Initial Thoughts
Aquaman #14 opens with a bang, tying together threads from the previous 13 issues to breathe fresh life and lore into Arthur Curry's universe. The "sea-chickens" have finally come to roost for Atlantis, and the weight of salvation now rests squarely on Mera’s shoulders. While Arthur has been away attempting to save the world from King Omega, Atlantis—and the entirety of the ocean—has fallen to the rebel Crimson Queen, Lolanna Merana Challa, who is revealed to be Mera’s own mother.
Narratively, this is the strongest issue of an already solid run. It manages the rare feat of being a technical tie-in for DC K.O. without using the crossover as a crutch; instead, the creative team utilizes every page to push their own agenda. What makes this issue sing is its ability to answer lingering mysteries while simultaneously raising the stakes for Aquaman #15. Furthermore, the “Xebel Undone” segment serves as a masterfully executed pseudo-origin for Lolanna, peeling back layers of Xebellian history that have never been explored before.
What Happened in Aquaman #14
Aquaman #14 picks up the pieces of the previous cliffhanger as Crimson Queen Lolanna Merana Challa finally drops her veil—revealing she had been masquerading as Mera and Arthur’s daughter, Andy. After neutralizing Justice League Blue, Lolanna turns her sights on Aquaman, who remains unaware that he has been systematically drained of both his connection to The Blue and his Omega Energy.
While the battle rages, the narrative shifts to the site of Lolanna’s former statue. There, a sea witch recounts the Queen’s tragic past: a failed coup in Atlantis led her own father to banish her from the kingdom. Driven by a thirst for revenge, Lolanna was turned to stone, a curse that could only be broken by defeating the current avatar of The Blue—Arthur Curry himself.
The stakes turn lethal when the sea witch attacks and kills Nereus, leaving Mera isolated. In a display of raw power, the Crimson Queen summons Aquaman directly from the DC K.O. Tournament just to siphon the last vestiges of The Blue from his body. The issue leaves us on a chilling final beat: Mera standing face-to-face with her mother for the first time since childhood, with the fate of the oceans hanging in the balance.
Where do we go from here?
Everything we have been reading since the beginning of this Jeremy Adams run—or at least since Aquaman #7—is coming to a head in Aquaman #14. With the reincarnation of her mother, Queen Lolanna Merana Challa, Mera now faces a devastating emotional gauntlet: she must process seeing her mother for the first time in her adult life while simultaneously realizing she may have to kill her to save both her husband and her kingdom.
The central tension is gripping: will Mera be able to bargain with her mother, proving that Atlantis has fundamentally changed under her and Arthur’s rule? Or will Lolanna succeed in her mission to wipe Atlantis off the face of the Earth while forcing her daughter to watch? This is fascinating, high-stakes storytelling from Adams and the rest of the creative team. Regardless of the outcome, the repercussions of this run will have a massive impact on Aquaman lore for the foreseeable future.
What Worked the Best?
Aquaman #14 has been the best issue of this run so far. Which is saying quite a bit, as writer Jeremy Adams has done a fantastic job bringing the King of Atlantis to life. THERE IS SO MUCH NEW AQUAMAN LORE! Mera’s mother, Crimson Queen Lolanna Merana Challa, is finally and officially introduced as part of the Aquaman universe. While her first true appearance was in Aquaman Vol. 9 (this current run), issue #7—as she was disguised as a grown-up Andy Curry—she has now revealed herself to be Mera's mother, out for revenge against the King of Atlantis. We also learn her origin story and how her betrayal ultimately led to her being turned into a statue.
While I don't want to sit here and write everything down that was introduced in this issue, what I do want to do is to tell you that if you are an Aquaman fan, or if you want a good place to start, this run and this issue are a good place to do it. The ideas—the Blue, Queen Lolanna, Mera, and many others—have all culminated in Aquaman #14. This will ultimately prove to be a key issue in the history of Aquaman lore.
A Small Nitpick
There isn't much I can nitpick about this issue. It was well executed and tied up all the loose ends Adams had left behind over the previous 13 issues. If I had a complaint, it is that there is a lack of continuity between Aquaman #14 and DC K.O. In this issue, Lolanna rips Arthur straight from the K.O. tournament, but it's never made clear when this happened chronologically. If it was done in order of the book’s release, there was a continuity mistake. But again, that is a very small complaint. I think there is so much good in this issue that it really doesn't leave me thinking about it when I finished the book.
The real review of Aquaman #14 will come in hindsight. How well they execute the ideas that emerged during this issue will ultimately determine its judgment. If they fall flat, fans will look back at this issue as "what could have been." If they execute on them, this might become a key issue in the Aquaman universe. However, since we can't tell the future, all we know right now is that this issue was a great read and a fantastic setup for the future run.
The Art of the Ocean
Daniel Bayliss’ art is great once again. Aquaman #14 is Bayliss' second issue as main artist, and the run has not skipped a beat. Bayliss’ use of water as a living character goes hand in hand with the idea of “the Blue” being a living, conscious thing. The panels where Lolanna converts Arthur into water are a prime example of that. When you see Aquaman, you can HEAR the water sloshing around, dropping to the ground.
Bayliss is also masterful at using the water as an accent to the characters. Panel after panel, there are great examples of this. Of course, it would seem like common sense to use the water as a character in an Aquaman comic book, but you'd be surprised.
Bayliss’s chins on his characters are so strong that they could probably break stones. They look like Greek heroes, which is a great look for his heroes and villains. Bayliss doesn’t do this alone—the colorist Rex Lokus does his part as well. The red in Lolanna and Mera’s hair is colored really well. The colorization of the costumes is exquisite, particularly with the sea witch in this issue. The combination of green and purple is some real Halloween-esque art. Overall, the art in Aquaman #14 is great and has been consistent throughout the run.
The Final Verdict
Aquaman #14 is the start of a new chapter in the history of Aquaman, as a new major player has been introduced to its lore. Everything came together extremely well in Aquaman #14, and this book, characters, and universe are as fresh as they have ever been.
The introduction of Mera’s mother, Crimson Queen Lolanna Merana Challa, is an added element of storytelling not only to Mera and Arthur Curry, but also to Atlantis. The tension already building between Mera and her mother will be a detail that makes the next issue a must-read. The art is great and goes hand in hand with the story the creative team is trying to tell. The momentum is there for the book to pull off a great story and ending.