Aquaman : Sword of Atlantis #50 - DC

Ok, we're now a year later, and we don't really know a whole lot more about this mystery of Aquaman than we did in the beginning. I think that this issue is the beginning of the whole thing. But to tell you the truth, in my eye's, this one really just muddied up the waters more than they already were. I'm even more confused now. This issue does give us the return of Tempest though. He's not functioning properly, he appears to have been altered, and he has a tattoo of the symbol of the Thorny Crown. But, he is back. We also find out that the Dweller is actually Aquaman. As I've thought all along. But we aren't any closer to finding out how he was changed. We're also introduced to a new mystery, the Deep Church. They have a warrior that they've been training to kill Orin. The name that's been given him by the Church is Issitoq. But I think, somehow, that the Dweller, Authur Curry and now this Issitoq are all parts of Aquaman. I can't really explain it, but it's like they're all him but at different stages in his life. And how they can all exist at the same time is beyond me. Maybe it has something to do with the whole Rip Hunter thing going on over in 52. But I really think that somehow they are all Orin. We also find out this issue that Sub-Diego still exists. Haven't heard from them in a year. But that's where Garth popped up. And the King Shark finally decides that he's had enough of this tour of the ocean. When he finds out that the Dweller is actually Orin, he says that's it, and he's out of there. Creatively, like I said, this issue was confusing. I think it's trying to bring all the players in to place so we can finally start wrapping this up, but . . . it was just confusing. And, even though we're starting to get a picture of everyone involved, I'm willing to bet it's going to be another 12 issues before the puzzle becomes clear enough for us to start putting the pieces together. Also, Shawn McManus does the art this issue. I'm actually a fan of his, but, he has good work and bad. Sometimes his work just seems really rushed. This was one of those issues. There were a few frames that were ok. But overall, in my estimation, a pretty shoddy piece of work. So my guess is, it's a fill-in issue, artistically wise. Hopefully the visuals will improve in the future. And hopefully this unfolding story will become clearer as we move forward. We'll just have to wait and see.