Aquaman #26

Writer: Dan Abnett

Artist: Stjepan Sejic

Letterer: Steve Wands

This current Underworld storyline has jumpstarted this book, not just with its fresh story, but with its incredible artwork.

Stjepan Sejic is making a name for himself, having drawn the previous issue as well as Suicide Squad #20, which also looked fantastic. This issue has less of the big splash pages and huge scope than the last issue, which lessens the quality of the art for me, but Sejic does a great job with simple character interaction scenes. He makes the characters feel real, with facial expressions being my favourite part about his art. Dolphin, the mute girl who helped Aquaman last issue, is hard to convey through art but Sejic's expressionistic art seems to make her feel even more organic than Aquaman himself.

As for the story, it's still fresh and fun. I have a feeling Dan Abnett was very much looking forward to get to this story, as it shows in this issue. The story is genuinely interesting, with some twists and turns that I didn't see coming, and a lot of fun and wacky-looking characters coming to the forefront. Mera's involved in the story, yet it seems this story takes place before Justice League #24, which had Mera attacking Atlantis with her powers before running off with the Justice League. With this, while the story was some fun, it dropped off since the last issue. The best way I can put it is that the excitement wore off, and this is apparent in both the writing and the art. 

While the art wasn't as strong in this issue, it still delivered with well-drawn dialogue scenes. Abnett seems to be having a lot of fun with this story, which looks to be the best Aquaman arc since Geoff Johns' conclusion in the New 52, despite some of the shortcomings in this issue.