Aquaman: The Waterbearer New Edition

Aquaman (2002) #1-6, sf&o

by Rick Veitch, Yvel Guichet (Illustrator), Mark Propst (Artist)

The classic saga that saw Aquaman exiled from his own kingdom now gets a new edition in AQUAMAN: THE WATERBEARER.

 In the aftermath of the Obsidian Age-when the King of the Seven Seas was forced to re-sink Atlantis in order to save it-Aquaman is now hated by his former subjects and exiled from the life-giving ocean he once called home.

 But in a mysterious freshwater lake, home to the legendary Lady of the Lake, he finds refuge as he is granted amazing new powers and a brand-new mission in life, along with an unfathomable new enemy thirsting for Aquaman’s newfound abilities!

 Experience Aquaman as you’ve never seen him before from writer Rick Veitch (SWAMP THING, QUESTION), artists Yvel Guichet (STORMWATCH), Mark Propst (LOBO) and others. Collects AQUAMAN #1-6, AQUAMAN SECRET FILES 2003 and a story from JLA/JSA SECRET FILES & ORIGINS #1.

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Comics Manga

195 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 9, 2018

About the author

Richard "Rick" Veitch is an American comics artist and writer who has worked in mainstream, underground, and alternative comics.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, this. was. awful. It takes everything you like about Aquaman and flushes it down the toilet like a dead goldfish.

So after JLA: The Obsidian Age, the people of Atlantis decide to kill Arthur for destroying their last myth. They leave him out to dry and he somehow meets the Lady of the Lake from King Arthur lore who gives him a water hand that can pretty much do anything. Sorcerers have taken over Atlantis and are combining citizens with fish to create monsters, they've got Mera all drugged up, have turned all fish against Aquaman and all the younger Atlanteans are bloodthirsty bastards. The Atlanteans look like rejects from an apocalyptean barbarian movie with armor covered in skulls.

Aquaman is now walking around Ireland, performing magic tricks with his water hand and praying to the Lady of the Lake like she's a god to give him power. He keeps going to the Secret Sea, some BS metaphysical place made up of everyone's consciousnesses where the Lady of the Lake lives alongside her Maidens in Lingerie. Then some dude called The Thirst is unleashed because Arthur punched a guy with his water fist. He wants to drink your milkshake along with the rest of the water on the planet and turn everyone into dried out husks that row his ship. Have you realized how dumb this is yet? I don't know why DC decided to reprint this. It needs to be buried in a deep hole in the center of the earth and never be brought up again.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I was just telepathically probing my new watery hand."

That is an actual line of dialogue that appears in this volume.

So if that line doesn't deter you, then by all means give this one a read. Because this volume is full of cringeworthy dialogue. I've been a loyal Aquafan for years, so I'm used to overlooking (and often appreciating) his more embarrassing moments. You know how some people are enamored by ugly dogs? Yeah, that's me with classic Aquaman.

My only major gripe is that The Waterbearer this isn't a complete volume, so I'll need to track down the sub par follow-up just to get the closure I don't really need.

[Christopher M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

And the Aquaman series takes a sudden turn into a different style and genre once more. Exiled from Atlantis after the events of JLA: The Obsidian Age and unable to swim in the sea, Arthur retires to an Irish lighthouse where something akin to a BBC Sunday evening dramedy unfolds - can the no-nonsense stranger keep his cantankerous elderly colleague and plucky will-they-won't-they female cop buddy on task without any hilarious mishaps? But then a subplot about how his new magic hand allows him to visit the spirits of the world's rivers and defend them from an undead piratey guy he's accidentally released into the world springs up, and as it goes all Ben Aaronovitch it loses some of its charm.

[Arianna · Rating 2 out of 5]

After Arthur is exiled from Atlantis, he receives magical powers from a "Lady of the Lake" meant to echo the figure from the Arthurian legend. The reference seems to be used as a crutch for a lack of a story as opposed to something that genuinely inspired the author. This comic book is just going through the motions, it really doesn't have anything special or interesting going on for it. The new characters are especially bleak: two Irish people who have no personality other than being Irish and a villain whose main objective is drinking magical water. The locations where the action takes place are also uninteresting, there's the usual lighthouse that happens to be located in a different continent, the same old Atlantis, a weird lake, an "idea stream" that's obviously vaguely reminiscent of the time stream or the speed force... there's also a bridge "that looks like every bridge", imagine telling an artist to draw that.

Pretty much every single thing that happens here involves Arthur acting brashly, getting himself into trouble, then being saved by his new powers. You'd expect a seasoned hero to have at least a bare minimum of self-preservation instincts or at least the competence not to risk dying constantly, but he really doesn't. Also this is the billionth Aquaman arc that revolves around the struggles for the throne of Atlantis. There is not enough context about whoever replaced him to get me to care about them either way, nor is Arthur's oopsie that caused him to be exiled explored in any way besides just telling you it happened (I didn't read the JLA comics where it all happened so I don't know if it was really that shocking). When something is revealed that could get you to care about the whole situation it is oddly minimized, for example when Arthur finds out Mera is in trouble he's currently embodying the form of a fish and joking around with Garth.

[Nathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Flawed but entertaining enough attempt to meld Aquaman and the Arthurian mythology.

Collection ends on a cliffhanger and the following stories are (currently) uncollected.

Bridges the JLA Obsidian Age story and the superior Sub Diego era.

[Ahdom · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not my favorite Aquaman story, but I did enjoy the Arthurian elements in it. I am going to read volume 2 of the 2003 run of Aquaman, which is supposedly one of the better stories, but so far this doesn't hold a candle to the New 52 run.

[Mike A · Rating 5 out of 5]

The all new AQUAMAN

Aquaman: the waterbeare is a great read this book is a good jumping on point for new fans or veteran readers of Aquaman. Packed with lot's of action and bonus material.

[Allen Setzer · Rating 2 out of 5]

It could have been so much better. I really liked the new characters of Sweeney and MacCaffery. The premise of Arthur dealing with the repercussions of the Obsidian Age story was promising but unfortunately it turned into a mess regarding the Lady of the Lake and the Thirst.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually liked this version of Aquaman. It was different from what I’m used to reading with Aquaman graphic novels, so I liked how it seemed to flesh him out more as a character. I don’t think it’s the best version ever, but I really enjoyed reading it.

[Hoch Hech · Rating 4 out of 5]

El Aquaman de Veitch tal y como tendría que haber salido en un principio.

[Dony Grayman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tomo único con el arranque de la etapa de Veitch prometedor, como suelen ser los comienzos de las colecciones de Aquaman.
Creo que no tengo ningún número repetido en otra edición.