If you read my Winter 2011 Pulls post you know that Aquaman was one of my favorites right out of the gate.  However, we’ve now come to the end of the first arc, lasting 4 issues entitled Terror from the Deep.  Rather than review the latest issue individually, I thought I’d start a new series of posts focused on looking at what’s going on in comics from an arc perspective, taking into account the fact that sometimes a run of books turns out being better than the sum of its parts.  For example, when I started reading The Dark Knight I was immediately put-off, thinking issue 1′s conclusion was bizarre for taking an A-list villain and making him look, well, kind of silly.  However, as the issues continued I gained a greater understanding into what story was being told and it occurred to me that reviewing entire arcs once in a while might be a good thing.

The Story so Far (light spoilers)

Alright, since that’s out of the way let’s talk about Aquaman.  Historically the butt of a variety of jokes in comics (and, to a lesser extent in The 40-Year-Old Virgin), Aquaman hooked me fast.  It was funny, sharply written, and for perhaps the first time I felt not only enlightened about the character, but also an empathy considering how much he got jerked around by not just criminals, but even law enforcement after saving the day.  It was a great opener for the series and as it continued we also learned of a horrifying race from the depths of the ocean that made their way to shore and began kidnapping people for sustenance. The Atlantian king’s main squeeze, Mera is introduced along with a scientist holding a grudge against Aquaman for not disclosing the location of Atlantis. After examining the body of one of the creatures, Aquaman and Mera pursue them into the ocean to hopefully recover the kidnapped victims and sort out why they were taken.

Johns took great care in assuming that readers were unfamiliar with Aquaman’s origins and in turn kept dropping morsels of mystery the whole time without hitting them over the head with the entire backstory.  In addition to the main elements of the plot multiple questions were raised along the way regarding Aquaman’s father, the scientist that helped them with the autopsy, and of course, Atlantis itself.  While I’ve often praised the humor in the book up to this point, it’s especially fulfilling that it’s never over the top and in the end Aquaman even catches a break for saving the day.

The art remained bold and alluring throughout with the creatures from the deep looking consistently terrifying, complimenting the bizarre splatter language depicting their interactions and groaning for food at every turn.  The characters are well drawn and have a persistent boldness about them that reflects the resolve of the characters as more and more of the King of Atlantis’s backstory was revealed.  And maybe it’s just the allure of beach scenery in the middle of an Ohio winter, but the colors remained vibrant and charming throughout.

In the end, Terror from the Deep nails the sweet spot of an introductory arc by presenting well-rounded characters, raising just enough questions to keep you looking toward the horizon for answers, and a solid enough action setup to keep it interesting throughout.

How do you think Aquaman is faring in the New 52?