The alien ocean lords Drogue, Tyyde, and Gall continue to drown the earth with the alien sea, infecting all life turning humans into extraterrestrial sea monsters. Mera, Superman, and the Flash desperately combat against the newly powered Black Manta as he continues his assault on behalf of the ocean lords command.
Aquaman and Wonder Woman reach the end as they journey through The Graveyard of the God’s as they attempt to plead assistance from Poseidon. Meanwhile, The Legion of Doom ambush Batman at the Hall of Justice in order to reclaim the Totality amongst all the chaos!
Can Aquaman and Wonder Woman convince Poseidon to turn the tide against the Ocean Lord’s? Can Mera, Superman and the Flash survive the ongoing waves of Black Manta’s armies? And will the Legion of Doom finally succeed in harnessing the power of the Totality!?
This issue felt a lot more stronger than the last issue, where everything climaxes to a big explosion full of revelation, action, and development. Majority of the book is focused on each of the earthbound members of the league fending off the hordes of Ocean monsters while the other members (Aquaman and Wonder Woman) venture out to persuade Poseidon to help the earth. The issue is more of an Aquaman/Wonder Woman chapter (as is majority of the arc) which is satisfying because most of the time when people read Justice League, they expect more Batman, more Superman, and everyone else as background settings rather than characters fully capable of demanding presence within a story. It’s enjoyable to see that Tynion makes great effort to build upon Aquaman in ways that remind readers why he is an important member and player within the Justice League.
Tynion does a fantastic job at displaying Aquaman’s reach beyond the tides of earth, showing that his powers have greater potential to do much more than what he limits himself to. Even more, given that Tynion already writes Justice League Dark, it’s pleasing to see that Wonder Woman feels narratively consistent in this book as she is in the sister title. I do admit, I was waiting to see if Tynion was going to utilize Diana’s new abilities from the Witching Hour storyline, but given the conclusion of that storyline, it makes sense why Diana isn’t using those abilities within this story. Which is a great thing because it shows that Tynion and company are paying attention to continuity details, and I feel that is always important for comic writers whenever they are working on titles that involve characters of grand mythologies. The pacing in this issue flowed really nicely as scanned through each panel and page, eager to see what happened next.
I admit that when reading the final pages, that it was as hilariously fitting while also appropriately executed in regards to the cliffhanger of this issue. I’m sure that Tynion was waiting to use a famous line that would make Liam Neeson proud. Obviously, Tynion Is having a blast at telling a tale that expands upon Aquaman’s mythos in the same way that Snyder and Williamson have done for Batman and the Flash in recent years. It’s been some time since Throne of Atlantis that Aquaman has a story that feels grand and massively important to the grand scheme of things. In fact, it may be so refreshing that readers who have been reading this arc, may want to pick up an Aquaman book. As for Aquaman fans, I think they’ll enjoy this story and it’s contributions to his mythos.
Now in the art department, when I was reading this issue, I was getting some classic Books of Magic (1991) vibes. Tynion’s use of the various artists within this issue reminded me of how Neil Gaiman utilized the different art styles of his own collaborators to convey different narratives just like in his classic series The Books of Magic (1991). Redondo’s art style fits the superhero aesthetic that provides an action-packed thrill that is fitting for the Batman/Legion of Doom segments of this book. While Irving’s art leans more towards the standard of superhero style, Irving’s artwork nails the odd, otherworldly horrors of the ocean that the Heroes face with excellence. I found myself enjoying Irving’s Aquaman/Wonder Woman segments a lot, and I believe that due to their close ties with magic that makes Irving’s art so effective! Coupled with the Irving and Sunny Gho’s colors, along with Tom Napolitano lettering, it’s made this third arc of the Drowned Earth worth reading a few more times.
This was a solid issue that demonstrates the very best that the Justice League has to offer, and most notably what Aquaman has to offer. Tynion continues to expand his repertoire showcasing that he can write any team book, and this issue showcases that. Given that Tynion has a knack for taking characters like Clay face and Man-Bat and making them into important characters, I think people will appreciate this issue and how Tynion uses Aquaman and his cast of characters aside from the league. Definitely add this to your new comic Wednesday pull for this Thanksgiving week!
Newsdesk