DCU Comic Book Reviews

AQUAMAN #21

With The Fishes, Part 1

October 2004

Written by Will Pfeifer

Pencils by Patrick Gleason

Inks by Christian Alamy

Cover by Alan Davis & Mark Farmer

Synopsis

In the ocean, mob boss Mickey Salerno is killed by tying him to buoy and forcing him to breath air.  In Sub Diego, a child is born to a pair of water breathers, but the baby is an air breather.  Aquaman informs Geist that is new goal is to solve the problem.  Aquaman also tells city council they must provide equipment for Geist and for the doctors.  Later, Aquaman breaks up two thugs robbing a bank.  He learns from them that a big meeting of mob bosses.  He gets to the location to late, but he senses danger so he calls Batman for help. 

Review

This is just me, but I thought this was the perfect follow-up to the American Tidal storyline that just finished.  That is not to say the story is perfect, although I did like it.  Rather, I just felt that the direction and general story was the right way to move at this time.  After creating Sub Diego and establishing a new status quo, it was great to see how things are really progressing in the new environment.  As the people get used to living underwater, we get to see what happens to some of them from the first woman who gives birth, to petty criminals still trying to make a living, to how this would affect the government and politics, and new, effective ways to kill mobsters (sleeping with the fishes indeed).  This issue, however, is not a slice of life or a snapshot of the citizens living in Sub Diego.  The heart of the story is still Aquaman and his efforts to enforce some justice underwater as well as making sure the citizens are taken care of.  This is the Aquaman I know.  The way he browbeats the city council for equipment or orders Geist what to do or looks after Lorena, Pfeifer is showing us the King of Atlantis.  As good as the character of Aquaman is, however, the real key to the story is the presence of the Eel; the two deaths he causes in this issue creates an effective sense of dread surrounding him that makes me think that perhaps he will make a worthy addition to the Aquaman rogues gallery.-- MRB 

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