Aquaman / Green Arrow: Deep Target #4 Review

 

Not So Deep

Writer: Brandon Thomas

Artist: Ronan Cliquet

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: January 25, 2022

Aquaman / Green Arrow #4 needs to do a whole lot, least of all, show me why I should be reading it.  Honestly, if I weren't reviewing this book, I would have dropped it after issue #1, and it's gotten worse since.  However, every issue is a chance to turn things around, so let's see if Brandon Thomas can do that here.

After the last issue's point of view changing snore-fest, Aquaman / Green Arrow Deep Target #4 does have more action.  That's a good thing, except that not much ends up happening.  We already got the "wow" moment seeing our heroes are on the moon, and this issue is a mad dash to a rocket ship to return to Earth.

Brandon Thomas has done so little to set up his story and characters that every bit of interaction between Arthur and Oliver feels forced in a little too late kind of way.  I've wondered when Thomas would give even a tiny inkling of the loved ones affected by the character switcheroo he is presenting, and we almost get that here.  There is no mention of Mera or Dinah; instead, we have Arthur missing his mom.  That would be nice enough, but Thomas has to jump through hoops to have him miss the powers that he got from his mother, not his mother straight-up.

What else happens?  Anderton (Doctor Dinosaur to me) initiates a protocol that sets up the cliffhanger, and Arthur and Oliver get back to Earth, kind of fight a monster, and talk to fish.  Of course, this is supposed to be a big moment for Oliver, but it's laughable and lame. 

The cliffhanger may end up being cool enough, but Thomas is changing the game before explaining the basic rules of the game itself.  The series continues to look fantastic, but I don't think many people care.  I don't hear anyone talking about this book, and I think I know why.  It's horrible, and I don't understand why anyone at DC thought it was a good idea at a time when fans have no solo books for either Arthur or Oliver to give them this.

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Bits and Pieces:

Aquaman / Green Arrow: Deep Target #4 is another lousy issue in a bad series.  Brandon Thomas continues his timeline-changing mystery, but the real secret is why this book even exists.  If DC Comics wants things to improve, they must stop allowing books like this to hit the shelves.

3.0/10