Aquaman: Death of a Prince

In the 1970's, Aquaman was caught in the middle of being remembered as the goofy hero that starred in a 60's Saturday morning cartoon, and the tragic figure of some excellent comic book storytelling. The graphic novel/trade paperback collection entitled Aquaman: Death of a Prince features stories from Adventure Comics #435-437 & 441-455, as well as Aquaman #57-63. The main focus here is the loss of Arthur's (Aquaman's) throne as King of Atlantis, his struggles against several villains, the death of his son and resultant alienation from his wife Mera. Those who are looking for the silly fun of the Super-Friends will be surprised by the dark tone of these stories.

First off, the villains. Aquaman faces off against his most well-known foes Black Manta and Ocean Master, with the former being a key figure in the overall arc of this story. Other villains from the hero's rogues gallery that show up are the Fisherman, the Shark, the Scavenger, Marine Marauder, Seaquake, and Kobra. This group of villains points to the obvious connection these stories have with the old, more juvenile Aquaman tales, while at the same time the comic is working to develop more sophistication. Some of these characters are fun, even though the overall tone throughout this book is somber.

The supporting cast is present in the form of Mera, Vulko, Aqualad, Tula, and Arthur Jr. Batman and Green Lantern lend a hand in one story. After the death of Arthur Jr, there are several back-up stories featuring Mera in a last-ditch effort to save her son, and Aqualad on a quest to find his heritage. The friction that develops between Aquaman and Mera is handled well, and is upsetting. The resolution to this conflict is perhaps resolved a bit too quickly, although readers would have to wait almost a decade to get much more information regarding this tragedy.

A few of the stories collected in this volume contain writing from Steve Skeates, with art by Mike Grell and Jim Aparo. Those are standouts, but it's also notable that David Michelinie did some great early writing work as well. After reading these stories, I think I've come to the conclusion that Jim Aparo is the definitive artist for Aquaman. His Batman was influential during my formative years, but his work on the Sea King is quite something. Aparo had a knack for capturing the fluidity of underwater settings, and how people would look living in an undersea kingdom.

Despite a few moments of old-school comic book goofiness, I found Death of a Prince to be a compelling read. It's interesting to see DC try to make Aquaman a serious hero, and succeed. The artwork is classic, and the developments that take place here had lasting repercussions. This is top-notch stuff from the same era that brought other DC classics such as the O'Neal/Adams run on Batman or Green Lantern/Green Arrow. Death of a Prince comes highly recommended.

Unfortunately, DC didn't keep Death of a Prince in print for very long, and now it commands high prices online. Thankfully, though, a re-release is on the way in hardcover, hitting shelves on February 4, 2020. You can preorder through Amazon here:
https://www.amazon.com/Aquaman-Prince-Deluxe-David-Michelinie/dp/1779500955/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2XQ31L7RBMORP&keywords=aquaman+death+of+a+prince&qid=1579582644&sprefix=Aquaman+death%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-1

Top 5 Movies I Saw in Theaters in 2019

*Blogger's note: It's 2020! New Year's Resolutions and all that! This blog has been around for a few years now, with sporadic-at-best posts. I'm really going to try to keep this thing regular, and post on a bi-weekly basis if at all possible. I had planned on writing about the remainder of the Micronauts comic book series, but that's on hold indefinitely. The bi-weekly posts will typically focus on something from pop culture that I experienced within that time frame, and could be based on movies, TV, comics, video games, and even books and music. I also enjoy compiling lists, so to start the year off, here are the top five movies I saw in the theater in 2019. I don't get to the movies that often, even though I still feel it's the primary way to view a film. I saw 10 movies last year, with one of them being a 2018 release (Bumblebee, which did not get included). Here are the top 5:

5. Frozen II

Took the whole family to see this, and judging from the word-of-mouth, didn't expect much. While I wasn't blown away, I thought this sequel was just as enjoyable as the original. Things were moved forward, the songs were good, jokes were well-placed, and animation was fantastic. On top of all that, all of my kids were entertained throughout the duration. That alone gives it points.

4. Captain Marvel

There were three Marvel Studios films released in 2019, and all three are on this list. I'm a fan, and these films are must-see when released in theaters. Captain Marvel made for a fine origin story, and a fun 90's throwback as well. Samuel L. Jackson shines as a younger Nick Fury, and the rest of the cast does an excellent job. Not necessarily top-tier MCU, but this one is very entertaining, fun, and features some solid action.

3. Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker

Rise of Skywalker is getting picked apart by fans and critics alike, and while it's not the best of the sequel trilogy, it's far from the train-wreck many are making it out to be. There are certainly issues with some of the storytelling decisions that were made, but none that took me so far out of the proceedings that I couldn't enjoy the film. I won't make a list of things that bothered me, but I will say that I was thoroughly entertained for the entire run-time, and had a blast seeing Lando and other familiar faces join the party. Could the finale of the Skywalker Saga have been better? Sure, but what we got was satisfying enough, and I don't feel the need to be negative about an experience that made me glad I was there.

2. Spider-Man: Far From Home

Another MCU film, another great theatrical experience. Far From Home is every bit as fun and charming as its predecessor. The casting in these movies is almost incomparable, with Jake Gyllenhaal's take on Mysterio being a highlight, and the rest of the bunch having the time of their lives. The new Spider-Man films are endearing, thanks to the light tone, cast, and integration into the MCU.

1. Avengers: Endgame

Not only was Avengers: Endgame the best theatrical experience I had all year, it's probably the best one I've had in my lifetime. Eleven years and twenty-one movies to get here, and this Marvel comic book fan couldn't have been happier. This movie was epic, sad, funny, thrilling, and unprecedented. I've never felt the urge to applaud in a movie theater before. Never felt the need to leap out of my seat. I had to restrain myself. I've already re-watched it several times at home, and it hasn't become stale. This is why I fell in love with these characters as a kid, sprawled out on the floor in front of my comics. I can't help but smile now that the secret is out and everyone knows who they are. Cinema or not cinema, Endgame was an experience I'll never forget.