Aquaman #2 – Review

By: Geoff Johns (writer), Ivan Reis (penciller), Joe Prado (inker), Rod Reis (colorist)

The Story: Just don’t expect Aquaman to break out into a verse of “Candle on the Water.”

The Review: Last issue tackled the merits of Aquaman as superhero right on the head by having him addressed as a joke at every opportunity by nearly everyone he met.  While amusing, you can’t really do that kind of thing for too long before it becomes not only predictable, but also counterproductively ingrained in your head.  At some point, preferably earlier rather than later, Aquaman has to break out of these low expectations and truly prove himself.

Fortunately, Johns spends most the issue showing that in spite of the jokes at Arthur’s expense, people really do turn to him in times of crisis.  Unlike most of his comrades, his identity is public knowledge, down to his lighthouse abode.  That means in a pinch, people can seek him out, as one officer does here.  It’s not every hero that can be summoned by knocking on his door, shouting for help, so this might turn into an important distinguishing feature down the line.

No matter how lame or unpopular a figure gets, he’ll always have his cult of fans, and Aquaman is no exception, even in his fictional world.  And in any situation involving threats to/from/on the sea, it’s a no-brainer who you’ll turn to.  As the deputy sheriff says, “[My sister] was on that cruise ship that sank off Iceland.  She saw what [Aquaman] can really do…”  The line bodes well for the future; it means we’ll see our hero do more than stab things with his trident.

But, oh, he stabs things with his trident so well, doesn’t he?  Most the action has Arthur charging into a whole slew of the glassy-eyed, toothy creatures known as the Trench, not even flinching when they sink their ridiculously long fangs into his shoulder.  At first, their only motive seems no more sophisticated than simply wanting some grub, but that doesn’t explain why their scarred leader show such interest in dragging Aquaman back to their depths of their home.