Comic Vine Review

26 Comments

Aquaman: Rebirth #1 - The Drowning Prologue: After the Deluge

4

Aquaman returns to save the land and the seas from danger!

Aquaman is back and faces old enemies and reconnects with old friends. Aquaman has gone through a ton of changes over the past few years, since he was revamped for the New 52. Rebirth takes a bit of what's been laid out, connects it with the Aquaman of the old, and brings back Black Manta, who is still plotting revenge for Aquaman supposedly killing his father. Writer Dan Abnett delivers something that is new reader friendly that's an overall fun read that flows pretty smoothly.

What really works in this issue is that this issue brings Aquaman back to the classic age, without sacrificing the world-building that took place during the New 52. The lore and mythology that Peter David introduced, decades ago, are re-established here. The issue has that feeling of fantasy that's been missing for the past few years.

Along with that, we get Aquaman on the surface, with Mera, and the return of Black Manta. There's a great balance of old and new in this book; however, it feels fresh and new while maintaining all the elements that made so many people a fan of Aquaman in the first place.

The art team consists of Scot Eaton & Oscar Jimenez on pencils, Mark Morales & Jimenez on inks, and Gabe Eltaeb on colors. Eltaeb's colors are the glue that holds everything together on the issue since Eaton and Jimenez's pencils don't line up as well. Both styles work well on their own, but you can really notice when the art styles change. Regardless, the book looks good and the color work really pops off the page.

Like other Rebirth titles, Aquaman: Rebirth doesn't offer as much to longtime readers as they may be hoping for. This title is geared more towards grabbing new readers in, and while it does that extremely well, a lot of this book feels like a recap to those who love the character. It's not all like that though. There is a lot of building towards the series, which will feel new to longtime readers.

Aquaman Rebirth feels geared more towards newer readers than to those who have been following the series for the past few years. That's fine, as the issue does give insight into where the series is headed. However, Aquaman fans may find a lot of the recapping to be a bit dull. Regardless, the series integrates that classic Atlantian lore and mythos into the book, making it feel more like a fantasy than a superhero comic, which will really set it apart from the other DC titles. It's not a perfect start, but there's a lot of potential here.