Review: Aquaman Vol. 7- Exiled

Quick Summary

Pros: The story is filled with action. The concept is unique and creates plenty of dramatic moments.

Cons: Many pieces of the story do not make sense or are left unexplained. Character progression from previous volumes is almost entirely lost. The volume does a poor job handling sexual assault.

Overall: The intense action and grandiose nature of the story make this Aquaman adventure feel like a blockbuster movie. However, problems with storytelling and an abandonment of previous progress significantly dampen what would otherwise be a good book. Instead, this ends up being another example of a comic that is all flash and little substance. Read this if you want to see Aquaman use his powers in cool ways but not if you want a book that digs into character development and clever storytelling.

Story

Aquaman Vol. 7: Exiled, by Cullen Bunn, is an action-packed and over-the-top adventure. However, it also has a number of storytelling problems and does not fit well with any of the Aquaman volumes which came before it. Plenty of fight sequences and flashy use of superpowers give the book excitement but few other positives contribute to the book’s overall appeal. This is a comic book for those who want to see Aquaman beat up some bad guys, not one for those who want something more meaningful.

(spoilers start here)

Exiled starts out in media res, with Aquaman facing off against monsters from another dimension and the soldiers of Atlantis. We learn that aspects of this other dimension have been leaking into the DC Universe for a while now but have been doing so more rapidly recently. Aquaman discovered that this is the prelude to a full-scale invasion but that the other dimension’s innocent are also coming through. To protect them, he opposed the complete destruction of the other dimension and, thus, was banished from Atlantis by Mera, who is actually a shape-shifting monster.

This premise sets the stage for a conflict in which Aquaman’s strength and abilities can shine. He takes down hordes of monsters while also holding his own against Atlantean soldiers, who he even convinces to help him at times. Aquaman also gets a host of new powers courtesy of Poseidon, which make his fight sequences even more dramatic. All of this allows Aquaman to make an epic final stand against this malicious kingdom, leading to a great moment where he stands together with Mera. Overall, Aquaman’s heroism is on full display here, giving the story more than enough excitement and action.

However, the actual storytelling that goes along with this excitement is only subpar. There are numerous occasions where things happen that either don’t make sense or are delayed for plot convenience. For example, near the end of the book, Mera is able to break out of prison and easily defeat Siren, yet no explanation is given as to why she was unable to do so earlier. In addition, Siren’s entire character is written poorly, as both her origins and her fate are almost completely unexplained. The book also contains a lengthy sequence where Siren rapes Aquaman, yet the horrific nature of this action is glossed over. There are simply too many flaws here for the story to be enjoyed for any reason other than a flashy action book.

In addition, Exiled almost completely ignores any progression Aquaman’s character has made for the past six volumes. Previous volumes saw him spare Atlanteans who attempted to murder Mera because he refused to kill his own people. This volume has him stabbing an Atlantean soldier right from the start. Exiled also completely ignores the Atlantean people’s mistrust of Mera and expects readers to believe that all of Atlantis suddenly trusts her more than Aquaman. These changes will not affect new readers but are sure to be frustrating for readers coming into this volume after reading the previous ones.

(spoilers end here)

Art

The overall artistic appeal of Exiled is pretty average from start to finish. Trevor McCarthy starts the volume out with a few chapters that present a stylized take on both Aquaman and Atlantis. Though not the most detailed or beautiful, these chapters are imaginative and well-structured, providing a nice look at the threat Aquaman faces. Later on, Vicente Cifuentes expands upon this threat with a few more detailed chapters that focus more on the beauty of the undersea kingdom. However, at no point does the volume present stand out artistically in a way that would raise it above an average level of quality. This is a good looking book but not a great one.

Continuity

Aquaman Vol. 7: Exiled continues the story from Aquaman Vol. 6: Maelstrom (Review).

The story here continues in Aquaman Vol. 8: Out of Darkness (Review).

This volume also references and continues the stories from other comic books, all of which are detailed below.

• The version of Poseidon that appears here is the same as the Poseidon who appears in Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Blood (Review).
• Some members of the Justice League appear in radically altered costumes.
  • Superman’s costume changed in at the beginning of Action Comics Vol. 8: Truth (Review).
  • Wonder Woman’s costume changed in Wonder Woman Vol. 8: A Twist of Faith.