By Kelly Gaines

What’s something you would never want your adopted kid to see? Your high school yearbook photos? Your erotic film collection? What about walking in on you as you're about to decapitate your brother’s wife? Ocean Master has quite a bit to go before he becomes real family material, but fortunately, Mera is here to help- as long as he doesn’t kill her. Mera Queen of Atlantis #3 is another great chapter in on of DC’s new, and oddly charming, titles. Stuck on land while her body heals, Mera tries to subdue the spread of the Atlantean civil war by acting as an ambassador to the surface world. The separation anxiety may not have pulled her head underwater yet, but the appearance of Ocean Master (Orm) has raised the stakes significantly.

If you haven’t read any of Mera yet, here’s what you need to know: Mera, wife of Aquaman, was injured during a battle and does not have the full strength of her water abilities. She’s taken up a temporary home on land with her friend, Tula, and does her best to act as Arthur’s advocate from afar. It’s not an easy job. Between the American government and the Justice League, Mera is bombarded with tough questions. To make matters worse, proxy assassins are moving against her and exploiting her diminished abilities. Why? Mera has been named Queen in Exile of Atlantis, and when the war is over, she will take her seat on the Atlantean throne. As of #3, Mera is contacted by another old enemy- Orm, the Ocean Master. A brief interaction erupts into a violent confrontation, thankfully interrupted by Orm’s new “son,” Tommy. Since his banishment from Atlantis, Orm’s been creating a new identity for himself on land and adopted a family in Erin and Tommy. The Orm they know and the Orm Mera faces are extremely different people. Fortunately, Orm’s new girlfriend is as determined as she is understanding. She encourages Orm to stop fighting with Mera and work towards their common goal-saving Atlantis.

There’s a clear duality in the lives of both Mera and Orm. Mera #3 highlights all the ways their complex royal lives mirror each other and ask the reader to question how much common ground it takes to turn enemies into friends. For both, it seems that the most powerful common thread is family. Mera’s love for Arthur and Orm’s love for Erin and Tommy anchor them to what will hopefully prove to be the right path. It’s the kind of hope that a Disney princess would sing her most overplayed musical number about- hope that love conquers violence. Will that be the case? Who knows. DC heroes rarely live the life of a Disney fairy tale. It’s possible for Orm to lose his way. It’s possible for either to choose to make the ultimate sacrifice for Atlantis. It hurts to think how Erin and Tommy would react if Orm never returned, but I’ll indulge in their hope for the sake of the story- fingers crossed, and no musical number necessary.

Mera: Queen of Atlantis is a great addition to DC’s current line up. It’s a chance to look at Aquaman’s mythology through another lens while his story continues to play out simultaneously. Whether or not you’re keeping up with Aquaman, give Mera a try. So far it just keeps getting better.

Score: 4/5

Mera Queen of Atlantis #3
DC Comics