Aquaman #58 Review

Written by: Kelly Sue Deconnick
Art by: Miguel Mendonça
Colors by: Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Lettered by: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: DC Comics

After last issue’s events we take a moment to catch our breath with Aquaman #58, before diving into the depths of what’s to come.

We start this issue nearly a year after princess Andy’s birth with a message from Queen Mera to Vulko detailing a secret plan she could only entrust to him. We see the plan take shape toward the end of the issue and it. is. a. doozy! A good portion of this issue is paced to explore Arthur and Andy’s current life. We see Andy being cared for by Jackson, Dwayne, Lucia, and other members of Aquaman’s life and Arthur lending a hand to a crew caught in a jam. Though this issue is heartfelt and offers some joy to our cast, the tension is still on the rise as scenes are interlaced with Ocean Master’s actions to rally an army to stand against Mera and Aquaman.

This issue takes its time in setting up the stakes and building the tension which works completely in its favor and makes for a great opening of what’s to come. Deconnick presents Arthur as a man of the people and really drives home the sense of community through the casts approach to looking after Andy and each other. On the opposing side, Ocean Master is written in a similar fashion by having him address the people of the oceans as a benevolent leader looking to rebel against the elite.

Miguel Mendonça and Romulo Fajardo Jr. deliver a beautiful issue. Aside from an awkward panel where Jackson’s mouth hangs open, everyone’s expressions throughout this book is what really drew me into their work (pun intended). Happiness, fear, surprise, and smugness are all present throughout their faces, but their emotions are expressed through their gestures and stances as well. Each panel is charged with the emotions of the central character shown and Fajardo Jr. expresses this through his color work as well. The scenes with Andy are bright with pastel colors and warmth in her cheeks, Mera’s are toned with a blue that mutes the colors, and Orm is in the foreground and stands out against everyone. The reds of his eyes and purple in his suit help him standout from those he speaks to, adding to that distance he feels toward these pawns in his schemes.

The issue does an exceptional job at setting up what’s to come by taking its time to set up the conflict on the horizon and giving believable motivations for all the characters. Not only are the characters written well, they’re drawn beautifully too! This issue hits all the marks and I’m excited to see what comes next in this series.