Full disclosure: Aquaman has always seemed like a novelty character to me. My bias wasn't helped when he didn't even rate an appearance in the recent viral video, "A Toast to Green Lantern", mocking Hawkman's efforts to get his big screen superhero pals to help him land a movie deal (warning, NSFW): LINK (hat tip to my friend Robert Sparling, with apologies to Paul Zukauskas).
That being said, Flashpoint: Emperor Aquaman is a solid first issue of a three issue mini-series tie-in to the DC Flashpoint event. The cover is a powerful display of a raging Aquaman laid over and against a scene of destruction (sidenote: Hey, DC, how about we don't ruin big, beautiful, powerful covers with a Green Lantern movie advertising strip. Seriously, it nearly ruins the cover). Inside the cover, we dive into a story the moves between the present and flashbacks.
Aquaman and Michaelangelo's "The Creation of Adam"
The issue opens with Aquaman surveying the damage of a sunken Rome. The King of Atlantis seems uncertain of his feelings: satisfaction? remorse? maybe even apathy? Instead, viewing the submerged-but-still-powerful classic works of art spurs him into a rage when the art provokes a certain memory. Speaking of art, Aquaman is drawn over Michaelangelo's famous "The Creation of Adam," mimicking the pose of God reaching out to Adam - and that is just one portion of a superb piece of art on this page.
The rest of the issue starts to unravel the story: the Amazons are threatening to take over Western Europe after conquering the British Isles. There are even rumors of humans being placed in concentration camps. Fearful of what is to come, the leaders of Western Europe hesitatingly agree to reach out to Aquaman to try to reach a defense pact, and all hell breaks loose. It is sufficient to say there is betrayal wrapped in betrayal, ending in Aquaman sinking Rome.
This issue has a strong set-up, a few surprises (a trapped-human-powered geo-pulse weapon, anyone?) and a strong enough hook to create interest in watching the story unravel.
I can't believe I am saying this, but you just may want to give Aquaman a chance. Just don't tell Hawkman.
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