Archive for the ‘Aquaman’ Category

Neil deGrasse Tyson Thinks Little Of Aquaman

Posted: December 11, 2012 in Aquaman, Comic Book News, NPR
1

December 3rd marked a very a significant day in the life of Superman, and a very degrading day for another.  NPR has done a lot of work at getting the word out about comics and comic book creators, especially when Neil Gaiman took a guest spot in their morning edition news program.  But December 3rd was the day NPR took the time to focus in on a specific comic book issue – Actions Comics #14 – where Superman is given a glimpse of his deceased home world as the light from the explosion has only now hit the eyes of Earthlings everywhere.

To hear the full broadcast, Head on over to NPR’s Morning Edition.

Superman Watches his Home Planet Go Boom

Superman Watches his Home Planet Go Boom

The exact science of how this works within the story is something you’ll have to discover for yourself by picking up issue #14.  It’s a good one by the way, one I should have reviewed.  NPR takes time to focus in on one of the issue’s key characters, Neil deGrasse Tyson, a scientist in real life, permits DC Comics to not only use his Planetarium’s namesake in the comic, but his likeness as well.  Tyson assists DC with making the science of seeing the explosive light of a 27 years dead planet plausible, grounding it in scientific fact.

The interview is actually quite interesting and proves, once again, that comics pay closer attention to the reality of science than we give the industry credit for.  However, despite how intriguing the dialog between Tyson and NPR’s David Greene was, the scientist makes a comment that simply proves the truth within a common stereotype of one of DC’s strongest superheroes….Aquaman.

Tyson states that he was happy to ”assist Superman in his time of need.” This was, of course, an emotional time for Supes since he’s actually getting to see his homeworld destroyed by the unknown force of nature that killed it.  However, Superman is special and Tyson would only do it for the head honchos.  His next statement after his proclamation of wanting to help Superman was…

“I would not have done it for Aquaman.”

Geoff Johns hit the nail on the head, people simply don’t respect Aquaman.  Who would have known that even respected scientists would treat such a iconic superhero with this level of shame.  Tyson, I think what you did for Action #14 was awesome and fun, but let’s not treat the King of Atlantis with such disrespect.

Aquaman #11 Review

Posted: July 29, 2012 in Aquaman, Comic Book Review, DC Comics
0
Written by: Geoff Johns
Art by: Ivan Reis, Joe Prado
Cover by: Ivan Reis, Joe Prado
Variant Cover by: Ivan Reis

A treasure trove of golden weaponry is revealed in a hidden tomb of the first king of Atlantis.  The Others join Aquaman in a series of flashback moments where we learn of Aquaman’s past, with further indication that he’s simply not the man he is now.  We also find Mera taking it too Manta, tooth and nail, with Manta making his get away, along with Dr. Shin.  All of this and much more, culminated into one extraordinary book!

Of course, we’re still at square one aren’t we?

It’s like an episode of Lost in season six – we can learn so much about the characters and their pasts, but we still don’t understand what the heck is going on.  And that’s fine!  I loved Lost, but I was always in a constant state of agony because I would continually learned new stuff, which only raised more questions.  Granted, Aquaman isn’t quite as unrelenting as that, but I’m still wondering when something new will pop up, furthering the story.

There is some nice character developing moments – Aquaman was once a jerk who cared very little about others, but is now a changed man.  At some point in time, he deserted The Others leaving them high and dry.  It doesn’t look as if the former team is too upset at Arthur, but their’s definitely some tension within the ranks.  However, he’s doing his best to keep the peace, stating that going after Manta alone isn’t for selfish reasons, he simply feels obligated to protect the team he once left for dead.

The brothers Reis, as always, present an exceptional set of visuals for us to behold.  However, even the most peaceful of moments in anything they do looks so intense, it’s tiring.  I’m not knocking anything they do, but the amount of work they obviously put into their art is so extravagant and always leaves me in a state of fatigue.  This issue is no exception, glowing with wonderful colors and lighting, and character definitions that I can only dream of producing.

The book doesn’t stand too well on it’s own, regretfully.  It’s wonderfully written, but does require a certain amount of knowledge in order to really know what’s going on.  It’s hard for any comic to act as a good jumping-on point as they almost always require a certain amount of following of the storyline.  I don’t typically knock a comic for this aspect, but this was a bit much.

This is a fun issue with some great moments.  Everyone would do themselves quite well by picking this series up.  Start with issue 13 though, and purchase the trades for issues 1-12.

8 out of 10 stars

Aquaman #8 Review

Posted: April 26, 2012 in Aquaman, Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, Joe Prado
0
Written by: Geoff Johns
Pencilled by: Ivan Reis
Inked by: Joe Prado
Cover Color by: Rod Reis
Lettered by: DC Lettering
Colored by: Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Rod Reis

Six years ago the news media was all about the King of Atlantis.  Is he the real deal?  How does he breath under water?  Is he truly Atlantean Royalty? And who in their right mind gave him that Zack Morris hair do?  Eight issues ago we were shown an Aquaman that that very few people cared about or even knew existed.  How quickly people forget about their heroes in six years.

But I guess he did run off into the sea, shirt ripped and pectorals bulging, joining a band of vigilante pro-activists who were fighting for…uh…something.  But what he do in that one year?  That’s the real question.  Sure, he was causing some mayhem during his “fight the power” faze, but why did he leave? And how will this impact his life as Earth’s mightiest H2O tolerant, blonde haired heart throb?  The past returns to haunt yet again!

And Arthur’s past certainly isn’t getting along well with his present.  Ya’wara and Mera partake in a humorous exchange of implied sizing each other up!  Leaving Arthur stuck in the middle, finger up his nose, dumb found, and uncertain of what to do.  But don’t worry, before he leaves to go on his nostalgic man hunt, Aquaman puts his hand out towards Mera with a heart felt, “I love you.”

More mysteries build up in this issue – the relationship between Aquaman and the Doctor becomes a little more sympathetic, and Black Manta continues to slither around like a water moccasin, killing everyone from Aquaman’s past.  No thanks to Arthur’s Aqua Teen Hunger Force, armed with ancient Atlantean weaponry.  From six years in the past, this team boosted events to what they are now.  This was certainly a band of heroes who could have challenged the Justice League to a stand still!

There was a lot of really cool paneling and architectural work done on the layout of this issue.  Not really different from anything else I’ve seen, but very appealing and nice to look at.  While I understood what happened in the flashback sequence, however, I couldn’t help but remember the old Looney Tunes shorts where, when calling any man to step forward and fight, comrades took a step backward, leaving the protagonist without a choice…

C'mon guys, we can take 'em...uh, guys...where'd ya go?....oh crap, not again!...um, nice evil doer...

I understand what was going on, don’t worry, (especially since I took it out of context) but there is a certain level of humor in this, wouldn’t you agree?

In all seriousness, however, Reis takes everything he does very seriously; bringing all of his talents to the table, delivering the best work possible from any comic book artist.  While Arthur maintained his green and gold motif from six years ago, he was a lot more savage, young looking (giving a hint of Edward Cullen) and obviously mad at the world.  This is an artist I can trust to be completely honest on every page.

Aquaman continues to be a book I don’t hesitate to read.  Many of the titles I pick up have me wondering if I’ll enjoy it month after month.  There are only a few I don’t worry about at all…and Aquaman is among that elite group of titles for me.

10 out of 10 stars

Aquaman #6 Review

Posted: February 23, 2012 in Aquaman, Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, Rod Reis
0

Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Breakdowns by IVAN REIS
Penciled and Inked by JOE PRADO
Colored by ROD REIS
Lettered by NICK J.  NAPOLITANO
Edited by SEAN MACKIEWICZ & PAT MCCALLUM

Do any of you remember, prior to the reboot, there was a back story DC fleshed out about Mera and how she was tasked with killing Aquaman?  Apparently that side of Mera wasn’t wiped out with the last conglomeration of DC continuity.  With their relationship only being as old as four years, Mera still has ill feelings about the land dwellers and their constant and utter underestimation of both her and Aquaman.  However, being a woman living in the shadow of Arthur can make things a little more complicated for her…as well as those surrounding her.

It’s interesting to me that the superhero names that both Mera and Arthur inherited, due to their abilities, don’t seem to be aliases that the two like to use.  Much like with the majority of Marvel Comic’s superheroes, everyone seems to know the identity of Aquaman, not that he was trying to hide it.  The scaly clothing they wear is also not as it appears; everyone (even us readers) seem to have always operated under the assumption that the outfits are some form of costume, when in fact it’s nothing more than regular “everyday” cloths Mera would go shopping in!

Click To Enlarge

Kind of makes you look at the whole thing from a different perspective doesn’t it?   Not only does Aquaman and Mera get no respect, but they act under the delusion that their wardrobe is considered “normal.”  Four years of being together and they still haven’t figured out that land dwellers (as I put it) really don’t understand them.

But, of course, that doesn’t stop the seedy store manager from puttin’ the moves on the queen of Atlantis!  One thing that this issue does for us is solidify how strong willed Mera is, and show her low tolerance for the surface people’s attitudes.  No doubt, however, most women would love to do to the same thing to seedy men that Mera does to her harasser…

Click To Enlarge

We also see the major difference between Aquaman and Mera.  Issue #1 showed us an Aquaman who goes through his daily routine, humoring people and their ignorant attitude towards him…Mera is not as nice.  Initially she attempts at being friendly, (Very different from her role s a Red Lantern back in the days of Blackest Night) but one mere incident can bring her back to reality and the realization that she simply doesn’t fit in with “these people.”

Rightfully so too!  For six issues, people have done nothing but patronized Aquaman even after performing his superheroic duty.  Now, Mera is faced with saving a girl from being shot in the face by her dad, and walking right into the last straw  with his unoriginal comment of being a “fish out of water.”  She’s almost willing to kill to shut the ignorant and stupid people up.  But her frustration with people doesn’t stop with their ignorance; it stems towards their illogical loyalty to those willing to put a bullet through their skull.  The sociological implications of this issue are astronomical!

In the end, however, all it took was a brief display of love and kindness for Mera to be at peace with her living situation.  There is hope for us after all!  Thank you Jennifer for giving Mera the hope she needed.

The brother’s Reis, once again, do no wrong, providing us with beautifully sculpted bodies, incredible movements of water, and wonderful scenery.  If you wanted to buy this book for the art and not the story, you wouldn’t be wasting your money. I always buy for the story first, but the art alone is worth the $2.99 price mark.

Aquaman is one of the better titles in DC’s new 52 lineup that is actually doing a good job with rebooting is line.  We haven’t actually started over, but Aquaman’s story is definitely just beginning.

10 out of 10 stars

Aquaman #5 Review

Posted: January 28, 2012 in Aquaman, Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, Rod Reis
0

Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
Inked by JOE PRADO & EBER FERREIRA
Colored by ROD REIS
Lettered by NICK J. NAPOLITANO
Variant cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
Editors by PAT MCCALLUM & SEAN MACKIEWICZ

Out of all of the titles in DC’s reboot, which one would you say is getting the best treatment?  Only those who are picking up EVERY title could truly answer that question.  And while I have my own preferences and favorites, my response to that question would most assuredly be Aquaman.

To start off, Aquaman is seen falling from the sky landing smack dab in the middle of a desert.  His bewilderment is quickly followed by a plea for water.  We soon learn that this plea was not meant so much for dehydration purposes, but more so to activate a small ancient Atlantean communication device with a message of destruction hidden within.

As with all sci-fi soap opera dramas, there’s also a dream-like encounter between Arthur and his father in what turns into an emotionally heart clenching moment of fear and neglect.  Very rarely do we see Arthur in an emotionally vulnerable state of mind, but here he’s as strong as he ever was in past arcs.

The substance of this issue is not within the dialog, but rather in the visuals.  50% of this book is more of an action packed, rock ‘em sock ‘em story where the remaining percentage relies on silence and heat.  The Reis brothers show us what brilliant artistry looks like when you can actually make the readers FEEL what is being portrayed in the art.  I didn’t actually sweat, but the desert splash pages caused my senses to wonder if I was actually experiencing heat or art.  And the contrast between the hot and cool effect when the image of the Atlantean soldier appears is an amazing piece of work.

Going along with incredible artistry, the image of Arthur’s mirage father was mind blowing.  It was a seamless display of a much more painted look in contrast with the more familiar art work from the brothers Reis.

I’m very excited to see where Johns goes with Aquaman. There’s obviously something big coming, and knowing Geoff Johns, that big thing is going to blow us all away!  Back in 30!

10 out of 10 Stars

Aquaman #3 Review

Posted: November 25, 2011 in Aquaman, Comic Book Review, DC Comics
0

Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Ivan Reis
Inker: Joe Prado
Colorist: Rod Reis
Letter: Nick J. Napolitano  
Editors: Sean Mackiewicz & Patrick McCallum

You learn something new everyday! That saying definitely applies to Aquaman in issue #3.  Even he has no clue as to who these sea dwelling cannibals are.  Known as “the Trench,” the monsters bombard the shores, attacking human after human to feast on, with the leader tackling the strongest and most resilient human they’ve ever met.  After Aquaman and Mera fight off the ugly hoard, with a condescending gratitude given by the local police force, they seek help from a dangerous part of Aquaman’s past to solve the mystery of the trench.

With the exception of Brightest Day, Geoff Johns has really done nothing wrong in his comic book career.  You can give him anything and he’ll deliver some of the more interesting stories in comics.  One thing that’s true about Johns, however, is how obvious it is when he’s working on a character he favors.  Johns has a knack for creating a great mystery with wonderful twists and turns along the way.

#3 finishes off the initial shock of the Trench, gently shoving bits and pieces of at us that answer some questions, while creating more questions at the same time.  Not being a faithful follower of the Aquaman mythology before the reboot, I have no idea if this Mr. Shin was a constant character in Aquaman’s history.  It’s obvious that he is now, and the tension in the room once Aquaman entered was more than enough to get me excited about how these two are going to connect with each other; whether by becoming great friends, forgetting the past, or by becoming sworn enemies.  Clearly, however, this visit made by Aquaman will reawaken a thirst in Mr. Shin, and I doubt we’ve seen the end of this.

Of course, mysteries are part of the game in storytelling, and the Trench have certainly created an enormous one.  I have a feeling that they are more connected to Aquaman than we might realize.  What about the Aquaman’s trident is going to cause this unknown figure to return?  What caused this evolution in the Trench and how is it Aquaman has never heard of them?  There is so much to get excited about and I dare say that Johns is having the time of his life writing this arc!

The Reis Brothers also seem to be having a good time based on the artwork they’re producing in this book.  The opening page brings us to a calming moment of relaxation despite Arthur’s dad’s inner monologue, juxtaposed by the very next page which is nothing but blood and chaos due to the attack made by the Trench.  Ivan brings out the best emotional aspect in both Mera and Arthur’s eyes and facial expressions, as well as giving so much depth to their physical forms, and Rod’s usage of color, especially during the in-the-water scenes, are fantastically brilliant.    His coloring job makes it actually LOOK like both Arthur and Mera are in REAL water.

Needless to say, I was MORE than impressed and taken with this Aquaman installment.  I rank this book right up there with my other favorites, Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, and Action Comics.  Seriously? I have to wait another FULL MONTH to get issue #4?!?!?  This sucks!

10 out of 10 stars

Aquaman #2 Review

Posted: October 27, 2011 in Aquaman, Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, Rod Reis
0

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Ivan Reis
Inker: Joe Prado
Colorist: Rod Reis
Letterer: Nick J. Napolitano
Cover Art: Ivan & Rod Reis

A King And Queen To Respect…
How DOES it feel to be a superhero that no one takes very seriously…except then it comes to supernatural disasters?  I have NO IDEA, But it seems Aquaman is taking it quite well and maintains his composure as a man of honor.  Amongst all of the unintentional jokes and belittling from innocent bystanders and public officials, Aquaman’s self-worth isn’t lowered in the least.  It’s a fantastic display of super-royalty and shows why Aquaman is not a superhero to be laughed at.

At that same token, where Aquaman is fierce and intimidating, Mera is brutal…and scares the crap out of me! She doesn’t care that she’s using the same amount of brutality that “the Trench” uses against them, all she cares about is riding the world of evil.  But it was also nice to be reminded of her loving spirit and how the water follows her commands with such grace.  In so many ways, she reminds me of Wonder Woman; her spirit, love, and willpower equals that of the amazon princess…and it’s perfectly displayed here in #2.

Gore Can Be Beautiful, Can’t it
John’s had created, to put it simply, a colony of some of the creepiest and downright most evil creatures ever conceived in DC’s history.  But what makes it even creepier is the Reis Brother’s visual depiction of the underwater devils; the consumption of flesh and blood, even from their own peers, is a terrifying aspect that will make your skin crawl!  The Trench might just be the most accurate depiction of what animal instincts are really like…all we’re missing is the reproductive craziness that under water seas creatures embark on.

I had to do a triple take, however, on page two, when the fisherman said, in terror, “my God”…but backwards…

Give him a break...If I was about to be eaten alive, I might not be coherent either.

But other than that little glitch, the art is fantastic, filled with so many gothic colors and perfect expressionful faces.  (yes, I made up a word…my blog, my rules!)  But one thing I’ve never been able to get my hands around is the ability artists have to illustrate water and movement THROUGH the water.  Disney amazed me with the Little Mermaid, and Pixar WOWED me with Finding Nemo…now Rod Reis takes me for an amazing ride with every splash and spoolsh he could throw my way.

When All Is Said And Done
Now, RIGHT when I thought I had a handle on the Trench’s motives…which I thought was to eat, eat, and eat some more…the assumed “leader” of the Trench provides the twist!  Now the mystery begins it’s path into the meat of the arc, showing the possibility that the Trench has a deeper, more hidden agenda that’s more than simply eating non-stop.  What it is, however, could turn out to be simply more eating…but with Aquaman as the main course!

9 Out Of 10 Stars