Aquaman #42
Joe Bainbridge
Recap
The issue begins with Arthur and Wonder Woman meeting the Old God Poseidon. After asking for his help, Poseidon stabs Arthur with his trident.
Arthur immediately has a vision that he is on a boat with his father, and they discuss a test that Arthur must pass with the help from his father. They are swiftly attacked by Orm riding on the backs of giant sea creatures. Orm calls out that his half brother is weak and that he should run for the surface. Arthur takes control of the boat but the sea creatures crush it, forcing him into the water. As he swims down he encounters the horror of Corum Rath. To escape from Rath he is given help from a dolphin who carries him to the land.
In the ruins of Atlantis, Aquaman fights off scavengers but is attacked by Black Manta. As he seems beaten, he is given hope in the form of Mera who hands him his trident and he slashed Black Manta in half. Just as he is about to be swallowed up by the Red Sea, he wakes and punches Poseidon and exclaims that his powers returned.
Review
This issue was a look into the past 40 issues of Aquaman. Though Orm had not appeared in the stories, he had a place in Aquaman history as the Ocean Master. He represents Arthur’s neglect for the Ocean and how he was not the king he meant to be. Rath was the being that showed Arthur he could not fight his battles alone, with Manta being Arthur’s failure as a hero rather than a King and those failures can be forgiven through his love for Mera.
Though nothing progressive happened in this issue, it was interesting to read through Arthur’s history in the form of a vision from Poseidon. As well as this, we understood how he saw himself which hasn’t happened often in the last few issues as they have focused on Mera as the new Queen.
Final Thoughts
Though the issue is nothing special. It acts more as a recap and an end of an era for Aquaman as he understands what he is meant to be rathe than a solid comic book.
Aquaman #42: Arthur’s Reawakening
- Writing - 7.7/107.7/10
- Storyline - 6.9/106.9/10
- Art - 7.5/107.5/10
- Color - 7.9/107.9/10
- Cover Art - 9/109/10
