Aquaman #36

The worst thing on this Lego cover is not the Lego or the reused Zero issue cover!

Last issue, Arthur had discovered that the corpse of his mother was missing from her tomb. It's possible her body was never actually interred in the tomb since her tomb was left unguarded at the bottom of the ocean without any means of repelling anybody or anything that wanted to gain access to it. But since this is a comic book, it probably means that Atlanna never actually died. Or she's been resurrected as a Black or White Lantern.

Aquaman, realizing he needs a mystery solved, brings in help in the form of J'onn J'onzz. Batman is going to be so pissed when he hears about this.

Batman: "Is his nickname 'The World's Greatest Detective'? No, it's not! It's 'Martian Manhunter'! What if the culprit isn't a man, hunh? How is he going to solve The Mystery of the Missing Murdered Mother?!"

To help investigate the years old cold case of Atlanna's assassination, Shin and Evans are brought in to help with their "scientific" theories of Atlantis.

Just because you can think up a theory doesn't make it science. The "unique nature of the landmass" enables it to record the "souls" of the departed? Sounds like wacky doodle hoodoo to me!

Vulko tells the story of the night Atlanna was assassinated which allows Martian Manhunter to telepathically link with the unique landmass. Some more hokum that passes for science (more like seance, amirite?) takes place and Aquaman learns that his mother faked her death to escape with some unknown people she had been protecting. And then J'onn loses the ability to learn anymore because that would end the story too soon. Although I bet Batman would have had it all wrapped up by now.

Doctor Evans, being the authority on the shape of holes and determining what object should be placed inside the hole, declares that they should put a key in a hole. They did that last issue when they learned about the psychic residue trapped in the city of Atlantis. So they try it again and this time, all of the psychic energy fills up J'onn J'onnz and he attacks Arthur while declaring that the king must be killed.

Fucking Doctor Evans! Can people stop this guy from putting things in other things and creating disasters?!

J'onn begins to kick everybody's ass and Aquaman thinks, "Why didn't I hire Batman for this job?"

Oh yeah! That's why he hired J'onn! Because, unlike Batman, Martian Manhunter has a weakness!

J'onn did pick up a clue or two while being overwhelmed by spirits. He saw the image of a large portal and heard the word "maelstrom." I guess that means Aquaman is on the trail of yet another of the seven lost tribes of Atlantis!

Aquaman #36 Rating: Once again, Aquaman didn't stop anybody from eating anything. He's really slacking off. I don't think Aquaman is interesting enough to keep starring in these big, epic Atlantis stories. I just want to see him make fish fight his battles and wear octopuses on his head!