NB of the Week

-IT IS A SPOILS AS VAST AS SPACE AND AS TIMELESS AS INFINITY-

Aquaman #24 - Death of a King: Chapter 6
Written by Geoff Johns
Drawn by Paul Pelletier

Anybody who talks comics with me (or the five of you that read this) knows my distaste for the direction DC Comics has been going with their relaunch of continuity/titles. That being said, I can't also say that I'm so married to any idea from previous stories that I froth at the thought of it no longer being cannon. Give me good writing that tells good stories and you'll get my support. One such book (for the most part) has been Aquaman. Johns has become DC's go-to guy with reinventing characters and concepts over the years (Green Lantern, Flash, Justice League, Batman) so it's not a big surprise he's changing things up here for the King of Atlantis. Which is now a title he can't rightfully claim.
Over this last story, we have gotten the "return" of The Dead King of Atlantis as he comes for the throne he claims he is due. Well, in this issue, we actually find that claim to be complete fact. Arthur straps himself into the ice throne of the Dead King and is shown all the truth. Turns out Dead's name is Atlan and was ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, himself the King of Atlantis. He had finally been uniting all the Kingdoms when his brother decided they deserved to rule more than the others, overthrew his brother and killed his brother's family. Having escaped death himself, Atlan vowed revenge. Over the next years (exact number was not given, sorry) he forged the artifacts that Arthur had been collecting in the previous issues and eventually took back to Atlantis. He laid siege to the kingdom, killing his brother and his wife and with his first words in years, Atlan claims, "Let it all Die!" and he sinks Atlantis. Arthur holds no claim to the throne of Atlantis and is the ancestor of what may be their greatest villain.
Good writer, good story. This is what DC needs. They can't be afraid to change things in this new universe. In fact, that should be they point: revitalize what was old and stale and give us new, fresh stories and takes on characters. It's just a shame that Johns is already leaving the book. I'd love to see what else he has in store for us.