Two classic Teen Titans will be joining Jackson Hyde in his new ongoing series, Aquamen.
Aquamen, written by Brandon Thomas and Chuck Brown, drawn by Sami Basri and colored by Adriano Lucas, is an upcoming series that follows Jackson as he adjusts to the pressure of becoming Aquaman. The book coincides with DC's celebration of Black History Month and gives the hero an eclectic cast of underwater characters to support him, including Arthur Curry, Mera and Jackson's estranged father, Black Manta. Furthermore, concept art from Basri has revealed the appearance of two people who have personal experience trying to handle the pressures of living up to Aquaman's career -- Tempest and Tula. The young heroes are two of Arthur's long-time partners who, like Jackson, found success by fighting alongside the Teen Titans.
Tempest first appeared as a young boy named Garth who struggled to fit in with other Atlanteans before being taken in by Aquaman. After a few years of underwater adventures as Aqualad, Garth founded the Teen Titans alongside Robin and Kid Flash. Around this same time, Aquaman took on a second protege, Tula. Operating under the codename Aquagirl, Tula occasionally teamed with the Teen Titans, earning her an honorary membership with the group. However, no matter how much time passes, Tempest and Tula have always kept an eye on Atlantis and those who live there, making them prime candidates to support Jackson in his new role.
Before Jackson enters the fresh waters of Aquamen, he'll have to get through his current series, Aquaman: The Becoming. The book is written by Thomas and drawn by Diego Olortegui and centers on Jackson's race to save Queen Mera from a terrorist attack. This series and Black Manta will be ending in the weeks before Aquamen's release, setting up the core conflict of Jackson's next adventure.
As for the other Aquaman, Arthur is currently at the center of Aquaman/Green Arrow: Deep Target. The series celebrates the 80th anniversary of its titular heroes by twisting their timelines, turning Arthur into Green Arrow and Oliver into Aquaman. The miniseries is written by Thomas and drawn by Ronan Cliquet and will end in April.
While fans can expect to see Arthur and Jackson team up in Aquamen's debut issue, the two may not have much time left together. In April, DC will be publishing "Death of the Justice League," a storyline that sees that League fight against the mysterious Dark Army. As the name suggests, the League's battle will have substantial casualties, claiming the lives of nine out of the ten heroes involved. Arthur's name is listed as one of the potential casualties, suggesting that Aquamen's maiden voyage may be the heroes' last team-up for the foreseeable future.
Aquamen #1, written by Brandon Thomas and Chuck Brown, drawn by Sami Basri and colored by Adriano Lucas will be available Feb. 22 from DC Comics.
Source: DC Comics