Aquaman #7 by Dan Abnett and Scot Eaton hit shelves this week as a follow up to the conclusion of "The Drowning."As you can tell by my name, I'm a huge Aquaman fan and I have been loving this series by Dan Abnett and lead artist Brad Walker. Abnett is telling such a strong story and really getting to the point of why Aquaman is important and what his role in the world is. While Johns made Aquaman badass, Abnett is showing us why he matters. Now, I know some might say that it's slow but personally, I think the pace is very appropriate for the kind of story that it's telling. Long have the relations between Atlantis and the surface been strained and Arthur is set on bridging the two worlds together. Of course, his arch-nemesis Black Manta won't let Aquaman get what he wants.
This issue we see Aquaman finally returning to Atlantis since the series began and it's given him a chance to reflect on what's happened. He tells Mera that he's not even sure he'd be welcomed back to the Justice League after what's happened but he's determined to set things right. There are a few stories in play here and Abnett gives each one an appropriate amount of spotlight without it feeling like it's too crammed. Along the main plot, we have the engagement of Arthur and Mera and according to Atlantean tradition, Mera must prove that she is worthy of being Aquaman's queen and must undergo a series of tests (this will be seen in #10). The other big story in the series is Black Manta's role as the head of N.E.M.O., a secret almost "Illuminati"-like terrorist organization who have been fanning the fires to blame Aquaman and Atlantis for the attacks on the Spindrift Station.
Scot Eaton is back on the book, having last been seen on #2 and I gotta say...it's gorgeous. While I wasn't blown away by his art in the first issue he worked on, he's seemed to really up his game. Everything from the environments to the characters themselves are beautifully rendered. There's a double page spread of Aquaman looking out the window of his palace to Atlantis that is jaw-dropping gorgeous.
Abnett is crafting a truly magnificent story with his run of Aquaman and each plot point is truly fascinating. I gotta say, I'm loving the bi-weekly schedule because I don't know how I would be able to cope if I had to wait an entire month for these books. If you're new to Aquaman or have been meaning to try out his series, I definitely recommend you pick up this series.
9/10
