SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • Previews
  • Reviews
  • Manga
  • All Ages
  • Young Adult
  • Interviews
  • News

May 2, 2019 by Johanna

Review: ‘Mera: Tidebreaker’

May 2, 2019 by Johanna   2 comments

Mera: Tidebreaker

Mera: Tidebreaker
Written by Danielle Paige, illustrated by Stephen Byrne
DC Ink, 16.99
Ages 13-17

The first DC Ink release, launching the publisher’s imprint for young adult graphic novels, tells a familiar story with new character insight. Given the popularity of the Aquaman movie, most readers will be aware of Mera as an undersea princess, but it’s refreshing to see that here, she’s also a warrior, willing to fight for her people. While navigating history, birthright, and expectations, Mera learns to decide her own fate in this rewarding read.

Xebel, her father’s kingdom, is ruled by Atlantis. Mera’s father has two plans: to marry her off to his chosen successor, and to choose the winner by seeing who can assassinate the missing heir to the Atlantean throne, Arthur. Mera, meanwhile, is worried about living up to her mother’s legacy as warrior queen and steamed that her father doesn’t even consider her to take the throne as his heir.

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Mera: Tidebreaker

Mera sets off to the oversea world to complete the mission herself, but once she meets Arthur, things don’t go as planned. Arthur, not yet Aquaman, here has the amazing-nice-guy demeanor of Superman or Shazam, which gets him further than the ability to talk to fish. Similarly, the emphasis is on Mera’s abilities and training, not any kind of superpowers (although she can make water blasts).

Events move briskly, keeping the reader interested in an epic story. Although a lot happens, the story has room to breathe, with large-sized panels to punctuate key moments. The faded color scheme, grey with hints of light green, makes the book almost resemble a black-and-white independently published comic. The tones evoke both filtered undersea light and the haze of memory. It also allows Mera’s red hair to pop, drawing the reader’s eye to her as lead on whatever page she’s on.

It’s convenient that the framework is familiar to many fantasy stories, allowing the reader to focus on Mera’s motivations. There’s a solid amount of action, but more importantly, there’s a realistic depth of characterization that establishes Mera as someone worth spending time with, someone more than Aquaman’s girlfriend. Although classically formulaic, evoking star-crossed lovers and those buffeted by fate and constrained by royalty, the journey here is deep and satisfying.

Filed under: Graphic Novels, Reviews, Young Adult

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments
AquamanDanielle Paigedc inkMeraStephen Byrne

About Johanna

Johanna Draper Carlson has been reviewing comics for over 20 years. She manages ComicsWorthReading.com, the longest-running independent review site online that covers all genres of comic books, graphic novels, and manga. She has an MA in popular culture, studying online fandom, and was previously, among many other things, webmaster for DC Comics. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

May 2023

School-Live!: Letters | Review

by Johanna

April 2023

Call the Name of the Night, vol. 1 | Review

by Johanna

February 2023

Insomniacs After School, vol. 1 | Review

by Johanna

February 2023

Kiss Number 8 | Review

by Johanna

January 2023

My Sister, the Cat, vol. 1 | Review

by Johanna

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

Listen to Gene Luen Yang on TED Radio Hour

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Anatole by Eve Titus, ill. Paul Gadone

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Suee and the Strange White Light | This Week’s Comics

by Lori Henderson

Heavy Medal

More Mock-Newbery Titles Needed: Share June Suggestions Now

by Steven Engelfried

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Book Review: Code Red by Joy McCullough

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

Trying Something New: SPEED ROUND w/ Marla Frazee, Doug Salati, Dan Santat, and Amina Luqman-Dawson

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

Top 10 Manga of 2020

Eight Essential Isekai Manga for Beginners | Mondo Manga

Best Graphic Novels 2020 | SLJ Best Books

25 Funny Books for Unfunny Times

Best Graphic Novels 2022 | SLJ Best Books

Reader Interactions

Trackbacks

  1. Mera: Tidebreaker – Comics Worth Reading says:
    November 29, 2019 at 8:27 pm

    […] review of Mera: Tidebreaker is now posted at Good Comics for Kids. Short version: I liked it. As the first DC Ink release, launching their line of young adult […]

  2. Mera: Tidebreaker – Comics Worth Reading says:
    December 3, 2019 at 9:44 am

    […] Although classically formulaic, evoking star-crossed lovers and those buffeted by fate and constrained by royalty, the journey here is deep and satisfying. (Review originally appeared at Good Comics for Kids.) […]

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

Follow This Blog

Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

Primary Sidebar

  • News & Features
  • Reviews+
  • Technology
  • School Libraries
  • Public Libraries
  • Age Level
  • Ideas
  • Blogs
  • Classroom
  • Diversity
  • People
  • Job Zone

Reviews+

  • Book Lists
  • Best Books
  • Media
  • Reference
  • Series Made Simple
  • Tech
  • Review for SLJ
  • Review Submissions

SLJ Blog Network

  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal
  • Neverending Search
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn

Resources

  • 2022 Youth Media Awards
  • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
  • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
  • Summer Reading 2021
  • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
  • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
  • Summer Programming Survey
  • Research
  • White Papers / Case Studies
  • School Librarian of the Year
  • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
  • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

Events & PD

  • In-Person Events
  • Online Courses
  • Virtual Events
  • Webcasts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Media Inquiries
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Content Submissions
  • Data Privacy
  • Terms of Use
  • Terms of Sale
  • FAQs
  • Diversity Policy
  • Careers at MSI


COPYRIGHT © 2023


COPYRIGHT © 2023