Sunday Spotlight - Aquaman: The Trench

Just last week DC Entertainment announced that Jason Momoa has been cast in the role of Aquaman (Aquamoa, it's a thing), so I thought we might take a look at the first appearance of Aquaman in the New 52, just to refresh you all on the character.



Aquaman and his wife partner Mera live quiet lives – or at least, they try to. But their attempts at obscurity are shattered when something comes from the ocean to snatch a group of fishermen off a boat in a sleepy seaside town. Aquaman and Mera are able to follow the trail back to the Mariana Trench a trench deep beneath the Pacific Atlantic Ocean. There they discover not just the creatures that have taken the fishermen but something that may change the entire way of life for the sunken city of Atlantis.

Geoff Johns took the helm of Aquaman following the New 52 reboot and he delivered a gripping story that altered the interpretation of the character completely. For a long period, Aquaman was the butt of jokes, most notably that his main power was talking to fish. In this first volume, Johns gave us a look both at how deadly – and how terrifying – Aquaman could be. Coupled with Ivan Reis on art, the team that made Blackest Night create a tale of chilling horror as Aquaman faces creatures from the ocean's floor. Much like H.P. Lovecraft, Johns makes you realise that there is a lot beyond the ken of humankind, and like Lovecraft, suggests that horrific beasts lurk beneath the waves.

There are some genuinely creepy moments in this book, and it reads much like a classic horror film, with creatures rising from the depths to attack a small town. Only one person knows the truth and is prepared to fight back – in this case, it's Aquaman. The story is nicely structured, following the same format as those classic films but with enough hints and teases to lead the reader into the rest of the series. For instance, what's up with Aquaman and Atlantis? Is he really from there or is that just an excuse he gives to explain his powers? Why is he more acclimated to the land than Mera? What's their deal, anyway?

This (and Justice League: Origin) really threw Aquaman into the spotlight again. He was no longer a joke character, but a founding member of the Justice League with a strong sense of honour and duty on par with the Trinity of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman.For such a strong book, there is one glaring flaw. In the story, Aquaman is treated as a joke – much like he was treated by most comic fans before this. However, if the only Aquaman these people have ever seen is the one presented by the book, there's no reason for him to be a joke. This Aquaman is an Adonis wielding a golden trident who flips armoured trucks and survives a hail of bullets from an assault rifle. This Aquaman does not get mocked for ordering seafood at a diner. Given the strong elements in the rest of the book, a single throwaway joke might have been acceptable, just to tell readers that this was going to be something different to what they expect, but it becomes a running theme throughout the whole volume. Fortunately, the second volume pretty much ignores it and shows just how badass Aquaman is, giving him his own team (that also received its own series, Aquaman and the Others).

Aquaman vol. 1: The Trench – 9781401237103 – Geoff Johns - $22.99 – 144 pages