Posted in: Comics, DC Comics | Tagged: aquaman, corum rath, dan abnett, dc comics, dolphin, HRL, justice league, mera, rebirth, Stjepan Šejić

Aquaman #26 Review: The King Continues To Rock

Still on the run from the Corum Rath-controlled Drift, Aquaman and Dolphin have to make the decision to stand and fight. After holding their own for a bit, Dolphin leads Arthur to a hideout deep within the Ninth Tride.

However, the criminal underworld of Atlantis still hunts Aquaman and Dolphin.

Mera, furious at what has happened in Atlantis, starts a relentless assault against the Crown of Thorns that surrounds the city.

Vulko has been captured by Murk. Can he withstand the interrogation of the veteran warrior, or will he spill all of his secrets to the Corum Rath regime?

Dan Abnett and Stepjan Sejic continue their hot streak with a second incredible comic delivered after that astonishing #25. This comic looks beyond gorgeous thanks to the work of Sejic, and the story remains engaging thanks to the writing talent of Abnett.

This comic goes to interesting and unexpected places. It's not often when you read a comic and don't have a decent idea of where it is going, but this one succeeds in keeping me guessing about what Mr. Abnett's endgame is in this underwater Game of Thrones-esque narrative (less nudity and bloodshed of course, this is a T-rated comic after all).

It keeps a quicker pace than the previous issue, focusing less on set-up and more on advancing the story. As such, there is a bit more action, and the relationship between Arthur and Dolphin is advanced a bit.

Vulko is an unsung secondary character in the Aquaman story. He is very interesting, and his intentions are hard to often read. He loves Arthur and wants the best for him, but his means are often devious and vicious. I really like him and am glad he's stuck around in this series, especially in this new ark.

This issue, as well as a portion of the previous one, establishes a plot point about a hated and disenfranchised class of mutants in Atlantis. They live deep within the Ninth Tride, the Alphabet City or Hell's Kitchen of Atlantis (gentrification has actually made both of those metaphors outdated, but whatever), and are hated and feared. This is clearly intended to be a racial analogue in the already-established to be racially diverse Atlantis. I have mixed feelings on this. I like the idea of injecting this into the Atlantean culture, but their status as mutants makes the comparisons to the X-Men way too easily. This is especially true given that some of the mutations look like they could effectively function as super powers.

Regardless, this is a fantastic comic book. The art is gorgeous, the story is enthralling, and the characters are engaging. You should be reading this. Pick it up.

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