The status quo for Aquaman is broken in Aquaman #1 as he has new powers and is on a quest to find Mera, his daughter, and people! “The Rising Tide” is by Jeremy Adams with art by John Timms. Adams is also the co-writer of another All In title, Green Lantern Corps #1. Timms was the artist for Infinite Frontier #0 (2021). All In is the relaunch of DC titles that started with the All In Special (2024), “Alpha.” The flip book, “Omega”, also started the Absolute Universe. The regular cover by Timms has Aquaman with the hydrokinetic sword atop a shark that is apparently biting his symbol that also forms the background! There is a recap of what we know of Aquaman in a series of long panels. His birth with parents, Atlanna, and Thomas Curry standing by a lighthouse. Great artwork by Timms.
Then, as a hero as he pulls an ocean liner with chains around him. It also has him as lover, with Mera, one of the early superhero romances since her introduction in Aquaman #11 (1963). He had married her recently in Aquaman #61 (2020). Then, we see him as king sitting on his throne with crown. A closeup of Aquaman’s blazing eyes with the narration that this is the story of the Dark Tide and Arthur Curry, the identity of Aquaman! This explodes to a two page title page that has Aquaman swinging his hydrokinetic sword against a tentacled kaiju beast. It looks like the face of Davy Jones from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006). Aquaman is given the identity as the God Killer! This must be some unknown sea god threatening the world. Then, we get the “One year before” as part of the smoke trailing from a jet.
The flight from Metropolis is crashing for some unknown reason and the pilot gives the mayday. The jet streaks over the Coast Guard boat, Neptune, as the captain races after it for rescue operations. Then, he cancels the orders after what he sees through his binoculars. We have a large panel of Aquaman leapsing from the sea above the Neptune, bearded, he does look like a seasoned hero. Arthur’s narration notes he’s back. A red haired woman looks out of the passenger window as Aquaman lands on the plane. Mera is there as he activates his new hydrokinesis, water powers. She is his mentor in teaching how to use the power that she had once owned. The power of the heroes was taken in the Absolute Power arc in 2024.
Their powers got switched at the end of it. Aquaman having water powers reminds me of Just Imagine: Aquaman #1 (2002) by Stan Lee that had Ramon Raymond made of water! There is another two page spread as Aquaman lifts up the ocean water to lift the entire jet! Very cinematic, we have the jet with pilots foreshortened, Aquaman and Mera on top of it, and the burning engines sending up a cloud of smoke. The tsunami with the jet nears the cabin of the Neptune, the other officer panics, but the captain calmly orders the recovery of passengers. We see the plane now at rest wtih lifeboats taking on passengers with whales and orcas around it controlled I’m assuming by Mera’s new powers. The captain waves at Aquaman before he plunges into the sea.
Next, swe get him swimming with Mera to Atlantis, this is a very techno look to the ancient city, less Little Mermaid. One of the Kingsguard greets hium and says that Jackson Hyde wants to see him. Jackson Hyde was introduced in comics in Brightest Day #4 (2010). The character, Kaldur’ahm, was Aqualad in the animated show, Young Justice. He first appeared as Aquaman in Future State: Aquaman #1 (2021). Arthur was made king again after the conflict with Amanda Waller in Absolute Power. Jackson mentions finding a “strange pearl.” The mysterious pearl, the Ocean Orb, first appeared in Flashpoint Beyond #1 (2022) used by Emperor Aquaman. He mentions that Garth says it is magical. This is Garth, the former Aqualad, introduced in Adventure Comics #269 (1960). He became the sorceror, Tempest, in Tempest #2 (1996).
Jackson says he has a “bad feeling about it”, foreshadowing!, but Arthur says he can bring it up especially if he is in a meeting. He has at his side his infant daughter, Andrina, who later takes the name Andy. The first appearance of Aquawoman, Andy Curry, from the Future State world was in Generations Shattered #1 (2021). This complicated, interweaving of multiple issues and titles is kept going with the All In, main DC universe, which is all removed with call backs to the original characters in Absolute universe which I find refreshing. Still, Adams is able to keep the narrative going with just mentions of past events. Next, we have Arthur as king settling disputes about seaweed farms and sharks intruding on boundaries, which is unusual after the disruption of Absolute Power. Tempest shows Aquaman, Mera, and Jackson the Ocean Orb. Then, it is back to arguments until Arthur is warned about trouble!
We get a splash page of a monstrous demon made of water striking a building at Daytona, Florida. Good use of splash pages to make the comic dynamic while also keeping the rest of the narrative going without tiny panels. Aquaman leaps at the creature noting he had taken on a similar creature. Aquaman faced the water creature, The Flood, in The Drowned Earth storyline and it debuted in Justice League #8 (2018). It parts around his attack and then slams him flying toward a building! A little funny scene as an elderly couple finds Aquaman splattered in their bathroom. He leaps back into the battle. Again, he is struck to the beach, then Aquaman uses his hydrokinetic powers to contain the monster. A great circular panel as Aquaman separates the water creature from the sea and into a swirling mass. Then, it fades away, until Aquaman hears Mera’s voice calling his name! He races across the sea at his fastest speed, with his hydrokinesis, he could probably supersonic underwater speed, but a bright light bursts in front of him.
Bubbles rise from Arthur’s startled facxe, Atlantis is gone, the city is missing almost down to its foundations. He turns and sees the Ocean Orb humming. At the Justicxe League Watchtower, Aquaman teleports in, and asks for Batman. The satellite was established in Justice League of America #78 (1970), but this is the new watchtower after Absolute Power. Firestorm answers that he is in the lab. Also, there in the background is Adam Strange with Black Canary talking to Steel. In the lab, Zatanna is using her magic to study the Ocean Orb as Aquaman explains what happened to Wonder Woman and Batman. Zatanna says to them that the pearl is “very ancient”, but can’t read it. She says it is hidden from magic, and says she found a “similar vibration.” At the location, Batman and Wonder Woman follow in a sub, kinda of cameos, they find a ringed gate encrusted with coral. Aquaman finds the pearl is glowing and humming again. The gate opens and Wonder Woman encourages Aquaman to enter it and find his people! The mystery may have some connection to the greater events of the All In universe! Aquaman #1 tests Arthur with his hydrokinetic powers that he may need to find Atlantis, Mera, and all of the people he has known!
Four Hydrokinetic Swords out of Five!
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