REVIEW: ‘Aquaman: The Becoming,’ Issue #5

Aquaman: The Becoming #5 is written by Brandon Thomas, illustrated by Paul Pelletier & Diego Olortegui, inked by Norm Rapmund & Wade von Grawbadger, colored by Adriano Lucas, and lettered by Andworld Design. It’s published by DC Comics. Following the revelations about his mother in the previous issue, Jackson Hyde finds himself adrift both emotionally and literally. His sister Deluge attempts to convince him to fight for Xebel, saying that his abilities could be a help to the nation. But the discovery of a conspiracy to wound Xebel and Atlantis is unearthed, pushing Jackson further toward inheriting the Aquaman mantle.

The biggest draw of this series has been how Thomas has dealt with Jackson’s emotional state throughout all of his trials and tribulations. That continues as he feels wary about whether or not he can trust his mother and whether or not he takes Deluge up on her offer. After all, she did try to kill him. The one person he can be completely honest with is his friend Ha’wea — and their conversation may hint at more of a romantic nature, with everyone picking up on the vibes and Jackson failing to play it off. Thomas has shown his affinity for Aquaman and his supporting cast between this miniseries and the Aquaman/Green Arrow: Deep Target miniseries, and I hope that he continues to apply that same character insight to the upcoming Aquamen series; the Aquaman line of books is proving to have just as much storytelling potential as DC’s top-tier characters like Batman and Superman.

Joining Thomas are Pelletier and Olortegui, who previously illustrated separate issues of The Becoming. Their art styles turn out to be the perfect compliment to each other, to the point where I couldn’t tell who was handling which pages. This isn’t a bad thing, mind you. There are other comics with multiple artists who haven’t managed to strike that balance. The standout of the issue features Jackson stopping a Xebellian transport by using the full force of his hydrokinetic abilities; water flows around the craft, surrounding it in the form of a giant hand and stopping it in place.

Lucas rounds out the artistic team, letting the sea-green background serve as a contrast to the costumes that each character wears. From Deluge’s gold and black armor to Jackson’s bright orange tank top and black pants, each character has a unique color scheme that helps them stand out. And in Jackson’s case, whenever he uses his hydrokinesis, the water he summons is a glowing blue and looks like it’s actually moving. Even Andworld’s sound effects have their own colors; vehicles moving through the water are a light blue, and fists colliding with faces are depicted in bright yellow.

Aquaman: The Becoming #5 serves as the final step of Jackson Hyde’s journey in becoming Aquaman, as he cements his place in the world. With one issue left in the miniseries, I look forward to seeing Jackson becoming the hero he was always meant to be.

Aquaman: The Becoming #5 is available now wherever comics are sold.