With the Atlantean embassy of Spindrift Station lying in rubble after Black Manta’s attack, could things get any worse for the king of the seven seas? Yes. Substantially so. We review Aquaman #3: The Drowning Part 3.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he US government, viewing Manta’s actions as a terrorist attack, have rescinded Atlantis’s diplomatic status and declared Spindrift off-limits. Understandably this is viewed as an insult by the Atlantean military officers, and the tension is about to reach breaking point. Aquaman’s appearance may temporarily defuse the situation, but even he knows things are getting tougher by the day. Even Mera, always his most faithful ally, wants to leave all the problems behind.
Still, Aquaman isn’t the type of person to give up and he knows that his vision of peaceful co-existence is worth fighting for. So, with Mera at his side, he takes a trip to the White House and tries to negotiate for a better future. However, with an actual Atlantean terrorist group launching attacks on the surface, the US government has little choice but to consider this an act of war…
Once again Aquaman delivers, with the action taking a backseat to the politics. It may not make for the most gripping of comic books, and Aquaman #3 does feel a little weaker than the last, but it’s a smart and steady progression for the series. Sadly some of the more recent additions to the cast are absent, although hopefully we’ll see them return once this series hits its stride, But the intriguing storytelling is on form and the character of Aquaman is becoming increasingly complex. For how long can a man continually cling to dreams of peace when everyone around him seems so intent on fighting?
The writing is solid, with dialogue that counts and moments of tension being ratcheted up to increasingly dizzy heights. While the ending to this issue may seem like a cliché, it’s still one which works and Aquaman #3 continues to add to a much bigger picture. The art is crisp and fresh too, never appearing cluttered and offering the scope that a series like this truly deserves. What more could you want?
It’s been a few months now since the Rebirth kicked in, and many of the titles have misfired. The potential of a new, hopeful future for DC has looked increasingly bleak. They say that the best leaders lead by example, and Aquaman, both as a character and a series, is doing that. He may be the unlikeliest of flagship heroes, but Aquaman continues to lead the way with its bright, optimistic tone.
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