All in the Aquafamily
"Aquawar Part 2" continues and seemingly concludes in this issue which is heavy on building the Aquaman Family (yay!) and light on the number of pages (only 20) that would have been needed to make this issue truly epic and receive a 5 star rating from this reviewer.
The Good
First, I want to mention the really cool Aquawar logo that has graced the last 2 issues. I hope to see it again, its too good to waste and the fact that DC has gone through the trouble to TM it is a good sign. Secondly, the cover art for the entire Brightest Day series has been breathtaking, but the Aquafamily montage by Ivan Reis and the surprise covers by Gary Frank are just plain gorgeous (as much as a maimed limb being rendered can be)! Thirdy, Johns lets each characher shine both individually and as a part of Aquaman's new found family in this issue. Aqualad and Aquagirl are here to stay and I look forward to see what the future brings for both of them. I will not spoil anything but scenes with Mera were, let me just say, "like woah!"
The Bad
DC's shortened page count is really evidenced in this issue and the feeling of hurriedness is apparent in both the plot execution and the art. I understand that Brightest Day needs to get to 2 more of the returned before the big time conclusion in April, but I really would have liked to have seen Aquawar given more panel time. Siren and Black Manta's exit seemed particularly rushed.
Two noteworthy concerns about the coloring: Mera's eyes are BLUE! and I'm not a fan of the "washed out" underwater scenes. We're not watching the action through an aquarium window so I see no reason to dull the colors.
The Verdict
As a longtime Aquaman fan, I am clearly reading Brightest Day for his storyline and that makes #20 my favorite in the series since #1. The slow burn is over and get ready for all hell to break loose in April for the last 2 issues including the double-sized conclusion!
