Review: Aquaman #5

The mystery of Atlantis’ sinking, and indeed the mysterious background of Arthur Curry and his father, continues in the new arc of Aquaman #5 – a great jumping-on place for newbies. And it is, I must say, a success that is going along swimmingly!

Aquaman’s desire to leave his past behind and make a life as a hero with Mera on the surface seems to continue bringing him back to points of his past (his dad’s best friend, the “A” give-a-show projector) as Geoff Johns starts to already cash in on some of those seeds planted in the early issues. (Reread issues 1-5 and then see how much has been told the reader that we really didn’t realize. It’ll scare ya!)

How Johns and artist Ivan Reis have gotten me to care this much about Aquaman in such a short period of time is flabbergasting. I have read issues of different revivals of his title, but no handling has ever gripped me like this – not even when our hero lost his hand for a hook.

And while I often brag about how beautiful Green Lantern is these days, please make no mistake that Aquaman and Justice League are both feasts for the mind and eyes. Reis and his inkers and colorists are making it hard not to give this book a second and third read each time, once for the story and twice to devour the awesome details of the art.

“Aquaman” jokes prevail in this title, but no one is joking about this comic: it is, in short, sensational. Let the wonder continue!