character built to survive in the harsh environment of Earthâs oceans. This is great to witness as it shows that we finally have a writer taking Aquaman seriously, and showing he is a serious âheavy weightâ in the DC Universe. Johns seems so confident in this characters ability to hold his own title that, rather than use an established Aquaman villain, he has elected to introduce us to a new foe in the form of carnivorous, horror movie-looking creatures of the deep (hence why the first Aquaman storyline of this series is called âThe Trenchâ).
Thatâs not to say that this first issue is solely action. Like the master storyteller he is, Johns also manages to add a key ingredient in the recipe to make this story all the more enjoyable: Humor! Johns is acutely aware that the underwater hero has an unfavorable reputation, and is often seen as a joke despite the fabulous feats of power he shows throughout the issue. The highlight of this being a scene with a âbloggerâ in a restaurant, who constantly ridicules everything that fans have said about Aquaman for years (such as his ability to talk to fish, even though he claims he merely cajoles them to his whim) and flat out calls him a laughing stock. The reaction Aquaman has is logical, and creates a great sympathy for the character.
Blended in with plenty of action and humor, Aquaman #1 also has a great many heart-filled and compassionate moments. In the restaurant scene described above, Aquaman has a moment of reflection about his late father; later taking a moment to reflect on a lecture his father once gave him on responsibility as a child. Along with the empathy point of an adult figure from his past, we also see a great moment where he helps the citizenry in less action-star ways. It gives us two great things about Aquaman: it entrenches him in the superhero genre with a patriarch origin, and makes him unique with the lack of a secret identity and the reasoning for it. Finally, a unique part of this opening issue is the fact that the series has dual protagonists. Along with Aquaman, there is his wife Mera (refreshing to see in the land of comics: a happily married couple).
When it comes to art, it is hard to top the linework of Ivan Reis. Here, Reisâ talents are fully utilized , showing incredibly realistic facial expressions from Aquaman and all the other characters to convey personality and emotion. From the anger of the bank robbery, to the love from Mera, Reis captures the full spectrum of human emotion with his pencil. If he can and Johns can keep this momentum up, this will be a truly classic series.
No expense is spared for the details of this issue, as along with great pencils, the colors and imagery from inker Joe Prado on this entire issue stand out and hold your attention. The rendering of Aquamanâs costume, opting instead to do away with the garish orange color of Aquamanâs shirt for more of a shiny and metallic golden look instead, befits a former king! Pradoâs mastery of color isnât just for the Sea Kings wardrobe; he effectively bridges the look of a sun filled day, with the horror of the main adversaries. A fantastic and difficult feat to pull off!
After 70 years of being the butt of many jokes, and ridiculed in every manner possible, itâs good to see someone finally giving Aquaman the long overdue respect he deserves. Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, and Joe Pradoâs Aquaman #1 is a fantastic and entertaining tale, and is set not only to be another success in DCâs âNew 52â initiative but will not disappoint new & old Aquaman fans alike. Honestly, I felt more like this was the first act of a movie rather than just the first issue of a comic book storyline, and I already canât wait for issue #2!
