When a prince from the allied kingdom of The Trench (not a race of horrid piranha-people here) is named as her intended, he has just one task to accomplish before the wedding – he has to show his worthiness to marry Mera by assassinating the exiled Prince of Atlantis, who has been living on the surface world. The best way I can describe Mera’s characterization is “What if Ariel had Merida’s personality?” Mera doesn’t want Atlantis occupation, she doesn’t want an arranged marriage, and she’s not afraid to show it by blowing a hole in the Atlantean embassy. There’s an odd Disney-esque vibe to this story. It also sets up a very interesting new take on Mera, the daughter of the King of Xebel and a secret rebel working to undermine Atlantis. This twist, upending the standard dynamic of the two powers, feels similar to the big twist in Captain Marvel but works better here due to the regular ambiguity of the Atlantis-Xebel conflict. The book takes place in the thick of the Atlantis-Xebel conflict and recasts Xebel as the oppressed colony of the Atlantean empire. The color scheme is an Aquaman easter egg, of course, but it also gives the book a unique, dreamy look that works especially well in the Xebel-set scenes. Paired with colorist David Calderon, Byrne reinvents his style with a minimalist approach that uses only green, orange, and white palettes.

Much of this OGN takes place underwater, and that’s where Stephen Byrne’s art shines most. I think that might actually be a smart choice, though – fantasy author Danielle Paige has a freer hand with the character than she would with a bigger name, and she makes the most of it. So the choice of a launch title is a bit surprising – the lead character is Mera, sea warrior and frequent love interest of Aquaman who only got her first starring role a few months back. The upcoming lineup is VERY Gotham-heavy – besides a Wonder Woman project, future books are slated to feature Batman, Catwoman, Harley Quinn, Oracle, and Cassandra Cain. The DC Ink line is one of the most promising new initiatives to come out of DC Comics in years, uniting some of the biggest all-stars in Young Adult literature to reinvent DC icons in stories free of continuity geared towards the bookstore market. Mera: Tidebreaker – Danielle Paige, Writer Stephen Byrne, Artist David Calderon, Colorist Joshua Reed, Letterer Ray – 8.5/10

Mera tidebreaker