With Princess Andy still missing, Aquaman receives a gift from Aqualad that may be just the thing he needs to find his daughter. Spoilers for Aquaman #60 follow.
Over the past couple of issues of Aquaman, the series has had a struggle of what it wants to be. Does it want Aquaman to continue to be Aquaman and focus on the monarchy struggles that the series has done so often? Or does it want to portray him as a scared father searching for his missing kid? The last issue made this especially apparent that the series was going to lean more into the monarch story side rather than the father’s side and this issue proves that even more.
However, while seeing Arthur have to continuously be a father might be more interesting in the long run, this issue does a great job of showing why he can’t simply just be a father right now.
This is probably just because I love Father/Daughter dynamics in fiction, but my favorite part of this issue is whenever Aquaman gets to be with Andy. Everything about it is absolutely wonderful. From the moment he finds her and just brings her into his arms to the moment pictured below, we’re able to see Arthur in a way that he normally isn’t seen as. And if these moments of just father and daughter and fantastic, once Mera finally is able to embrace Arthur and Andy, it will probably bring tears to most everyone’s eyes.
Another great aspect of this issue is how Dolphin is handled. She’s been handled well in pretty much every appearance she’s made since she was reintroduced to the universe, but there’s just something about how Kelly Sue DeConnick writes her in this issue that works perfectly. Just from the creativity of using her bioluminescence to her empathy, Dolphin is so much fun to read in this issue.
Where the issue falters story-wise though is the fall back onto the monarchy conflict that has been a part of pretty much every Aquaman run for probably 30 years. It’s something that has been done so many times by pretty much every writer than has written Aquaman in any capacity. There’s enough different happening regarding Mera’s marriage to Vulko and Ocean Master creating a new city to still feel a bit new but, at its core, it’s still the same conflict yet again.
As for the art, Miguel Mendonca does a spectacular job in this issue. Every page is gorgeous, but he really shines whenever the focus is on Arthur and Andy. He pulls every bit of emotion that he can out of the scene and makes every character feel real. Arthur’s love and fear feel palpable, as does Andy’s joy at simply being around her dad. Combine that Romulo Fajardo Jr.’s excellent color work throughout these scenes and the rest of the issue, and it’s a recipe for success.