[ad_1]
Aquaman is without doubt one of the comedian ebook medium’s most iconic characters, and is the one non-Batman DC superhero to headline a movie that made a billion {dollars}. (Having Jason Momoa play him didn’t damage.) But, his comedian ebook historical past has been hit or miss. He debuted in 1941, as a back-up function in Extra Enjoyable Comics. He wasn’t even widespread sufficient to get his personal collection, and even be part of the Justice Society of America.
However the tenacious undersea hero clung on when many different superheroes light, and due to the enhance of Justice League membership, he grew to become widespread sufficient to lastly get his personal comedian in 1962, a full twenty years after his debut. Since then, he’s kind of been a DC Comics mainstay, with a number of years off right here and there. Some comedian ebook runs had been forgettable, however some had been actually nice. Listed below are our selections for the very best Aquaman comedian ebook runs of all time.
7. Sword of Aquaman by Kurt Busiek, Tad Williams
with Jackson Guice, Shawn McManus
In 2006, after the massive Infinite Disaster occasion, DC took of venture on this oddball Aquaman title. This got here after current interpretations of the character had been not likely clicking with readers. DC went for a daring new take from author Kurt Busiek, well-known for his work on Avengers. Busiek’s Aquaman, was not the ruler of Atlantis as we’d recognized him for years. As a substitute, he was the equally named Arthur Joseph Curry, a youthful man who gained water-breathing powers due to experiments carried out by his scientist father. This collection renamed Aquaman vol. 6 as Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis.
This was all a callback to the Nineteen Forties Aquaman, who, costume and powers apart, was an nearly completely totally different hero than the one we all know right this moment. Arthur’s adventures had been extra fantasy-oriented in nature, therefore the “sword” within the title, and fantastically illustrated by Jackson Guice. Author Tad Williams and artist Shawn McManus continued the Busiek/Guice story till the tip of this run. This bizarre model of Aquaman solely lasted for 18 points, after which the unique Arthur Curry returned from the lifeless. Nevertheless it’s one of many extra fascinating takes on a hero named “Aquaman” that’s on the market.
Points in Kurt Busiek and Tad Williams’ Aquaman run:
Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #40-57 (2006-2007)
6. Aquaman (Vol.3) by Keith Giffen and Robert Loren Fleming
with Curt Swan, Al Vey
After the extra radical reinvention of Aquaman in 1986 didn’t make a large enough splash sales-wise, the King of the Seas lay low for a number of extra years, solely showing as a visitor star in varied collection. Then in 1989, DC introduced in Justice League Worldwide author Keith Giffen and basic Superman artist Curt Swan. Author Robert Loren Fleming helped with the writing duties as properly. They first teamed up for the Legend of Aquaman particular. This one-shot was extra retro in model, primarily due to Swan’s artwork. Nonetheless, it did add some new parts to the Aquaman lore.
A type of new parts was that Arthur Curry was now deserted as an toddler on the reef by his personal individuals for his “cursed” blonde hair, later adopted by the human lighthouse keeper. This changed the origin the place he was the product of a human/Atlantean union. The identical inventive group reunited for a five-part mini-series that very same 12 months. This story focuses on an invasion of Atlantis from sentient squid, whereas Aquaman should cope with his deteriorating marriage to Mera. After this run, we bought a brand new ongoing collection by one other inventive group, though that ebook solely lasted one 12 months. Nothing breaks the mould right here, but it surely’s nonetheless a enjoyable learn.
Points in Keith Giffen’s Aquaman run:
Aquaman, Vol.3, #1-5, The Legend of Aquaman Particular #1, (1989)
5. Aquaman (Vol.2) by Neal Pozner and Craig Hamilton
Regardless of persistently showing in Justice League, and on Tremendous Buddies on TV, by 1986, Aquaman had not headlined his personal collection in eight years. Then, after the occasions of Disaster on Infinite Earths, DC Comics gave Arthur a little bit of a contemporary facelift. This passed off in an thrilling four-part mini-series by author (and former DC manufacturing designer) Neal Pozner, that up to date his costume into one thing fairly trendy, and gave the Sea King a novel journey. This collection actually tied in with historical Atlantean historical past, as seen in DC’s fantasy collection Arion. It was an Aquaman we’d by no means actually seen earlier than.
This mid-’80s mini-series additionally elevated Aquaman’s sibling Ocean Grasp into an actual menace for our hero eventually. One who wields sorcery and isn’t simply one other water-themed techno-pirate. Artist Craig Hamilton’s artwork is solely unimaginable for this collection, and stays underrated. DC hoped this collection would possibly enhance the character in the way in which John Byrne and Frank Miller gave Superman and Batman a lift, respectively, that very same 12 months. However Clark and Bruce overshadowed him once more (jerks). Nevertheless it’s nonetheless a really memorable run, and DC ought to gather it in some kind. And that cool, new Aquaman costume? Arthur by no means wore it once more. Years later, artist Phil Jimenez repurposed it for Aquaman’s former sidekick Aqualad, now Tempest. So its legacy lived on.
Points in Neal Pozner’s Aquaman run:
Aquaman, Vol.2, #1-4 (1986)
4. Journey Comics and Aquaman (Vol.1) by David Michelinie
with Jim Aparo, Don Newton
Within the early ‘70s, DC canceled Aquaman’s solo collection after a decade. However a number of years later, new solo tales appeared within the pages of the anthology Journey Comics. Beginning in 1977, future Spider-Man author David Michelinie and longtime Aquaman artist Jim Aparo started a multi-part epic that wound up as one in all Aquaman’s defining storylines. In Journey #450, Michelinie started a storyline that explored Aqualad’s mysterious previous, but additionally noticed the return of Black Manta on a mission of vengeance. Retribution that noticed Manta do the unthinkable, and homicide Aquaman’s child son, Arthur Jr.
This storyline so shocked and enraptured readers, DC revived Aquaman’s solo comedian due to Journey Comics’ excessive gross sales. The revived Aquaman collection, continued the story of Arthur Curry’s revenge quest in opposition to Black Manta, and its emotional fallout. David Michelinie and Jim Aparo continued to work collectively, with Don Newton finally taking up for Aparo. The revived Aquaman collection then ended once more with situation #63 in 1978, however DC has since collected the “Dying of a Prince” story, marking this run as a really important chapter within the Sea King’s profession.
Points in David Michelinie’s Aquaman run:
Journey Comics #441, 443, 445, 450–452, Aquaman, Vol.1, #57–61 (1977–1978)
3. Aquaman (Vol.1) by Bob Haney with Nick Cardy
In 1962, due to years as a back-up function for extra widespread superheroes and a slot on the Justice League of America, Aquaman lastly bought his personal collection as a headliner. The primary situation of Aquaman hit in 1962, with tales largely written by Jack Miller and drawn by artist Nick Cardy. Most of those one-off tales had Aquaman and his child sidekick Aqualad combat off random aliens and undersea despots. Foolish enjoyable, however unmemorable. In direction of the tip of the Miller run, DC had Aquaman marry Mera, and take the throne of Atlantis. Nonetheless, all this supplied glorious alternatives for the brand new collection author.
In 1965, author Bob Haney, co-creator of the Teen Titans and the Doom Patrol, took over Aquaman with situation #25. He expanded the lore of the newly topped King of Atlantis, including in parts like Aquagirl, Arthur’s son Aquababy, and Aquaman’s two most iconic villains, Ocean Grasp and Black Manta. In contrast to the perpetually single Superman, Batman, and Marvel Girl, Haney had a blast exploring what it could be prefer to be a “married with kids” superhero, whereas additionally juggling ruling a kingdom. By right this moment’s requirements, these tales stay fairly dated, however they lay the muse for a lot future Aquaman lore, it’s exhausting to disclaim its significance.
Points in Bob Haney and Nick Cardy’s Aquaman run:
Aquaman, Vol.1, #25-39 (1965-1968)
2. Aquaman (Vol.7) by Geoff Johns
with Ivan Reis, Paul Pelletier
After a really celebrated run within the ‘90s, DC sidelined the character of Aquaman once more. Regardless of some fascinating takes on the King of the Seven Seas, nothing actually clicked with comics followers in a giant method. That’s, till the 2011 New 52 reboot, when author Geoff Johns reinvigorated the character in a brand new ongoing collection which made him cool once more. Though this time, he’d be cool whereas retaining his basic costume and Silver Age origin story. Illustrated by Ivan Reis and Paul Pelletier, throughout two years and 25 points on the ebook, Johns was fast to shatter the “my energy is simply speaking to fish” notion Aquaman had with the mainstream. In Johns’ view, Arthur Curry was a real drive of nature, not a Tremendous Buddies punchline.
In Geoff Johns’ Aquaman run, he launched many new ideas. There have been the Others, new heroes who wielded historical Atlantean weapons, and the Lovecraftian horrors of the Trench. He additionally reimagined Atlantis as a extra multifaceted kingdom, with many alternative undersea tribes. Ocean Grasp and Black Manta obtained main upgrades. Their new personalities and backstories grew to become a giant affect on their big-screen interpretations. And after a long time the place DC handled Mera like a hysterical ex-wife, Geoff Johns made her a hero in her personal proper. One thing that has caught to today. Aquaman was so widespread right now, that he even obtained a spin-off collection, Aquaman and the Others. For less than a 25-issue run, Geoff Johns actually left his mark on the hero of Amnesty Bay.
Points in Geoff Johns’ Aquaman run
Aquaman, Vol.7, #1-25 (2011-2013)
1. Aquaman (Vol.5) by Peter David
with Brad Vancata, Kirk Jarvinen, Marty Egeland, Jim Calafiore
When author Peter David took over Aquaman in 1994, he was already a comics celebrity. This was largely to Marvel work on The Unimaginable Hulk and Spider-Man 2099. He really started the seeds of his Aquaman run years earlier than, in his seven-part collection The Atlantis Chronicles. That collection chronicled 1000’s of years of Atlantean historical past. It supplied the muse for what David would do with Arthur Curry for an almost five-year run on the character.
David started with the mini-series Aquaman: Time and Tide, which up to date Aquaman’s origins for the trendy age. David made a giant change to the mythology, making Aquaman the product of the Atlantean Queen Atlanna, and the traditional sorcerer Atlan. By situation three of the brand new Aquaman ongoing collection, David “went there,” by having a villain amputate Arthur’s hand by way of Piranha. However as an alternative of being sidelined by the damage, he changed his hand with an enormous hook. He additionally took on a long-haired, nearly barbarian look. An entire 180 from his basic. Silver Age look. Followers ate all of it up.
David’s Aquaman tales revealed that Arthur was simply his adopted human identify, his Atlantean identify was Orin. This run additionally reunited him along with his long-lost son Koryak, enter into a brand new romantic relationship with seafaring heroine Dolphin, and reworked right into a warrior badass. Though DC produced this throughout the grim n’ gritty period of the ‘90s, David all the time introduced humor to his comics. Aquaman was no totally different, usually being fairly humorous. A whole lot of David retcons to Aquaman’s origins had been undone by subsequent runs. Nonetheless, the perspective and total really feel of Peter David’s Aquaman stays, seen most evidently in Jason Momoa’s large display screen model.
Points in Peter David’s Aquaman run:
The Atlantis Chronicles #1-7 (1990), Aquaman: Time and Tide #1-4 (1994), Aquaman Vol. 5 #0-46 (1994-1998)
[ad_2]
Source link
