posted
Blecchh! I hope the book is better than the blurb, but I'm not sure I will spend money on it. I too love Aquaman, because I woke up at 3AM for the premiere of Super Friends in 1973 (I was in 1st grade), and I thought AQ held his own in that first series. The failure of AQ series reflects the stunning laziness and lack of creativity in comics. The visuals should be stunning, but almost never are. Sample a few years of Nat Geo, for Pete's sake: arctic glaciers, antarctic ice sheets and icebergs, underwater volcanoes, wall reefs, atols, trenches, cyclones, tsunamis, not to mention an ancient, advanced underwater civilization. Add in some waterfalls, dams, rushing rapids, salt lakes, great lakes, sewers. It's just a damn shame more hasn't been done. The character has a great backstory, give him an interesting personality and unleash him, and your art team, on 7/10ths of the planet's surface.
-------------------- ...but you don't have a moment where you're sitting there staring at a table full of twenty-five characters with little name signs that say, "Hi, my superpower is confusing you!"
From: Chicago, IL | Registered: Jul 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Eryk Davis Ester: Yeah, Johns had kind of an initial appeal to me, but after the fifth or sixth decapitation, his stuff really just started to turn me off.
cleome46
or you can do the confusion 'til your head falls off
posted
I'm kind of afraid to ask for the master list of everyone who's now wandering the DC universe without a head.
-------------------- Hey, Kids! My "Cranky and Kitschy" collage art is now viewable on flickr. Drop by and tell me that I sent you.
From: Vanity, OR | Registered: Dec 2008
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quote:Originally posted by doublechinner: The failure of AQ series reflects the stunning laziness and lack of creativity in comics.
Agreed completely.
I don't know, guys. I think there's creators who want to do their best who are hamstrung by editorial. From what I've read on the web, it seems like that was the situation PAD ran into post-Aquaman #25, and that's why the rest of his run was so inferior to what came before.
posted
It's a big plus for me that Geoff's got Ivan Reis onboard on the artistic side. One of the highlights of Brightest Day is Reis's rendition of our pal Arthur. It's absolutely gorgeous! Reis has the imagination and a history with Geoff, so I hope geoff is smart enough to exploit Reis's talent and give him plenty of breathtaking things to draw!
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
That's what I was hoping too, Lardy, until I read that solicitation. But I'll allow the possibility that I'm writing it off prematurely. I think whether or not I read it will depend on what you and the other LWers post about it.
posted
I'm exactly like FL. I have high hopes, but the solicits cause me worry that we're going to get the crappy Geoff rather than the good one.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
The major thing this has going for it, for me, is Johns' apparent love for Mera. Her return to prominence on BLACKEST NIGHT was a highlight for me and many many years overdue.
I don't think I had this on my Sept. pull-list but I may check it out anyway.
I recall Johns' run on HAWKMAN didn't light my fire though...
posted
Even though Green Lantern #1 was pretty good, I have to admit I was starting to really have my doubts about Geoff Johns. (Some LW posters just went ‘yeah, duh’). But Aquaman #1 made me sit up, take notice and lay those doubts aside. Johns has still got it when he wants to show it, and he showed it in Aquaman. This was by far his best effort of the DCnU relaunch, and of course the amazing artwork by Ivan Reis and Joe Prado helped put things over the top.
I’m a long time fan of Aquaman but I realized like DC did that *something* needed to be done to get the franchise back on track. Here, in #1, Johns does that something by presenting a strong, well-written Aquaman story that shows the superhero is (A) a true, classic, iconic superhero and (B) a total badass. The two blend perfectly together and never once cross into cliché or ‘forced’ territory and I was totally impressed by how well Aquaman is presented. He doesn’t quite have a chip on his shoulder, but he doesn’t take shit from anyone; he’s doesn’t need anyone’s approval, worship or friendship because he’s doing what he knows is right; he’s a true superhero.
Johns is able to give us a strong action sequence to start and then spend the rest of the issue explaining to new readers that “this is the new status quo of Aquaman” in terms of shedding off the jokes of talking to fish and needing a glass of water. But on top of all that, he also gives us a fantastic scene with Mera, hints at a much larger Atlantis-related plot that will certainly come to the forefront and introduce a new threat that will play out in coming issues that is both horrifying and ripe with potential. That’s quite a bit for a first issue!
The artwork by Ivan Reis, aided and abetted by Joe Prado, is truly fantastic. Reis does a great job at giving his characters an iconic look and never moreso than here with Aquaman. Prado adds a strong, clear line to it to understate the ‘oomph’ of each page, and colorist Rod Reis does a great job adding one more layer to it (especially how the scales of his costume sparkle and glisten).
I can’t wait for Johns to delve into Aquaman’s rich history, as well as get a chance to explore the vast opportunity the franchise presents in storytelling. It’s obvious the creative team loves the character and are taking very seriously the job of reestablishing him as a true icon among DC’s line. If anyone could do it, even I have to admit its Geoff Johns.
I’m really impressed. Definitely enjoyed it more than JL #1 and place it among the upper echelon of DCnU comics.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
Thumbs up for Aquaman from me as well. Johns did a great job of covering a lot of the baggage in a short space, dispensing with it, establishing Aquaman's character and setting the scene for the future. You get such a combination of world weariness and noblesse oblige from him; he's tired of being an outsider and an object of ridicule, yet he behaves like a true hero and is polite to everyone, even the most annoying and insulting.
Aquaman's going to be an unwilling ocean hero when the threat from the deep emerges, which should provide some good emotional conflict. Are his powers fully established? I was surprised (and impressed) to see him fend off those bullets.
posted
Best Aquaman comic in a long long time. Some great moments in this book. From the glass of water thing, to the lunch order and conversation that followed.
Glad there is an artist good enough to pull off the 'looks' that Aquaman gave people in this book.
I'm on board for the first arc at least.
From: Turn around... | Registered: Jul 2003
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