Aquaman & The Others #4 written by Dan Jurgens, pencils by Lan Medina and inks by Allan Martinez is a surprisingly fun comic with a heavy poc cast and creative team. How cool (and so sorely needed).
Well, now THIS is interesting. This is my first time picking up a A&TO issue and let me tell you I’m quite impressed. I enjoy the concept of The Others, a group of superheroes each in possesion of an Atlantean item of power. With #4 it looks like their artifacts are being hunted down and it looks like the pseudo-golem flesh suit walking suit of armor (Full Metal Alchemist anyone?) Legend is bent on collecting them….as well as stabbing Arthur to death…with his own trident……oh Arthur you can’t catch a break for long can you.
Arthur is rendered incapacitated (a bit shish kabobed) for most all of this issue, with much of the grunt work being done by “berserker” warrior Ya’Wara, the seer Sayeh, sister of the deceased former Others member Kashina, and Aaron, the grandson of The Operative (and most likely eventual replacement). While it’s a shame that they died, Kahina and Vostok-X instruct Ya’Wara within a magical limbo called the Ghost Lands; her first task to get Vostok-X’s helmet to a particular location, and then protect Sayeh. Meanwhile Skye Alchesay, Dominick Torrez (Prisoner-of War) and the Operative work to escape from the prison in the same the seaside (hurhur no surprise) complex where Legend has everyone I guess captive.
POSITIVES
Diverse cast like woah. This cast is global so you get a wide range of peoples here; Skye, Dominick, Sayeh, Kashina, Ya’Wara are all poc and have GASP different faces too. The tone seems rather balanced; it’s very comicbooky but Legend is amusing to say the least, in his madness, and the dialogue is overall pretty fresh and fun when it’s not muhahah bad guy speak. I’m a guy who’s big on balanced fare.
Art on here is on the better side; it’s pretty and sound. Coloring is sound.I feel it could easily get lost among the pack but overall it is indeed prettier and more competent than other comic art I’ve seen out of DC so it has that as an advantage.
NEGATIVES
Oh boy am I groaning at Ya’Wara’s bikini and Jungle Princess/Chief’sDaughter jungle girl mo. Luckily she’s MORE than just decoration here; super active, great lines, but geeze give her some clothes. I don’t care if she’s from the Amazon. Don’t do a “Sonja must wear a chainmail bikini” speech. Like sure, girl can wear what she wants but she’s fictional character too, you can put her in clothes. Other than that Skye doesn’t seem too cliche, but the mystic Native American trope is somewhat prevalent there. I am still happy she is in this book though. I really can’t find anything here other than those quibbles to be anything too offensive. This is rather fun stuff!
VERDICT
I like this a lot! Magic! Snark! Not too much endless violence! The ending twist is very interesting; I really want to know how that happened! I’d heartily reccomend this; it’s got a touch of the scientific, a lotta bit of occult and magic. I feel this is just overall a pretty solid book. DC is really doing a good job in revitilizing Aquaman as a character and I feel this not only is great stuff, but a great way to carry the character as well! Nearly perfect really. For me slightly more stylized art would really send it further to even higher level of greatness; but by all means this is top notch stuff! Don’t miss it!
