Friday, February 24, 2012

Aquaman #6

Perhaps it's just my long-running weakness for women with red hair, but the fact is, I've always liked Mera.

The wife of Aquaman is stunning, intelligent and very powerful, although she's had precious few chances to show it over the years.

All that has been corrected with the recent Blackest Night series and her de facto co-starring role in this comic.

In fact, this issue contains almost no Aquaman content at all (a mere two panels at the end), as it focuses on Mera and her venture into the world of grocery shopping.

The basic plot by Geoff Johns veers a bit too close to After School Special territory, as Mera is forced to deal with a couple of men who are knuckledraggers at best - but it does give her a chance to show her own regal nature, and the extent of her power to control water - even on dry land.

I enjoyed this issue a lot, and it's great to see these heroes get a long-needed injection of personality and purpose.

The art is by Joe Prado, who's working over layouts by Ivan Reis, and while it's not quite as good as pure Reis, it's pretty darn close - solid work all around.

I think every issue in this series so far has referenced the fact that Aquaman (and "Aquawoman") are considered to be jokes on the surface world, thanks to comedians who've made fun of him and his power to "talk to fish."

Hopefully this series will continue to mend that reputation. Aquaman is one of the earliest superheroes I encountered, and he's long been a favorite. It's great to see him getting first-class treatment at the hands of some of DC's best creators.

More like this, please.

Grade: A-

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