Aquaman #36

The second chapter of the "Maelstrom" arc arrives with a cover by Paul Pelletier and Sean Parsons that crackles with raw tension — a massive green-skinned villain in a red and brown costume looms over a determined Aquaman, who thrusts his golden trident upward in defiance against a churning, icy blue backdrop. The size difference between the two figures makes the stakes feel immediate and visceral, with Aquaman's purple cape billowing dramatically as he refuses to back down. Jeff Parker's story, brought to life by artist Pelletier, inker Parsons, and colorist Rain Beredo, promises the kind of underwater epic that defined New 52 DC at its most ambitious.