Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A breath of fresh (sea) air for Aquaman, November 10, 1997
By A Customer
Writer Peter David gives a fresh spin on what has always been a laughable, second-rate character, Aquaman. In the hands of Peter David Aquaman became an interesting, mythical, and powerful hero. Nowadays the regular Aquaman series is one of the better selling books at DC, and this is the mini-series that started it all. Kirk Jarvinen's art has a Silver Age feel, the stories are entertaining. The Flash (Barry Allen) makes an appearance in the first issue and the rest of the book features some new aspects of Aquaman's history. A must-read for Silver Age nostalgists and modern readers alike.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Why should this character be SO difficult to write?, December 30, 2006
AQUAMAN: TIME AND TIDE is the only one of a handful of Aquaman trades that is truly worth your while. Collecting A:TAT #1 - 4, this story by writer Peter David and artist Kirk Jarvinen gives a very straightforward presentation of the origin and formative years of the so-called "King of the Seas" (not that this Aquaman would ever call himself that). Its simplicity is the very quality that makes it a great read. You'll learn of Arthur Curry's initial adventures among the dolphins, his early loves, his first encounter with the heroes and villains of the surface world, and his first confrontation with arch-enemy Ocean Master. David sticks to the basics, using only 88 pages to provide the reader with the essential information for understanding who Aquaman is and why he does what he does. Jarvinen's artwork is very good, looking favorably like a cross between the styles of Art Adams and Mike Wieringo. It has just the right playful touch without becoming too cartoony.
The important thing to note is that this is the classic version of Aquaman in the standard orange and green uniform - the version most people recognize. There's no beard, no ridiculous harpoon-hand, no gladiator armor... none of the other unfortunate oddities that would later be added by David in a misguided attempt to reinvigorate the character. It's the sad truth that Aquaman, in spite of having been around for 66 years, has never had his true potential fully realized and has only rarely been handled properly. Here we have a character that can breathe in both air and water, swim at great speed, can survive the pressure of the ocean depths, and telepathically communicate with aquatic life... these powers may seem worthless when compared to the other giants of the DC Universe, but are they really? Has any other writer truly explored the potential of this character in a way that complements his history? Aside from Mark Waid's work in JLA YEAR ONE, I say "no". There are other DC characters with less impressive powers that have been handled beautifully by the right authors. But good grief, look at how poorly Aquaman has fared when handled by David in his later stories, as well as by other normally stellar writers such as Rick Veitch and Kurt Busiek. It doesn't mean that the character is impossible to write, but that the writers are straying too far from the source. The simple solution is this: go back to the basics. That goes for the writers, artists, AND the readers. AQUAMAN: TIME AND TIDE provides all the foundation you'll need.
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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Time & Tide is a interesting telling of Aquaman's origin., February 9, 1998
By A Customer
A fabulous collection of the very first of Peter David's Aquaman series. You get to see his exposure on the Mercy reef, left to die, and his rescue by the dolphin Porm. You can see his life with the dolphins, and his first encounters with "surface dwellers." Also dicover how he became the superhero we know today!
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