Aquaman Volume 3 TPB Review

Title:	Aquaman Vol. 3: Throne of Atlantis
Contributors:	Geoff Johns Ivan Reis Paul Pelletier
Publisher:	DC Comics
Issue #:	3
Year:	2013
Pages:	192 Pages
Age Rating:	12+ (Violence)
Story Grade:	B
Art Grade:	A

Aquaman has always been a man of two worlds, the surface world and Atlantis. In Vol. 3 his allegiance is challenged as he forced to choose between his family below and his friends above. But whose side is Aquaman really on? Will he stand with The Justice League for humanity or with the people of Warring Atlantis?

I have been thoroughly enjoying Johns' writing on this series. He truly takes the character of Aquaman to new dimensions with some deep character complexity that I have not seen in Aquaman before.

Without providing any spoilers, I will sum this book up in two sentences:

In a complex plot twist of treason and betrayal, the surface world has declared war on the Atlanteans. Aquaman's brother, the King of Atlantis, and The Justice League have both asked Aquaman to stand with them independently.

This is the main thread of the entire story and it plays out so well under Johns' masterful script. Johns allows the reader to explore Aquaman a little more with each story arc. And each arc gets a little more complex; a little more personal for Aquaman. This allows for some engaging character development and the reader gets invested emotionally with all the characters.

The artwork, much like the last two books, contains stunning large panels mixed with full page spreads. Reis and Pelletier keep on delivering the goods.

Reis and Pelletier do a wonderful job keeping pace with the story and allowing the art to simply illustrate and cement the many dramatic elements in the story.

Aquaman has become a staple pull each month for me. I am still not completely caught up, as I just started reading this series about two months ago with Vol 1, but I have all the Volumes (1-3) and the back issues to the current issue released last month. I know that Johns leaves the series soon, and I hope that this doesn't hurt the series, because he has done a fantastic job thus far.

I grade this book a B+.

Until next time... remember the Stones said it best... You can't always get what you want.