Aquaman #35 Review

Writer: Dan Abnett

Artist: Robson Rocha

Inkers: Daniel Henriques and Danny Miki

Colourist: Sunny Gho

Letterer: Travis Lanham

This issue was better than most of this storyline, mostly since Robson Rocha's art is probably the best we've gotten in many months. What holds me back from more thoroughly enjoying this issue is the continuous slow pace of the book. Come June, this arc will have gone on for a year with barely any plot development. Dan Abnett is just dragging this story out as much as he can for whatever reason.

Rocha brings a level of colour and energy that Stjepan Sejic and Riccardo Federici just couldn't bring to the series. While everyone loved Sejic's art, it's not nearly as colourful as Rocha's pencils along with Sunny Gho's colours. I want an Aquaman book to be bright and fun and exciting to look at, but it's looked dull lately despite looking good regardless.

Abnett hooks onto a couple of plot threads in this issue: Rath's subjects are beginning to doubt his reign since his recent obsession with magic, and Arthur and Murk finally have a confrontation. Thankfully this issue isn't boring, since Rocha's art is more than able to maintain my interest. Abnett also does a better job with the structural plotting and dialogue here.

Despite my enjoyment of the art and some of the plotting, not much happens here which just continues to anger me. It's odd that we have almost an entirely new art team save for colourist Sunny Gho. Even the letterer is different! I can't help but find that curious.