Review: Aquaman Vol. 2- Black Manta Rising

Quick Summary

Pros: The main storyline is filled with fun action and exciting tension. The focus on politics is interesting and unique. The volume’s conclusion wraps things up in a satisfying manner.

Cons: There are a few small places where characters act uncharacteristically irrational.

Overall: This is a very engaging volume that succeeds on a number of fronts. It has the action and drama one would expect from a superhero book, while also maintaining a unique level of political tension. The entire storyline is also well constructed and plays out in a way that makes for a very enjoyable reading experience. Fans of Aquaman or those interested in a unique take on a DC hero should check this volume out.

Story

Aquaman Vol. 2: Black Manta Rising, by Dan Abnett, is a well-written comic that excels in creating action and tension. This comic places Aquaman in a variety of situations where he is forced to use both his physical strength and his cunning to achieve victory. These situations are entertaining to see play out and also produce plenty of tension and suspense along the way. They also allow for a unique focus on the political role Aquaman plays on the world stage. In the end, this is a solid Aquaman adventure and a worthwhile volume overall.

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The main storyline in Black Manta Rising follows Black Manta’s generally successful attempt to blame Atlantis for a variety of atrocious actions. This leads to a couple of climactic battles, including one between Aquaman and the Shaggy Man, one between the Atlantean military and N.E.M.O., and even one between Aquaman and Black Manta. Each one of these battles is exciting in its own way and gives readers the opportunity to witness some fun heroics.

However, the most exciting aspect of this collection is the tension present throughout each of these encounters. Abnett writes the story in a way that makes it seem as if everything Aquaman believes in is constantly on the verge of ruins. All out war appears to be a foregone conclusion and the throne of Atlantis is constantly in jeopardy. There are a few places where characters act slightly irrationally in order to create drama, which can be seen in some of the actions from Mera or the White House Chief of Staff, but, for the most part, tension is well-manufactured. This level of tension keeps things exciting throughout the read and nearly turns it into a thriller in a few places.

Another unique and exciting aspect of this storyline is the concentrated focus on Atlantean politics. Throughout this collection, Aquaman’s role as the leader of a nation is ever-present. Readers get a chance to see him delegate orders, inspire hope, and navigate politically dicey situations. No other current, prominent DC hero has a role like this, giving Aquaman a unique and attractive quality.

The conclusion of Black Manta Rising is highly satisfying and may be one of this collection’s most positive attributes. Aquaman’s ability to broker peace between Atlantis and America shows his capability as a leader and even demonstrates the small levels of character development that have taken place over the past two volumes. Even smaller story arcs, like Aquaman’s doubt over his position in the Justice League or Mera’s reluctance to rule, receive a satisfying conclusion here. Plus, on the villainous side of things, plot threads are left open, giving N.E.M.O. and Black Manta an opportunity to return in the future. Overall, the end of this volume wraps things up nicely and gears readers up to see more from Aquaman.

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Art

The artwork in Black Manta Rising is good but isn’t necessarily great. Pencilers Scott Eaton and Philippe Briones manage to maintain a relatively consistent art style despite a shifting crew of artistic talent. Both artists also present detailed and well-structured pages that assist in generating the action and drama necessary to tell this story. However, small errors, like mismatched facial expressions or random places that lack detail, take away from this otherwise proficient artistic display. These errors never become numerous enough to fully distract from the volume’s artistic positives but they are present enough to be noticeable. Overall, this collection still looks good but isn’t the most visually pleasing Aquaman book out there.

Continuity

Aquaman Vol. 2: Black Manta Rising continues the story from Aquaman Vol. 1: The Drowning (Review).

The story here continues in Aquaman Vol. 3: Crown of Atlantis.

This volume also references the stories from other comic books, detailed below:

• Tensions with the surface have been high since Atlantis’ attack in
  Aquaman Vol. 3: Throne of Atlantis (Review). This attack is mentioned here.
• Previous encounters with a villain named “Scavenger” are mentioned. These encounters took place in Aquaman Vol. 4: Death of a King (Review).