So our road to Jackson sharing the role of Aquaman with Arthur continues. But this issue isn't really about Jackson, I mean it is because its his book and it has emotional impact on him but its much more about his mother and Xebel. We learn a lot about Xebel in this issue, and a lot of it is how it is an awful place to live.

It lives below the fabulous city of atlantis covered in debris, and living in a paranoia that war with atlantis will one day break out so they conscript kids into the army....but then we get into the Xebel resistance and Jackson's mom and whoa does that open a whole can of worms about her and the society itself. We learn a lot about her rebel days, none of it good, and it kind of paints the picture that she's not just some sea-woman that Black Manta tricked into having a son with but actually a potentially dangerous woman in her own right. Honestly I don't want to ruin it, you should read it, but it does really disillusion Jackson about his mom.

Oh and I guess we get into the idea of why Xebel framed him for what went down in the first issue. It's actually not talked in great detail and I have no idea why they would think it would work but basically Jackson's sister thinks that Jackson is the hero that Xebel needs with all their turmoil in and out of atlantis. Now why they thought making him look like a terrorist in the eyes of Atlantis was a good idea compared to I don't know talking to him is beyond me. Heck seems pretty inconsistent with the whole "we went to far with the resistance" angle if you are setting off bombs. But hey at least Jackson has the smarts to say screw it and leave at the end of the issue because he's just fed up with everyone.

Anyway the series is still good and honestly a little fantasy based politics never hurt anyone in terms of interesting stories.