Aquaman Rebirth #1
Writer: Dan Abnett
Pencillers: Scot Eaton & Oscar Jimenez
Inkers: Mark Morales & Oscar Jimenez
Colorist: Gabe Eltaeb
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Publisher: DC
Review by Gregory Brothers
The truth is it has been years since I have picked up an Aquaman comic. But that’s one of the things that Rebirth has allowed me to do; revisit some of the characters that I haven’t followed in a very long time (if at all).
Abnett tries his hardest to help those that may have walked away long ago understand the complexity that is Arthur Curry in Aquaman Rebirth #1. Through a series of captions we are reminded just how different Aquaman is compared to many of the other heroes running around the DC Universe. For starters, he is tasked with patrolling and protecting over two thirds of the earth as the leader of Atlantis, thus making him king of the oceans. Being a child from an Atlantean and human relationship has not endeared him to either group of people. The people of Atlantis feel that he has to close a relationship with the humans, and humans feel he needs to do better to control the people of Atlantis.
Abnett even addresses the fact that Aquaman is one of the least popular characters in pop culture, making reference to the jokes that are made by comedians, one of which being that he can talk to the fish. The fight with The Deluge, a Atlantean terror group, serves more as way for the narrator of the story to point out that even those who faithfully serve him question Curry’s motivations at times. During the dinner at the café with Mera, Abnett gets to really explore just how strong the relationship between the two of them is and how they both lean on each other.
The art is not bad but there is little about it that stood out. Being that most of this issue is underwater there are lots of blues, and greens throughout. In a few of the panels they feel a little cluttered with the excess use of bubbles and water swooshing. It’s also obvious that one of the artists is very fond of making people land on their heads with their feet in the air when they get punched, since it happens on three separate occasions.
The Verdict
Buy it! Aquaman Rebirth #1 does a great job of reintroducing readers to both to Arthur and Mera and the complexity and strength of their relationship. The reveal at the end of the issue, while familiar, gives you the feeling that the point of this issue was to set up a major change in Arthur Curry’s life in future issues. If you have been keeping up with this series through the New 52 and even before, you can skip this issue and check back with the series in two weeks when the regular series starts up. I do think that some of the jokes about Aquaman being lame and made fun of fall flat. It is something that anyone that knows anything about DC comics is already aware of and you risk people not wanting to pick it up because of that stigma. The reveal at the end does change the feel of the captions from that of an information dump to a plan that is laid out for the future.
