Aquaman #12 – Jeremy Adams, Writer; John Timms, Artist; Rex Lokus, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: The second of the DC Fight Month bouts doesn’t take place in a one-shot, but in this tie-in issue of Aquaman – which has the regular creative team unleash a new level of chaos on Arthur. Aquaman has been going through a lot, having recently lost his wife, brought his daughter back to the present day nearly grown (but not what she appears to be), and inheriting the power of the Blue, becoming a God-like hero. And now he’s been called into action, going up against Hawkman in the next of the round of sixteen. Normally, Hawkman would have the heavy edge here – he’s not only a seasoned warrior, but he’s lived thousands of lifetimes and become a better fighter in each of them. He’s confident, prepared to defeat Arthur cleanly and easily – and then discovers the hard way just how powerful Aquaman has become, and how easily he can draw on the water all around us.
And like each fight, the battlefield shifts with round two. Hawkman gets a visit from his patron, Horus, from one of his earliest lives, and he’s able to tap into the power of one of the oldest Gods and become a paragon who can take this battle to space, where he’ll have the advantage. After all, Earth is a water planet, but if he keeps Aquaman from touching it, he’ll have the edge…right? This issue is jam-packed with top-notch action and visuals, as well as great narration that explores how both men see their abilities and their connections to nature, but it’s probably the most straight-forward of the three matches we’ve seen so far. There’s a reason for that – Aquaman is entering the battle at a crucible, where no one knows what to expect from him, and that might just make him the most dangerous person in the tournament right now. And based on this issue, I’d love to see some more Hawkman stuff from Adams as well.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes
