Comic Info
Comic Name: Aquaman (Volume 5)/Justice League (Volume 2)
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Paul Pelletier/Ivan Reis
# of Issues: 7
Release Date: 2013
Aquaman (5) #0
Reprints Aquaman (5) #0, #14-16 and Justice League (2) #15-17 (November 2012-April 2013). Aquaman has made a tactical error. When he was King of Atlantis, he and his brother Orm planned for an invasion of the surface world. Now after an accident, Orm is setting those plans in motion. Aquaman and the Justice League must stop Orm from sinking the East Coast and invading the forces of Atlantis…but is someone else really pulling the strings?
Written by Geoff Johns, Aquaman 3: Throne of Atlantis is the Justice League’s first major crossover series in the New 52. Following Aquaman 2: The Others, Aquaman 3: Throne of Atlantis also was collected in Justice League 3: Throne of Atlantis. The storyline also was the basis for the DC animated film Justice League: Throne of Atlantis (2015).
Reading Justice League and Aquaman, you can see that Geoff Johns was building toward this storyline. Johns had said he wanted to make Aquaman a relevant character and this was the storyline that was meant to show that Aquaman was an important link in the DCU…but he doesn’t come across as the one with the power.
Aquaman (5) #15
The volume easily could have been called Aquaman vs. the World since it seems no one is on Aquaman’s side and everyone just keeps fighting him. The whole lead up to the big brawl with Orm was a bit ridiculous with the Justice League forcing the fight with Batman acting on his own, and it lead to the inevitable Aquaman battles the Justice League issue. The whole reason behind the fight (Vulko’s attempt to get Arthur to be king again) seems buried at the end with a quick wrap-up and feels that it could have been expanded.
The real powerhouse revealed in these issues is once again Mera. Aquaman’s wife has most of Aquaman’s powers plus the ability to control water. Mera has always been a great supporting character and I like that by elevating Aquaman, Mera has also become a prime player…now Johns just needs to work on making you care for Aquaman more than her.
I enjoyed Johns run on the Aquaman series, but this wasn’t my favorite part of it. I realize however that this was the linchpin of the series and that makes it hard not to “love” this volume if you like the series. I think it Aquaman is a bit muddled at this point partially due to crossovers, flashbacks, and everything thrown at it. Aquaman 3: Throne of Atlantis was followed by Aquaman 4: Death of a King which ended Johns’ run on the series.
Related Links:
Aquaman and the Others 1: Legacy of Gold
Aquaman and the Others 2: Alignment Earth
