Despite that, this finally issue feels a bit cramped, as he seems to rush a bit to wrap up several of the storylines he's put in place and set things up for the next creative team.
But his love for the character shines through (in fact, he has at least one more big Aquaman story he's apparently saving for an upcoming series in Justice League).
Johns avoids the Forever Evil conflict by setting this story six months after the first confrontation with the returned King of Atlantis - Aquaman has been in a coma after their first confrontation.
This issue brings us the final confrontation, as Arthur seeks out a source of power - and some unusual allies - to help even the odds, as he fights to win back his kingdom.
It's a brutal fight, it clears up some long-running questions and sets the stage for the future.
The art by Paul Pelletier and Sean Parsons is wonderful, with amazing underwater environments, a cast of thousands, and some terrific splash pages - this team is very underrated and deserves more attention.
I just want to take a moment to say "thanks" to Johns for his work in rehabilitating this character. Aquaman was one of my first favorites when I started reading superheroes in the early 1960s, and it's been painful, in recent years, to see him treated as the butt of jokes.
Johns has demonstrated the dramatic and heroic potential in the character and the concept - and I just hope the next creative team will continue that good work.
There are no limits to the character and his potential - so let's keep pushing those limits and cranking out great stories!
Grade: A-
--------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment