‘Aquaman: The Becoming #1’ (review)

Written by Brandon Thomas
Art by Diego Olortegui
Published by DC Comics

What even is the current Aquaman continuity? I have no freaking clue.

That’s how I feel about a lot of DC these days, though it’s interesting to see what’s happening now.

Or, namely, what will happen. Future State and Infinite Frontier gave us the futures of our favorite characters, and now more stories are spinning out of that.

But I do remember 10 or so years ago when Jackson Hyde, aka Kaldur’ahm, was introduced as the new Aqualad.

The son of villain Black Manta and a woman from the underwater kingdom of Xebel (Mera’s hometown as well), Jackson gained quite the following on the Young Justice cartoon.

(That’s a whole other continuity and version of the same character, though. Look, it’s confusing.)

Anyway, Future State brought us a time when Jackson Hyde inherits the role of Aquaman from Arthur Curry and takes on Andrina “Andy” Curry, daughter of Arthur and Mera, as his own sidekick.

But Aquaman: The Becoming rolls back the clock to when the teenaged Jackson is Aqualad and training as Arthur Curry’s apprentice.

The story kicks off by showing how fierce and formidable Jackson already has become. In a telepathic training simulator, Aqualad punches out the teeth of a parademon and outlives the Justice League. After talking back about how he can’t complete the scenario’s mission, Arthur simply replies, “Aquaman can.”

All’s well in Atlantis. Arthur’s off to meet Frankenstein on Mars – as you do – and Jackson is tasked with minding the store. But first Jackson’s gotta have breakfast with his mom, handles a Titans call, thwarts a bank robbery, even meets a cute boy at the diner. Y’know, typical teen superhero stuff.

Brandon Thomas fills these moments with enough color to make it endearing. For example, how the Titans can’t remember the actual name of the costumed bank robber. Or how his mother shouts “Don’t let them hit you!” as Jackson rushes off to some superheroics.

Diego Olortegui’s art has a lot of Greg Capullo in it, along with strong details and great motion for action. Plus his faces are expressive and fun. (Jackson’s mom looks just like Erika Alexander, for example.)

Of course, this wouldn’t be an interesting story titled “Things Fall Apart” if none of Jackson’s happy life changed.

Aqualad’s being followed, but we don’t know by whom. And when he arrives back in Atlantis, a figure in armor has joined him and proceeds to be the stuffing out of Jackson while chiding his perfect little life and saying that “no boy from Xebel will ever be Aquaman” in a way that mirrors racial class divides on the surface world.

This is a fun, propulsive read with shocking action and a cliffhanger thrill. Can’t wait to see how this runs along the Future State happenings, or strays from them.