Non comic book fans can just stop reading now...
There are a number of people already criticizing Aquaman for flaws that they are projecting on future issues. For instance, I see a lot of people complaining that Aquaman's magic hand is going to be used to solve all his problems... well, he's had it only two issues so far, and every use of it so far has been "establishing" in terms of storytelling. We haven't yet seen its limitations because the author is just finishing telling us what it is capable of in the first place.
There are also people complaining about him establishing a secret identity on land. So cliché. Well, it would be, except he hasn't yet lied to anyone about his identity, thus he hasn't got a secret ID.
There are people complaining about the Atlanteans turning against Aquaman. "We've seen it all before!" they whine. Well, yeah, the Atlanteans have never needed an excuse to mistreat one of their own, and, yes, Aquaman has been booted before. But this is the first time we've seen just about everyone out to get him with genuine hate. It's also the first time that the people of Atlantis have actually been capable of taking Aquaman on. And it's a very different look at the people of Atlantis, who just came out of fifteen years of slavery in the past. The Atlanteans have always been a xenophobic mob, now they are an insane xenophobic mob with magical ability.
Then there's the complaint that Veitch has taken Aquaman too far from his roots. Huh? Veitch has done more in three issues to bring Aquaman back to his origins that the last five writers combined. The lighthouse alone brings back a large part of the romanticism of the Silver Age Aquaman that's been missing for years. Don't get me wrong, I like the last few years of Aquaman (mostly) but saying the Veitch is taking Aquaman away from his roots is incorrect.
Perhaps the most valid complaint is that Aquaman is now no longer his own man, as he's taken on this quest from the Lady of the Lake. Some guys have gone so far as to say that she's emasculated Aquaman, that he's relying too much on her. HELLO! He's only been dealing with her for two and a half issues! The only time he's really begged for her help is when a man was dying, something that not even Superman could have done a thing about. We don't yet know what Aquaman will do with this power, but it's pretty clear to me that Arthur thinks of his agreement with the Lady as a partnership, not a forced bond. If it's something else, won't it be an interesting story to see how Aquaman deals with it?
How is it that I can only see the fantastic storytelling possibilities that have been set-up by Rick Veitch when so many people are already complaining that it's just more of the same?
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