arrik's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fun read. I don't read the Aquaman title so it didn't frustrate me with the issue overlap but I can easily see how that would be a bummer. This volume delivers some fun action and high stakes. I mean dang! When that aircraft carrier comes in! Some great full page spreads. I love the jabs the writers keep taking at Aquaman in the dialogue. It is obvious they know he's a bit of a joke hero and don't take themselves seriously, adding lines at his own expense. It's welcome humor that counters the odd Wonder Woman/Superman relationship. I miss GL mercilessly terrorizing Batman but he's off playing dead with Sinestro right about this timeframe. The Trench looked a bit too much like the Third Army from Green Lantern, also a Geoff Johns story. That'd be my only nitpick.
mschlat's review against another edition
3.0
I keep on picking up collections of DC's New 52 just to see what the new universe is like. This volume features two issues where the JLA helps Wonder Woman fight the Cheetah and then a collection of issues from JLA and the Aquaman title where the forces of Atlantis and the JLA fight.
The pros: The art is gorgeous and lovingly detailed, and the depiction of Cyborg (who carries out his heroism at the cost of his diminishing humanity) is moving. I also liked the power struggle between Batman and Aquaman --- two characters who are used to being in charge.
The con: There's a lot of crisis, crisis, crisis here and not a lot of room to breathe. Moreover (old fogey alert!), this is a JLA story where people die. The Ocean Master starts an invasion of the surface world with floods of major cities. And, in those floods, people die, even when the JLA is around. We see corpses, the heroes discuss the losses, and we have a story where Earth's Finest mitigate, but do not totally prevent death. That may be part of the New 52 and it certainly seems more realistic given the gigantic battles we see in superhero comics, but it still rubs me the wrong way. (Old fogey alert over!)
The takeaway? An interesting read, but nothing that compelled me to pick up more.
The pros: The art is gorgeous and lovingly detailed, and the depiction of Cyborg (who carries out his heroism at the cost of his diminishing humanity) is moving. I also liked the power struggle between Batman and Aquaman --- two characters who are used to being in charge.
The con: There's a lot of crisis, crisis, crisis here and not a lot of room to breathe. Moreover (old fogey alert!), this is a JLA story where people die. The Ocean Master starts an invasion of the surface world with floods of major cities. And, in those floods, people die, even when the JLA is around. We see corpses, the heroes discuss the losses, and we have a story where Earth's Finest mitigate, but do not totally prevent death. That may be part of the New 52 and it certainly seems more realistic given the gigantic battles we see in superhero comics, but it still rubs me the wrong way. (Old fogey alert over!)
The takeaway? An interesting read, but nothing that compelled me to pick up more.
johnawickline's review
adventurous
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
eoghann's review against another edition
3.0
Throne of Atlantis is volume three in the latest Justice League reboot and part of the so called New Fifty Two reboot of the entire DC Universe.
So what we get here is a a Justice League that is much younger and less established than we are used to. Which certainly opens up some interesting storytelling opportunities. Unfortunately here, mostly what we get is bickering. Well... what would a superhero team book be without bickering?
The name of this volume refers to the story which ran through issues 15-17 of Justice League and 14-16 of Aquaman. Yes it was a crossover, but they've given you all that material here to read so that's a major plus.
There are actually two preceding issues in this volume as well which gives us a Cheetah story. It doesn't really relate to what follows but I suppose it was two short to stand on its own. It's okay, but unexceptional.
So back to the big crossover. Basically Atlantis gets tricked into attacking the surface world and Namor has to pick a side. Of course I mean Aquaman, but this is a storyline that's been done to death on both sides of the comic book universe and it does come off as terribly familiar.
There's also the problem of a Justice League who are peculiarly hot headed (normal for Wonder Woman maybe but Batman and Superman?) and also apparently unable to distinguish between war between nations and crimes committed by an individual. This is the sort of material you're probably better off avoiding in your flagship team book.
However, if we swallow the dubious notion that the Justice League are empowered to make decisions about America's diplomatic status with another country the event itself is one great big fight and it's a pretty fun one.
You've got three armies (yes three), giant walls of water, Superman getting ANGRY and all sorts of cool moments along the way. In monthly form this probably buzzes along pretty sweetly though it is a little more repetitive consumed all in one go.
I guess I'd liken this to a big summer blockbuster movie. Transformers maybe? Lots of explosions. Lots of action. Not much else. It's enjoyable while you're reading but you may never feel the urge to go back and read it a second time.
Ivan Reis' artwork is not really to my taste though I'm having trouble fully identifying why. It's a bit too angular. A bit too muddy. And some of the panel layouts were confusing to me. It didn't flow smoothly I think.
So when it comes down to it, it's not really a bad book, but I'm having trouble pointing out anything that stands out. As a monthly comic that you're getting, yeah its fine. As a big collection... it's just not a must buy.
So what we get here is a a Justice League that is much younger and less established than we are used to. Which certainly opens up some interesting storytelling opportunities. Unfortunately here, mostly what we get is bickering. Well... what would a superhero team book be without bickering?
The name of this volume refers to the story which ran through issues 15-17 of Justice League and 14-16 of Aquaman. Yes it was a crossover, but they've given you all that material here to read so that's a major plus.
There are actually two preceding issues in this volume as well which gives us a Cheetah story. It doesn't really relate to what follows but I suppose it was two short to stand on its own. It's okay, but unexceptional.
So back to the big crossover. Basically Atlantis gets tricked into attacking the surface world and Namor has to pick a side. Of course I mean Aquaman, but this is a storyline that's been done to death on both sides of the comic book universe and it does come off as terribly familiar.
There's also the problem of a Justice League who are peculiarly hot headed (normal for Wonder Woman maybe but Batman and Superman?) and also apparently unable to distinguish between war between nations and crimes committed by an individual. This is the sort of material you're probably better off avoiding in your flagship team book.
However, if we swallow the dubious notion that the Justice League are empowered to make decisions about America's diplomatic status with another country the event itself is one great big fight and it's a pretty fun one.
You've got three armies (yes three), giant walls of water, Superman getting ANGRY and all sorts of cool moments along the way. In monthly form this probably buzzes along pretty sweetly though it is a little more repetitive consumed all in one go.
I guess I'd liken this to a big summer blockbuster movie. Transformers maybe? Lots of explosions. Lots of action. Not much else. It's enjoyable while you're reading but you may never feel the urge to go back and read it a second time.
Ivan Reis' artwork is not really to my taste though I'm having trouble fully identifying why. It's a bit too angular. A bit too muddy. And some of the panel layouts were confusing to me. It didn't flow smoothly I think.
So when it comes down to it, it's not really a bad book, but I'm having trouble pointing out anything that stands out. As a monthly comic that you're getting, yeah its fine. As a big collection... it's just not a must buy.
cultneophyte's review against another edition
I think the movie was better but still good stuff!
themtj's review against another edition
5.0
Really strong story, if you've ever wondered what makes Aquaman a compelling character, then this is the book for you!
gohawks's review against another edition
3.0
Hmmm, this just keeps getting less and less intriguing.Cheetah comes up in the first two issues and is quickly dismissed.How does Cheetah break Superman`s skin with her teeth anyway? And I definitely could not be bothered to figure out why Aquaman and his brother are feuding. With Lee gone from the art now, Cyborg ifs really the only redeeming thing.Never in a million years would I have expected to be fascinated with this character.
nathaniel_1206's review against another edition
3.0
Eh. This is ok. The idea of Aquaman fighting divided loyalties between his Atlantean heritage and his human friends(??) is very interesting, but this only sort of explores it, frankly. I think I wanted another layer to the story. The resolution and the motivations are pretty simplistic. If the resolution had had another layer to it, it would have been more interesting to me. Worth a read. Off to watch the Animated Movie this inspired..
rcc_1391's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
rhganci's review against another edition
4.0
Note: As this volume essentially tells the same story as AQUAMAN VOL.3: THE THRONE OF ATLANTIS, and collects nearly identical sequences of issues, I'll be reviewing both that one and this together, and posting the review in both places.
(4.5 stars) If our view of Aquaman at the beginning of the New 52 was that his superhero status had been misinterpreted by readers and the citizens of Earth alike, by the time THE THRONE OF ATLANTIS concludes, the reader can do nothing else but agree with the interviewed Boston cop on the volume's final pages:
"He's dangerous."
The twelve issues of build-up and backstory that precede this first JUSTICE LEAGUE crossover deliver an Aquaman who is bursting at the seams with energy and the willingness to use his powers for good. Throughout the entire event, Aquaman takes charge, interpreting and liaising between the surface world and the submerged one, between the heroes and the villains, and between the two sides of himself that rage in conflict just as deep as the one that this story tells. He shows his powers from the second he appears on the scene--assisting Batman with a hostage situation--to the final panel at the oceanside. He's the main character not just of his own story, but of a Justice League story, and that shows Johns' regard for the character as well as how far the character has come in the first two years of the New 52.
For him to take center stage in the most ambitious event DC has offered since the reboot, and in a book that has been at the top of the list since September of 2011, illustrates DC's limitless confidence in Johns and his ability to tell their stories. At this point, Aquaman has more cache than any secondary member of the team. Green Lantern's absence is noted, but not lamented. The Flash is left to his own crisis in Central City (which those of us reading TPBs won't get our hands on until August) and dismissed thereafter. As I said before: Aquaman is the centerpiece of this story, and even the DC's 'Trinity' and their subplots can't steal the show.
The book needs no more than that, not really. As a story, THE THRONE OF ATLANTIS follows a familiar structure, with a steadily rising set of action setpieces and intense speech acts, a big-play reveal as to the nature of the conflict, and a full-issue climax that contains some really staggering artwork by the creative teams. By the time things wrap up, real change has taken place, and while we might not see the aftermath of the citywide flooding throughout Gotham City and Metropolis in books like BATMAN or SUPERMAN, Johns' choice to place the heart of the action in Boston is a credit to his vision, because it's a city that can be safely ignored by the rest of the DC writers. Superman and Wonder Woman can get back to awkward dating, Batman can get back to creepily spying on their makeout sessions, no doubt worrying about being the third wheel, and fighting the Joker. Later, something new and terrible can attack some other city, and the Justice League can regroup and go off to confront it. In my view, that's the way it should be.
The two-issue lead-up in JUSTICE LEAGUE centers on a hunt for the Cheetah, and contains some great-looking art by Tony S. Daniel, who I believe does the pencils for SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN, and whose style makes them look every bit the 'Power Couple.' As a two-issue arc it gets the job done, but while the convenience-riddled conflict underwhelms in the light of the two superbly-developed six-issue arcs that precede it (I did miss Jim Lee's artwork a bit), the epilogue that deals with the aftermath of The Kiss is really the strongest element of that brief story. The easy manner with which Johns connects it to the exposition of the THRONE OF ATLANTIS storyline is yet another example of his flawless control over the plot, setting, and characters over which he has stewardship.
Aquaman's pre-crossover chapters include a #0 issue that picks up with the aftermath of his father's death, and a brief chapter that sort of works as a prologue to the event itself. The #0 issue doesn't dazzle in the way that those of Batgirl or the Flash do, but it is informative and fills in a lot of the gaps, albeit without Johns typical flair or much humor at all. The other is perhaps the most forgettable AQUAMAN issue since the reboot, as it seems a time-killer that offers a LOT of context as to why the Atlanteans hate the surface world.
That impasse is the one at the heart of Aquaman's struggle, and even though the rest of the Justice League do excellent, impressive, and helpful things (Cyborg plays a major role here, as well), the Throne of Atlantis only applies to Aquaman himself, and Johns doesn't forget that. The focus which the events of the story adhere to that principle objective is its strongest merit, and as the rise of Aquaman has been one of the New 52's greatest successes, THE THRONE OF ATLANTIS provides the climax for the character that solidifies his role as a member of the Justice League, and even of the entire DCU, that can hold his own.
(4.5 stars) If our view of Aquaman at the beginning of the New 52 was that his superhero status had been misinterpreted by readers and the citizens of Earth alike, by the time THE THRONE OF ATLANTIS concludes, the reader can do nothing else but agree with the interviewed Boston cop on the volume's final pages:
"He's dangerous."
The twelve issues of build-up and backstory that precede this first JUSTICE LEAGUE crossover deliver an Aquaman who is bursting at the seams with energy and the willingness to use his powers for good. Throughout the entire event, Aquaman takes charge, interpreting and liaising between the surface world and the submerged one, between the heroes and the villains, and between the two sides of himself that rage in conflict just as deep as the one that this story tells. He shows his powers from the second he appears on the scene--assisting Batman with a hostage situation--to the final panel at the oceanside. He's the main character not just of his own story, but of a Justice League story, and that shows Johns' regard for the character as well as how far the character has come in the first two years of the New 52.
For him to take center stage in the most ambitious event DC has offered since the reboot, and in a book that has been at the top of the list since September of 2011, illustrates DC's limitless confidence in Johns and his ability to tell their stories. At this point, Aquaman has more cache than any secondary member of the team. Green Lantern's absence is noted, but not lamented. The Flash is left to his own crisis in Central City (which those of us reading TPBs won't get our hands on until August) and dismissed thereafter. As I said before: Aquaman is the centerpiece of this story, and even the DC's 'Trinity' and their subplots can't steal the show.
The book needs no more than that, not really. As a story, THE THRONE OF ATLANTIS follows a familiar structure, with a steadily rising set of action setpieces and intense speech acts, a big-play reveal as to the nature of the conflict, and a full-issue climax that contains some really staggering artwork by the creative teams. By the time things wrap up, real change has taken place, and while we might not see the aftermath of the citywide flooding throughout Gotham City and Metropolis in books like BATMAN or SUPERMAN, Johns' choice to place the heart of the action in Boston is a credit to his vision, because it's a city that can be safely ignored by the rest of the DC writers. Superman and Wonder Woman can get back to awkward dating, Batman can get back to creepily spying on their makeout sessions, no doubt worrying about being the third wheel, and fighting the Joker. Later, something new and terrible can attack some other city, and the Justice League can regroup and go off to confront it. In my view, that's the way it should be.
The two-issue lead-up in JUSTICE LEAGUE centers on a hunt for the Cheetah, and contains some great-looking art by Tony S. Daniel, who I believe does the pencils for SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN, and whose style makes them look every bit the 'Power Couple.' As a two-issue arc it gets the job done, but while the convenience-riddled conflict underwhelms in the light of the two superbly-developed six-issue arcs that precede it (I did miss Jim Lee's artwork a bit), the epilogue that deals with the aftermath of The Kiss is really the strongest element of that brief story. The easy manner with which Johns connects it to the exposition of the THRONE OF ATLANTIS storyline is yet another example of his flawless control over the plot, setting, and characters over which he has stewardship.
Aquaman's pre-crossover chapters include a #0 issue that picks up with the aftermath of his father's death, and a brief chapter that sort of works as a prologue to the event itself. The #0 issue doesn't dazzle in the way that those of Batgirl or the Flash do, but it is informative and fills in a lot of the gaps, albeit without Johns typical flair or much humor at all. The other is perhaps the most forgettable AQUAMAN issue since the reboot, as it seems a time-killer that offers a LOT of context as to why the Atlanteans hate the surface world.
That impasse is the one at the heart of Aquaman's struggle, and even though the rest of the Justice League do excellent, impressive, and helpful things (Cyborg plays a major role here, as well), the Throne of Atlantis only applies to Aquaman himself, and Johns doesn't forget that. The focus which the events of the story adhere to that principle objective is its strongest merit, and as the rise of Aquaman has been one of the New 52's greatest successes, THE THRONE OF ATLANTIS provides the climax for the character that solidifies his role as a member of the Justice League, and even of the entire DCU, that can hold his own.