Aquaman #45 review: Mythology is a nightmare with Mother Salt in 'Unspoken Water'

Mythology becomes the stuff of nightmares as Mother Salt returns for revenge against the village of Unspoken Water in Aquaman #45.

Kelly Sue DeConnick brings the story of the ocean to life in Aquaman #45 with the story of Father Sea and Mother Salt. Together they created the ocean, but as in so many creation stories things go horribly wrong.

Arthur Curry is still trying to recover his memories and he’s stuck in the seaside village of Unspoken Water, but with Namma on the way he doesn’t have much time to work things out.

This review contains spoilers for Aquaman #45.

Arthur Curry has been struggling to remember who he really is ever since writer Kelly Sue DeConnick came onto the title with her “Unspoken Water” arc in Aquaman #43. At first the little village seemed innocent enough, with colorful characters who don’t get out much. Then, in Aquaman #44 we learned that those colorful characters are actually old gods of the sea.

Now, in Aquaman #45, the plot thickens as we learn that Namma, the mother of the ocean, has a bone to pick with the residents of Unspoken Water because they’re the ones who killed the love of her life.

In the middle of it all is Arthur, now known as Andy, who still has no idea what his connection to the ocean is but he does know that he is somehow connected to the water. DeConnick has built a beautiful but terrifying mythology and there’s only one chapter left before “Unspoken Water” reaches its finale in Aquaman #47. Something big is coming, but Arthur is a sitting duck until he can regain his memory.

Robson Rocha’s art in Aquaman #45 is absolutely stunning. Between blistering rain and the choppiest of ocean swells, the lines in this story are beautifully drawn.