Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Aquaman #33 Review and **SPOILERS**



Give the Xebel Her Air

Story: Dan Abnett 
Artist: Riccardo Federici 
Breakdowns: Rick Leonardi 
Color: Sonny Gho 
Lettering: Steve Wands 
Cover: Stjepan Sejic 
Cover Price: $3.99 
On Sale Date: February 21, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Last time we left the story, Aquaman and co. had breached the outer walls of the palace, and it looked like something was about to happen! So let’s see what happens! Read my review of Aquaman #33, right here!


Explain It!

The action picks up immediately from the last issue: Aquaman and members of the rebellion Undercurrent squad breach the palace with a couple of giant monster fish that look like something out of Satan’s nightmare. The first to defend the place are the magic-bearing members of the Silent School, those who Corum Rath has elevated since he took the throne those many months ago. This works well because the Undercurrent wants to get to the center of the Silent School and break apart their permanent records or something, and that will destroy the Crown of Thorns that’s surrounded Atlantis during the age of King Rath. The magicians fling all types of hand light around but Aquaman appears able to take the brunt of it with his magic trident.
The action here is terrific. Dolphin gets involved and lays the flash bulb smack down on some soldiers while Aquaman whooshes a few away with some kind of trident blast. They make it to the center of the Silent School, but at great cost—it’s basically come down to Aquaman by himself versus a couple dozen magic students, and what looks like the headmaster or something. Just then, King Shark and the mutated hoodlums from the Ninth Trides decide to pitch on the rebellion…and the tides have turned. Get it? “Tides.” Like water. Everything here is happening underwater, if that wasn’t clear.
Eventually, Aquaman jabs his Atlantean pitchform into the central magic thingy and the Crown of Thorns dissipates, which will be a great boon for the Atlantis Tourist Board. Over at the Tower of the Widowhood, Sister Cetea makes Mera the Queen of Atlantis, through ceremony, just in time for her to be dying from lack of oxygen, a problem acquired when she busted through the Crown of Thorns a few issues ago. Aquaman gathers up her body, then rushes to the surface at top speed, dropping her off at Amnesty Bay so she can hang out and breathe with Tula. He cannot dally with her, however, for he still has a loose end to tie up: depose Corum Rath for real!
This is a really great comic that looks absolutely phenomenal. I love all of the establishing shots, I love the movement within the panels of action, and I love the different mutant designs from the crew from the Ninth Trides. The story is fast-paced but not without its high-stakes moments, and everything moves along at a clip to keep you flipping pages. After such a long wait, it’s nice to see this rebellion actually happening for a lot of reasons, not the least of which would be that it the artwork is absolutely arresting. Just gorgeous stuff.

Bits and Pieces:

There's finally some payoff for a very long build-up in this series, and this issue is a sight to behold. The art team did a beautiful job that might be worth the cover price by itself. Throw in some fast-paced action and palpable stakes, and you've won my embittered heart.

9/10

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