Aquaman Sword of Atlantis #42

DC Comics
Aquaman Sword of Atlantis #42
By Hervé St-Louis
June 3, 2006 - 18:55

DC Comics
Writer(s): Kurt Busiek
Penciller(s): Butch Guice
Inker(s): Butch Guice
Cover Artist(s): Butch Guice

Aquaman loses his virginity to a mermaid and meet the Sea Devils? Who could ask for anything more? Travelling from undersea cities to undersea cities, Aquaman and his companion, King Shark, head to North where some of his relatives still live. The sword and adventure tale becomes weirder as the modern world of the Sea Devils and their floating island is mixed with Aquaman’s marine world. But wait, a bigger revelation awaits.

It’s interesting to see the contrast between the surface world and Aquaman’s new home. This is where this series is no longer sword and sorcery but touches up with the rest of the DC Universe to become more super heroic material. For the sake of this series, it was about time. Now I know it will all revert back to swords very soon, but at least, it sets up the new Aquaman with the rest of the worlds.

Guice is as good an illustrator of undersea trenches as he is of futuristic floating platforms. The gestures of the characters in the water look real. They are not standing. They are almost floating. His above the sea scenes look too sketchy though and are best suited for the undersea adventures of Aquaman.