The Outhouse - The Greatest Comic Book Forum

by **ElijahSnowFan** » Wed May 23, 2012 2:02 pm

If you read Justice League and you read Aquaman, it's like two different people named "Geoff Johns" have been writing these books.

How in the hell can Johns write a book that I'm loving as much as Aquaman as consistently as he's disappointed me (and damn near everybody else) on Justice League?

In this, the ninth straight issue of Aquaman that has made me say "DAMN" out loud, Black Manta was again AWESOME, new character Prisoner of War was AWESOME, the revised backstory between Black Manta and Aquaman was explained AND IS AWESOME.

Aquaman and Black Manta are NEVER, as in EVER, going to be teaming up on ANYTHING, EVER. EVER.

The reason I specify this is because that is one storytelling convention I wish would be used far less. I'm not saying eliminate it totally, but rare should be the occasion that, for instance, a Magneto can actually join the X-Men and be credible.

Aquaman had every reason to hate Black Manta in the old DC Universe because of Aquababy, but it was harder to pin down why Black Manta would hate him, you know? Where's the hate coming from?

Well, no worries, folks. That's been taken care of. Those two guys...The Highlander Principle's in effect. Somebody's gotta die at some point.

One other thing: I haven't given Ivan Reis enough credit for how amazing this book has been. It's BEAUTIFUL. BEAUTIFUL.

No joke: All the negativity I feel toward DC right now, the squandered characters, the general disdain toward older readers and concepts...look. First and foremost, I'm a fan of these characters. There are very, very few characters I "don't get." Even with them, I've tried at various points to "like them."

But I've always felt Aquaman was a character who could be the subject of exciting stories. I love this book. It doesn't solve all of my issues with DC, but it does give me hope for a brighter future, because speaking for myself, it is a real struggle to continue buying any of their product.

Good job, Johns and Reis. And for anybody not reading this book because you despise where DC is: I don't blame you. I despise a great deal about DC right now.

But Aquaman isn't worthy of that hate. That book is good and the art is amazing.

by **chap22** » Wed May 23, 2012 2:26 pm

Haven't read it yet, but I'm pretty sure issue 9 will not change my position that Black Manta is the most underrated GREAT villain DC has.

by **ElijahSnowFan** » Wed May 23, 2012 2:38 pm

chap22 wrote:Haven't read it yet, but I'm pretty sure issue 9 will not change my position that Black Manta is the most underrated GREAT villain DC has.

Oh, it will not. It absolutely will not.

The quote, "Why are you even fighting me?" is so awesome in where and how it's delivered, there is NO WAY that Black Manta isn't short-listed on the best supervillains working today. :-D

by **Grayson** » Wed May 23, 2012 2:50 pm

I agree with pretty much everything that you said. Aquaman has truly been one of the best books that DC has put out in awhile. While I have been cutting DC books from my pull list left and right, Aquaman has never been one of the books that I have considered cutting.

This is how the soft reboot should have been handled all along. Put a creative team on a book with a character that the team knows and cares about. Have them tell exciting stories that take into account what has come before but making small revisions here or there that make the characters relevant here and now. Completely rebooting a character and their entire history was never necessary and it was never going to be the answer in the long run.

by **Ntikrst** » Wed May 23, 2012 8:00 pm

ElijahSnowFan wrote:
Oh, it will not. It absolutely will not.

The quote, "Why are you even fighting me?" is so awesome in where and how it's delivered, there is NO WAY that Black Manta isn't short-listed on the best supervillains working today.

Last page reveal blew me away, I can't wait to get home and read through this issue again.

Johns writes great villains, no doubt about it.

First Sinestro then Black Adam, now Black Manta. :smt026

by **Amoebas** » Wed May 23, 2012 8:58 pm

You nailed it ESF.

Aquaman is simply fantastic.

It's a rare thing in a movie, TV show, book or comic where I actually feel dread for a character. That background track playing in your head as you read... "Holy shit! What's going to happen next?. No! I don't want him to die, they wouldn't kill him would they? No! Don't...". This issue had me scratching at the pages in fear for a particular character.

Prisoner of War. Wow. Last month he was just some dude in the background. This month... Wow!

And the reveal... it's one of those moments that just works. Yes it retcons quite a bit of Manta's background, but it's the New 52 so no worries (especially with how well done this is).

by **ElijahSnowFan** » Wed May 23, 2012 10:02 pm

Sakie wrote:I agree with pretty much everything that you said. Aquaman has truly been one of the best books that DC has put out in awhile. While I have been cutting DC books from my pull list left and right, Aquaman has never been one of the books that I have considered cutting.

This is how the soft reboot should have been handled all along. Put a creative team on a book with a character that the team knows and cares about. Have them tell exciting stories that take into account what has come before but making small revisions here or there that make the characters relevant here and now. Completely rebooting a character and their entire history was never necessary and it was never going to be the answer in the long run.

Yup.

by **ElijahSnowFan** » Wed May 23, 2012 10:06 pm

Amoebas wrote:You nailed it ESF.

Aquaman is simply fantastic.

It's a rare thing in a movie, TV show, book or comic where I actually feel dread for a character. That background track playing in your head as you read... "Holy shit! What's going to happen next?. No! I don't want him to die, they wouldn't kill him would they? No! Don't...". This issue had me scratching at the pages in fear for a particular character.

Prisoner of War. Wow. Last month he was just some dude in the background. This month... Wow!

And the reveal... it's one of those moments that just works. Yes it retcons quite a bit of Manta's background, but it's the New 52 so no worries (especially with how well done this is).

Yup. Man, when Prisoner of War said "Fall in." Man....I can't wait for this week's Moment of the Week. Because that was BAD ASS. How his powers appear to work...BAD ASS.

by **DeadFett** » Thu May 24, 2012 12:21 am

I have to admit I am pleasantly surprised at how much I love this Aquaman series. The writing has been fantastic and Reis on art is amazing. It's been the best of the new DC books I get besides Batman.

by **ThatGuyRoman** » Thu May 24, 2012 4:04 am

chap22 wrote:Haven't read it yet, but I'm pretty sure issue 9 will not change my position that Black Manta is the most underrated GREAT villain DC has.

I have never cared about Aquaman or anything in his world before, but 9 issues into this series, I am definitely among the converted.

One of the few "superhero" books I'm still enjoying at present.

by **holtom2000** » Thu May 24, 2012 4:12 am

Maybe johns is just putting his name on jla and someone else is writing it. Jla really does suck compared to aqua man and gl

by **IvCNuB4** » Thu May 24, 2012 10:58 am

My boyfriend, who isn't even a comic fan, waits every month for me to come home with the latest issue of Aquaman

by **MoneyMelon** » Thu May 24, 2012 11:55 am

I'm shocked that I'm enjoying a book about Aquaman as much as I am.

I'm glad I took a chance and gave this series a try.

by **Punchy** » Sat May 26, 2012 12:55 pm

This title continues to showcase Geoff Johns at his very best, this really is reminding me of the early days of his Flash run, or JSA, it’s building a world for Aquaman, and exploring both his present and his past. The opening of this issue probably did spend a bit too much time on the Prisoner and Black Manta, but the action was good, and Johns and Reis did do a good job at explaining what Prisoner’s abilities were. The stuff with Aquaman and Jane Of The Jungle or whatever she’s called was good action too. But the real meat here was the back-story revelations about Dr Shin, Aquaman and Black Manta. Having Aquaman kill Black Manta’s father is a great twist, it adds a level of legitimate bad-assness to Aquaman way more than any of the poking fun at the fish-gags did, plus it really does make Black Manta a fantastic villain now, he could be seen as being in the right! Ocean Master, you need to step up your game, you’re no longer Aquaman’s arch-enemy.