The thought of Aquaman battling an unbeatable force initially sounded uninspired, but I'm very excited about the direction Abnett will take this storyline. Aquaman has clawed and scratched and at this point, it warrants inclusion among DC Rebirth's best titles. Read Full Review

A great issue of Aquaman full of underwater action, heroism, and a surprise character revealed at the end! And this character is awesome! Mera is presented with a conflict that could have dire consequences, but probably won't because Aquaman is completely smitten with her. The art was never a problem in this series, and looks really nice here. Put it all together, and you're looking at a dang good comic book, I tell you what! Read Full Review

Aquaman continues to be a strong title and Abnett is challenging the characters with conflict that forces them to reveal something about their quality. There's also some innovation with the particular storylines. While Aquaman has always dealt with some of the same themes over the years, Abnett has found a way to embrace the traditional take on the character but tell a new story with some different angles. Read Full Review

Abnett has a good handle on Aquaman and his supporting cast, giving each of the supporting characters a distinctive voice. Having the grizzled warrior Murk say stuff like Neptunes balls is an example of this, and the slight cheesiness of the dialogue gives the entire proceedings the air of a blockbuster action movie. Having the monster be The Shaggy Man, an obscure Justice League villain, was also afun reveal. Unfortunately, Meras subplot hinders the issues momentum with yet another storyline about her failing to find her place among the Atlanteans. Johns had previously explored that dynamic during his run, and to have it rehashed again here feels like a waste of her character. Her studies at the Tower of Widowhood add a nice touch of world building to Abnetts Atlantis, but it definitely feels incongruent to the main plot. Im still on board with the current arc despite some misgivings, and I hope that Abnett can maintain the blockbuster tone he establishes here. Read Full Review

Ultimately I thought that this issue was good, but not great. We get a mixture of action with Aquaman and some more information about Atlantis, it's culture and it's politics with Mera, giving enough material regardless of what your draw to the series is. I'm interested in where the series is going with the monster, being one that I am unfamiliar with, but I'm not sure about the idea that we may be missing Mera for a little while in the future while she learns of Atlantis. Hopefully her sections will be more interesting than they are presenting in this issue, but I do look forward to seeing where this whole situation goes. Read Full Review

Then there's the monster of the issue. Yes, it obviously has larger plot ties to N.E.M.O. and Black Manta, butAquaman #8 doesn't really acknowledge that at all. And then the supposed twist mid-way through the issue is hugely overrated and feels thrown in for the sake of it. Plus, he looks like Chewbacca and King Kong had a lovechild… no one needs to see that. It's a very odd choice of antagonist for a series that has excelled in crafting genuinely captivating, three-dimensional heroes and villains. So whilst the rest of the series has been absolutely superb so far, I guess the streak had to stop somewhere – and that place is here. It just doesn't live up to the other 7 issues. Read Full Review

I love this title and it's ability to balance action with ongoing plot lines is great, reminds me of an intelligent update of the sort of comics I loved as a kid. The first book I read every time it comes out.

This is really great stuff. I really like the cast of characters being assembled in Atlantis. I just hope that the Mera story doesn't reduce her appearances in the comic.

A good old-fashion slug fest. The subplot with Mera is going to be be just as much of a test of her character, if not more so than Aquaman's arc. Each character is being put through the ringer and one can only hope that they come out stronger for it in the end.

This new villain will probably serve as a pretty strong threat to Aquaman and his crew but that story didn't really hit with me in this first issue of the arc. I was more interested in the story with Mera.

A lot of action and improved artwork in this issue. Still not sold on Abnett's work on Aquaman, but things have improved since the first few issues.