Marineman #1

After a deep-sea diver's mysterious disappearance, charming undersea naturalist Steve Ocean is recruited by a secret government department to investigate. 
 

The Good

Good lord... where did Ian Churchill go to up his game this much? This transformation is more dramatic than even the one Mike Deodato went through. I've been a fan of his work since his days on Cable and this drastic, cheery re-invention of his style is vastly more appealing. It's almost like it was trapped inside him all these years. "Appealing" is just the word I keep coming back to, because Steve Ocean is one of the most instantly-likable heroes I've encountered in a while.
 

The Bad

This is hard book to criticize because it's such a labor of love, and reading Churchill's afterward explaining how personal this project is (he created Marineman as a boy) makes it even harder. However, if this series goes in the explicit superhero direction  it's blatantly hinting at, then the obvious similarities to Aquaman can't be ignored.

The Verdict - 4/5

Churchill mentions in his afterward that he wanted this book to capture the pure enjoyment he felt when reading comics as a boy and his unadulterated enthusiasm is infectious. This is exactly what a creator-owned book should be - - work that's a clear reflection of the artist - - and you can feel Churchill's excitement for marine life on every square inch. Reading this will make you smile and even feel a bit educated.