DCU Comic Book Reviews

AQUAMAN #35

A Walk-On Part Of The War

December 2005

Written by John Arcudi

Layouts by Leonard Kirk

Finishes by Andy Clarke

Cover by Patrick Gleason & Christian Alamy

Synopsis

Aquaman has arrived at the underground laboratory of Anton Geist with Mera, who has been the victim of a spell that is slowly turning her gills into lungs.  Aquaman asks Geist to inject her with the same formula that created all of the water-breathers in Sub Diego.  Before he can do anything, Geist turns into an OMAC and attacks Aquaman, who can’t kill it or Geist because he needs Geist to heal Mera.  At ProGene Tech, Mr. J watches as Black Manta (who underwent gene therapy) successfully breathes underwater for the first time.  Meanwhile, Aquaman continues to fight the OMAC, but is losing the battle.  Koyrak arrives to help Aquaman and defeat the OMAC.  Aquaman is seriously hurt.  Esther Maris arrives to help Aquaman, but so does Mera.  

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

Through the DC Universe, the four mini-series leading into the big crossover Infinite Crisis has reared its ugly head in most (if not all) of the regular series.  Up until this issue, Aquaman has been pretty immune.  So, in this issue we are treated to an OMAC.  Normally, I would think this would lead to disaster, but Arcudi has managed to make the encounter an integral part of the story rather than just a glorified guest starring role.  The moral dilemma that confronts Aquaman with the OMAC was well done; recent issues had made it clear that he really would relish maiming (or killing) Geist, but at the one time he would have a good enough justification to do so (but, he was an OMAC!) he can’t because he now needs Geist to help heal his wife.  This is a great way to integrate an OMAC into the existing storyline. 

I also love the ending.  I don’t know.  I get a kick out of scenes in which the girlfriend and wife finally meet because I always want the two women the kick the hell out of the cheating man, but it never happens.  Usually they end up fighting over the man, but that is just stupid. 

Why does Mera look so awful?  She reminds of an old woman whose skin is slowly shrinking, leaving just the bones.  At first I thought it was a decent look for someone struggling to breathe air while underwater, but on the last panel she still looks really odd. 

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