REVIEW: ‘Dark Knights of Steel II Special: Heir to the Sea’ Issue 1

Dark Knights of Steel II Special: Heir to the Sea Issue 1 is published by DC Comics. Written by Tom Taylor, art by Riccardo Federci, colors by Arif Prianto and letters by Wes Abbott.

Dark Knights of Steel II Special: Heir to the Sea Issue 1 is a one-shot tie-in to the Elseworlds story, Dark Knights of Steel II. Martha and Jonathan Kent are placed in charge of a young boy, who happens to be the prince of an underwater kingdom.

Dark Knights of Steel II Special: Heir to the Sea Issue 1 collects the backup stories in  Dark Knights of Steel: Allwinter, combining them into one comic. So many readers may have already read it. But here it is, collated into one special. The origin of Aquaman is altered and adapted into the fantasy world of Dark Knights of Steel. It’s a story that was mentioned in passing by older characters in the original series, but now gets explored in greater detail.

What’s interesting is the conflation of Aquaman’s and Superman’s origin stories. With Superman having his parents, it falls to the Kents to adopt another superpowered kid. This one comes from the sea, in the aftermath of a war that ends the Kents’ military service and makes them similar to the human farmers that we know and love them for. The adaptation of Arthur’s growth is exceptional, with Taylor keeping much of the spine intact. He’s destined to rule the ocean, but at the moment, an evil emperor is in charge and wants to kill the true heir.

There are some changes, like the fact that Black Manta is the emperor instead of Ocean Master. But the core of the story remains. But at the same time, the wider plot that Taylor has been telling since the start of his own Elseworlds tale is also being constructed.

What Taylor excels at is maintaining the core of a character’s personality even as they are changed and moulded into a medieval setting. The Kents are still a loyal and fiercely protective couple, Amanda Waller is an opportunistic, manipulative and conniving spy, and Black Manta is vicious. But there are drastic changes too.

Intriguingly, Jonathan and Martha are soldiers. It makes them tough in a very specific way. If they want to keep their new son safe, they have the means to do so. It also gives them an incentive to leave military service and try to raise a child, as opposed to ending it. Although they are wealthy, soldiers, and Aquaman’s mother provided them with even more, they prefer a life out of the spotlight, where Arthur can be raised in peace.

And Arthur himself is only a kid in Dark Knights of Steel II Special: Heir to the Sea Issue 1, but he already has the heart of a hero. There is a lot he has to discover, but he’s already caring towards the animals of the sea and is willing to fight to keep them safe.

The art is magnificent. The style works for the comic’s medieval premise. There is real texture to everything, from the wooden shields to the metal armor. The detail is also extraordinary, highlighting differences between the materials. From fabric to chain mail, Federici delivers a masterpiece. Every soldier looks unique, even if they only exist to die in the next panel. You can see the scars and tattoos on their skin.

Within this universe, great effort is taken to make each family, kingdom, tribe, and region look individual, like they did in history. The soldiers that the Kents, Waller and Jim Gordon battle at the beginning of Dark Knights of Steel II Special: Heir to the Sea Issue 1 have a Germanic barbarian design. Then there are the fantastical elements as the comic dips beneath the waves, with palaces and monsters down there too.

The colors are fantastic, again helping to create a sense of location and drama. In the early pages of Dark Knights of Steel II Special: Heir to the Sea Issue 1, the landscape is dark and gloomy. The battle takes place in a cold, dank forest, with dangers and perils within. But then the comic ventures into friendlier fields, and the tones get lighter. Prianto almost exclusively uses natural shades, including greens, blues and browns, as many of the other shades had not yet been created. The lettering tries to fit the setting and still be easy to read, and succeeds.

Dark Knights of Steel II Special: Heir to the Sea Issue 1 is a brilliant addition to an expanding Elseworlds universe. With Aquaman debuting at the start of the new series, it’s only right that he gets his own origin story. These characters haven’t just been placed into the medieval setting; their lives have been retold and altered to truly fit the world.

It leads to surprises and unexpected connections, and it leads to the rightful King of Atlantis being raised by the Kents, not a Kryptonian. Dark Knights of Steel II Special: Heir to the Sea Issue 1 only shows where Aquaman came from, not where he’s going. That’s to be seen in the main series.

Dark Knights of Steel II Special: Heir to the Sea Issue 1 is available where comics are sold.