Holy shit.  If the whole reboot does nothing else, it made Aquaman cool.

 

Yeah.  This is the best Aquaman I’ve ever seen.  Better than blue, or bearded or one handed.  Equal to and totally different than egocentric adventurer from the Brave and the Bold cartoon.  But because this is the official DC version of the character that makes this better than the animated version.

Remember, plenty of spoilers in this.  So if you don’t want those stop now.  I’ll let you know its my highest recommended book so far from the new DC 52.

The issue starts with cops chasing robbers who are trying to escape from a crime scene.  Suddenly, impeding their progress stands, Aquaman.  Everyone makes fun of him!  The cops say there isn’t any water around.  The robbers don’t take him as a serious threat, or any kind of threat, at all.  Until Arthur Curry pulls out his trident and flips the car over with it!  This is the strongest, and also most down to earth Aquaman you’ve ever seen.  He has the strength to move a car, the trident is an impressive weapon, he takes out multiple bad guys.  Then there’s the bullets.  Aquaman is bullet resistant but not bullet proof.  If you’re wondering the difference, buy a water resistant jacket and go outside in a downpour.  There is your difference between proof and resistant.  Also, the trickle of blood down Aquaman’s face will show you the difference as well.  Aquaman then leaps away!  He doesn’t fly but he does hurdle over skyscrapers in (not a single) a couple bounds.

So we’ve seen Aquaman take out thugs like Batman.  He leaps away like the Hulk.  He uses power a weapon and a fulcrum to destroy a vehicle that your average human, no matter how strong, just cannot do.  Then he takes a bullet which is rarely seen in any comic these days.  Yeah, we’ve already had a huge adventure and not a drop of water to be found.

Aquaman then sits down to eat… fish and chips!  “But you talk to the fishes.”  “I Do Not Talk to Fishes.”  Yes!  By accepting all of the jokes that have been made about Aquaman over the years the creative team immediately deflates all the power those jokes had over this character for years.  Its a new time, a new era and a new hero.  A blogger pushes his way forward and asks Aquaman a battalion of asshole questions.  All of us comic bloggers take a long look inward and sigh.

Then, up from the depths, a new undersea menace!  A violent new species is about to come to the surface and who else can defeat this race of villains?  When your new enemy can hide in the uncharted three quarters of the earth what other hero would you call?  Aquaman is about to shed his damaged image and be reborn as DC’s next A lister.

Aquaman is so far at the top of my new DC pile.