Sequential Review 2.0

It wasn't very flattering, last time - 

the first time around...! 

We shall go with a true classic 

this time, then: 

we cannot go wrong with this one! 

The specter of a deadpool-bound 

Emerald Gladiator hovers over 

this first issue - and the artistic team 

was still feeling out this 

new-look, crew-cut Sea King - but make no mistake whatsoever about it: 

this sequential art periodical issue is a landmark 

and one that surpasses anything released by the 

so-called marvelous competition 

in the last three decades. 

EASILY. 

Well worth the initial 2.99 

- or the back issue price, now! 

Of all the contributors -meaning wordsmiths *and* artists, both- 

to have ever chronicled the tall tales of this often-maligned, 

tormented and downright tragic character... 

the names "Steve Skeates" and "Bob Haney" and "David Michelinie" 

and "Jim Aparo" and "Don Newton" and "Peter David" 

come to mind, just for starters... 

to have it be Tony Bedard... Adrian Syaf... and Vicente Cifuentes 

(yes - we still think DC goofed on the spelling of Syaf's name: 

"Ardian" it cannot be! That's our story and we are sticking to it!)

to be the guys who made him -FINALLY- all that he could be... 

well - it shocks. 

Of course, the entire fandom, industry *and* four-color world 

would have been equally stunned if it had been, say... 

Luciano Pimentel... Jose Pimentel... 

(oh gosh - what would have DC done to the spelling of MY name...!)

{And what of the accusations 

of neo-nepotism!!!}

with a friendly assist by Art Thibert... 

Phil Jimenez... Craig Russell... 

or, perhaps, George Perez himself 

(we can dream, eh) 

who would have made AQUAMAN all that he could be 

and should have always been - 

way back then...! 

But that was not approved by a certain Doodles man... 

It's a long story. 

One for another blog. 

This is about... this story. 

And suffice it to say: 

"Flashpoint" would never have been such a 

stunning display 

of pure unbridled chaos 

were it not for this chapter right here: 

EMPEROR AQUAMAN 

by Tony Bedard. 

Sure, the entire thing was chaperoned 

and masterminded by one 

Geoff Johns ---  

he who has been behind every hit 

and every miss (mostly hits, to be fair) 

perpetrated by DC 

over the last 10 years 

already; and this particular hit 

is one of the few major coups 

that they stand to realize, 

with the DCEU --- 

once it is adapted into film...? 

But one must give Caesar all of his laurels - 

and the official writing credits go to Bedard here 

- which is infinitely better than the alternate scenario 

of seeing them attributed to a 

egocentric all-over-the-place 

control freak like... 

No, not Batman! 

Geoff Johns! 

How ironic: 

A DIANA contributing to the demise 

of ANOTHER DIANA! 

Diana Egea did an *awesome* job too; 

AND EMPEROR AQUAMAN SHOULD 

HAVE FINISHED OFF THE DAMNED 

AMAZON RIGHT THERE AND THEN!!! 

But Johns had other ideas... 

Blame The Preditor. 

Always. 

Aquaman 

is an awesome hero 

~ and although he's 

been well-served 

by creative teams 

over the years 

(both writers & artists) 

people tend to remember 

only the times 

when he was NOT...  

THIS saga ~ though 

an Elseworlds saga, 

for all intents and purposes, 

should be remembered 

always as THE saga 

that showed the world 

what would happen to it 

if  *AQUAMAN*  was 

ever pushed too far... 

You saw beyond the names 

with Captain NEMO 

and 

WINNETOU 

and 

TARZAN 

... 

so, likewise, you will 

learn to look beyond 

the medium-inspired, 

Superman-derived 

monicker he was given 

by Paul Norris 

and preditor Mort Weisinger... 

AND YOU WILL BOW 

BEFORE THE 

EMPEROR! 

🌊🫧🌊