[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”11214″ img_size=”1000×700″ alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]With the hype and anticipation for Aquaman building every day I thought I’d add some fuel to the fire by checking out Aquaman Justice League: Drowned Earth #1, a story that fully encapsulated the swashbuckling atmosphere that I’d expect from an Aquaman comic and that I expect from the upcoming film. For disclosure, I have not read any of the preceding comics leading up to Drowned Earth #1 and there definitely some issues that you should read up on first before this comic but the fact I never felt lost or overwhelmed is a testament to just how good this issue was.
Plot
Drowned Earth is written by Scott Synder, with artwork from Francis Manapul, Howard Porter, and Scott Godlewski and without giving away too much because this is an issue I defiantly recommend you pick up, the ancient ocean Gods have come to earth to wreak havoc and cause chaos, with the help of a certain Black Manta. With some of earth mightiest heroes out of action, it falls to Aquaman, Mera, and those who remain to drive them back and save the world. Again, I haven’t fully caught up with the previous issues but apart from the odd name or character apperance that I didn’t fully get I never felt lost or bored in any way. It has exhilarating tone and pace to it that reminds me of classic pirate tales and in true Justice League fashion some seriously over-the-top action and enemies to face off against. The whole issue gave off a very exciting energy when I was reading which sucked me straight into the story, even without any background knowledge and if the movie is just as insane in terms of action and epic moments, then we are in for a thrill ride.
Characters
Despite this being an Aquaman comic first and Justice League second, the addition of the league does give us a whole host of characters to go through however despite that it never felt overcrowded or overcomplicated. On the flip side of that, some of the league’s other members didn’t exactly get a lot of time in the limelight. Let’s start with the stars. Aquaman and Mera are absolutely amazing here. Both bounce off each other really well, and you can sense the history they have together even if, like me, you haven’t read previous issues. Arthur gives off this extremely calm and regal manner even in the face of this insane danger. I doubt we’ll get this interpretation of him on the screen but variety is good, and here this version of Aquaman was extremely enjoyable to read with both kickass moments and very down to earth human moment too. Mera, a character I’m not overly familiar with, also felt perfectly matched to Arthur. Maybe a little more rash and headstrong but I think thats why this pairing worked. She too felt very relatable and human despite of course kicking some major Atlantean ass. As for villains we have the seas Gods, who I don’t know enough about to properly comment but here they were entertaining enough but the real start of the villains was Black Manta. Easily Aquaman most famous adversary, he didn’t disappoint here. The little details from his very human blades compared to the league’s powers, or the fact his speech bubbles were inverted colors really sold the fact he’s Aquaman’s opposite, but maybe not equal. His cutthroat attitude was a nice match with Arthurs more relaxed attitude and I loved seeing them face off. Let’s hope its just as cool on screen.
Justice League/Aquaman: Drowned Earth Special (2018) 1 (Justice League (2018-))
As for more minor characters, DC’s holy trinity we’re all pretty enjoyable. Superman sporting a Superman-themed eye-patch was both hilarious and surprisingly really cool. He should try it more often. Wonder Woman had a couple of epic moments in the issue especially near the end, and in true Batman style the caped crusader turned up in the nick of time to join the fight. I don’t think I will ever get bored of watching these 3 stand shoulder to shoulder fighting evil. I also want to give a special shoutout to Flash who I can’t really talk about without giving away spoilers but he had a couple of cool moments and offered some nice comic relief near the start.
Artwork
I was especially surprised by the artwork of this issue because I expected the color pallet to be rather dull and “blue” for lack of a better word. The exact opposite is true. This issue was more attuned to the likes of coral reefs with bright pinks and oranges and it really added life to the action. Plus when the Duller colors did show up, such as darker greens or blues they melted really well with the bright colors and never felt out of place. I genuinely felt like I was watching a battle unfold under the ocean and it was pretty damn epic.
Adapted for the Big Screen
I feel this is more important than ever with Aquaman’s first solo debut coming up and I really think this could be a great film later down the line for DC. People are already saying that Aquaman is the most ambitious and best DC film since Wonder Woman and sure enough those 2 are I would say the most prominent character in this issue, apart from Mera. If audience reaction’s for Aquaman are as good as some are predicting, then this could be a fantastic adaption for the big screen to try and repair some of the damage already done. In terms of action there’s plenty to go round, and in terms of character, I think the on-screen league would suit being led by Jason’s Aquaman and Gal’s Wonder Woman and this comic suits that perfectly.
Overall I really Enjoyed Aquaman Justice League: Drowned Earth #1. The story was both epic and heartfelt and managed to be both understandable and enjoyable to new readers. The characters were very well written even if a couple didn’t get a whole lot to do, and the action was superb. All of that topped off with fantastic artwork and you have a really great comic which I think would be a great way to get people hyped for Aquaman. Does Drowned Earth sound like a comic you’d be interested in reading, and if you have read it, are you even more excited for Aquaman? Lets us now down below or over on our Twitter.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
