Emperor Aquaman #22: Some Characters Know When to Shine

The art is amazing; let’s just get that out of the way. The colors and the paneling design are immaculate. The only knock I have is maybe the character design of Aquaman. I like bulky Aquaman, but that is nitpicky, for what it is worth. Now, talking about the story, this is a filler issue, no doubt about it. We start with the villains having a big victory, and we cut right to where Arthur is as he is on a side quest with two featured characters, who really steal the show here.

Even though this is an Aquaman comic, this is a showcase for the two featured characters. I do not know if any part of this story will play into the future of this story, but this adds two allies that Arthur may need in the future. There is one action set piece in the third act of the story. This is the highlight of the comic, so even for it being filler, not a page was wasted on the colors and fight scene. The writing is very focused on the side characters here. As a reader, I hope these two are coming back, and that’s why we are getting to know their personalities instead of getting to hear from Aquaman.

When Arthur leaves this side mission, it looks like the next issue will find him on another mission as he tries to find his way home. I think Arthur is going to go from place to place, and when the endgame hits, it will be the right moment for the villains. This will bring Arthur and all his allies together to take them down. That may be more of a hope, but that’s what I think is going to happen here.