After reading the Beast Man chapter in the Icons of Evil line, I thought I had a pretty good handle on how this Mer-Man special would unfold. I expected it to tell the tale of how Skeletor came to recruit the amphibian villain to his evil cause, but that didn't prove to be the case. This was an entertaining story of ego and its blinding effect, and it was brought to life in a wonderfully nature yet eerie visual style.
Beneath the oceans of Eternia, all the creatures who dwelled in the deep waters fell under the control and whims of one individual: King Mer-Man. His skills as a warrior, strength and telepathic power over the simpler creatures of the sea granted the cruel king dominance over everything in his sight. One day, surveyors report of a newly discover underwater city, one that falls outside Mer-Man's reign... but not for long. The king launches an all-out attack on the peaceful citizens of this new city, only to discover a real resistance, perhaps for the first time in his tyrannical rule.
Writer Robert Kirkman teams with E.J. Su, his artistic collaborator on Image's Tech Jacket. Su demonstrates that he's an artist with real range. Whereas Tech Jacket focuses on sleek, cold technology, here, he creates a far more organic setting and supernatural mood, assisted by some rich and dark colors, as provided by Tony Washington. The only disappointing aspect in the art was that there wasn't more diversity in the appearance of Mer-Man's people and those led by Aquarus.
The script is action-packed, and Kirkman really gets the reader to root against the title character (always an interesting change of pace), and on those levels, the writer does an excellent job of getting me interested in a property I normally dismiss. Unfortunately, the character is painted in a rather one-dimensional light here. Sure, he's cruel and egotistical, but there's got to be more, doesn't there? It's a shame that the character isn't fleshed out more here.
The surprising aspect of this book is the high price tag for a rather straightforward story, wrapped up in a package with few frills. This doesn't read like a more expansive books with which this Mer-Man one-shot shares the steeper price.
Note: This comic book was not among this week's new releases.
