The Good
Jeff Parker's run begins here! I couldn't be more excited! The toughest thing AQUAMAN fans are going to have to deal with while reading this issue is comparing it to Geoff Johns' run. Just don't do it. Parker does a pretty good job at starting his run off by going off into his own story while trying to wrap up a few loose ends in the process.
Parker brings a whole pile of fun to the table, like he does with all of his series. There's a bit of shift in tone with Parker taking over, and that's what really makes this first issue great. It's fun. We get to see Arthur fight a giant sea monster. Parker incorporates some classic comic book ideas, like fighting a giant monster, propels them into the 21st century, and adds a modern twist to them.
Artist Paul Pelletier's and/or Netho Diaz's design of this giant creature is super-cool. It has a mix of a few different sea creatures, but the overall design looks a bit like a trilobite. This leads on to a really awesome fight (battle of the week, anyone?) where Aquaman quickly realizes he's not the toughest thing in the ocean. Now the last time Aquaman tried to control something large, Topo, he ended up in a coma for six months. He tries here again and it leads to a very weird reveal page that will grip the readers and have them set for the rest of the story.
The Bad
Paul Pelletier's split art duties with Netho Diaz so the art is a bit inconsistent here. It becomes pretty apparent a few times, when Aquaman's face starts to shift and change throughout the issue. It gets to the point that the character doesn't even look like himself.
The biggest problem with the issue is a pretty obvious one. Geoff Johns left Parker at a pretty weird spot and Parker has to spend a good amount of time cleaning up Johns' mess. When I say "mess," I don't mean Johns destroyed the book, but there are some loose ends here. I like that Parker does what he can to tie up some of the loose ends while moving into his own though.
The Verdict
I truly believe that the farther we get from Johns' phenomenal run, the better this book will get. It's going to take a bit of time to adjust. All-in-all, this is a great start for Parker. He establishes his tone and his run all in one swoop. Sure, it's not going to be the smoothest transition between writers because they both have different writing styles, but I truly believe, from this issue alone, that Parker has some amazing adventures in store for the reader. Parker is a very capable and fantastic writer and he gives fans a very worthwhile read. I can't wait to see what's next. Overall, I highly recommend this issue.
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