When a war between America and Atlantis is ignited by the actions of
the nefarious N.E.M.O., Aquaman must fend off the invading forces and prove his
nation’s innocence in the conflict. With the Justice League remaining neutral
and Mera absent while preparing for their pending nuptials, the King of
Atlantis seeks out the aid of a British naval officer and the Atlantean Elder
of Science to expose N.E.M.O. to the world.
Aquaman Volume 2: Black Manta
Rising collects Aquaman issues
7-15, written by Dan Abnett and illustrated by Scot Eaton, Brad Walker and
Philippe Briones.
Black Manta Rising continues
the saga of Black Manta’s campaign to destroy Atlantis and discredit Aquaman
through the machinations of N.E.M.O. First, he unleashes the unstoppable Shaggy
Man to demolish Aquaman’s hometown of Amnesty Bay. Then, after successfully
baiting America into a war with Atlantis, Black Manta enjoys the fruits of his
labour as a group of assassins are sent to infiltrate the undersea kingdom in
order to kill his Atlantean nemesis. It’s an intricate arc that ultimately
leads to an epic brawl between Aquaman and Black Manta. Before that, we’re
treated to plenty of action and a fair bit of political intrigue. The
effectiveness of diplomacy becomes a central theme throughout and Abnett
appears eager to critique war itself. He also explores the necessary qualities
it takes to be a leader. The combination of these narrative elements creates a
layered story that goes beyond good guy beating up bad guy.
Abnett also spends quite a bit of time developing the mythos
surrounding Aquaman. He introduces a handful of Atlanteans whose roles help
give us a glimpse into the varying factions of this undersea nation. Two of the
standouts include Carcharodor, Mistress of the Fleet, and Jurok Byss, Keeper of
the Monsters. Both are striking and imposing figures who serve important
functions during wartime. Abnett also fleshes out Rowa, Elder of Science, who made
a couple of appearances during Jeff Parker and Paul Pelletier’s run. Another
unique element to the building of Atlantis’ mythos is the inclusion of the
Widowhood, who is tasked with assessing Mera’s worthiness to be Queen of
Atlantis. They are a cabal of nun-like women whose judgment is explicitly
trusted by the Atlantean people. Aside from their incredible designs, their inclusion
provides a matriarchal dimension to this society. With that said, the subplot
that they’re brought in for essentially removes Mera from much of the action
for this arc. It’s disappointing since she’s a character who comes to life in
fight scenes and is instead has her narrative reduced to her relationship
(whereas her husband’s gets to be about being a leader).
Eaton, Walker, and Briones continue to do a spectacular job on the art.
Walker’s cover and interiors for issue 10 are especially exquisite. His
renditions of the Widowhood and Mera are stunningly detailed, which further
adds to the appeal and mystique of these characters. His covers for issues 13
and 15 are similarly quite memorable. My fondness for Briones’ work remains
strong throughout as well. His work doesn’t have the same kind of intricacy to
it that Walker’s does, but it’s dynamic and streamlined. Eaton is sadly still
the weakest of the three if for no other reason than it being the most generic
in comparison.
Abnett’s Rebirth run on Aquaman is
a fun ride. I appreciate that he’s writing his stories to be about something by focusing on Aquaman’s
unique status as the ruler of a nation. As one of the few monarchs who are also
heroes in the DC Universe, this helps to distinguish the character and his
stories from his contemporaries on the Justice League. While there wasn’t
enough Mera in this arc for me and found parts of her portrayal to be irksome, Abnett
did give other female characters plenty to do. I actually find myself drawn to
many of the supporting characters that are used throughout and would love to
see more done with them moving forward (especially Tula, Rowa, and
Carcharodor). Overall, Black Manta Rising is an exciting conclusion to the Abnett's opening saga for Aquaman's Rebirth era.
RATING: B+
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