Mera: Queen of Atlantis #6
DC Comics
Written by: Dan Abnett
Pencils: Lan Medina
Inks: Norm Rapmund
Colors: Veronica Gandini
Letters: Simon Bowland
This was the final issue of the 6 part mini-series ‘Mera: Queen of Atlantis’. The “conclusion” I’ve been anticipating. I didn’t keep my hopes up after the few previous issues. The series started with a bang and I loved the idea of Mera getting her own solo series to showcase the events taking place for her during the civil war in the ocean and the fight for the throne. I just wish it did the Queen more justice. In fact at the end of the issue, following the huge finale battle that was supposed to lead to her to winning the throne, ended telling me to read Aquaman #38. Which oddly Abnett seemed to finally capture Mera in her true form. A straight up kick *ss warrior fighting for her kingdom.
At the end of issue #5 Mera has challenged Orm to battle. That’s Xebel law. If she won the Xebel warriors would fight alongside her. If he won he would fight alongside and become king.
The whole series has led up to this moment. While I’m not saying it’s all terrible, I just don’t read a lot of this as Mera’s character. During all the fight scenes she was using emotional leverage. You’d see a punch was thrown or her controlling the water, all the while saying things like,“But Orm, aren’t you going to miss your family on the land?”. That was my main issue. It basically took Orm almost killing her to snap out of it. It was one of the few times I’ve seen her envision Arthur through the whole series. Also the fact that I thought I’d at least see her fighting with the Xebellions at least a few pages before having to read the end of another character’s arc. It was her solo. Nope. It simply ended, saying she was entering battle. I had been disappointed throughout with some of the politics and family dynamics being too heavy handed but I did enjoy the closure between Mera and her grandmother. That stood very, very true to how she was raised in Xebel. So I can say this issue was better than the last. King Nueros also grew on me.
As I’ve said in every review of Mera: Queen of Atlantis, it’s visually stunning. So much detail. The Penciler, Inker, Colorer, and Letterer really work well as a whole. I see Mera and Xebel and all of its creatures and scenery jump right out of pages. The writer jives as well as you can see expressions on faces and other even minor details that sync up. There were a few harps I’ve had about the series. My issues with the series were mainly things being drawn out too much or moving slowly, but the storyline as a whole is actually a great story. In fact, if it’d been a five-issue series it could’ve been way better. I know it’s not this comic, but after reading Aquaman 38, Abnett did my girl justice! Just too bad I didn’t see it as much as I should’ve in her solo series.