Diving Back In
I have been reading Aquaman faithfully since the start of the new 52. I own all the issues and I loved what Geoff Johns did for the character. Recently though, the stories have been weaker. Especially the Cullen Bunn arc, which was honestly really terrible and I hated it so much. When Dan Abnett came on to the series I was really happy with what he did. He took the character back to the status quo Geoff Johns and Jeff Parker had established. Now, I'm interested in seeing where Abnett takes Aquaman from here. Aquaman has always been one of my favorite characters and I really want the best for him. Even if this book were terrible, which it isn't, I would stick with the series. Fortunately, Aquaman Rebirth is a solid continuation and simultaneous refresher for the Aquaman series.
First off, Dan Abnett does a fine job writing. The action here isn't all that impressive, but the story is still conveyed well. I just didn't find the Deluge to be very impressive villains. They seemed like rather basic foes, and they came off as more of a device to demonstrate how strong Aquaman is. By the end of the book, they definitely felt like one-shot villains and I would prefer they stay that way, because they weren't very interesting. What I liked most about the writing was the use of a third-person narrator whose identity isn't revealed until the end of the issue. At first I found Abnett's use of this device to be annoying and contrived. I was imagining the narrator to be a Jacques Cousteau type, or just a voice like one you might find on a Shark Week documentary. Personally, even though with hindsight it seems very obvious, I did not see the reveal coming and it was really great. The pay off at the end was pretty spectacular.
The biggest drawback to this book is the art. The art is very strong throughout, don't get me wrong. Oscar Jimenez and Scott Eaton both have nice styles, they just don't blend well together. I hope not every Aquaman book has its art split like this. I would rather the issues alternate artists than flip between two every issue. Jimenez and Eaton both did great work but they were both very distinctive and that caused a visual clash for me. I really did love the opening page and how the water was drawn and colored. It was different from what we were seeing in the series pre-Rebirth but it is still very appealing. I think I prefer the character work by Scott Eaton at the center of the book, but all of it is good, I only wish it were more consistent.
As a fan of Aquaman and a faithful reader of his series, I am pleased with this issue. I think it is a great place to get back into it. Though it does continue the story arc set up before Rebirth, this issue provides a good entry point for people who haven't been reading. I'm thrilled to dive back into this series and hope other readers take this opportunity to jump in too. I think it will be really good.
I give this issue 4 stars, because despite loving the character, story, and what it sets up, I think the art should be more consistent. If they use two artists per book, they should fine two with compatible styles.
Anyway, I liked it. I'm sorry if you didn't.
