Aquaman #17 and #18 Review

Title:	Aquaman
Contributors:	Geoff Johns Paul Pelletier Sean Parsons
Publisher:	DC
Issue #:	17-18
Year:	2013
Pages:	32 Pages each (12 pages dedicated to ads)
Age Rating:	10+ (Violence)
Story Grade:	B
Art Grade:	B

With his brother dethroned and jailed on the surface for his war crimes and that fact that now Aquaman is completely untrusted by the surface world, Aquaman assumes the one role he never wanted; The King of Atlantis. Despite the fact that the Atlanteans will never love or accept him (he is half human afterall), and his wife [Mera] cannot come live with him in Atlantis and he has to clean up Vulko's mess in more ways than one, Aquaman tries to do the right thing in all things.

In issue #17 Aquaman is alone. Mera is not with him, Atlanteans do not love him and the Justice League is nowhere to be found. Aquaman is isolated from just about everyone. This book is really nothing more than an epilogue to the Throne of Atlantis arc.

In issue #18, we begin a new story arc. Aquaman is trying to rid the surface world of Atlantean weapons and is trying to adjust to his new role of King of Atlantis and the baggage that comes with it, like dealing with Vulko. There is quite a bit of tension that comes from the Vulko arc.

Johns does a great job putting Aquaman into isolation in these books and Pelletier does a great job painting a more desolate, solitary world than we have seen in the last three story arcs.

These aren't your typical "funny pages". The story is truly becoming a drama in line with "Walking Dead" [minus the zombies] or Game of Thrones [minus the boobs sex].

There is some sadness, loneliness and maybe even a hint of depression in Aquaman.

With the ball being hit out of the park in the first three story arcs (see my reviews of Volumes 1, 2 and 3) this arc is beginning to take a step back, slow down and dwell in the drama Aquaman has created for himself with the choices he has made. It is a little sad to see him as a fallen one. But at the same time, things are being set up for Aquaman to find his redemption.

All in all I grade these first two books in the new arc a solid B. While it is definitely a more melancholy tale in this arc than I got used to in the first three arcs, it is likely the right story to be told. Aquaman made mistakes trying to be everything to everyone and now he is rightfully the pariah he should be.