Aquaman #19 and #20 Review

Title:	Aquaman
Contributors:	Geoff Johns (19) Paul Pelletier (19) Sean Parsons (19) John Ostrander (20) Manuel Garcia (20)
Publisher:	DC
Issue #:	19-20
Year:	2013
Pages:	32 Pages each (12 pages dedicated to ads)
Age Rating:	10+ (Violence)
Story Grade:	B
Art Grade:	B

Aquaman #19 is one big setup, leaving Aquaman off all but seven of the pages of the book. But never fear Aqua-fans; there is a lot happening in this book and is one you shouldn't miss. Issue #20 takes a break from the normal arc (for the most part) and Aquaman goes on another little adventure with the remaining "Others". While this issue enjoyable, it feels like a rushed tie-in to a completely different (albeit viable) story. Aquaman is nothing more than a bit-player in a story that shifts the focus away from Aquaman to the Others.

While Issue #19 leads the reader to the setup of something big, issue #20 leads the reader down a rabbit hole. It's a good thing that this rabbit hole includes a werewolf and The Others otherwise this would have been a complete let down. I was disappointed at first when issue #20 didn't move the plot arc left open at the end of issue #19. But never fear, issue #20 is definitely worth a look. I am a big fan of the others and this story arc does a great job at entertaining.

While Issue #19 is written by Johns, he took issue #20 off (possibly to work on another project) and handed to the reins off to the creative team Ostrander and Garcia.

Outside of the fact that we move away from the main story arc in Issue #20, Ostrander and Garcia do a great job telling an entertaining story that involves seeing dead people, werewolves and tons of Native American mysticism.

All in all I grade these two books at solid B. While I can't wait for the continuation of the Johns story arc, Issue #20 provided a nice break from the melancholy of the Aquaman arc. My main concern is how little panel time Aquaman is starting to get in his own book.