Each Friday, we'll be letting a different DC.com writer share what they'll be reading over the weekend and why you might want to check it out. Here's this week's suggestion for a perfect Weekend Escape!
 

A-hoy, me buckos! All hands on deck for the new ongoing saga featuring the King of the Seas himself—Aquaman! In Aquaman Vol. 1: The Dark Tide by writer Jeremy Adams and artist John Timms, Arthur faces his greatest challenge yet, all while confronting monstrous new foes and wielding incredible new powers! And while dead men may tell no tales, there’s no keeping mum on the amount of action and intrigue to be found within this take on the aquatic hero. So, let’s dive into the deep end and discuss why The Dark Tide is a perfect weekend read!
 

THE PREMISE:

In the aftermath of Absolute Power’s battle against Amanda Waller, several superheroes had their abilities returned to them with unexpected changes, including some who discovered they possessed completely new powersets. One of these heroes is Aquaman, who finds he’s suddenly able to control and manipulate the water all around him—the exact same kind of hydrokineses his wife and queen Mera has always wielded.

This sets the stage right at the beginning, as we see the king and queen save a downed airplane with Aquaman’s new powers. Soon after, a distraction that calls Arthur away from his kingdom of Atlantis results in his people and family being whisked away by an unknown foe. This sets Aquaman on a journey to confront a powerful new undersea menace named Dagon. To face the threat, Aquaman must master his new abilities and hope to survive the treacherous new worlds he’ll find himself in if he wants to return his kingdom back to where it belongs.
 

LET’S TALK TALENT:

Let’s begin with the artwork. John Timms has made DC his home for the past few years, illustrating such titles as Superman: Son of Kal-El and Young Justice. But it’s here with Aquaman that he truly lets his imagination go wild. With much of the activity taking place above, below and around water, as well as the crazy abilities Aquaman now has, Timms has his work cut out for him. Fortunately, he manages to not only deliver, but excel, depicting our main hero in incredibly intense, intricately detailed scenarios that give his abilities an extra sense of flair. This goes double for sequences which take place in underground dungeons or in the Arctic. Aided by Rex Lokus’ sparkling colors, this is one of the prettiest looking action-adventure books on the shelves right now.

As for Jeremy Adams, he’s also no stranger to the DCU, having written comics including Green Lantern and The Flash and animated movies like Batman: Soul of the Dragon. It’s a background that’s worth keeping in mind when reading how he depicts Arthur Curry. Aquaman is a character with a lot of facets to him and is often at the mercy of how he’s presented next to other characters. Is he a stiff-faced king, or a grounded misfit who grew up on the surface world? Adams gives Arthur more than enough dimension, often portraying him as deadly serious, but with a glimmer of humor that’s much appreciated. It also helps that Arthur is experiencing many of the things we’re being shown for the very first time, and is learning how to effectively wield his new powers an issue at a time.
 

A FEW REASONS TO READ:

  • Much of this run has Aquaman going against entirely new characters, set inside new worlds. Right away he’s squaring off against a villainous Swamp Thing-like creature named Jenny Greenteeth who’s merely the first boss on the long road towards Dagon. How Arthur battles these new foes is inventive and different every time.
     
  • Arthur’s long relationship with the Justice League gets a small bit of spotlight, coming in handy at his most desperate hour. Keep an eye out for how the creative team depicts Arthur when he relies on his friends versus when he decides to go at it alone.
     
  • New otherworldly concepts such as the Blue, the Trilance Saber Thalassa and the Mer-Cenaries feel like they’ve been around the entire time, expanding Aquaman’s world and deepening his place in the DCU.
     

WHY IT’S WORTH YOUR TIME:

Aquaman is one of DC’s most enduring superheroes, with distinct eras that have redefined him for each successive generation. With Aquaman Vol. 1: The Dark Tide and the currently ongoing series from which its compiled, Jeremy Adams and John Timms have delivered an easily identifiable, relatable King of Atlantis for new and longtime readers alike, which is the best any fan could hope for. And with Arthur playing what seems like an important role in the currently ongoing DC K.O., now’s the time to get caught up on who exactly the All In Aquaman is. We think you’ll like him.


Aquaman Vol. 1: The Dark Tide by Jeremy Adams, John Timms and Rex Lokus is available in bookstores, comic shops, libraries and digital retailers as a softcover graphic novel. It can also be read in full on DC UNIVERSE INFINITE.

Donovan Morgan Grant writes about comics, graphic novels and superhero history for DC.com. Follow him on Bluesky at @donomark and X at @donoDMG1.

NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Donovan Morgan Grant and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.