Black Jack Says...
Labels: Black Jack, Talk Like A Pirate Day
BREAKING NEWS
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Ripples Through Time - 084
I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order. After I read each story I will post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.
Adventure #151 (April 1950) - The Biography of Black Jack!
After finding a book on famous pirates in the library of one of his victims, Black Jack decides he needs to have a book written about himself.
As far as I know, this is the last appearance of Black Jack. I'll continue to look for him while I read other stories, of course, but I think that this is the tale that finally sunk him.
Black Jack finds a book called "Lives of the Great Pirates" on a captured ship, and reads about Captain Bartholomew Roberts, Captain England, Captain Kidd, and Henry Morgan. He gets a bit jealous that they are immortalized in a book, and decides he has to be immortalized as well, so he orders his crew to find and capture an author.
The author he gets is a famous biographer, Derek Hartley. After hearing about the kidnapping, Aquaman decides to give Derek some material to work with. The end result is an entirely different book than the one ol' Black Jack wanted. And, apparently, the publication of that book marked the end of Black Jack's career.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman has some whales corral and polish an iceberg, which he uses as a mirror to fool Black Jack. He has some whales bring an old Navy ship used for target practice onto Black Jack's course, and Black Jack attacks the ship only to get used as target practice himself. Aquaman also has some sea creatures help him finish off Black Jack when he attacks the yacht.
Quotefile: Black Jack, "Not a word about me, Black Jack, the greatest pirate of them all! Ye might think people never heard of me!" Prophetic words indeed, Black Jack.
Have you read this story? What do you think?
After finding a book on famous pirates in the library of one of his victims, Black Jack decides he needs to have a book written about himself.
As far as I know, this is the last appearance of Black Jack. I'll continue to look for him while I read other stories, of course, but I think that this is the tale that finally sunk him.
Black Jack finds a book called "Lives of the Great Pirates" on a captured ship, and reads about Captain Bartholomew Roberts, Captain England, Captain Kidd, and Henry Morgan. He gets a bit jealous that they are immortalized in a book, and decides he has to be immortalized as well, so he orders his crew to find and capture an author.
The author he gets is a famous biographer, Derek Hartley. After hearing about the kidnapping, Aquaman decides to give Derek some material to work with. The end result is an entirely different book than the one ol' Black Jack wanted. And, apparently, the publication of that book marked the end of Black Jack's career.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman has some whales corral and polish an iceberg, which he uses as a mirror to fool Black Jack. He has some whales bring an old Navy ship used for target practice onto Black Jack's course, and Black Jack attacks the ship only to get used as target practice himself. Aquaman also has some sea creatures help him finish off Black Jack when he attacks the yacht.
Quotefile: Black Jack, "Not a word about me, Black Jack, the greatest pirate of them all! Ye might think people never heard of me!" Prophetic words indeed, Black Jack.
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time
Monday, February 19, 2007
Ripples Through Time - 083
I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order. After I read each story I will post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.
Adventure #150 (March 1950) - The Boy Who Went to Sea!
Young Jerry Higgins wants to go to sea and become a sailor, but when he runs away to become a cabin boy, he has the misfortune of ending up on Black Jack's ship.
For a very long time, this was the earliest (by date) comic book I owned, so this story has a special place in my heart.
Jerry's luck is pretty awful. He gets on Black Jack's ship, witnesses the crimes of the crew, then is threatened to keep Aquaman in line. That's what you get for running away from home, kid! If it's a moral tale, though, it's not a great one. Jerry is rescued by Aquaman and rides a porpoise home.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman has a whale push Black Jack's ship off the rocks, then has a giant clam cover the hole in the hull. A school of whales hides Black Jack's ship from the Coast Guard cutter. Aquaman enters the ship with a seal through the hole by asking the clam to move aside. Jerry rides a porpoise to safety while the seal pretends to be him. Aquaman and the seal beat up Black Jack and his entire crew, with help from the giant clam who let the water into the ship.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is forced to do Black Jack's will, or see Jerry killed.
Quotefile: Jerry, leaving home, "If I expect to become a sailor, I'd better start now! I'll get on a ship as cabin boy, and learn the ropes... it won't be long before I become a captain!"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Young Jerry Higgins wants to go to sea and become a sailor, but when he runs away to become a cabin boy, he has the misfortune of ending up on Black Jack's ship.
For a very long time, this was the earliest (by date) comic book I owned, so this story has a special place in my heart.
Jerry's luck is pretty awful. He gets on Black Jack's ship, witnesses the crimes of the crew, then is threatened to keep Aquaman in line. That's what you get for running away from home, kid! If it's a moral tale, though, it's not a great one. Jerry is rescued by Aquaman and rides a porpoise home.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman has a whale push Black Jack's ship off the rocks, then has a giant clam cover the hole in the hull. A school of whales hides Black Jack's ship from the Coast Guard cutter. Aquaman enters the ship with a seal through the hole by asking the clam to move aside. Jerry rides a porpoise to safety while the seal pretends to be him. Aquaman and the seal beat up Black Jack and his entire crew, with help from the giant clam who let the water into the ship.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is forced to do Black Jack's will, or see Jerry killed.
Quotefile: Jerry, leaving home, "If I expect to become a sailor, I'd better start now! I'll get on a ship as cabin boy, and learn the ropes... it won't be long before I become a captain!"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Ripples Through Time - 081
I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order. After I read each story I will post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.
Adventure #148 (January 1950) - Cowboy of the Coral Seas!
When Cheyenne Charlie has to leave his beloved Wyoming for moister climes, he takes up ranching sea life.
This one has more awful cowboy-speak than I've seen in many Western comic books. Cheyenne Charlie is a happy cowboy, enjoying life until a doctor tells him that he has six months to live if he stays in dry Wyoming. When Charlie learns that seals travel in herds and are valuable to circuses and aquariums, he decides to open a sea-ranch. Wearing the same gear he used to wear as a cowboy. I'm not sure how he stays on his surfboard with those boots.
Black Jack gets involved, as a seal rustler! Once again, Black Jack has Aquaman caught, but doesn't kill him, just puts him in a motor boat and expects him to die from the crash. Villains in the Golden Age never figured out that a bullet was better than rich revenge.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rounds up Charlie's scattered seals for him. A bunch of sea-horses chew through the ropes Aquaman is bound in. And octopus threatens Black Jack and his crew as Aquaman takes them underwater, and a sawfish destroys Black Jack's rifle. Aquaman ties up the bad guys with eels.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Black Jack throws a grenade at Aquaman, and he's too close when it goes off and is knocked out by the blast.
Quotefile: Black Jack, on his devious plan to get rid of Aquaman, "Look at that Bronc, bucking like mad! But Aquaman is staying on... till he crashes full speed into that coral reef! It'll smash him to bits!"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
When Cheyenne Charlie has to leave his beloved Wyoming for moister climes, he takes up ranching sea life.
This one has more awful cowboy-speak than I've seen in many Western comic books. Cheyenne Charlie is a happy cowboy, enjoying life until a doctor tells him that he has six months to live if he stays in dry Wyoming. When Charlie learns that seals travel in herds and are valuable to circuses and aquariums, he decides to open a sea-ranch. Wearing the same gear he used to wear as a cowboy. I'm not sure how he stays on his surfboard with those boots.
Black Jack gets involved, as a seal rustler! Once again, Black Jack has Aquaman caught, but doesn't kill him, just puts him in a motor boat and expects him to die from the crash. Villains in the Golden Age never figured out that a bullet was better than rich revenge.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rounds up Charlie's scattered seals for him. A bunch of sea-horses chew through the ropes Aquaman is bound in. And octopus threatens Black Jack and his crew as Aquaman takes them underwater, and a sawfish destroys Black Jack's rifle. Aquaman ties up the bad guys with eels.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Black Jack throws a grenade at Aquaman, and he's too close when it goes off and is knocked out by the blast.
Quotefile: Black Jack, on his devious plan to get rid of Aquaman, "Look at that Bronc, bucking like mad! But Aquaman is staying on... till he crashes full speed into that coral reef! It'll smash him to bits!"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Ripples Through Time - 079
I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order. After I read each story I will post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.
Adventure #146 (November 1949) - Aquaman Loses His Powers!
Aquaman is stung by a strange deep sea creature and loses all strength in his muscles for a week.
Imaginary pitch for this story: "Hrm, we made Aquaman unable to touch water, and then we made all his finny friends attack him, then we made it so he couldn't breathe air... what do we do now? I know, let's make it so he can't swim!"
Lots of fun in this one. First off, the ship Aquaman helps is carrying a covered load marked "Top Secret U.S. Government, which falls overboard and sinks in a storm. Aquaman is called to salvage the lost cargo and does so... and we never get the slightest hint of what is in the package.
The cargo sinks to four miles deep, and Aquaman meets the rainbow stingray there, which gives him an electric shock that weakens his muscles. As in previous stories, the news that Aquaman is out of commission gets around entirely too quickly and Black Jack goes on the attack. His first target is a Sea Extraction Plant that pulls salt, iodine and kelp from the sea, but also extracts gold, silver and platinum. You can guess what Black Jack was after. Next, Black Jack attacks a bathysphere with men taking valuable deep-sea pictures. I admit, I can't quite figure that one out.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman gets two large fish that look a bit like killer whales to take the sunken item to the surface. Then he goes to examine the strange deep sea creature and is stung. After he learns of Black Jack's attacks, a dolphin and swordfish escort him to the area. The swordfish rips up the boat of the thugs, while electric eels make them drop their loot. Other fish return the loot. When Aquaman decides to convince Black Jack that he's back in action, he has two transparent fish push him to the scene of BJ's latest crime spree, then has an octopus create a smoke screen so BJ won't see another fish give Aquaman a push to go with his punch. Then a hammerhead shark attacks at the same moment as Aquaman and with enough speed to fool the criminals.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is zapped by the deep sea creature and has to be pulled aboard the ship he just helped out.
Quotefile: Aquaman, "By Neptune's beard! I never ran across that deep-sea type before. It gives off rainbow colors! I must examine it and... ugg! Worse than any electric eel!"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Aquaman is stung by a strange deep sea creature and loses all strength in his muscles for a week.
Imaginary pitch for this story: "Hrm, we made Aquaman unable to touch water, and then we made all his finny friends attack him, then we made it so he couldn't breathe air... what do we do now? I know, let's make it so he can't swim!"
Lots of fun in this one. First off, the ship Aquaman helps is carrying a covered load marked "Top Secret U.S. Government, which falls overboard and sinks in a storm. Aquaman is called to salvage the lost cargo and does so... and we never get the slightest hint of what is in the package.
The cargo sinks to four miles deep, and Aquaman meets the rainbow stingray there, which gives him an electric shock that weakens his muscles. As in previous stories, the news that Aquaman is out of commission gets around entirely too quickly and Black Jack goes on the attack. His first target is a Sea Extraction Plant that pulls salt, iodine and kelp from the sea, but also extracts gold, silver and platinum. You can guess what Black Jack was after. Next, Black Jack attacks a bathysphere with men taking valuable deep-sea pictures. I admit, I can't quite figure that one out.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman gets two large fish that look a bit like killer whales to take the sunken item to the surface. Then he goes to examine the strange deep sea creature and is stung. After he learns of Black Jack's attacks, a dolphin and swordfish escort him to the area. The swordfish rips up the boat of the thugs, while electric eels make them drop their loot. Other fish return the loot. When Aquaman decides to convince Black Jack that he's back in action, he has two transparent fish push him to the scene of BJ's latest crime spree, then has an octopus create a smoke screen so BJ won't see another fish give Aquaman a push to go with his punch. Then a hammerhead shark attacks at the same moment as Aquaman and with enough speed to fool the criminals.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is zapped by the deep sea creature and has to be pulled aboard the ship he just helped out.
Quotefile: Aquaman, "By Neptune's beard! I never ran across that deep-sea type before. It gives off rainbow colors! I must examine it and... ugg! Worse than any electric eel!"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Ripples Through Time - 076
I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order. After I read each story I will post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.
Adventure #143 (August 1949) - The Second Robinson Crusoe!
Phineas Pike is stranded while out testing his new boat, but his deserted island turns out to be a hideout for Black Jack.
Strange splash page... it shows Robinson Crusoe stunned as he finds the footprint, but Black Jack is behind a rock aiming a gun at him while Aquaman leaps at Black Jack from above (not from the water). To finish off the level of surreal, the Sea Sleuth is watching the whole thing from a handy spot on a cliff. Crusoe himself never actually appears in the story, as Phineas takes that role.
Finny Friends Report: Phineas uses the beak of a dead swordfish as a saw, gets a turtle to haul logs for him, and somehow gets seals to assist in building a log cabin. He takes a shower by standing in a spot that a bull-whale like to "blow off steam" at. Aquaman has fish crowd around Black Jack's boat to stop it from moving, but is foiled when Black Jack's crew pours tar on him. Sharks chase off his fish. Later, on the island, he throws fish at Black Jack and his crew to attract sea gulls, then throws sea gull eggs at the crew. He has a walrus and giant sea turtle sit in Black Jack's rowboat to prevent escape.
Captured/Knocked Out report: None in this story, unless you count Phineas crashing his boat and saying "Glub!" a couple of times.
Quotefile: Opening text box, summing up the entire story, "Who can forget the thrilling saga of Robinson Crusoe, stranded on a deserted island, valiantly battling against all odds to survive? But his feat is now duplicated by none other than the Sea Sleuth, Mastermind of the Marine, Sherlock Holmes of the Sea! And as a crowning touch, he aids Aquaman, King of the Waves, in foiling notorious Black Jack! All this and more results when the Sea Sleuth becomes... The Second Robinson Crusoe!"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Phineas Pike is stranded while out testing his new boat, but his deserted island turns out to be a hideout for Black Jack.
Strange splash page... it shows Robinson Crusoe stunned as he finds the footprint, but Black Jack is behind a rock aiming a gun at him while Aquaman leaps at Black Jack from above (not from the water). To finish off the level of surreal, the Sea Sleuth is watching the whole thing from a handy spot on a cliff. Crusoe himself never actually appears in the story, as Phineas takes that role.
Finny Friends Report: Phineas uses the beak of a dead swordfish as a saw, gets a turtle to haul logs for him, and somehow gets seals to assist in building a log cabin. He takes a shower by standing in a spot that a bull-whale like to "blow off steam" at. Aquaman has fish crowd around Black Jack's boat to stop it from moving, but is foiled when Black Jack's crew pours tar on him. Sharks chase off his fish. Later, on the island, he throws fish at Black Jack and his crew to attract sea gulls, then throws sea gull eggs at the crew. He has a walrus and giant sea turtle sit in Black Jack's rowboat to prevent escape.
Captured/Knocked Out report: None in this story, unless you count Phineas crashing his boat and saying "Glub!" a couple of times.
Quotefile: Opening text box, summing up the entire story, "Who can forget the thrilling saga of Robinson Crusoe, stranded on a deserted island, valiantly battling against all odds to survive? But his feat is now duplicated by none other than the Sea Sleuth, Mastermind of the Marine, Sherlock Holmes of the Sea! And as a crowning touch, he aids Aquaman, King of the Waves, in foiling notorious Black Jack! All this and more results when the Sea Sleuth becomes... The Second Robinson Crusoe!"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time, Sea Sleuth
Monday, February 05, 2007
Ripples Through Time - 074
I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.
Adventure #141 (June 1949) - Return of the Sea Sleuth!
Aquaman starts to teach Phineas Pike how to swim when he notices a stray fishing boat and goes to warn them, only to fall into a trap.
The opening splash page has nothing to do with the rest of the story, except that it shows all three principal characters. Aquaman is tied up and being guarded by two thugs, while Black Jack stalks Phineas Pike, who is studying footprints in sand.
Nice bit of wordplay between Aquaman and Phineas at the start of the story, as Aquaman comments on Phineas' sign ("Sleuth of the Sea/Marine Mastermind/Wizard of the Waves/Phineas Pike/Cases Solved--/Cheap") then tells Phineas he's going to learn how to swim. Aquaman starts to teach him to swim, and says, "Elementary, isn't it, my dear Phineas?" Apparently not, as Phineas still is unable to swim at the end of the tale.
Aquaman follows Black Jack and the phony Aquaman to a water carnival, where Aquaman (the double) is presented with a small box of pearls in honor of the work he does for all seafaring folk. The double was to bring the pearls back to Black Jack, but he's interrupted by the real Aquaman. Phineas figures out that Black Jack wouldn't bother with a disguise for his ship at the water carnival, since a pirate ship would only be expected at a carnival like that.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman sends a fish to find Phineas, as his sea friends apparently can't open the box he's in. Phineas rides his giant sea turtle, which he calls "Myrtle" in this tale, out to Aquaman's location. Aquaman rides a dolphin as he follows Black Jack's trail. Aquaman puts a lobster in the pearl box which pinches Black Jack when he opens it.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is captured in a fishing net when he goes to warn the stray boat that the fishing in the local waters is very poor. Black Jack shows Aquaman his double, then locks him in a steel fish-proof box, which he dumps into Black Bay.
Quotefile: Phineas, looking at a fish that just bit him, "But this is a corealis porcel, native only to Black Bay! Why did it come here, to strange waters? It must have been sent! Deduction -- Aquaman sent it!"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Aquaman starts to teach Phineas Pike how to swim when he notices a stray fishing boat and goes to warn them, only to fall into a trap.
The opening splash page has nothing to do with the rest of the story, except that it shows all three principal characters. Aquaman is tied up and being guarded by two thugs, while Black Jack stalks Phineas Pike, who is studying footprints in sand.
Nice bit of wordplay between Aquaman and Phineas at the start of the story, as Aquaman comments on Phineas' sign ("Sleuth of the Sea/Marine Mastermind/Wizard of the Waves/Phineas Pike/Cases Solved--/Cheap") then tells Phineas he's going to learn how to swim. Aquaman starts to teach him to swim, and says, "Elementary, isn't it, my dear Phineas?" Apparently not, as Phineas still is unable to swim at the end of the tale.
Aquaman follows Black Jack and the phony Aquaman to a water carnival, where Aquaman (the double) is presented with a small box of pearls in honor of the work he does for all seafaring folk. The double was to bring the pearls back to Black Jack, but he's interrupted by the real Aquaman. Phineas figures out that Black Jack wouldn't bother with a disguise for his ship at the water carnival, since a pirate ship would only be expected at a carnival like that.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman sends a fish to find Phineas, as his sea friends apparently can't open the box he's in. Phineas rides his giant sea turtle, which he calls "Myrtle" in this tale, out to Aquaman's location. Aquaman rides a dolphin as he follows Black Jack's trail. Aquaman puts a lobster in the pearl box which pinches Black Jack when he opens it.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is captured in a fishing net when he goes to warn the stray boat that the fishing in the local waters is very poor. Black Jack shows Aquaman his double, then locks him in a steel fish-proof box, which he dumps into Black Bay.
Quotefile: Phineas, looking at a fish that just bit him, "But this is a corealis porcel, native only to Black Bay! Why did it come here, to strange waters? It must have been sent! Deduction -- Aquaman sent it!"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time, Sea Sleuth
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Ripples Through Time - 071
I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.
Adventure #138 (March 1949) - Marooned in the Deep!
Aquaman is unable to breathe open air for a week after a dive six miles down into the Great Deep, and Black Jack gleefully takes advantage of the situation.
Aquaman's condition is leaked to the press very quickly, as in previous stories. Apparently there is no sense of doctor/patient confidentiality, or the paparazzi in the Golden Age DCU are particularly nasty and effective. They GA DCU paparazzi might well be paid a lot by the underworld to report on superheroes' conditions... anything that might give the bad guys an advantage.
Black Jack's ship has an electrified smoke-screen, to throw off radar as well as visual contact.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman starts the story assisting a fish who is trapped in the Great Deep, six miles under water. When he learns that Black Jack is raiding the Gold Coast, he has dolphin steeds take him to the area. Because he can't surface, he has a swordfish poke a hole in Black Jack's rowboat. An octopus grabs the thugs, but Black Jack fights it off and escapes. Aquaman uses a swordfish and turtle in a sword fight with Black Jack and his thugs.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is knocked unconscious by the pressure at six miles down, and is put in a pressure tank when he's found to prevent him from getting the bends. He wakes in the pressure tank.
Quotefile: Aquaman, walking through a polluted city at the end of the story, "Oh boy! Is it great to breathe in air again -- or is it? Cough... Choke!"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Aquaman is unable to breathe open air for a week after a dive six miles down into the Great Deep, and Black Jack gleefully takes advantage of the situation.
Aquaman's condition is leaked to the press very quickly, as in previous stories. Apparently there is no sense of doctor/patient confidentiality, or the paparazzi in the Golden Age DCU are particularly nasty and effective. They GA DCU paparazzi might well be paid a lot by the underworld to report on superheroes' conditions... anything that might give the bad guys an advantage.
Black Jack's ship has an electrified smoke-screen, to throw off radar as well as visual contact.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman starts the story assisting a fish who is trapped in the Great Deep, six miles under water. When he learns that Black Jack is raiding the Gold Coast, he has dolphin steeds take him to the area. Because he can't surface, he has a swordfish poke a hole in Black Jack's rowboat. An octopus grabs the thugs, but Black Jack fights it off and escapes. Aquaman uses a swordfish and turtle in a sword fight with Black Jack and his thugs.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is knocked unconscious by the pressure at six miles down, and is put in a pressure tank when he's found to prevent him from getting the bends. He wakes in the pressure tank.
Quotefile: Aquaman, walking through a polluted city at the end of the story, "Oh boy! Is it great to breathe in air again -- or is it? Cough... Choke!"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Ripples Through Time - 070
I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.
Adventure #137 (February 1949) - The Undersea Lost World!
Aquaman is commissioned by the United Nations Marine Bureau to help Professor Peabody find valuable mineral deposits on the ocean floor.
Great splash image of Aquaman shoving a rock down the throat of a prehistoric-snake-thing that has Prof Peabody wrapped in its coils, with the UN flag in the background! Very exciting.
Aquaman and Peabody are considered explorers and compare themselves to Amundsen, Perry, and Byrd. Aquaman gets a ticker-tape parade and a medal for his efforts.
Peabody's pressure suit contains a supply of liquid oxygen, and allows him to stay down for days. That's some pressure suit! It's clearly got some level of robotics, or Peabody wouldn't be able to move at all. But there's no worries about the bends... Aquaman drags Peabody up from the ocean floor to an island to fix the suit very rapidly, as the oxygen to Peabody had been cut off. This story requires a little extra suspension of disbelief.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman gets some porpoises to pull a giant shell chariot that he and Peabody ride in. Aquaman attempts to stop the prehistoric monster from attacking, but says, "No use, this species doesn't know me! I'm not King of the Sea here!" Aquaman gets a sawfish to free him from the giant clam that Black Jack puts him in, and then the fish fights off monsters while Aquaman escapes to the surface. A large seal deals with Black Jack's crew while Aquaman beats up Black Jack.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Peabody is knocked out by Black Jack while working on his diving suit, then Aquaman is knocked out by Black Jack (in the diving suit) while claiming the copper bed for the UN.
Quotefile: Peabody, "Ever been here before, Aquaman?" Aquaman, "I doubt it! The ocean is three times the land area! It would take me ten lifetimes to see all of it!"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Aquaman is commissioned by the United Nations Marine Bureau to help Professor Peabody find valuable mineral deposits on the ocean floor.
Great splash image of Aquaman shoving a rock down the throat of a prehistoric-snake-thing that has Prof Peabody wrapped in its coils, with the UN flag in the background! Very exciting.
Aquaman and Peabody are considered explorers and compare themselves to Amundsen, Perry, and Byrd. Aquaman gets a ticker-tape parade and a medal for his efforts.
Peabody's pressure suit contains a supply of liquid oxygen, and allows him to stay down for days. That's some pressure suit! It's clearly got some level of robotics, or Peabody wouldn't be able to move at all. But there's no worries about the bends... Aquaman drags Peabody up from the ocean floor to an island to fix the suit very rapidly, as the oxygen to Peabody had been cut off. This story requires a little extra suspension of disbelief.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman gets some porpoises to pull a giant shell chariot that he and Peabody ride in. Aquaman attempts to stop the prehistoric monster from attacking, but says, "No use, this species doesn't know me! I'm not King of the Sea here!" Aquaman gets a sawfish to free him from the giant clam that Black Jack puts him in, and then the fish fights off monsters while Aquaman escapes to the surface. A large seal deals with Black Jack's crew while Aquaman beats up Black Jack.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Peabody is knocked out by Black Jack while working on his diving suit, then Aquaman is knocked out by Black Jack (in the diving suit) while claiming the copper bed for the UN.
Quotefile: Peabody, "Ever been here before, Aquaman?" Aquaman, "I doubt it! The ocean is three times the land area! It would take me ten lifetimes to see all of it!"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time
Friday, January 26, 2007
Ripples Through Time - 067
I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.
Adventure #134 (November 1948) - Exiled from the Sea!
Aquaman is attacked by all his marine friends after putting out a chemical fire, and is exiled from the ocean for 30 days.
Lots of newspapers in this one, all with headlines that shouldn't be announced to the world when Black Jack is about. The Bulletin says, "Aquaman Exiled From The Sea!" and The Trumpet says, "King of the Sea to Be Landlubber for 30 Days!" and The Star says "Monarch of the Waves "Grounded"!" No surprise that a later headline is "Black Jack Plunders Seven Seas, Unguarded by Aquaman!" Apparently, there weren't any medical privacy laws in 1948, much to the dismay of Black Jack's victims.
Chemical names on the barrels near Aquaman during the fire: Propylene, Ethyl Carbolate, Hexene Dichloride, Methylate, and Carnotite. No, I really don't know what they are, or why they'd all be on one ship next to one another.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman gets seals to help him put out the fire by forming a bucket brigade. When Aquaman enters the water, he's attacked by an octopus, giant turtle, sharks, dolphin, sworfish, and whales. When Black Jack knocks him into the ocean, Aquaman is chased out by sharks. At the end of the tale, we see Aquaman hanging out with all the fishy friends who attacked him except the sharks.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman has to be rescued by a passing ship after he first is attacked. After Black Jack knocks him into the water, he is forced to outswim the sharks.
Quotefile: Doctor, "I'm afraid it will take 30 days for a new growth of skin to replace your stained skin! There is no way of removing those chemicals from your skin!" Aquaman, "You mean--?" Doctor, "Yes, Aquaman! Stay out of the sea for 30 days!"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Aquaman is attacked by all his marine friends after putting out a chemical fire, and is exiled from the ocean for 30 days.
Lots of newspapers in this one, all with headlines that shouldn't be announced to the world when Black Jack is about. The Bulletin says, "Aquaman Exiled From The Sea!" and The Trumpet says, "King of the Sea to Be Landlubber for 30 Days!" and The Star says "Monarch of the Waves "Grounded"!" No surprise that a later headline is "Black Jack Plunders Seven Seas, Unguarded by Aquaman!" Apparently, there weren't any medical privacy laws in 1948, much to the dismay of Black Jack's victims.
Chemical names on the barrels near Aquaman during the fire: Propylene, Ethyl Carbolate, Hexene Dichloride, Methylate, and Carnotite. No, I really don't know what they are, or why they'd all be on one ship next to one another.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman gets seals to help him put out the fire by forming a bucket brigade. When Aquaman enters the water, he's attacked by an octopus, giant turtle, sharks, dolphin, sworfish, and whales. When Black Jack knocks him into the ocean, Aquaman is chased out by sharks. At the end of the tale, we see Aquaman hanging out with all the fishy friends who attacked him except the sharks.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman has to be rescued by a passing ship after he first is attacked. After Black Jack knocks him into the water, he is forced to outswim the sharks.
Quotefile: Doctor, "I'm afraid it will take 30 days for a new growth of skin to replace your stained skin! There is no way of removing those chemicals from your skin!" Aquaman, "You mean--?" Doctor, "Yes, Aquaman! Stay out of the sea for 30 days!"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Ripples Through Time - 060
I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.
Adventure #127 (April 1948) - A Fish Out of Water!
As Aquaman is fighting Black Jack, a depth charge goes off too near and Aquaman loses his memory.
Depth charges make a sound like "WHROOM!" ... Aquaman's suit was nearly shredded, and Black Jack's crew spot a piece of it and think they've finally killed Aquaman... The lighthouse keeper, Henry, apparently didn't know Aquaman because there was enough suit left to identify him as Aquaman, but he leaves the lighthouse without any clue to his true identity... Without any memory, Aquaman still walks directly to the docks as he wanders, leading him to conclude that "I seem to like water!" ... Without even thinking about it, Aquaman makes a very Aquaman-like rescue of some sailors from a burning ship... Despite the rescue, no one seems to realize he is Aquaman, except Black Jack... Black Jack immediately hires "Seven Seas Saunders" to work as a mess boy, which gives his crew endless amusement... We get to see Aquaman in a chef's hat.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides up to Black Jack's latest venture on a whale, but tells the whale to turn back once Black Jack starts attacking with depth charges. Once he's regained his memory, Aquaman has swordfish dismantle the hull of Black Jack's ship, then has whales capture Black Jack and his crew to turn over to authorities.
Captured/Knocked Out report: A depth charge knocks Aquaman for a loop and gives him amnesia. Later, as an inexperienced cook, the lid of a pressure cooker hits Aquaman in the head and he regains his memories.
Quotefile: Aquaman, as Seven Seas Saunders the mess boy, "Aquaman! That's a familiar name! Wonder who he is?"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
As Aquaman is fighting Black Jack, a depth charge goes off too near and Aquaman loses his memory.
Depth charges make a sound like "WHROOM!" ... Aquaman's suit was nearly shredded, and Black Jack's crew spot a piece of it and think they've finally killed Aquaman... The lighthouse keeper, Henry, apparently didn't know Aquaman because there was enough suit left to identify him as Aquaman, but he leaves the lighthouse without any clue to his true identity... Without any memory, Aquaman still walks directly to the docks as he wanders, leading him to conclude that "I seem to like water!" ... Without even thinking about it, Aquaman makes a very Aquaman-like rescue of some sailors from a burning ship... Despite the rescue, no one seems to realize he is Aquaman, except Black Jack... Black Jack immediately hires "Seven Seas Saunders" to work as a mess boy, which gives his crew endless amusement... We get to see Aquaman in a chef's hat.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides up to Black Jack's latest venture on a whale, but tells the whale to turn back once Black Jack starts attacking with depth charges. Once he's regained his memory, Aquaman has swordfish dismantle the hull of Black Jack's ship, then has whales capture Black Jack and his crew to turn over to authorities.
Captured/Knocked Out report: A depth charge knocks Aquaman for a loop and gives him amnesia. Later, as an inexperienced cook, the lid of a pressure cooker hits Aquaman in the head and he regains his memories.
Quotefile: Aquaman, as Seven Seas Saunders the mess boy, "Aquaman! That's a familiar name! Wonder who he is?"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Ripples Through Time - 058
I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.
Adventure #125 (February 1948) - D-Day in Davy Jones' Locker!
Professor Saybrook is attempting to set a world record for deep sea exploration, but Black Jack intends to use Saybrook's equipment to trap Aquaman.
Very straightforward plotline. Black Jack takes over Saybrook's expedition, sends out a false distress signal, then waits for Aquaman to come. Once Aquaman arrives, the battle begins.
Finny Friends Report: A deep sea turtle saves Aquaman from the initial harpoon attack. He then rides the turtle to counter-attack. A saw-fish frees Aquaman from the net. Then an octopus creates a smoke screen when Aquaman is blinded. The octopus then throws boulders at the "pill boxes", leading to Black Jack's men retreating back into the bathysphere. Aquaman uses a ray as a parachute to reach the top of the bathysphere where he ties a rope on, which is taken by a whale who drags the bathysphere to the surface.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is briefly trapped in a barbed wire net.
The bathysphere goes down without a line. Exactly how are Black Jack and his crew able to keep breathing? Black Jack's crew get pounded, the suits they are wearing (that Black Jack claims to have invented) must be really strong, both to resist the pressure and the pounding Aquaman gives them. The whole fight is likened to a war, with Aquaman and his sea friends as the allies. Aquaman drags the bathysphere up very quickly... considering that they were so deep that the pressure was too much for any diver except Aquaman to attempt, they really ought to be suffering from the bends. But then, they already should have suffocated, so the bends would be the least of their worries.
Quotefile: Black Jack, "If it wasn't for Aquaman, I'd be king of the seven seas! But the day has come when he'll interfere with my plans no more! He'll never escape this trap!"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Professor Saybrook is attempting to set a world record for deep sea exploration, but Black Jack intends to use Saybrook's equipment to trap Aquaman.
Very straightforward plotline. Black Jack takes over Saybrook's expedition, sends out a false distress signal, then waits for Aquaman to come. Once Aquaman arrives, the battle begins.
Finny Friends Report: A deep sea turtle saves Aquaman from the initial harpoon attack. He then rides the turtle to counter-attack. A saw-fish frees Aquaman from the net. Then an octopus creates a smoke screen when Aquaman is blinded. The octopus then throws boulders at the "pill boxes", leading to Black Jack's men retreating back into the bathysphere. Aquaman uses a ray as a parachute to reach the top of the bathysphere where he ties a rope on, which is taken by a whale who drags the bathysphere to the surface.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is briefly trapped in a barbed wire net.
The bathysphere goes down without a line. Exactly how are Black Jack and his crew able to keep breathing? Black Jack's crew get pounded, the suits they are wearing (that Black Jack claims to have invented) must be really strong, both to resist the pressure and the pounding Aquaman gives them. The whole fight is likened to a war, with Aquaman and his sea friends as the allies. Aquaman drags the bathysphere up very quickly... considering that they were so deep that the pressure was too much for any diver except Aquaman to attempt, they really ought to be suffering from the bends. But then, they already should have suffocated, so the bends would be the least of their worries.
Quotefile: Black Jack, "If it wasn't for Aquaman, I'd be king of the seven seas! But the day has come when he'll interfere with my plans no more! He'll never escape this trap!"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time
Friday, January 05, 2007
Ripples Through Time - 049
I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.
Adventure #115 (April 1947) - The Phantom Fleet!
A society is holding a pageant in remembrance of the battle between the Monitor and the Merrimac, but Black Jack has plans of his own involving the replica ships.
I love when we get history lessons in Golden Age stories. This one covers the Battle of Hampton Roads. The whole story isn't in there, of course, and reading an article on the subject clears up some of the tale if you aren't familiar with it.
This is a fairly straightforward tale... there's a recreation of the battle happening, only Black Jack has put his thugs on the replica ships. They plan to use the ironclads to rob the various yachts watching the show. To keep the rich folks from fleeing too early, they go ahead with the pageant, but then start using real cannonballs. Luckily, Aquaman is in the area. He rescues a girl who accidentally got involved, then scares Black Jack's crews with a ghost ship. Lots of fun.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman has fish call for help when he's tied to a loaded cannon and ditched in the water. The fish bring back a swordfish who frees him. Then he sends the swordfish to get a couple of whales, who help him lift the U.S.S. Cumberland to make the illusion of a ghost ship.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is hit on the back of the head by one of Black Jack's thugs with a ramrod.
Quotefile: Doris, to Black Jack, "You fiend!" Ok, it made me giggle.
Have you read this story? What do you think?
A society is holding a pageant in remembrance of the battle between the Monitor and the Merrimac, but Black Jack has plans of his own involving the replica ships.
I love when we get history lessons in Golden Age stories. This one covers the Battle of Hampton Roads. The whole story isn't in there, of course, and reading an article on the subject clears up some of the tale if you aren't familiar with it.
This is a fairly straightforward tale... there's a recreation of the battle happening, only Black Jack has put his thugs on the replica ships. They plan to use the ironclads to rob the various yachts watching the show. To keep the rich folks from fleeing too early, they go ahead with the pageant, but then start using real cannonballs. Luckily, Aquaman is in the area. He rescues a girl who accidentally got involved, then scares Black Jack's crews with a ghost ship. Lots of fun.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman has fish call for help when he's tied to a loaded cannon and ditched in the water. The fish bring back a swordfish who frees him. Then he sends the swordfish to get a couple of whales, who help him lift the U.S.S. Cumberland to make the illusion of a ghost ship.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is hit on the back of the head by one of Black Jack's thugs with a ramrod.
Quotefile: Doris, to Black Jack, "You fiend!" Ok, it made me giggle.
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Ripples Through Time - 048
I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.
Adventure #114 (March 1947) - Skyscraper Aquarium!
Aquaman is helping a twelve story Aquarium raise funds, but Black Jack plans to use the opportunity to deal with Aquaman once and for all.
The new Aquarium is twelve stories high and "built of solid glass". Lots of problems with this, from the weight of the water in the aquarium to the effect of sunlight on the sea creatures in the building. And they make a point of saying that the animals are "deep sea creatures" that would be most likely hurt by light.
The next amusing problem is that Aquaman (and the staff of the Aquarium) checked the tanks to make sure none of the fish were missing, but none of them noticed that the octopus was a robot, the jelly fish an electric trap, and that the "Killer Shark" was actually a guy named Spike with a rifle.
Yes... this is the story with the single best ever panel in Aquaman history.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman doesn't actually get help from the fish in this story, but he spends a few panels describing them to interested crowds.
Captured/Knocked Out report: He's slowed down, but never captured or knocked out.
Quotefile: Guards, "But I tell you, Aquaman, we were attacked last night!" Aquaman, "Hmm.. But none of my fish friends are missing! We've checked every tank..."
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Aquaman is helping a twelve story Aquarium raise funds, but Black Jack plans to use the opportunity to deal with Aquaman once and for all.
The new Aquarium is twelve stories high and "built of solid glass". Lots of problems with this, from the weight of the water in the aquarium to the effect of sunlight on the sea creatures in the building. And they make a point of saying that the animals are "deep sea creatures" that would be most likely hurt by light.
The next amusing problem is that Aquaman (and the staff of the Aquarium) checked the tanks to make sure none of the fish were missing, but none of them noticed that the octopus was a robot, the jelly fish an electric trap, and that the "Killer Shark" was actually a guy named Spike with a rifle.
Yes... this is the story with the single best ever panel in Aquaman history.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman doesn't actually get help from the fish in this story, but he spends a few panels describing them to interested crowds.
Captured/Knocked Out report: He's slowed down, but never captured or knocked out.
Quotefile: Guards, "But I tell you, Aquaman, we were attacked last night!" Aquaman, "Hmm.. But none of my fish friends are missing! We've checked every tank..."
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Ripples Through Time - 046
I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.
Adventure #112 (January 1947) - The Television Thieves!
Black Jack pirates a load of gold from a ship entering a new port, but doesn't realize his crimes are being televised live.
Strange coloring on the splash page, as Aquaman's shirt is green. Perhaps those early DC color TVs weren't so faithful at reproducing reality.
The entire heist is captured by cameramen on a plane above the new port, and they follow Black Jack. Aquaman is at a home for retired sailors (who all have pipes and similar hats) and sees the action on their big screen TV. And no, I'm not kidding. It's a big screen.
At the end of the story Aquaman has to convince the audience that the whole thing was done on a stage. Neat trick, that! But those unsophisticated Golden Age TV viewers were fooled anyway. Apparently DCU Golden Age TV special effects were fantastic.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman asks a fish where Black Jack and his gang went. Aquaman has fish untie him after he escapes from Black Jack's thugs.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is knocked out by a wrench dropped by the cameraman from the plane.
Quotefile: Old sailor watching the TV, "Shades of Davy Jones! If it ain't Black Jack! That television can pick up anything!"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Black Jack pirates a load of gold from a ship entering a new port, but doesn't realize his crimes are being televised live.
Strange coloring on the splash page, as Aquaman's shirt is green. Perhaps those early DC color TVs weren't so faithful at reproducing reality.
The entire heist is captured by cameramen on a plane above the new port, and they follow Black Jack. Aquaman is at a home for retired sailors (who all have pipes and similar hats) and sees the action on their big screen TV. And no, I'm not kidding. It's a big screen.
At the end of the story Aquaman has to convince the audience that the whole thing was done on a stage. Neat trick, that! But those unsophisticated Golden Age TV viewers were fooled anyway. Apparently DCU Golden Age TV special effects were fantastic.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman asks a fish where Black Jack and his gang went. Aquaman has fish untie him after he escapes from Black Jack's thugs.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is knocked out by a wrench dropped by the cameraman from the plane.
Quotefile: Old sailor watching the TV, "Shades of Davy Jones! If it ain't Black Jack! That television can pick up anything!"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time
Friday, December 15, 2006
Ripples Through Time - 041
I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.
Adventure #107 (August 1946) - 'Ware Water!
Because of the uranium he was exposed to in his last case, Aquaman cannot touch water for 48 hours, and Black Jack decides to take advantage of the situation.
The story starts out with a doctor refusing to treat a gunshot wound because the patient refuses to allow the doctor to report the wound to the police. As the doctor is escorting the man to the door, Aquaman enters. The gunshot victim listens in to the case (no medical privacy here!) and learns that Aquaman can't touch water for forty-eight hours. He immediately goes to Black Jack with the information (still clutching his arm where he was shot). That's the last we see of gunshot wound guy.
Aquaman has to avoid water, so Black Jack floods a factory in order to steal the payroll. Aquaman has to save the workers and avoid being shot by Black Jack without touching the water. He doesn't catch Black Jack, though. And so Black Jack sets a trap for him on a yacht. Aquaman manages to win, then takes off for a desert for the remainder of the time he needs to avoid water.
I think this story pretty much establishes beyond any doubt that the Golden Age Aquaman had no one-hour limit.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman isn't in the water, so no fish can help him.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Nope, not in this tale.
Quotefile: Sign in final panel, "Sandy Desert No rainfall in ten years! Absolutely no water in fifteen miles!"
Bonus: I found a 60-year-old typo: Aquaman says, "I can't follow him. And even if I could, it's getting to dark to find him."
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Because of the uranium he was exposed to in his last case, Aquaman cannot touch water for 48 hours, and Black Jack decides to take advantage of the situation.
The story starts out with a doctor refusing to treat a gunshot wound because the patient refuses to allow the doctor to report the wound to the police. As the doctor is escorting the man to the door, Aquaman enters. The gunshot victim listens in to the case (no medical privacy here!) and learns that Aquaman can't touch water for forty-eight hours. He immediately goes to Black Jack with the information (still clutching his arm where he was shot). That's the last we see of gunshot wound guy.
Aquaman has to avoid water, so Black Jack floods a factory in order to steal the payroll. Aquaman has to save the workers and avoid being shot by Black Jack without touching the water. He doesn't catch Black Jack, though. And so Black Jack sets a trap for him on a yacht. Aquaman manages to win, then takes off for a desert for the remainder of the time he needs to avoid water.
I think this story pretty much establishes beyond any doubt that the Golden Age Aquaman had no one-hour limit.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman isn't in the water, so no fish can help him.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Nope, not in this tale.
Quotefile: Sign in final panel, "Sandy Desert No rainfall in ten years! Absolutely no water in fifteen miles!"
Bonus: I found a 60-year-old typo: Aquaman says, "I can't follow him. And even if I could, it's getting to dark to find him."
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Ripples Through Time - 018
I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.
More Fun #89 (March 1943) - The Streamlined Buccaneers!
Black Jack has gone truly modern, with tommy guns instead of cutlasses and a new-fangled ship with all the latest piratical innovations.
At the beginning of the story, Black Jack and his pirates abandon the old Jolly Roger to go to their new ship, the Jolly Roger II. JRII has a gasoline engine, smoke bombs, and can fly... A new named sea friend is introduced, Slippery the Eel... Ark the Sea Lion, Slippery the Eel - you could make your own set of beanie babies or pokemon out of Aquaman's finny friends... Black Jack tries to drown Aquaman by using a chemical that removes oxygen from water, but Aquaman tricks him into turning on a current, which according to Aquaman produces oxygen from the water by electrolysis... At the end of the story, the Navy finds the original Jolly Roger and uses it to transport Black Jack and his crew to prison.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman plays tag with a bunch of fish early in the story. Ark the Sea Lion reports the sinking of the first victim. Ark gets a group of manatees to help get the survivors to an island. Ark gets a group of "fierce giant turtles" to assist Aquaman in keeping Black Jack's ship from flying. Aquaman and Slippery the Eel get a group of whales and more eels to attack Black Jack's hideout. The whales use their water spouts to get the eels and Aquaman up into the place, and the eels tie up Black Jack's crew of thugs.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is captured by a "mechanically thrown lasso" which snags him while he's diving into the water from the flying ship.
Best Quotes: Black Jack: "Aqua-GLUB!"... unnamed pirate on drowning Aquaman: "This is gonna be fun!"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Black Jack has gone truly modern, with tommy guns instead of cutlasses and a new-fangled ship with all the latest piratical innovations.
At the beginning of the story, Black Jack and his pirates abandon the old Jolly Roger to go to their new ship, the Jolly Roger II. JRII has a gasoline engine, smoke bombs, and can fly... A new named sea friend is introduced, Slippery the Eel... Ark the Sea Lion, Slippery the Eel - you could make your own set of beanie babies or pokemon out of Aquaman's finny friends... Black Jack tries to drown Aquaman by using a chemical that removes oxygen from water, but Aquaman tricks him into turning on a current, which according to Aquaman produces oxygen from the water by electrolysis... At the end of the story, the Navy finds the original Jolly Roger and uses it to transport Black Jack and his crew to prison.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman plays tag with a bunch of fish early in the story. Ark the Sea Lion reports the sinking of the first victim. Ark gets a group of manatees to help get the survivors to an island. Ark gets a group of "fierce giant turtles" to assist Aquaman in keeping Black Jack's ship from flying. Aquaman and Slippery the Eel get a group of whales and more eels to attack Black Jack's hideout. The whales use their water spouts to get the eels and Aquaman up into the place, and the eels tie up Black Jack's crew of thugs.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is captured by a "mechanically thrown lasso" which snags him while he's diving into the water from the flying ship.
Best Quotes: Black Jack: "Aqua-GLUB!"... unnamed pirate on drowning Aquaman: "This is gonna be fun!"
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Labels: Ark, Black Jack, Ripples Through Time
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Ripples Through Time - 015
I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.
More Fun #86 (December 1942) - Race Around The World
A movie producer gets Aquaman to swim around the world in seven days, and Black Jack offers a half million dollar reward to the pirate who kills Aquaman.
On the splash page, Aquaman is walking down a street in Hollywood and is at least a full head taller than anyone else, showing off his heroic proportions... Someone named "Hedy Hepburn" asks for Aquaman's autograph... A swimming champ asks Aquaman for swimming pointers... The movie studio is named Pariversal Pix and the President's name is Mr Smith... Aquaman agrees to the challenge because the profits will go to the Navy Relief Fund... Aquaman's exact route is publicized, leading Black Jack to declare the reward... Lots of inset maps so the readers could follow along Aquaman's journey. Readers got a tiny bit of geography from this one... The Japanese are horrible stereotypes, as is common in Golden Age tales. However, they are also the only group that even comes close to killing Aquaman... The pirates at the Cape of Good Hope drop depth charges on Aquaman, and he off-handedly explains how they work to his readers... Aquaman makes a baseball reference, "No hit, one error!" the pirates miss him and he sinks them instead... The Japanese capture Aquaman, hoping to use him to sink American ships... Aquaman is stuck in a muddy channel when six Japanese bombers attack him. A single American fighter arrives and shoots down two of the bombers, rescuing Aquaman, then helps him out of the mud... Aquaman makes it in less than six days, breaking all records... When asked what he's going to do next, Aquaman says he's going home to take a bath.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman gets no help from sea life in this story.
Captured/Knocked Out report: The Japanese pirates drug the water in the Indian Ocean that Aquaman is due to swim through to capture him, but the drug wears off fast and he escapes.
Special Note: This story's script is later re-used in the Silver Age, one of two instances of re-used scripts I'm certain of in Aquaman's history. When I reach that story, I'll be sure to link back to this one.
Have you read this story? What do you think?
A movie producer gets Aquaman to swim around the world in seven days, and Black Jack offers a half million dollar reward to the pirate who kills Aquaman.
On the splash page, Aquaman is walking down a street in Hollywood and is at least a full head taller than anyone else, showing off his heroic proportions... Someone named "Hedy Hepburn" asks for Aquaman's autograph... A swimming champ asks Aquaman for swimming pointers... The movie studio is named Pariversal Pix and the President's name is Mr Smith... Aquaman agrees to the challenge because the profits will go to the Navy Relief Fund... Aquaman's exact route is publicized, leading Black Jack to declare the reward... Lots of inset maps so the readers could follow along Aquaman's journey. Readers got a tiny bit of geography from this one... The Japanese are horrible stereotypes, as is common in Golden Age tales. However, they are also the only group that even comes close to killing Aquaman... The pirates at the Cape of Good Hope drop depth charges on Aquaman, and he off-handedly explains how they work to his readers... Aquaman makes a baseball reference, "No hit, one error!" the pirates miss him and he sinks them instead... The Japanese capture Aquaman, hoping to use him to sink American ships... Aquaman is stuck in a muddy channel when six Japanese bombers attack him. A single American fighter arrives and shoots down two of the bombers, rescuing Aquaman, then helps him out of the mud... Aquaman makes it in less than six days, breaking all records... When asked what he's going to do next, Aquaman says he's going home to take a bath.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman gets no help from sea life in this story.
Captured/Knocked Out report: The Japanese pirates drug the water in the Indian Ocean that Aquaman is due to swim through to capture him, but the drug wears off fast and he escapes.
Special Note: This story's script is later re-used in the Silver Age, one of two instances of re-used scripts I'm certain of in Aquaman's history. When I reach that story, I'll be sure to link back to this one.
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time, WWII
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Ripples Through Time - 012
I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.
More Fun #83 (September 1942) - Thomas Jefferson's Treasure
Black Jack finds a chest of rare coins on the ocean floor, but needs financing to bring them up, so he enlists a hapless coin dealer.
The art has improved in this one from the previous story, probably because it isn't a story with a bunch of guys all dressed in the same prison uniform, so distinguishing the characters is possible through the use of clothing. Noppy does bear a strong resemblance to Yascom from the previous story.
Ah, the treasure of Thomas Jefferson! Ok, this one is fascinating, so try to follow me. According to Drew Carson, the coin dealer in this story, Thomas Jefferson sent almost the entire minting of 1804 silver dollars to Napoleon to pay for the Louisiana Purchase, and Napoleon melted them down to make French money, thus making the coin incredibly rare. Black Jack finds a chest full of the 1804 silver dollars, which he says was aboard a French ship which sank. This triggers the whole story. BUT that's not the truth about the 1804 silver dollars. That may have been what collectors believed in 1942, but the reality is much odder... as the 1804 silver dollar wasn't actually minted until 1834. I won't go into detail, but the full story can be found on Coinfacts.com and Wikipedia. A similar story to Drew Carson's can be found on 1804dollar.com, only in this case the coins were to pay soldiers. I find the mis-history in this tale almost as fun as the story itself.
Drew Carson has a lot of friends who care deeply for him, enough to try to help him even while he's blinded by greed... Vera, Drew's fiancee, gets a message to Aquaman because her friend Jo is the main squeeze of a Naval Officer who knows how to contact Aquaman... Vera doesn't believe the whole "throwing a bottle into the ocean" thing until she sees a lobster grab the bottle... Vera refers to it as "Sea-Mail", echoing the V-mail that readers would be familiar with... Aquaman goes in disguise as a normal sailor, but isn't able to join Carson's crew... Drew's butler, Jorrocks, attempts to get Aquaman aboard anyway because he's concerned about Black Jack and Noppy... The treasure is either in very shallow waters or very clear waters, because they can see it from the ship through a glass-bottomed box... Black Jack shatters a chain holding a diving bell with an axe... Black Jack and Noppy argue about how they are going to split the treasure, enough so that Noppy pulls a knife on Black Jack... Once again, Aquaman declines any reward, but Drew invites him to the wedding anyway.
Finny Friends Report: A green lobster brings Vera's message to Aquaman. Aquaman asks a fish to get "someone who can handle these knots" when he's trapped in the treasure chest at the bottom of the ocean.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman and Jorrocks are knocked into the water by a load of coal, the water revives Aquaman but Jorrocks has to be saved. Noppy hits Aquaman on the back of the head with the treasure chest, then traps him inside it and sinks it.
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Black Jack finds a chest of rare coins on the ocean floor, but needs financing to bring them up, so he enlists a hapless coin dealer.
The art has improved in this one from the previous story, probably because it isn't a story with a bunch of guys all dressed in the same prison uniform, so distinguishing the characters is possible through the use of clothing. Noppy does bear a strong resemblance to Yascom from the previous story.
Ah, the treasure of Thomas Jefferson! Ok, this one is fascinating, so try to follow me. According to Drew Carson, the coin dealer in this story, Thomas Jefferson sent almost the entire minting of 1804 silver dollars to Napoleon to pay for the Louisiana Purchase, and Napoleon melted them down to make French money, thus making the coin incredibly rare. Black Jack finds a chest full of the 1804 silver dollars, which he says was aboard a French ship which sank. This triggers the whole story. BUT that's not the truth about the 1804 silver dollars. That may have been what collectors believed in 1942, but the reality is much odder... as the 1804 silver dollar wasn't actually minted until 1834. I won't go into detail, but the full story can be found on Coinfacts.com and Wikipedia. A similar story to Drew Carson's can be found on 1804dollar.com, only in this case the coins were to pay soldiers. I find the mis-history in this tale almost as fun as the story itself.
Drew Carson has a lot of friends who care deeply for him, enough to try to help him even while he's blinded by greed... Vera, Drew's fiancee, gets a message to Aquaman because her friend Jo is the main squeeze of a Naval Officer who knows how to contact Aquaman... Vera doesn't believe the whole "throwing a bottle into the ocean" thing until she sees a lobster grab the bottle... Vera refers to it as "Sea-Mail", echoing the V-mail that readers would be familiar with... Aquaman goes in disguise as a normal sailor, but isn't able to join Carson's crew... Drew's butler, Jorrocks, attempts to get Aquaman aboard anyway because he's concerned about Black Jack and Noppy... The treasure is either in very shallow waters or very clear waters, because they can see it from the ship through a glass-bottomed box... Black Jack shatters a chain holding a diving bell with an axe... Black Jack and Noppy argue about how they are going to split the treasure, enough so that Noppy pulls a knife on Black Jack... Once again, Aquaman declines any reward, but Drew invites him to the wedding anyway.
Finny Friends Report: A green lobster brings Vera's message to Aquaman. Aquaman asks a fish to get "someone who can handle these knots" when he's trapped in the treasure chest at the bottom of the ocean.
Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman and Jorrocks are knocked into the water by a load of coal, the water revives Aquaman but Jorrocks has to be saved. Noppy hits Aquaman on the back of the head with the treasure chest, then traps him inside it and sinks it.
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Ripples Through Time - 009
I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.
One of the hardest parts about doing this feature is keeping myself from reading ahead. I find that after I've read a tale, I want to read the next one right away. I have to hold myself back.
More Fun #80 (June 1942) - The Scourge of the Seven Seas
Black Jack escapes from his seaside prison and takes over a pleasure yacht.
Black Jack's daring escape from prison takes about two and a half pages of action. He first throws a guard into the electric fence so the other guards must shut off the power to free him. With the power down, Black Jack climbs the fence and dives into the nearby ocean. Once there, he stuffs his prison outfit with seaweed so the guards (and Aquaman who comes along just in time for this part of the escape) are distracted by recovering "Black Jack's body" from the ocean floor. And then he swims away.
Aquaman is still not well-known. A prison guard asks who he is, and another guard gives a nice recounting of Aquaman's origin... Black Jack is called a "natural leader of men" and shown talking the crew of the yacht into joining him as pirates... When Aquaman finds Van Mille adrift in his lifeboat, starving and dying of thirst, Aquaman gets the man fresh water from undersea springs and offers him shellfish to eat... Black Jack takes the ransom for the people on the yacht, but plans to kill them anyway so they can't testify against him... Black Jack offers to spare Phyllis if she'll marry him, but she says she'd prefer the clean water after knowing him... Aquaman's leadership skills out-trump Black Jack's, as the crew come over the Aquaman's side after Aquaman saves the ship... Black Jack is marooned on an island instead of being taken by Aquaman back to prison.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman fights a shark. He also gets a message of the activities of Black Jack from a fish (the fish reports men fighting aboard a yacht with one thrown into the water).
Captured/Knocked Out report: Black Jack knocks out Aquaman with the butt of a pistol, and throws him in the metal-lined hold.
A note about measurements at sea... A "fathom" is used to measure depth, and is 6 feet (1.83 meters). A "league" is used to measure distance, and is 3.0 statute miles (4.8 kilometers). The caption boxes on these early stories often refer to Aquaman as being the man from "twenty thousand leagues under the sea" which is complete nonsense. The title of the book, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, is referring to a journey of that distance, not to the depths which the Nautilus could go. If Aquaman was from twenty thousand leagues under the sea, he'd be from 60,000 miles under the sea... and the diameter of the Earth is only about 8,000 miles. It's odd what little things annoy, and this is one that always manages to bother me for some reason.
Have you read this story? What do you think?
One of the hardest parts about doing this feature is keeping myself from reading ahead. I find that after I've read a tale, I want to read the next one right away. I have to hold myself back.
Black Jack escapes from his seaside prison and takes over a pleasure yacht.
Black Jack's daring escape from prison takes about two and a half pages of action. He first throws a guard into the electric fence so the other guards must shut off the power to free him. With the power down, Black Jack climbs the fence and dives into the nearby ocean. Once there, he stuffs his prison outfit with seaweed so the guards (and Aquaman who comes along just in time for this part of the escape) are distracted by recovering "Black Jack's body" from the ocean floor. And then he swims away.
Aquaman is still not well-known. A prison guard asks who he is, and another guard gives a nice recounting of Aquaman's origin... Black Jack is called a "natural leader of men" and shown talking the crew of the yacht into joining him as pirates... When Aquaman finds Van Mille adrift in his lifeboat, starving and dying of thirst, Aquaman gets the man fresh water from undersea springs and offers him shellfish to eat... Black Jack takes the ransom for the people on the yacht, but plans to kill them anyway so they can't testify against him... Black Jack offers to spare Phyllis if she'll marry him, but she says she'd prefer the clean water after knowing him... Aquaman's leadership skills out-trump Black Jack's, as the crew come over the Aquaman's side after Aquaman saves the ship... Black Jack is marooned on an island instead of being taken by Aquaman back to prison.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman fights a shark. He also gets a message of the activities of Black Jack from a fish (the fish reports men fighting aboard a yacht with one thrown into the water).
Captured/Knocked Out report: Black Jack knocks out Aquaman with the butt of a pistol, and throws him in the metal-lined hold.
A note about measurements at sea... A "fathom" is used to measure depth, and is 6 feet (1.83 meters). A "league" is used to measure distance, and is 3.0 statute miles (4.8 kilometers). The caption boxes on these early stories often refer to Aquaman as being the man from "twenty thousand leagues under the sea" which is complete nonsense. The title of the book, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, is referring to a journey of that distance, not to the depths which the Nautilus could go. If Aquaman was from twenty thousand leagues under the sea, he'd be from 60,000 miles under the sea... and the diameter of the Earth is only about 8,000 miles. It's odd what little things annoy, and this is one that always manages to bother me for some reason.
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Ripples Through Time
I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.
I started this feature in November 2006 - Sixty-five years after the cover date of the comic that carried the first Aquaman story in November 1941.
More Fun #77 (March 1942)
After rescuing a man thrown overboard a gambling ship, Aquaman goes undercover to learn the secret of the ship.
Another Black Jack story, and Black Jack's first disguise. He has another ship and dresses up as the Rajah of Joon. Aquaman's suspicion is aroused when he learns of the Rajah, as he tells the man he rescued, "I've traveled much, but never heard of the country of Joon!" He enlists the man, who is never named, to help him with a disguise, and Aquaman goes aboard the gambling ship as a rich fool.
This time Aquaman is knocked out with what appears to be a bottle. Instead of throwing him overboard, "No! Water is his life!" Black Jack tosses him in the furnace hold. This is the first hint that Aquaman is weaker out of the water and dry. Then again, any person tossed in a room with flames shooting out of a furnace as depicted would have trouble. Then again, water revived his strength enough to smash out of Dawn's prison.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman gets a sawfish to free the drowning man from the weights Black Jack's thugs put on him.
Black Jack kidnapped Senator Burton's daughter, Dawn, because the Senator is the chair of the Waterways Committee, and he wants shipping privileges for his smuggling operations... When Aquaman asks if there is water, Dawn throws the water on Aquaman despite there being a fire right next to her as well. Either she's heard of Aquaman or it was clear somehow that's what he wanted... When undercover Aquaman flashes money, the goons let him win so they can get him to the office and rob him... The money Aquaman gives them is jewels from the ocean floor... Aquaman and Black Jack instantly recognize each other, even though Black Jack is still in costume... Aquaman looks distinguished in a tux... Black Jack kills one of his goons to get the last lifeboat, and plans to shoot Dawn as well before Aquaman stops him.
Have you read this story? What do you think?
I started this feature in November 2006 - Sixty-five years after the cover date of the comic that carried the first Aquaman story in November 1941.
After rescuing a man thrown overboard a gambling ship, Aquaman goes undercover to learn the secret of the ship.
Another Black Jack story, and Black Jack's first disguise. He has another ship and dresses up as the Rajah of Joon. Aquaman's suspicion is aroused when he learns of the Rajah, as he tells the man he rescued, "I've traveled much, but never heard of the country of Joon!" He enlists the man, who is never named, to help him with a disguise, and Aquaman goes aboard the gambling ship as a rich fool.
This time Aquaman is knocked out with what appears to be a bottle. Instead of throwing him overboard, "No! Water is his life!" Black Jack tosses him in the furnace hold. This is the first hint that Aquaman is weaker out of the water and dry. Then again, any person tossed in a room with flames shooting out of a furnace as depicted would have trouble. Then again, water revived his strength enough to smash out of Dawn's prison.
Finny Friends Report: Aquaman gets a sawfish to free the drowning man from the weights Black Jack's thugs put on him.
Black Jack kidnapped Senator Burton's daughter, Dawn, because the Senator is the chair of the Waterways Committee, and he wants shipping privileges for his smuggling operations... When Aquaman asks if there is water, Dawn throws the water on Aquaman despite there being a fire right next to her as well. Either she's heard of Aquaman or it was clear somehow that's what he wanted... When undercover Aquaman flashes money, the goons let him win so they can get him to the office and rob him... The money Aquaman gives them is jewels from the ocean floor... Aquaman and Black Jack instantly recognize each other, even though Black Jack is still in costume... Aquaman looks distinguished in a tux... Black Jack kills one of his goons to get the last lifeboat, and plans to shoot Dawn as well before Aquaman stops him.
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time
Friday, November 03, 2006
Sea King A Clever Title
I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.
I'm still mulling them over title suggestions for this feature, and H's suggestion for a temporary title was too good to not use.
More Fun #75 (January 1942)
After saving a diver from a giant clam and octopus, Aquaman learns that Black Jack is alive and has taken over Pearl Island.
First appearance of the "Aquacave", although it is referred to as Aquaman's Sea-Fortress, and described as a temple of the ancient lost city that Aquaman keeps free from water and filled with his possessions. This is probably the same place we saw Aquaman's father living during the first story.
Again with the great artwork! The dialogue is snappy, but not quite as snappy as the last story because there aren't a bunch of pirates to be constantly beaten by Aquaman. I love the splash page.
Most of the natives of Pearl Island are dressed only in loincloths, but one of them wears robes and gets all the expository lines. I suspect he's meant to be the priest. The only woman we see is Loana, and she's mostly tied up or in peril from Black Jack, though she does take the initiative and runs from him at one point.
In the last story, Aquaman didn't call for help from his finny friends at all. In this story, he ends up fighting two sea creatures, and killing them both. So much for "friend of all ocean life".
Keoki is the diver that Aquaman saves... The location of Pearl Island is a complete mystery, since they act like South Pacific Islanders, but are apparently in the Atlantic near to Aquaman's Sea-Fortress... Keoki becomes the chief at the end of the tale, and banishes Black Jack instead of executing him... The islanders offer to make Aquaman the chief, but he suggests Keoki instead saying "the whole sea needs me."
Have you read this story? What do you think?
I'm still mulling them over title suggestions for this feature, and H's suggestion for a temporary title was too good to not use.
After saving a diver from a giant clam and octopus, Aquaman learns that Black Jack is alive and has taken over Pearl Island.
First appearance of the "Aquacave", although it is referred to as Aquaman's Sea-Fortress, and described as a temple of the ancient lost city that Aquaman keeps free from water and filled with his possessions. This is probably the same place we saw Aquaman's father living during the first story.
Again with the great artwork! The dialogue is snappy, but not quite as snappy as the last story because there aren't a bunch of pirates to be constantly beaten by Aquaman. I love the splash page.
Most of the natives of Pearl Island are dressed only in loincloths, but one of them wears robes and gets all the expository lines. I suspect he's meant to be the priest. The only woman we see is Loana, and she's mostly tied up or in peril from Black Jack, though she does take the initiative and runs from him at one point.
In the last story, Aquaman didn't call for help from his finny friends at all. In this story, he ends up fighting two sea creatures, and killing them both. So much for "friend of all ocean life".
Keoki is the diver that Aquaman saves... The location of Pearl Island is a complete mystery, since they act like South Pacific Islanders, but are apparently in the Atlantic near to Aquaman's Sea-Fortress... Keoki becomes the chief at the end of the tale, and banishes Black Jack instead of executing him... The islanders offer to make Aquaman the chief, but he suggests Keoki instead saying "the whole sea needs me."
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Insert Clever Title Here
I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story. This will no doubt evolve as I continue reading for the year and a half required to get through all the Aquaman tales.
I've gotten a lot of suggestions for the name of this feature, and I'm mulling them over now. Feel free to add more if you think of any. Suggestions so far: "Curried Tales", "Aqua-blogging", "Aquaman through the Ages", "Writing the Waves", "Past Ripples", "Talking to Fish", "Waves of Time, Time of Waves", "EYWTKAA,BWATA", "Fish Stories", "Sea Tales", "Water Log", "Charting the Course", "Deep Sea Thoughts", "Deep Thoughts", "Fish Tales", "Water Lines", and "Strait Talk".
More Fun #74 (December 1941)
Aquaman stops pirates from attacking a yacht, then fights the pirates and sinks their ship, but the captain of the pirates survives.
The first appearance of Black Jack the Modern Pirate! Yay! Black Jack captures Aquaman (using gas this time, not a sledgehammer to the head like the Nazis in the last story) and asks him to join the crew. Black Jack explains that by wearing old-fashioned pirate gear, the ships he attacks know exactly what they are in for as soon as he appears.
Lots of really amusing banter during the fight scenes in this one. The language is just lovely! "Into the cradle of the deep you go, Lubber! Sleep well!", "Bust his binnacle for him!", "I don't like your faces - think I'll scramble them a little -", "If I knew the swab that did this, I'd keel-haul him from here to Singapore!", "Here, let me part those whiskers in the middle!", "I'll gouge out your headlights!" While the art was excellent, and the story ok, the dialogue really made this one shine.
Black Jack's ship is the Nemesis... The splash page is signed "by Paul" (Paul Norris)... Black Jack's crew wear green shirts with black horizontal stripes... Depending on which view we get of it, the Nemesis looks like everything from a motorboat to a destroyer, but it has metal sides and torpedo tubes, so I'm leaning towards a destroyer-type vessel... Aquaman is more clueful in this story about the ways of the the surface. He knows what a torpedo is, when in the first story he didn't recognize a grenade.
Have you read this story? What do you think?
I've gotten a lot of suggestions for the name of this feature, and I'm mulling them over now. Feel free to add more if you think of any. Suggestions so far: "Curried Tales", "Aqua-blogging", "Aquaman through the Ages", "Writing the Waves", "Past Ripples", "Talking to Fish", "Waves of Time, Time of Waves", "EYWTKAA,BWATA", "Fish Stories", "Sea Tales", "Water Log", "Charting the Course", "Deep Sea Thoughts", "Deep Thoughts", "Fish Tales", "Water Lines", and "Strait Talk".
Aquaman stops pirates from attacking a yacht, then fights the pirates and sinks their ship, but the captain of the pirates survives.
The first appearance of Black Jack the Modern Pirate! Yay! Black Jack captures Aquaman (using gas this time, not a sledgehammer to the head like the Nazis in the last story) and asks him to join the crew. Black Jack explains that by wearing old-fashioned pirate gear, the ships he attacks know exactly what they are in for as soon as he appears.
Lots of really amusing banter during the fight scenes in this one. The language is just lovely! "Into the cradle of the deep you go, Lubber! Sleep well!", "Bust his binnacle for him!", "I don't like your faces - think I'll scramble them a little -", "If I knew the swab that did this, I'd keel-haul him from here to Singapore!", "Here, let me part those whiskers in the middle!", "I'll gouge out your headlights!" While the art was excellent, and the story ok, the dialogue really made this one shine.
Black Jack's ship is the Nemesis... The splash page is signed "by Paul" (Paul Norris)... Black Jack's crew wear green shirts with black horizontal stripes... Depending on which view we get of it, the Nemesis looks like everything from a motorboat to a destroyer, but it has metal sides and torpedo tubes, so I'm leaning towards a destroyer-type vessel... Aquaman is more clueful in this story about the ways of the the surface. He knows what a torpedo is, when in the first story he didn't recognize a grenade.
Have you read this story? What do you think?
Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time, WWII
Recent & Upcoming Issues
- Aquaman #57 was shipped 17 Oct 2007. This was the final issue of the most recent Aquaman series.
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Status
Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis ended with issue #57. Joseph Curry is currently attempting to live up to Arthur Orin Curry's legacy. He has stated that he intends to find and restore the original Aquaman, or die trying.
The character of Aquaman is in limbo at DC at the moment, available for use in other projects. The editors have not decided when or how to bring him back. Rest assured, however, that he will appear with some frequency regardless of whether or not he gets his own book.
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