The Creators – Phillip Kennedy Johnson – Writer, Max Fiurma – Artist, Dave Stewart – Colours, Deron Bennett – Letters

The Players – Aquaman, Mera, Murk, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern

The Story – Swimming around, Aquaman and Mera are dreaming of the future where humans and Atlanteans will one day get along and live in peace when the book cuts to the future and finds them with a child. While things seem idyllic, all is not right and Arthur means to discover what is going on.

The Take – The first Aquaman annual from DC Rebirth is everything that an annual should be – a done-in-one story that makes an impact without being beholden to anything else. Phillip Kennedy Johnson writes a moving tale of the sea-king and his wife, one about love and loss and it could not be any more perfect. It begins in the present where the two are ruminating about the future and the book soon finds itself there with a much older Arthur Curry, now a father and a ruler loved by all. One day he has a few friends over and during their visit, a mystery makes itself known. It angers the Aqua-king and he means to get to the bottom of it, but in doing so, little does he know that he will be tearing his own world down around him and it will not only be he and Mera that pay the price, but their son. Johnson packs the book with tension, Aquaman unwilling to realize the truth of the situation and along with that tension comes conflict both internal and external as he battles both his friends and loved ones and his own mind. Suffice it to say, the story is an emotional one and it is rare to see the character in such a fashion. Aiding Johnson in this endeavor is Max Fiurma whose extremely expressive artwork makes the already poignant tale better than one could think possible and as it moves towards its heartbreaking conclusion, his work gets better and better. While there may not be any ramifications from this story, though there is every chance that there could be, it strikes a chord in the reader and hits them in the feels – that spot where every good comic story goes and it sticks around a little after the book is finished. Not only is this a great story for Aquaman fans, but for the average reader looking to spend a few extra bucks during the week and it is worth every penny.

Worth It? – Yes