Aquaman: Volume 8

So here it is: the final Aquaman graphic novel before Aquaman: Rebirth, Aquaman: Out of Darkness. I saw it at the library and had to get it since I've read the other seven in the series.

Arthur wants to create an embassy on the American coast. That way Atlantis and the surface world will be able to learn about each other diplomatically. He asks Mera to head the mission. She reluctantly agrees.

Meanwhile a mysterious creature has been killing people on land. The attacks look like shark bites, which is odd because many of the killings have been happening on land, away from the sea. The FBI calls on Arthur to solve the case, which brings him into contact with Dead Water, a creature that can teleport through the tiniest drop of water. When Arthur discovers Dead Water used to be a man, he must go to extremes to stop him (including keeping the man extremely dehydrated so he won't revert back to Dead Water) and find out what happened.

I've been reading Rebirth since it started, but I missed all of these stories. It's nice to finally be caught up (and to know where Dead Water came from). I'm still waiting on that war of the seven seas promised at the end of Volume 4 though).

Aquaman: Volume 7

Well, Aquaman Volume 7: Exiled was a bit confusing at first. It opens with Aquaman fighting Atlantean soldiers on the surface. Then it gives us a bit of back and forth between what happened in the past vs what's happening now. And it takes quite awhile for everything to come together and make sense. But once it finally does, it gets pretty good.

Basically, another world is invading ours. The other world, named Thule, was once a part of Atlantis. But when King Atlan succeeded in uniting Atlantis, a sect of wizards escaped by creating their own world. But now whatever magic kept them apart is failing. But they knew this day would come and so have spent centuries preparing for it, with the intent of conquering our world.

Arthur went to fight this threat on his own, leaving Mera behind as Queen of Atlantis. But when he came back to tell her that there are many innocent people who would be killed if he outright destroyed Thule, she accused him of being a traitor. So Arthur has been been trying to rescue the innocent Atlanteans of Thule while fighting the dark magics of the wizard kings AND evading the team Mera has sent to capture him.

Of course, Mera isn't actually Mera; her shapeshifter sister has taken her place on the throne. I was thinking she'd been mind controlled or something because the angry Mera on the throne was obviously not the regular Mera.

So Arthur fights everyone on his own for awhile until Wonder Woman confronts him. Then he gets the rest of the Justice League to help him invade Thule and destroy it while making sure as many innocents as possible get out. Oh yeah and he takes a little time out before this to go save Mera (but it's ok, she manages to save herself in the meantime - Mera is awesome!)

So while confusing at first, overall Exiled is a pretty good read. Still no war of the Seven Seas though (which was totally alluded to at the end of Volume 4). But apparently there's a Volume 8 coming, so *maybe* it'll be in there?