Marineman #6 – Review

Upon looking at an issue of Marineman, you would be forgiven for thinking it to be a blatant Aquaman rip off. A muscular blonde dude who wears orange and swims? Okay, let's be honest, there is, at the very least, a fair deal of inspiration taken from the DC Comics hero. Fortunately, Marineman is not as derivative as it seems on first glance and is not wholly without its charms.

Marineman #6 completes the first volume of the titular character's story, as both readers and Marineman himself come to find out who he is. Steve Ocean, a name so easy to make up I couldn't possibly have made it up, a marine biologist and television
personality, has discovered that he is in possession of aquatic-themed super powers. The revelation even more shocking is that Steve is actually the product of Nazi experiments.

Apparently Hitler's final-final solution was to flood the world with global warming machines so that only genetically engineered marine-people would survive. As if this all wasn't entirely obvious from how Aryan Steve looks. Of course, the Nazi doctor that helped create Mr. Ocean is still around and he, as well as the remaining aforementioned flood machines, must be stopped.

The story sounds ridiculous up front, but it really isn't much of a departure from standard comic fare. Whether you think that is a positive or negative point, there are worse story influences to take than Aquaman and Hellboy. Marineman is from the Superman school of good-guying, to the point of being called a boy scout, but he is neither emotionless, nor free from anger and vice. His cadre of supporting characters help him with these moments, including the best friend, the love interest, the father, and the disapproving authority figure.

Ian Churchill both writes and draws the comic and his art is about as silly, yet well-meaning as is his story. It all carries a very "Saturday morning cartoon" feel to it. The monster set against Marineman this issue looks like Cthulhu in bike shorts, so that's fun.

Marineman is probably not going to wow you, but there is potential. If you are willing to take a chance on a new hero, then check it out. For everyone else, there are plenty of other marine men in the sea.