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A review by christajls
Aquaman, Volume 1: The Trench by Geoff Johns
4.0
Originally posted at Hooked on Books
Storyline: Aquaman has always been the big joke of the superhero universe. I always thought this was a little unfair, because I had always been so envious of his powers. He could stay underwater for the longest time, communicate with sea life and he knew where Atlantis was! Apparently Geoff Johns felt the same way because he brought Aquaman back and is attempting to depict him as the superhero I always knew he could be.
The premise of this story is that Aquaman is just as big a joke within the pages of the comic book as he is outside of it. People laugh at his costume, tease him about talking to the fish, ask him if he's going to dehydrate if he goes too far from the water and worst of all they tell him they don't need his help, even after he fights alongside them against a vicious attack from the creatures in the trench. He faces a major identity crisis about whether or not he should even try anymore. It's a fascinating story and one that sets straight all of our misconceptions about Aquaman and his mythos.
Characters: Aquaman (or Arthur Curry) is an incredibly interesting character in this new series. He's facing a major crisis of identity and Geoff Johns does an amazing job of depicting just how torn he is between doing what's right for the people, doing what he thinks will make him happy, and deciding whether or not to return to Atlantis. The people of Earth don't make it easy for him but he is always on their side and I found him incredibly sympathetic and relatable.
And then there's Mera, his wife and mermaid (just don't call her Aquawoman!). I never knew all that much about her and her role in the Aquaman story, but I can honestly say I never expected her to be so badass. Whereas Aquaman simply turns the other cheek to the people's mocking, Mera bites back with her sharp tongue and attitude. I really admired her ability to stand up for herself and those she cared about. Plus with the ability to manipulate the water, she's a pretty tough superhero in her own right.
Artwork: Ivan Reis is an amazing artist. I was floored by how detailed some of his panels are and how much emotion he's able to convey in such a small space. And the creatures from the trench! They're still giving me the shivers. But it is the full page pieces that are the real treat of this collection.
Readability for new comic book fans: If you have never read a comic book before (let alone an Aquaman comic) you can read this one. Part of the premise is that people no longer understand Auqaman, so the story sets out to educate you/them on exactly who he is and what he can do. It's a great intro into one of DC Comic's most famous heroes.
Storyline: Aquaman has always been the big joke of the superhero universe. I always thought this was a little unfair, because I had always been so envious of his powers. He could stay underwater for the longest time, communicate with sea life and he knew where Atlantis was! Apparently Geoff Johns felt the same way because he brought Aquaman back and is attempting to depict him as the superhero I always knew he could be.
The premise of this story is that Aquaman is just as big a joke within the pages of the comic book as he is outside of it. People laugh at his costume, tease him about talking to the fish, ask him if he's going to dehydrate if he goes too far from the water and worst of all they tell him they don't need his help, even after he fights alongside them against a vicious attack from the creatures in the trench. He faces a major identity crisis about whether or not he should even try anymore. It's a fascinating story and one that sets straight all of our misconceptions about Aquaman and his mythos.
Characters: Aquaman (or Arthur Curry) is an incredibly interesting character in this new series. He's facing a major crisis of identity and Geoff Johns does an amazing job of depicting just how torn he is between doing what's right for the people, doing what he thinks will make him happy, and deciding whether or not to return to Atlantis. The people of Earth don't make it easy for him but he is always on their side and I found him incredibly sympathetic and relatable.
And then there's Mera, his wife and mermaid (just don't call her Aquawoman!). I never knew all that much about her and her role in the Aquaman story, but I can honestly say I never expected her to be so badass. Whereas Aquaman simply turns the other cheek to the people's mocking, Mera bites back with her sharp tongue and attitude. I really admired her ability to stand up for herself and those she cared about. Plus with the ability to manipulate the water, she's a pretty tough superhero in her own right.
Artwork: Ivan Reis is an amazing artist. I was floored by how detailed some of his panels are and how much emotion he's able to convey in such a small space. And the creatures from the trench! They're still giving me the shivers. But it is the full page pieces that are the real treat of this collection.
Readability for new comic book fans: If you have never read a comic book before (let alone an Aquaman comic) you can read this one. Part of the premise is that people no longer understand Auqaman, so the story sets out to educate you/them on exactly who he is and what he can do. It's a great intro into one of DC Comic's most famous heroes.