posted
Interesting. I've been reading Aquaman for the last few months (probably since August or so) and it's been good. Hopefully Williams will write some good Aquaman stories so I can keep reading it.
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posted
I only read it on and off, much like how I read Flash, Green Lantern, and Green Arrow. I like all those character, but only some of the time are their stories worthwhile.
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posted
I picked up the first issue of Willaims' run on Aquman, which came out today. It's a slightly longer than normal issue, since it's issue 50 and such. The writing was good, and at least the start of the arc is good (particularly how this issue ended). I don't like the new artist they put on Aquaman though. Most of his stuff (the undersea life, the architecture, and most of the character) is okay, but when he draws Arthur it's just no good. Or at least the face is no good. It's too square-ish and the eyes are just poorly done. He looks like a badly drawn Disney character. That's a minor complaint though, and I can overlook it if the story stays good.
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posted
I actually haven't ever read Aquaman up until a couple months a go. The character concept is fascinating, and has a lot of potential for story in a Grant Morrison, Animal Man kind of way.
Anyways, Busciek's Aquaman really didn't pull me in. Not sure why. I think it's because there wasn't a lot of dramatic tension.
I haven't read the Williams' Aquaman, but if, as you say, the story is good, that will be an improvement. Posts: 13123 | Registered: Feb 2002
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I didn't mind Busiek's Aquaman, although as you said it did lack some dramatic tension. Some of the stuff in his run though is related to the current story (particularly the story of the run in between old Aquaman and King Shark), which is expected.
I wouldn't go into Williams' Aquaman thinking "oh man, this will be so awesome" or anything. I still enjoyed the story though. Particularly if the new character Narwhal is who I think he is, it adds a bit of drama (particularly with what he ended up doing).
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posted
I know almost zero about Aquaman. I seriously believe the only reason I know anything about him is from the Super Friends cartoon. So, hopefully Williams' run won't require a lot of backstory for me to know.
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I think you can get by without much backstory, although the backstory adds to it. Like the aforementioned Aquaman/King Shark confrontation from a few months ago. If you read this issue, you'd still understand King Shark's reaction (as he sort of explains himself), but knowing the backstory adds more depth to it. I think people should be able to get by without a deep knowledge of Aquaman. I could be wrong though. *shrugs*
Oh, I love the cover for #50. It's cool looking, although it really doesn't have anything to do with the issue.
posted
If Aquaman had never been included to fill out the first Justice League story, and hadn't been featured so heavily in the first incarnation of Superfriends, I bet no one would remember him.
They've tried to turn him into Wolverine, Namor, King Arthur, Conan...but let's face it, he'll always be the guy who can talk to fish.
I did find Busiek's idea of creating a brand new Aquaman who's loosely based on the original version of the character interesting...but not enough to buy it.
I'll flip through Tad Williams' take.
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I do not agree. Any talented writer can bring alive any comic book character, take them out of the cartoon, childish 50s and make them grown up, adult human beings that people care about. Frank Miller did it with many characters, Grant Morrison with many, Gaiman and Moore with many.
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quote:Originally posted by Storm Saxon: I do not agree. Any talented writer can bring alive any comic book character, take them out of the cartoon, childish 50s and make them grown up, adult human beings that people care about. Frank Miller did it with many characters, Grant Morrison with many, Gaiman and Moore with many.
Where did I say they didn't try to do that?
(The operative word being "try".)
Like I've said...they've tried the "let's make him mature! Bitter! Dead child! Insane wife! Hook hand! Make him act like Wolverine, or Namor, or Conan, or King Arthur...anything but the guy who rides giant sea horses and talks to fish!"
It just didn't work. None of those takes generated the sort of interest to last.
Which is why I think Busiek starting over with a brand new Aquaman who's almost entirely a clean slate is about the only thing that could be done. The old character seems destined to not work as anything but the smiling, friendly sea king. At least to the readership in general.
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Ugh, don't remind me of the hook hand. So terrible. I was actually glad when it got replaced by the water magic hand thing. I agree with Puffy Treat to some extent, in that a lot of things have been tried with Aquaman and have failed. He has so much potential though (I mean he does have other abilities besides the "talk to sea life" thing), and he just needs a good writer to work on him.
On a side note, I'm still waiting for an explanation how over the "One Year Later" gap the old Aquaman became the Dweller. I'm interested to know how an Atlantean with a water magic hand became a half squid/half water magic guy. Hopefully it'll get explained.
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quote: Where did I say they didn't try to do that?
quote: They've tried to turn him into Wolverine, Namor, King Arthur, Conan...but let's face it, he'll always be the guy who can talk to fish.
This sentence, to me, reads like that Aquaman will always be defined by his [lame] powers and, because his only real ability is to talk to fish, that's what he would always be known for.
Pardon for misunderstanding.
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I know most people probably don't care, but the second issue of Tad Williams' run came out yesterday. I enjoyed it, particularly since DC's World War III stuff came out last week (which reveals a bit about how the old Aquaman became the Dweller and all). I'm still complaining a little about the interior artwork (something about Aquaman's eyes still bother me quite a bit). I continue to love the covers though (unfortunately I can't find a link to a copy of the colored cover, but it's good).
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