Aquaman #22: Art is off-model a fair bit, story is somewhat lacking. Mildly recommended. $1.75/$2.50Cn

Garth Ranzz Memorial "And I Thought MY Family Was Messed Up" Award to Aquaman #22

Aquaman "Reunions": Jumpcut to the next City of Atlantis, Basilia. I don't have my Atlas of Fictional Worlds in the office, so I don't know which story PAD's referring to when he talks about an Englishman telling the tale of the city. As a floating city, it resembles Laputa, but lacks the population that Swift wrote of (although the Laputan fear of death from a comet seems justified in the skullships).

Anyway, we're introduced to Spought, the watchdog for Basilia, who ran the place much like Draal (sp?) runs the planet under Babylon 5. Right now he's being tortured by the surprisingly humanoid alien invaders who wish to claim their city and are being stymied by the commands he gave it. Of course, Arthur shows up to save him, aided by a shield spell placed on him in Thierna Na Oge.

Meanwhile, Garth and Dolphin are looking for ways to deal with the swarming troops disgorged on Basilia by the metallic skullship (Egeland's a bit off model, I think). They can't think of any right now, they're just there for exposition.

Back in the real action, Arthur and Spought are saved from some troopers by Atlan, who is then slugged one by Arthur. Hi dad. While they put on the stormtrooper suits and manacle the wooki...er, while they disguise themselves as troopers, Atlan explains how he got there and that Koryak's group is under Kordax's control.

Cut to a page of Kordax and Pals ransacking Tritonis.

Garth and Dolphin find some trouble to get in.

Atlan, Arthur and Spought fight a long, bloody battle of about three panels and reach the control room, which lets Spought roll the city over and dump everyone in the drink. Flee! Afterwards, Arthur and Atlan have a little heart to heart about why Atlan had him and Orm. "It seemed like a good idea at the time."

Oh, and in the White House, one of the more babelike alien invaders is putting the soft sell on Clinton on how her peaceful ravening armada will bring a golden age to Earth. Pull the other Invasion miniseries.