REVIEW: ‘Aquaman’ Issue 2

Aquaman Issue 2 is published by DC Comics. Written by Jeremy Adams, art by John Timms, colors by Rex Lokus and letters by Dave Sharpe.

The king finds himself in an alien land while looking for his queen and kingdom, and he finds another queen who enjoys taking blood.

Aquaman Issue 2 makes a huge step, separating Arthur from anything considered a crutch: no sea, no Atlantis, no Justice League and no Mera. And yet, just because the land is dry, that does not mean the man is helpless. He has new powers that allows him to adapt.

The escalation within Aquaman Issue 2 is exceptional. Aquaman is rarely given time to assess what’s happening, thrown into an incredibly violent and unrelenting world. The early skirmish is energetic and easy for Aquaman, but the next enemy is much more powerful and imposing.

The pace is purposefully brought down as the hero is taken captive. He’s unable to move, caught in a painful prison that tortures and blends its inhabitants. The book quickly turns into a fantasy horror, tapping into mythology and opening up a whole force within the DC Universe.

The fabric of the cosmos is held together by elemental forces, such as The Red and the Green, which many of the most powerful beings can tap into, for example, Animal Man, Beast Boy, and Swamp Thing. This chapter introduces another one and starts to weave it into Aquaman. Taking the story in this direction is a shock, elevating the fantastical elements of the comic to a stratospheric level.

The cast of Aquaman Issue 2 is small, drawing out the best of the characters within it. Adams is well aware that Aquaman will narrate and speak differently from other heroes because he has an entirely separate status. Arthur Curry is a king who carries that gravitas everywhere he goes. He may throw the odd quip, but there are also warnings to back off.

The narration is sensational, terrifically descriptive, and profound. It showcases Aquaman’s experience and knowledge, explaining what’s happening with a concise and inviting delivery. It truly feels like Aquaman’s thoughts as he takes in the brand new environments and people he meets.

The queen of the people he meets is a horrifying, scary figure. She’s unphased by any threat facing her, and her haunting dialogue implies that there is something else within her body. Many of the characters Aquaman speaks to are prophetic, and this can make the Atlantean’s adventure look lonely.

The art is incredible. When Aquaman Issue 2 opens, the fight scene is manic and intense. Arthur encounters creatures and new landscapes that are hostile and barren. It’s a wasteland with pieces of wreckage and flotsam and jetsam lying everywhere. The battle shows Aquaman’s ability to battle out of the water and improvise with his new hydrokinesis ability. Just because he isn’t in water doesn’t mean he can’t find it elsewhere. The details by Timms are extraordinary, creating textures on the characters’ skin.

Then, Aquaman enters the queen’s lair, and the details are phenomenal again. It’s unnerving and scary, accentuating the fantasy part of Aquaman Issue 2. The hero becomes bound and entangled. Yet the intensity never falters due to the expressions and strain Timms shows within Arthur.

The colors change throughout the issue. As Aquaman Issue 2 begins, there is a purple sky and a brown desert floor. But when Aquaman ventures into the enemy’s home, green takes over the pages. A grim shade of red also becomes more prevalent as blood is drawn. These shades create a horror atmosphere in the latter stages of Aquaman Issue 2. The lettering features subtle changes to the word balloons when the creatures speak, but it never affects the font’s legibility.

Aquaman Issue 2 opens up whole new worlds. The fish king is taken out of the water and placed among vicious and visceral enemies. The slow descent into mythology and supernatural horror gives the comic a gritty edge, making the story enticing and dramatic. As a whole new force is potentially introduced, there are also characters to get invested in and frightened by. Adams is slowly expanding the book and the cast.

Aquaman may be far from the rest of the DC Universe, but what he finds could keep him connected to the very fabric of the cosmos.

Aquaman Issue 2 is available where comics are sold.