The King of the Seven Seas has seen better days than the ones at hand in the currently serializing "Blackest Night" event where Aquaman has returned from the grave as an emotion-sucking Black Lantern. However, it looks like better times are ahead for Arthur Curry as the April-launching, twice-monthly "Brightest Day" series from Geoff Johns, Peter Tomasi and Fernando Pasarin hits the DCU.

DC Comics today announced via their official blog The Source that Aquaman would return to his original form in "Brightest Day" and included the cover to issue #2 by superstar David Finch. It's been no secret that Johns has grown a fondness for the Aquaman family of characters over the course of the event, though plans for the blond-headed sea king have remained in doubt with DC Executive Editor Dan Didio explaining to CBR in November, "I don't know whether or not Aquaman can bring that level of heat to the DC Universe. There's a lot of interest in him. There's always been an Aquaman series that seems to have strayed from place to place or change directions on occasion. What we would like to do if we brought back Aquaman, is give him the same treatment we gave Hawkman, which is to give him a very clear, concise direction that felt true to the character and his past history that also presented him with a fine interpretation to be built upon."

Highlighting the character in the follow up to their biggest-selling series of 2009 seems a good place to begin establishing the hero's reputation again, and for his part, Johns gave some rather pointed words on both the character and series to The Source, saying, "'Brightest Day' is about second chances. I think it's been obvious from day one that there are major plans for the heroes and villains from Aquaman to take center stage in the DC Universe, among many others, post-Blackest Night. 'Brightest Day' is not a banner or a vague catch-all direction for the DC Universe, it is a story. Nor is 'Brightest Day' a sign that the DC Universe is going to be all about 'light and brighty' superheroes. Some second chances work out...some don't."

The Source promised more new "Brightest Day" news for tomorrow morning, so keep checking with CBR for more news about DC's next big series.