SPOILERS AHEAD!
Initial Thoughts
Emperor Aquaman #20 is the series’ most action-packed issue yet, as the lyrics to “No Church in the Wild” come to life in this Aquaman title, as Aquaman takes on the God of the Sea himself, Poseidon.
What's a mob to a king?
What’s a king to a God?
What's a god to a non-believer?
While Aquaman may believe in Poseidon, he is by no means convinced he can't kill a god with his new powers. Poseidon is wary and jealous of Arthur’s power and wants Aquaman to renounce it, or the God of the Ocean will take it by force. The entire world is watching, knowing this will change everything, and their perception of Arthur has forever changed.
Every issue feels like the climax of the story, and there’s no way this could get any better. But it doesn’t. Writer Jeremy Adams continues to raise the stakes for Aquaman, which will eventually catch up with Arthur and the rest of his family. Aquaman’s new persona is poignant, stoic, and ruthless, bringing him one step closer to the Emperor Aquaman we saw on the pages of Flashpoint. This is such a fun, and I’ll make the argument, essential read for any DC fan.
You Are Either With Arthur.... Or Against Him
While the fight between Aquaman and Poseidon was fun as hell to read—and we’ll talk about it in the next section—the real point of this issue was to push across Aquaman’s new, ruthless, and callous attitude. Nothing can stop Arthur and his mission to “save” the universe, not a threat, problem, or God. Nobody is safe from his wrath, not even a God or what we will probably see down the line… the Justice League.
Would you like me to send you home?
No… I fear it is not even safe for a God….
No…. It's not…
That concise quote perfectly frames how Aquaman feels about anyone who gets in the way of his mission. We saw a tense standoff against the Justice League in the last issue, and now a literal God felt the power of the Blue. This series has become the ultimate coming-out party of Aquaman, and the fight against Poseidon was the exclamation point. Black Manta and the rest of those wanting to take down Arthur are going to have to step up their game to even make a dent in this new Armor. This will be seen as the official turn for Aquaman, and Adams’ story truly makes me excited for what is next in store in this series with this “new” Aquaman.
An Immovable (Water) Object Meets an Unstoppable (Water) Force
The peak of the issue was the fight between Aquaman and Poseidon, which stretched across all 28 pages of Emperor Aquaman #20. There wasn't the usual recap/title page that Adams has accustomed us to. An entire issue was the only way to do justice to a fight between the God of the Sea and the protector of the seas. Aquaman fought with anger, and you could feel it come alive throughout the story. He sees anything or anyone getting in his way of saving the universe as a threat, and the point of the fight taking up the entire issue is showing that Aquaman is willing to do anything to neutralize that threat.
Arthur outlasted Poseidon, flexing his new powers by transporting him to a planet made entirely of water and outmuscling him by transforming the water into steam and ice, trying to kill Poseidon by a thousand cuts. Even after their epic fight, the two combatants had a tet-a-tet as Poseidon tried to dissuade Arthur from continuing down this path. However, Aquaman would rather die than let the Galaxy succumb to his vision. The scary thing about this new Aquaman: he's not afraid to use his new powers. Poseidon is witness to that.
The Soul of a God Can be Drawn
The art for Emperor Aquaman continues to be some of the best on the shelves right now. Artist John Timms continues to bring the ocean to life, transforming it into its own character in the story. With the two most powerful water controllers in the world battling each other, it makes sense that water is such an impactful part of the story. At the center of this story is how water is central to everything in this world, and now it is the major source for Arthur’s powers. It needs to feel intimidating, omnipotent, and never-ending. I think Timm and colorist Rex Lokus do an excellent job of making the ocean look as terrifying as it is and should be.
There is something utterly comforting yet unsettling about Poseidon’s design in Emperor Aquaman #20. The design makes him look like a traditional rendition of a Greek/Roman god, but his eyes make the central effect clear: they look unnatural and almost evil. That is what makes him feel otherworldly. So, while Poseidon looks like a mortal, his dark, piercing eyes say otherwise. I loved this interpretation of the God of the Ocean,, and I hope we can keep playing in this grey area with the art for the characters, especially as we move toward a more ruthless Arthur.
Final Verdict
I feel I say this with every new issue of this series. Still, Emperor Aquaman #20 is the best issue of Jeremy Adams’s run thus far, which simultaneously increases the tension between Aquaman and everyone else. That is what is at the center of their series so far, as everything else is just a hurdle to jump: Arthur’s slow, methodical turn to a more brutal and stoic version of himself. A version that will not stop his mission--one in which he believes is just-- and anyone who gets in his way will be taken care of.
The outstanding storytelling from writer Jeremy Adamm, the art from John Timms, and the color choice from Rex Lokus have contributed to a great run thus far, and Emperor Aquaman #20 has been the peak of that combination.