Emperor Aquaman #15 – Jeremy Adams, Writer; John Timms, Artist; Rex Lokus, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: Aquaman has had a hell of a few months, taking part in the DC KO tournament, only to then return and find out that his deranged mother-in-law has masterminded all the troubles his family has been having since the first arc. She seemingly got the edge over him in the last issue, banishing him to the Blue while gaining absolute control over the cosmic force – just in time for Mera to see Arthur seemingly killed off. But Arthur isn’t gone – and you can’t trap someone in the place they control. Arthur finds himself alone in the Blue, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have allies. The issue opens with a young boy being asked to join Aquaman on a quest – but they’re both the same person, different parts of Arthur who need to be reunited to regain their power in full. They’re soon joined by the most human, fearful part of Arthur, who is the only one who wants to stay behind and takes some…convincing.
From there, they’re able to reunite, and Arthur returns to the surface world just in time as Lollanna is about to destroy her own daughter. It’s been a while since we’ve seen an Aquaman villain added to the roster, with most of his classic foes having been present for decades. But both Dagon and Lollanna add a serious threat level and bring something new to the franchise. Lollanna in particular is a pretty good example of how to do a character with a legitimate reason to be angry – her exile from Atlantis – but also be so clearly off the deep end that there’s no confusion about them being the villain. It also seems like she’s going to be a mainstay for the rogues’ gallery going forward. From there, Aquaman is able to take the throne again – and he has a bold new status quo planned for the city that turns him into more than a guardian of the seas, but a hero on a cosmic level. Great start to a new era.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes
