DCU Comic Book Reviews

AQUAMAN #29

Undertow

June 2005

Written by John Arcudi

Pencils by Patrick Gleason

Inks by Christian Alamy and Mick Gray

Cover by Patrick Gleason & Christian Alamy

Synopsis

Aquaman has just learned the Progene Tech has been able to replicate the DNA that caused the water-breathing mutation and has secured a patent for the DNA.  Just then, Vulko arrives from Atlantis hoping to get Aquaman to reclaim his throne.  Still angry about the DNA, Aquaman tosses Vulko out of his town.  However, before he leaves, he agrees to take some of the people of Sub Diego back to Atlantis.  At the JLA watchtower, Aquaman seeks help, but finds the rest of the team is busy with other crises.  As he is leaving the watchtower, Aquaman recalls an earlier conversation with Esther Maris, a reporter.  Elsewhere, Mr. J at Progene Tech prepares himself to meet a reporter...Esther Maris. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

I have a mixed reaction to this issue.  I did not like the middle section on the watchtower at all.  I disliked the feint with the fake Superman or even J’onn’s mumbo jumbo guidance to Aquaman.  However, I did like the encounter with Geist and then Vulko (and to a lesser degree the police officer).  I like the pissed-off angry Aquaman (I always thought the chip on his shoulder fit him well) and at least in this issue he certainly has reason to be pissed off.  While I may like it, this angry Aquaman is contrary to a lot of the changes he has undergone since the most recent do-over.  Remember, Aquaman was kind of Geist to let him live after the disaster, but now he is angry that Geist to help with someone that is not directly his fault, although to be fair he is tangentially at fault. 

See the cover?  Really neat picture and intriguing to learn how this might come to pass.  Yet, not only does this scene do not occur, but the real Superman does not even appear in this issue.  As much as I liked J’onn’s theory to Aquaman, I just as annoyed at the set up to get to that point.  I do not believe J’onn needed to disguise himself as Superman to get that point.  Worse, even if he needed to disguise himself as Superman, he doesn’t need to act so completely unlike the man of steel.  Even fact, whether he was Kal-el or himself, J’onn was not at all acting like himself.  I suppose the various crisis ("escalating global emergency") going on across the DCU might explain that he is under extreme stress, but still it doesn’t feel like J’onn. 

I am also bothered by Aquaman’s anger at Vulko coming to retrieve in that Vulko was the one who betrayed him to the people of Atlantis.  I am not the biggest fan of Aquaman not the most knowledgeable to his history, but I do know that Vulko and Aquaman are best friends so the encounter seems wrong and even though Vulko was part of the group who banished Aquaman, he was also doing it against his will (although I am not sure if Aquaman knows this or not).  Either way, the encounter in this issue just doesn’t quite ring true, even accounting for Aquaman’s pissed-off mood at the time.