Review: Aquaman #7
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Jeremy Adams
Art: Michael Shelfer
Colors: Rex Lokus
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd
Summary
Aquaman and Co. find Atlantis at last, but it’s not quite what Arthur is expecting. He barely has time to process before Dagon arrives for their showdown!
Positives
Not being very excited to see Jann last issue, thankfully he doesn’t overwhelm Aquaman #7. He drops in to the ensemble pretty quickly, however without the cleverness or excitement that the other cast members have provided. However, the plot really hurtles forward as they find Atlantis, Arthur’s family and prepare for a final showdown with Dagon.
This all involves a twist that you may or may not love…I’m not sure myself, especially when it seems pretty clear that it can’t be permanent. I won’t spoil it, but you’ll see it when you get there. Reuniting with his family does make me wonder about the status of Arthur, Jr. With the New History of the DC Universe being published currently, it may answer the question at some point, but it may not. Andrina gets some page time this issue and it makes one think about Arthur, Jr., Aquaman’s first child. It would be a meaningful addition to Arthur’s history and Jeremy Adams is the kind of writer I can imagine doing it. However, this doesn’t mean I want to see Koryak back. That era for Aquaman is better left to a different continuity.
During the revelation of “the twist,” Adams does provide some nice emotional beats with Arthur and Mera. They quickly give way to the arrival of Dagon and the showdown that will come next issue, but I trust Adams to give a satisfying ending even if it means the next story arc will encompass the unraveling of “the twist.”
Adams’ solution to a “wormhole” under the water- flowway– is a nice addition to the Aquaman mythos. Hopefully, it can be used in future issues and developed further
Negatives
Remembering that Aquaman #6 ended with Arthur releasing Zann of the Wonder Twins doesn’t really help when opening to page 1 of Aquaman #7. The context is gone, so it’s almost like being dropped in medias rei, or like you’re missing an issue. It’s not a huge problem, but it takes a minute to get one’s bearings before feeling settled with what’s going on.
Verdict
Aquaman #7 is a pretty solid issue that moves the plot forward quite a bit which is also satisfying. The “twist” adds some good emotional content and all the while Aquaman continues to be written very “in character.” This may not be the best issue of the series, but it’s definitely better than the previous issue. I feel like Jeremy Adams has a longer resolution that will play out and next month’s “finale” is just the midpoint of the greater saga. We’ll go 4/5, even if it’s more like 7.5/10.
