The second of Geoff Johns books continuing on the heels of the ‘Throne of Atlantis’ crossover, “Aquaman” #18 plays with the series’ fun new status quo and sets up major conflicts.
Written by Geoff Johns
Illustrated by Paul Pelletier• The critically-acclaimed adventures of Aquaman continue with “DEATH OF A KING.”
• Unfolding out of the events of “THRONE OF ATLANTIS” comes a mystery that sends Aquaman to the ends of the Earth to solve an ancient murder—one that will reveal a horrific truth about Arthur Curry and threaten those closest to him today.
• Plus, Mera has a quest of her own involving a long-forgotten adversary of Aquaman.
After the events of ‘Throne of Atlantis,’ in which Arthur’s brother Orm unwittingly started a war between Atlantis and the surface world, Aquaman has reticently reclaimed his role as King. However, not all are content with their new monarch, and it’s here “Aquaman” creeps closer into Game of Thrones territory. That’s hardly a bad thing, rather, it’s extremely fitting for a character who has long been defined by his royal heritage in an alien society. Another parallel can be made based on the issue’s cliffhanger, but we’ll just say that if the Atlanteans have a “Night’s Watch,” they aren’t doing a very good job.
Aquaman continues to deal with the consequences of ‘Throne of Atlantis,’ particularly with the widespread trade of Atlantean weaponry lost during the battle. This is an interesting plot point that many writers would have likely overlooked in the aftermath of a major battle between drastically different nations. It also allows the chance Johns to reintroduce and reposition a rather obscure DC villain, something the writer excels at.
Speaking of villains, many parallels can be made between the character of Vulko, ex-advisor to Aquaman, and Sinestro, a character that Johns has elevated greatly in his time writing “Green Lantern.” In the same way that Sinestro devastated the Green Lantern Corps in order to make it stronger, we find that Vulko had similar motivations in his betrayal of Atlantis. Some may find this disappointing, as it seems Johns is revisiting well worn tropes. In fact, one scene between Arthur and an imprisoned Vulko is strikingly similar to one between between Hal and Sinestro prior to the ‘Rage of the Red Lanterns’ arc in “Green Lantern.” It’s hard to blame a writer for re-utilizing successful ideas, as long as it’s not at the expense of fresh story-telling. In any case, Vulko is becoming a fascinating character to watch.
Although she refuses to follow her husband to Atlantis, Mera continues to remain a prominent figure. This issue follows up on the Mera-centric “Aquaman” #6, in which the character ran into a bit of trouble with the law. Much like the Atlantean arms trade, this is a minor plot thread that could have easily been overlooked, but works well and makes a lot of sense in the context of the story. Giving Mera a stage away from her husband’s shadow helps showcase the strength of the character, as well as her naivete.
It’s taking a fair bit of adjustment to get used to the shift from Ivan Reis to Paul Pelletier’s art. Pelletier’s work isn’t bad by any means, but it does lack some of the grandeur and refinement of Reis’ pencils. Pelletier’s work is at its finest in the underwater scenes. The artist has a fantastic grasp on the atmosphere of Atlantis, both in its unique architecture and cultural styles. Colorist Rod Reis helps keep visual continuity with previous issues of the series, using a color pallet heavy on cool blues and greens. If there’s one major critique to be had with Pelletier’s art, it’s the heavy inking. Many of the scenes are cloaked in a heavy shadow, taking away from the underlying pencil work.
A crossover with DC’s flagship title may have helped raise the profile of “Aquaman,” but it’s good to see the title moving back into its own little corner of the DCU. As far as character revamps go, “Aquaman” has yet to reach the heights of “Green Lantern,” but is faring far better than the pre-‘Flashpoint’ relaunch of “The Flash.” While it may not carry the same clout as Johns’ “Justice League” titles, “Aquaman” does have stronger characterization and plotting. This makes it not only one of Johns’ greatest recent works, but one of the few consistently great New 52 books in general.
Final Verdict: 7.8 – Buy. While it’s a little rough around the edges, ‘Death of a King’ is off to a promising start.
