Mera: Tidebreaker is a young adult graphic novel by author Danielle Paige and illustrator Stephen Byrne. It is the first in DC’s new imprint DC Ink which is aimed at middle grade and young adult audiences. This is a good move for the company as so many of their properties are on both the big and small screen. Mera is a character from the Aquaman series is often seen as his girlfriend/sidekick, but in this graphic novel, the story centers on her.

Mera is the crown princess of the underwater realm Xebel. Her country has been under the control of Atlantis for some time, and the Xebelians would like to be free from their reign. Mera is a rebellious, young upstart that wants to kick out the Atlantians. Her father wants nothing more than to protect Mera and keep her safe which doesn’t sit well with her. Her mother died in battle and Mera wants to grow up to be just like her. She is a fierce young woman who does not take instructions from others very well. Her father wishes her to marry Larken who is from the Trench. This will solidify two realms who can then stand against Atlantis. Larken also wishes for her hand for the same reason. Mera isn’t too keen on this idea.

She finds out that Larken will marry her if he can find the prince of Atlantis, kill him, and bring back his head. Mera decides it would be better if she can do this then she can command the throne by herself. She creates a clever ruse by fake drowning and Arthur (the Atlantean prince) saves her. It turns out Arthur doesn’t know he’s a prince or that he has powers. As Mera gets to know Arthur she struggles over whether she can murder him. The longer she knows him the more she realizes he’s an innocent. And once the truth is revealed to Arthur about his origins he’s not sure what to do either.

This is a story about finding out who you are and what you are made of which is a great trope for ya audiences. Mera is fierce and strong while Arthur is honorable and empathetic. They make a great team and there is a burgeoning love story to boot. The artwork is fantastic! Stephen Byrne does a great job of giving the reader clean lines and distinct characters. David Calderon’s color work cannot be overlooked either. He chose muted tones for the books, but Mera’s red hair always stands out brightly making her the center of the story. I really liked that touch as Mera is often pushed to the side in Aquaman stories so here she is as an equal with a lot of great characterization. I definitely recommend this title to teens who are just coming into the world of superheroes through the movies and tv shows. It’s a great story about figuring out who you want to be and breaking away from who your parents want you to be.f