Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Aquaman #24 Review and **SPOILERS**



Give the Stupid People the Stupid Things they Want

Story: Dan Abnett 
Pencils: Scot Eaton & Philippe Briones 
Inks: Wayne Faucher, Philippe Briones & Scott Hanna 
Colorist: Gabe Eltaeb 
Letterer: Pat Brosseau 
Cover: Brad Walker, Andrew Hennesy & Gabe Eltab
Cover Price: $2.99
On Sale Date: June 7, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

The king is dead. Long live the king! I remember when Johnny Carson said that in some clip they used to promote the Tonight Show. Back then, I assumed that he was talking about Elvis, but now I must say I’m not sure. Anyway, let’s find out what’s happened to King Arthur in my review of Aquaman #24!

Explain It!

While the Elder Council or whatever is convened to discuss whether they should kick Arthur to the curb or not, he and Mera discuss leaving Atlantis and moving to Amnesty Bay for good. Tula’s already run off and is hanging out at the lighthouse with that dog. And I’m like: yes! Leave this obnoxious, heady royalty shit and get back to superheroin’! I’d love to see Aquaman on dry land, telling inland trout to push an iceberg or what-have-you. Look, I haven’t written out all the stories but the ideas are in my head. What if he makes all the fish in a Las Vegas casino aquarium wig out and spit water at passers-by? Okay, that’s just what I would do with his power.
After Corum Rath calls Aquaman a sissy behind his back for a little while, the Elders finally come out of their chambers and announce that Aquaman…takes second place and Corum Rath is the new King of Atlantis. Aquaman doesn’t take this lying down and starts fighting the royal guards—including Murk! Then I think he realizes he’s overwhelmed, so Arthur bolts to the surface, the underwater soldiers in hot pursuit.
Meanwhile, Corum Rath wastes no time in his new position, and instructs a once-banished group of magistrates to perform a once-banned ritual: the Crown of Thorns. This covers Atlantis in thickly-woven purple thorns, and as a shaft of purple light beams out of the water near Amnesty Bay, it begins to knit itself and cut Aquaman off from the surface. He is almost free at the last moment, ready to join Mera and Tula, when Murk races forward and stabs Aquaman through the back, taking his corpse back down to the now-fabled sunken city.
Whew! Pretty emotional there, especially since I would really like to see Aquaman leave this Atlantis nonsense behind already. You have a sweet lighthouse in New England, dude! A dog, a wife that’s down to get bizzay, plus membership in the Justice League—he should just do it. I am betting that Murk and Aquaman are pulling an okey doke on Corum Rath, or Aquaman speaking to sea monsters on the first page is part of some scheme, but I’d be fine with him going full-time air-breathin’ for a while. Maybe this is headed that way…probably not. But the last scene still got me, so I have to give it up for that!


Bits and Pieces:

The Council of Elder Jerks makes their decision on Aquaman's kinghood, and if you check the cover you'll see how it goes. Turns out Corum Rath's leadership style isn't all "compassionate conservative" at all, he's more of a "constantly yelling stuff" type. The ending will make you sad, partly because it seems like we have more to go on this Atlantean politics stuff.

7.5/10

No comments:

Post a Comment