DCU Comic Book Reviews

AQUAMAN #23

Loot

December 2004

Written by John Ostrander

Pencils by Chris Batista

Inks by Dave Meikis

Cover by Patrick Gleason & Christian Alamy

Synopsis

In the aftermath of the destruction and sinking of San Diego, Aquaman and the Sea Devils led by Dan Dorrance lead an operation to rescue soldiers trapped aboard the sunken U.S.S. Nimitz.  Just as the reach the survivors, they are attacked by scavengers, lead by the robotic Marauder, looking to steal the Nimitz’s warheads.  The Marauder targets the innocent people, forcing Aquaman to save them.  It also gives the Marauder a target:  Aquaman’s water hand, which is completely destroyed.  Aquaman clutches his hand in pain as the Marauder goes in for the kill...

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

As a fill-in until the next new writer starts his run on Aquaman, this was a pretty good story.  The issue was essentially divided into tow sections:  the first part dealing with events in and around the American Tidal storyline and then the rescue operation.  The second part is standard material with a plot-by-numbers feel to it.  The first part is interesting because it does raise (pardon the pun) the question and the answer it about potentially returning Sub Diego above the waterline.  While the ramifications presented by the heroes are certainly logical and I realize that raising the city now would be a stupid marketing trick, I was a little amused how “real” science interferes in such a book.  I mean, really, the city sank and people are breathing water and living in the ocean, I’m sure if DC wanted to raise it they could.  But, still, I liked the effort it took to, at least, address the situation. 

I am not sure if Ostrander meant it, but the opening sequence seemed just a little optimistic too me in a setting with so much devastation and death.  The characters, especially the Sea Devils, were too ready for action, too ready too jump into the fray, which (to me) seemed counter to the destruction all around them.  The characters should be somber.  And while I understand the concept of the whoopee cushion joke, it still seemed out of place to me. 

Hmmm, the Marauder just tried to destroy a healing hand.  Why do I get the feeling the hand will instantly return early in the next issue and that Aquaman was only feigning pain?

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