With the DC Next Level initiative kicking off and remixing the status quos of characters in the DC universe, one of the titles I was most interested in was Aquaman. Being a long time fan of the character, and with the results of DC K.O. promising a new power set for the Atlantean hero, I was primed and ready for the talker of fish to get a big boost in status. While the previous issue was less of a “new start” than a “let’s wrap things up and set things up”, Emperor Aquaman #16 feels like more of what the last issue promised, and delivers a really fun and exciting underwater adventure that’s more high fantasy than superhero.
Now fully ruling over the entirety of the Blue, Arthur Curry begins his duties by assembling and repairing relationships across the different underwater tribes and kingdoms. It’s been a long and contentious process, as not everyone believes that he should be so welcoming of those he’s fought in the past, and when King Shark arrives those worries become even more strained. But since Shark was also part of the recent mega DC event (and is experiencing the same prophetic dreams as Arthur), he agrees to to allow King Shark the chance to prove himself on a diplomatic mission into the Blue. Arriving at a new planet with a mysteriously colored ocean, Aquaman, King Shark, and the rest of his team (including Wonder Twin Zan), meet an insectoid race that is oddly welcoming to these new visitors. Perhaps a little too welcoming…
One of the great things about Jeremy Adams’ script for this issue is the sense of adventure. Emperor Aquaman #16 doesn’t waste any time digging into an area that I was hoping the series would go in after the previous issue: exploring new areas of the underwater kingdoms across dimensions. Being a huge fan of the ocean and the things that can sprout from it, I was immediately hooked on this aspect of the issue. Adams’ script has a strong sense of exploration and imbues the series with a sense of fantasy fun that wouldn’t feel out of place in an old school Conan The Barbarian adventure. Whereas the side plots involving Mera’s powers and Jackson learning to control the lighthouses are given very small amounts of plot in the book (and in Mera’s case, are concluded pretty much right away), Adams uses a big section of the issue on this extremely solid and fun story that, while you can see the twist coming a mile away, is still fun to watch play out.
DC
Like last issue, John Timms absolutely does not mess around on the art here. The different aquatic creatures and sculptures he crafts in this issue are fantastic, and really meet the grand adventure feel that Adams’ script needs. Timms’ ability to effectively show fluid and realistic movement underwater is a sight to behold, and when the book goes into horror comic mode, the result is suitably nasty, disgusting, and oddly beautiful. There’s a weird beauty to the creatures Aquaman has to battle here that plays up how dangerous they are. They are mesmerizing to their victims, even when they are at full grotesque power. Also, I have to shout out the coloring from Rex Lokus again. The panel reveal of the new lighthouse the aliens crafted for them is pretty jaw dropping, with bright and otherworldly hues of pink that really offset the blue surroundings we associate Aquaman with.
While it’s more self contained than I expected, that actually works to Emperor Aquaman #16’s advantage, as this is a far easer “pick up and try it” read than issue #15 was. He’s always been known as the “Atlantean King” in DC, but having Arthur Curry not only contend with ruling his kingdom AND the trials of attempting to build a benevolent empire are really intriguing, especially if his other diplomatic meetings go this poorly. Hopefully this idea keeps Adams and Timms’ story going for some time, as there is a lot of rich material to mine from it.
You must be logged in to post a comment.