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Thursday, January 31, 2008

Ripples Through Time - 191

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 #268 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #268 (January 1960) - The Adventures of Aquaboy!

Aquaman has trouble convincing a blind man that Aquaman is real, which causes him to reflect on his past as Aquaboy.

Glove Color: Yellow.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Captured/Knocked Out report: A seaquake somehow manages to hurt Aquaman so he can't move his arms.

Quotefile: Captain Harte, "So you're an Aquaman, eh? I don't believe you! A man such as you describe couldn't exist in the past, present, or future!"

Finny Friends Report: Aquaboy puts his head in a shark's mouth to prove his powers. Aquaman rides Topo. Aquaboy got sperm whales to support Captain Harte's ship into port. Aquaboy rode a dolphin to lead archaeologists to a wreck. Aquaman calls up one of the sperm whales that saved Harte's ship in the past to save Harte in the present.

This story establishes that the Silver Age Aquaman was active as a child. The Golden Age Aquaman didn't appear much at all, and only as an adult.

I love Aquaboy's Dutch adventure. Heh.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Ripples Through Time - 190

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 #267 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #267 (December 1959) - The Manhunt on Land!/The Underwater Archers!

Escaping prison, "Shark" Norton pledges to avoid the sea and Aquaman while "The Wizard" Kates pledges to avoid the land and Green Arrow.

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo. He's the star of both stories, in fact!

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman collapses into the water while being told about Shark Norton's new career on land, thanks to his one-hour limit. *sigh*

Quotefile: Coast Guard officer, "Yes! Everybody knows that if you're out of water for an hour, you gasp for water like a dying fish! But the police feel you alone have the know-how to catch "Shark"!"

Finny Friends Report: In the splash page (not in the story itself), Topo releases a number of fish from a railroad water tank to help Aquaman. Aquaman rides Topo at the beginning of the tale. Aquaman gathers a large group of fish in a tank-truck to help him on land. When the crooks shoot out the headlights on the truck, luminous fish spotlight them for a swordfish attack squad. Topo uses four bows and arrows to capture two crooks. A sea porcupine launches quills and punctures the escape balloon. Electric eels shock one bad guy, a seal gooses another, and a crab handcuffs a third in the aquarium. Shark Norton himself gets nabbed by a shark. In the Green Arrow story, Topo appears in time to rescue GA and Speedy from a fire-breathing sea monster.

This is one of those stories that's been reprinted a few times, but always with the Green Arrow story. If you have the Aquaman Archive and Showcase, you know that "The Underwater Archers" is reprinted in both. And, amusingly, Topo is seriously the hero in both stories. He's the hero in the Aquaman splash page and uses bow and arrows in the Aquaman tale, and Green Arrow would've been monster chow if Topo hadn't helped him out.

Aquaman's one-hour limit is now common knowledge. And he even falls over while a Coast Guard officer is talking to him... while he's IN the sea. He's gone from being able to survive out of water indefinitely to one-hour exactly. The writers clearly think it's a nifty plot device, but any reader will tell you it's a pretty stupid one.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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Monday, January 28, 2008

Ripples Through Time - 189

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 #266 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #266 (November 1959) - Aquaman Meets Aquagirl!

Lisa Morel suddenly discovers she has all of Aquaman's powers, and is determined to join him in his sea patrols.

Glove Color: Yellow.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman starts the story trapped by a giant clam.

Quotefile: Lisa Morel, "Migosh! According to my waterproof wristwatch, I've been down here sixty minutes! And I feel as if I could last hours!"

Finny Friends Report: A giant clam apparently is holding a grudge against Aquaman, as it refuses to release him until Lisa burns it. Lisa orders seals to save her father's trophy. Aquaman rides on Topo. Topo plays "Happy Birthday" on a piano, drum set, bass, banjo, and xylophone. Lisa has whales destroy the top of an iceberg. Aquaman has luminous fish light up the remainder of the iceberg to save the ship.

Oh, where to start with this one? There's a lot happening in here. First off, we're given Aquaman's origin again, but it's been changed already. In it, Atlanna admits she's from Atlantis while still living and vibrant, not on her deathbed. Aquaman implies that his parents died at the same time. And he mentions his mother's diary, which he promises to read to Lisa.

Aquaman states "But now I must return to the Sea! I can only exist for an hour out of water!" This is the first time the one-hour limit has been described as such. And Lisa suffers from it as well, and had to sleep in the swimming pool!

Aquaman doesn't explain to Lisa why he thinks she's in danger. WHY?!??? I mean, seriously, that's a bit obnoxious of him. Can't he just say, "There's a possibility your powers may vanish as suddenly as they've come, so I'd rather you don't go out on patrol with me"??? Why be a jerk? He doesn't have to say that Lisa's father lied about her birth.

We later learn that Atlanna's diary explains it all. Children in Atlantis born with purple eyes are exiled to the surface world because they cannot survive underwater. This fact is to become important in a few more stories, as another character with purple eyes will be introduced.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 8:00 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Ripples Through Time - 188

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 #265 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #265 (October 1959) - The Secret of the Super-Safe!

Aquaman is summoned to dump a giant safe into the ocean.

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "With Topo's sensitive tentacles wrapped around your body, your slightest tremor will be felt by Topo and transmitted by sea-creature telepathy to me!"

Finny Friends Report: Various fish bring Aquaman messages from Mr Roxroyd. Aquaman rides Topo to the island. Topo acts as a lie detector to make sure Roxroyd isn't lying about what's in the safe. Whales push an iceberg to the island. Octopi create a ramp to get the safe onto the iceberg. Whale push the iceberg to the proper location. Swordfish force the diving bell to the surface. Eels explore the ooze under the safe and discover lead plates. Whales bring the safe back to show Roxroyd.

Another fairly basic story. Aquaman employs his finny friends very well in this story. I particularly like Topo as a lie detector.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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Monday, January 14, 2008

Ripples Through Time - 187

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 #264 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #264 (September 1959) - Aquaman and his Sea Police!

On a visit to New Venice, flooded six months ago, Aquaman takes over police duties.

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo (Aquaman is riding an octopus at the beginning of the story, but Topo is not named).

Quotefile: Aquaman, "The job is finished! New Venice is saved! Now it can remain forever a city of canals!"

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides Topo at the beginning of the story. Slinky the Seal puts seaweed into the propellers of speeders to foul their engines and stop their boats. When Slinky fails due to a more powerful motor, a whale lifts the speeding boat out of the water. An octopus detective catches a pickpocket. Aquaman rides behind two dolphins. Sea gulls bombard the litterers with litter. Swordfish pick up all the litter in the canals and then put junk on fishermen's fishing lines. Sharks threaten the robber. Various sea creatures fill the crack in the sea to prevent New Venice from draining.

Ah, New Venice. This town will become more important in the future, but this story is just a nice little Silver Age tale. The town is adjusting to their new reality, which they like, but the regular police haven't quite adapted to having canals for streets yet. Aquaman visits, and breaks some bad habits people have formed. Simple and very Silver Age. There is no indication of the role this place will later take.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 8:00 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Friday, January 11, 2008

Ripples Through Time - 186

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 #263 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #263 (August 1959) - The Great Ocean Election!

Vic Wake is trying to become governor of Comstock, to replace the corrupt Big Jim Mason, but Big Jim has other ideas.

Glove Color: Yellow.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Aqua-Exclamations: "Great Neptune"

Quotefile: Opening text box, "Sinister forces are at work to prevent an honest election in the sea-bound country of Comstock, and Aquaman temporarily deserts his own domain to help elect honest Vic Wake!"

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides on Topo at the beginning of the story. Aquaman has electric eels form a giant billboard for Vic. He has octopi toss shells with Vic's election message on them into town. Topo comforts Vic when that effort fails. Sea gulls carry a banner through town announcing the gala fish show. Seals and octopi balance beach balls with "Elect Vic Wake" written on them. A swordfish takes the knock-out pills out of Big Jim's hands. Whales and octopi create spouts to knock Big Jim and his spear gun down. Topo holds up Big Jim as he confesses his crimes to the people of Comstock.

I adore the look on Topo's "face" in the third panel on page six, as he holds up Big Jim. It's notable that Big Jim is threatening to poison the fish in the opening splash page, but later on he is using knock-out pills.

The country of Comstock is described as an island nation. But we have no idea where it is. Everyone apparently speaks English, and they wear normal clothing of the era. Comstock is big enough to have a navy, as we see the battleship. The Department of Sanitation also runs around armed for some reason. I have to wonder if this country didn't later change its name to Cerdia.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 8:00 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Ripples Through Time - 185

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 #262 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #262 (July 1959) - The Undersea Hospital!

Aquaman opens a hospital after Topo sprains a tentacle, and his kindness to the fish pays off when he is himself injured.

Glove Color: Yellow.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Aqua-Exclamations: "Great Goldfish"

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is shot by pirates, and is unconscious until his fishy friends patch him up.

Quotefile: Aquaman, after being shot, "T-this's the end! I can't swim a stroke! *GASP!*... I-I'm losing consciousness! No one can help me now! No one... No one..." Melodramatic Much?

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman binds Topo's tentacle to relieve the pain. He has octopi, swordfish, and whales help him build his clinic. His first patient is a seal with a broken flipper. Then a shark with a toothache. Aquaman uses a lobster to pull the shark's tooth. An ambulance "manned" by Topo, pulled by dolphins, with eels for wheels brings in a sick dogfish. Topo puts the dogfish into a tank. Aquaman uses a swordfish to pry a turtle's head from where it's stuck in it's shell. A cutlass fish cuts a length of rubber sheeting for Aquaman to wrap around an electric eel that cannot control it's discharges. Aquaman puts a whale with a high fever into a tank of ice from a glacier.

After Aquaman is shot, all his finny friends help guide him to the clinic. Octopi act as stretcher-bearers with eels acting as the poles of the stretcher. Lantern fish illuminate the operating room, electric eels shock Aquaman for anesthetic. Octopi create tourniquets, and swordfish remove the bullets. Sucker fish suck out the lead, and jelly fish apply healing balm. Sharks and crabs make bandages from old sail cloth. A whale creates a sun deck for Aquaman to recuperate on. Flying fish shade him from the hot sun.

Aquaman's first stint at the medical profession was in Adventure #188, when he has to set up a quarantine. In that tale, Aquaman already has an established undersea clinic for treating his finny friends.

This story has a tiny link with Adventure #119, due to the floating observatory. While the idea doesn't seem too fantastic, the problem with creating any sort of successful observatory that floats is that you have to keep the platform absolutely still. Even an inch of change would completely mess up your observing. But clearly the idea appealed to the writers of Aquaman... more than once.

The pirates shoot Aquaman with what appears to be a tommy gun. It seems worth noting that, although Aquaman is described as being "riddled with bullets", the artwork shows no injuries, and the coloring shows no blood.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 8:00 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Ripples Through Time - 184

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 #261 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #261 (June 1959) - Aquaman Duels The Animal-Master!

Gustave the Great, an animal trainer, vows revenge after Aquaman stops his getaway after a daring robbery.

Glove Color: Yellow.

Regular Supporting Cast: none. Although an octopus appears, Aquaman does not ride it nor call it Topo, so I call generic on it.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "You're wasting your breath, Gustave. That buffalo won't listen to you! Only to me! I gave him a telepathic order to tilt the raft!"

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides a whale. Aquaman swims up the whale spout to attack Gustave. The whale takes the stolen money sacks back to port. Aquaman says he will summon giant squid to keep a plane afloat until help arrives, but the action happens 'off-camera'. A year later, Aquaman gets Gustave's phony SOS messages from an octopus, an eel, a swordfish, and a flying fish. Electric eels attack the gorilla without direct orders from Aquaman. Luminous fish beam a light into the elephant's eyes to spook it away from Aquaman. The octopus goes up against a lion and manages to muzzle it completely. A swordfish battles Gustave and wins the swordplay. Aquaman orders the water buffalo that Gustave had trained to dump the bombs, and Aquaman punches out Gustave. Flying fish carry Gustave to jail.

Aquaman specifically refers to his power as telepathy in this story. He also claims dominion over all water animals, including those that just spend time in the water. Animals do not have to breathe water for Aquaman to control them. This idea is later taken much further, as later writers will suggest that Aquaman's abilities are full telepathy with a block that prevents him from controlling land animals... but that's off in the future.

Fradon's art on this one is just wonderful. There are some fantastic action shots, particularly the last panel on page two. While the story itself is fairly silly, the animals are well-drawn and Aquaman has some great poses. I particularly like Ramona's cats.

Aquaman stutters at the start of every thought and speech balloon on page five. As a bonus, he stutters twice in the only speech balloon.

Like the last story, this story can be found in the excellent reprint volumes currently in print from DC. I checked my library system and found that they have the Showcase, so if you live near a library you might see if they carry it too.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 8:20 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Monday, January 07, 2008

Ripples Through Time - 183

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 #260 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #260 (May 1959) - How Aquaman Got His Powers!

To protect an undersea secret, Aquaman tells the story of his origin to a Navy Commander.

Glove Color: Yellow.

Regular Supporting Cast: Atlanna, Tom Curry.

Aqua-Exclamations: "Great Neptune!", "Leaping Ladyfish!"

Quotefile: Aquaman, "You must forget your orders, Commander! Please listen to me! I've got a story to tell you... about me! It's been a dead secret... till now! It concerns my childhood... and how I got my powers!"

Finny Friends Report: On the splash page, young Arthur is threatened by swordfish. Aquaman has electric eels jam the depth bomb signals, then has whales slow the bombs down while he disarms them. Baby Arthur plays with turtles and sharks. Tom builds a tank and stocks it with swordfish, which threaten young Arthur as on the splash page. Arthur learns how to control them. In order to free a trapped squid, Aquaman summons octopi to row the wreck of a Roman galley off the squid. The fish pledge obedience to Arthur. Aquaman tries to get a whale to help a stranded ferry and learns that whales won't enter fresh water.

This is the first time that Aquaman is given a proper name. Until this story, he was ONLY Aquaman. We also know his parents' names: Tom Curry and Atlanna. Aquaman's mother died when he was just a child. His father died when Arthur was already an adult (and was buried at sea with a United States flag-draped casket).

So, this is it. The beginning of the Silver Age as far as most people are concerned. This is when Aquaman's origin changes from being the son of a scientist who learned the secrets of Atlantis to being the son of a lighthouse keeper and an Atlantean exile. This is not the first appearance of Atlantis in the strip, not even the first appearance of living Atlanteans, but it's quite a turning point anyway.

Now, there are two good ways to get this story without hunting down the original Adventure Comics. The first is the Aquaman Archives from 2003. This has the story better than it looked originally, with exactingly recreated colors. It is a truly fantastic reprint, though the price may be a bit hefty for the casual Aquaman fan. A less impressive but much cheaper reprint is in Showcase Presents: Aquaman Vol 1. The story is better (IMHO) in color, but the B&W reprint is a good way to get the story. The bonus with both these methods of getting the story is that there are plenty of other stories in each book, and both are in print from DC Comics right now.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 8:00 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 182

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 #259 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #259 (April 1959) - The Octopus Man!

Sinister Mastermind Roland Peters is working on a brain-wave transmitter to duplicate Aquaman's powers when Aquaman catches him, forcing him to use the transmitter in a different way.

Glove Color: Yellow.

Regular Supporting Cast: none.

Aqua-Exclamations: "Jumping Jellyfish!", "Shades of Davy Jones!"

Captured/Knocked Out report: Peters actually manages to punch Aquaman and daze him.

Quotefile: Whalers, "After seeing that, I haven't the heart to kill any more whales today! Head back for port!" The whales thank you. Wait, "today"? Scumbags.

Finny Friends Report: In the body of an octopus, Aquaman attempts to signal to a ship using shreds of an old sail. In the body of a whale, he evades whalers then organizes a group of whales into a landing strip for a plane having engine troubles. In the body of a shark, he "bats" a depth bomb out of the water. Before he can be switched to another animal, he has a swordfish reset the transmitter, then an octopus and whale attack Peters while electric eels destroy the machine.

I like how the machine is originally intended to duplicate Aquaman's powers, but then is able to be adjusted so quickly by the "sinister mastermind". Transferring Aquaman's mind into sea creatures was a neat twist, and it's fun how quickly he adapts to each situation. But the funniest part of this story is how Aquaman is busting Peters for fishing in a preserve, not for his infernal machine.

In the next Ripples Through Time, "How Aquaman Got His Powers!" I'll be into the stories that more of you are likely to have read, so I'm expecting more comments.

Next Month

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 8:22 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 181

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 #258 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #258 (March 1959) - The Incredible Fish of Doctor Danton!

A radioactive cloud turns all the fish at an experimental aquatic station into dangerous mutants.

Glove Color: Yellow.

Regular Supporting Cast: none.

Aqua-Exclamations: "Galloping Sea Horses!"

Quotefile: Dr. Danton, "Hmmm... That strange cloud of dust descending on the island... it may be radioactive fallout from some distant nuclear experiment! I'd better seek shelter at once!" What a world!

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides a dolphin in this story, Topo is nowhere to be seen. Aquaman orders flying fish to use an old anchor rope to tie up the mutant swordfish's metal cutting saw. He has a group of regular electric eels surround and contain the blasts of the mutant electric eel. Pairs of lobsters tentacle-cuff the mutant octopus. Aquaman has the mutant whale put out a fire on a ship.

This one has a definite Golden Age feel to it. There's a giant radioactive cloud that causes the fish on an isolated island to mutate. The mutants escape and start causing trouble. Aquaman has to round 'em up. The science is completely dreadful, as usual, with the mutations happening immediately and then wearing off. Natural mutations are mentioned, but this would be akin to an adult cow spontaneously growing another head, not a calf being born with two heads.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 8:10 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 180

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 #257 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #257 (February 1959) - The Imitation Aquaman

A criminal undergoes a series of operations to give him Aquaman's powers, then goes on a crime spree.

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Quotefile: Open text box, "A bold scheme! An amazing medical operation! ... And a fantastic fish-man streaks through the ocean brine to challenge Aquaman's lawful rule of the deep! Here is a creature whose greed is matched only by his cunning to the extent that even the King of the Seven Seas is menaced by ... The Imitation Aquaman"

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman commands crabs and lobsters to gather tons of oysters. Octopi toss them against rock to crack the shells. Swordfish hold up an old fishing net to screen out the pearls from the shells. Turtles haul the pearls in a giant shell up to the island. Later, Aquaman has whales haul a sunken galleon up from the seabed. Topo captures the doctor.

Hadley gets most of Aquaman's powers, but not the ability to command the fish. If he'd had that ability, he could've raised the treasure galleon himself and he and Doc could've had their money legally. Interestingly, Aquaman doesn't use his finny friends to stop Hadley, but instead gambles on a quirk of water.

We've had lots of fake Aquamen before! They've shown up in Adventure #127, Adventure #181, Adventure #208, and Adventure #233. Hadley wears an Aquaman uniform for no apparent reason, then Doc seems surprised when Aquaman is blamed for Hadley's crimes.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 8:01 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Monday, December 17, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 179

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 #256 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #256 (January 1959) - The Ordeal of Aquaman

A gang of smugglers discovers Aquaman's weakness, and drop him in the desert to die.

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is captured when he goes to free Topo and two octopus pals from a net.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman orders the octopi to milk cows so he can take a milk bath. The octopi hold the smugglers when Aquaman captures them. Aquaman rides Topo at the end of the story.

Quotefile: Smuggler, "Say! I got an idea! Look at Aquaman! He's gettin' weaker by the second! Know why? He can't say away from water for long!" This was after an hour out of the water.

This is it. This is the origin of the one-hour limit. At no time previous to this is a time limit put on Aquaman being out of water. He has been weaker out of water, and has indicated that he can't stay out of the water too long, but this is the first time he's had an actual time limit on him.

After one hour out of water, Aquaman starts to get weak. He survives a while longer after being tossed out of the plane into the desert (with a parachute). After a group of racers give him water from their radiators, he manages to walk five miles to the nearest town. It takes longer than an hour to walk five miles, especially if your pace isn't fast. While the story sort of implies that one hour is the magic amount of time after which Aquaman starts losing his strength, it's clear that he can survive well past a single hour, just in a much-weakened state.

Once in the town, he revives in melted skating rink water for an hour. It's not stated how far the reservoir is from the town, but Aquaman is already weak again before he gets there. This time he has a milk bath to revive, again, for an hour.

Now that we have a definitive origin for the one hour limit, it'll be interesting to see how it evolves. This was a lot later than I expected to see the limit established.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 8:09 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Friday, December 14, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 178

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 #255 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #255 (December 1958) - Aquaman's Double Trouble!

In a series of rescues, Aquaman must choose between two disasters to help, but in each case the ones he didn't help are also rescued.

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is knocked out by the poison gas and expects to die.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "Hmmm... If I assist the plane, the manta is doomed! If I help the fish, fifty people may drown! Yet my choice is clear! People are more important than fish!" Glad you set us straight on that, Aquaman.

Finny Friends Report: Topo alerts Aquaman to the downed plane. Swordfish cut it free from the seaweed, then flying fish pull it into the sky. Aquaman rides Topo through the storm. Again, Topo alerts Aquaman to the freighter breaking up on the surface. Aquaman summons squid to hold the ship together, and a herd of whales to tow it to safety. In his last rescue, Aquaman warns the fish away from the poison gas. Electric eels come and charge the subs batteries, then Topo acts as a propeller to get them to the surface.

Aquaman first has to choose between saving a manta or saving the lives of humans aboard a plane that has crashed. In his second rescue, he has to choose between two men in a diving bell or the crew of a freighter. In the last rescue, his choice is between the crew of a submarine or his own life. In every case he chooses the larger number of lives.

Aquaman last met someone claiming to be Neptune in Adventure #205. In that story, the guy was a fraud. In this story, it's definitely implied that Neptune is not only real, he's the god Neptune, and he approves of Aquaman.

The Golden Age was like the original Scooby Doo stories: the villain was always playing a trick, not really a monster. In the older tales, Aquaman is the only person in the tale who has powers. We're clearly into the Silver Age, because now we've had two stories in a row in which Aquaman is not the only one with powers.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:01 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 177

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 #254 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #254 (November 1958) - The Menace of the Electric Man!

After gaining electrical powers, Roy Pinto terrorizes the seas as the Electric Man.

Glove Color: Green

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Aqua-Exclamations: "Shades of Davy Jones!"

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is shocked repeatedly by the Electric Man.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "I-I may be King of the Sea, but I can't fight lightning flashes!"

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides Topo in his first attack on the Electric Man. Topo creates a spring to send Aquaman onto Electric Man's boat. Topo and another octopus eventually capture Electric Man for Aquaman, after Aquaman insulates them from the electricity.

This is the first Aquaman tale that feels like a Silver Age story to me. It's got a super-powered villain, complete with origin. Aquaman uses his usual tactics of outsmarting the bad guy. But the fact that he's up against someone more powerful than the usual pirates, and not someone using tricks, makes this feel more modern.

It's a pity that Roy Pinto goes back to a life of crime after apparently finding useful work. He supplies fish to aquariums, and clearly works hard at it. We even see him repairing a generator. And yet the captions are biased against him and he goes right back to a criminal life as soon as he discovers his powers. As usual, Aquaman recognizes the crook on sight.

Electric Man is the first truly super-powered villain Aquaman faces. He's the first of many. And as silly as the rest. He wears a headpiece with an antenna on it to attract lightning to him, which he then uses in crime. He also hurls charged discs at his victims. He can only work in lightning storms.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 8:00 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 176

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 #253 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #253 (October 1958) - The Ocean of 1,000,000 B.C.

While charting a seabed cavern, Aquaman is thrown into the past and must save a caveman before returning to the present.

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo appears in one panel near the beginning of the story.

Aqua-Exclamations: "Suffering Sharks!"

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is pulled through a whirlpool timewarp, but he doesn't pass out.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "I never fail to marvel over my command of the finny ones! Big or small, they all obey me!"

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman's subject parade before him at the start of the story. At the end, some luminous fish illuminate the drawing of Aquaman and the caveman.

You know, this story might explain why the cavemen in Adventure #184 knew about Aquaman and trusted him. Hey, it's time travel! Why not? Ok, so this is the Silver Age Aquaman, and that was the Golden Age Aquaman.

Ah, cavemen hanging out with dinosaurs! Wonderful science in this one.

Aquaman faces off against a brontosaurus, a fire-breathing sea serpent, a stegosaurus, a giant eel, and a pterodactyl. He uses his belt buckle to attract lightning and defeat the eel and pterodactyl using "the story of Benjamin Franklin's kite".

Aquaman's rescue of the caveman is memorialized on the cavern wall by the caveman, just like in the previous caveman story.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 7:59 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Monday, December 10, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 175

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 #252 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #252 (September 1958) - The Robinson Crusoe of the Sea

While rescuing a ship, Aquaman is doused with a chemical that makes him allergic to the salt in sea water.

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Aqua-Exclamations: "Shades of Davy Jones!"

Captured/Knocked Out report: The effects of the chemical knock Aquaman unconscious, and Topo has to pull him ashore.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "Well, Robinson Crusoe survived in a similar situation. With my fish to help me, I think I can do as well."

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman starts the tale riding Topo, as usual. Topo saves Aquaman's butt by pulling him to dry land when he passes out. A whale and some sawfish widen the channel and help Aquaman set up a system of waterways on the island. Topo and a fellow octopus help Aquaman build a house. Topo notices fruit trees, but Aquaman notes that there a wild bobcats in the trees, so a group of turtles help shield Aquaman and Topo as they go hunting for provisions. When Aquaman spots the pirate attack, a group of octopi throw a barrage of rocks at the pirates. Then seagulls drop lobsters on the pirates, which attack the pirates. Topo squirts Aquaman with sea water throughout the battle, and Aquaman only figures out at the end that the chemical has worn off and Topo was trying to tell him.

We've seen this story before. Well, the concept of Aquaman being unable to touch water is a re-used one. We saw it in Aventure #107 and Adventure #152. Admittedly, it's a slightly different twist than the previous stories, but you have to wonder how many times Aquaman can be exiled from the sea.

Aquaman references both Robinson Crusoe and the biblical story of David and Goliath in this tale.

A strange coloring issue... Aquaman is wearing his gloves in the scene in which Topo would have first noticed that Aquaman wasn't having a negative reaction to the sea water, but in the flashback memory of it, Aquaman's hands are colored as flesh, without gloves. Almost makes you wonder how often he removes his gloves in a day.

There is STILL no one hour limit. Yes, he might be using fresh water, as the chemical apparently made him react to the salt in sea water, but it's never stated. It just wasn't a concern.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 8:03 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Monday, November 05, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 174

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 #251 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #251 (August 1958) - A World Without Water

A bomb test gone awry sends Aquaman 5000 years into the future to the year 6958.

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is knocked out by the nuclear blast that sends him to the future.

Quotefile: Zed-3, "You materialized right in front of my car so you must have come through time! This is Atlantica in the year 6,958!" Aquaman, "But... but a moment ago I was in the ocean in 1958! I remember a nuclear blast right above me..." I can't even count the number of ways this exchange is just wrong.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman commands all the fish in the area of the bomb test to leave. When the turtles go too slowly, he gets swordfish to carry them away. Aquaman commands the air-breathing descendants of sea creatures to attack the robbers. When he gets back to his own time, Topo greets him.

The future humans are all bald.

The reason there are no seas in the year 6958 is because "A giant nova exploded! Our scientists had time to move civilization underground, but the fierce heat evaporated all water from Earth..." Uh-huh. A nova. Yup. All water gone. Humans replaced water with pills (quick Aquaman, grab a bottle of those for later use!).

Not much for me to say about this one. I'm not fond of the science fiction-y Aquaman stories, and the whole time travel aspect of this one is just annoying. Nuclear blasts and giant novas... it's practically a template for bad science.

This story is notable because Aquaman actually mentions the year. That normally doesn't happen in comics in general.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:26 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 173

A year ago I started my Ripples Through Time feature. I didn't manage to keep up with the one-a-day hope, instead I'm averaging one about every 2.1 days. Still, I'm glad to be doing the project, and I'm going to continue. Maybe I can even get my average up in the next year, who knows? Still, at this rate, it'll only take another two years to finish the solo stories. By then there might even be a new Aquaman series.

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 #250 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #250 (July 1958) - The Guinea Pig of the Sea

Doctor Arvy Rush wants to study Aquaman, but Aquaman has to keep interrupting the experiments for his duties of saving lives.

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Quotefile: Doctor Rush, "It's uncanny-- unbelievable! You actually command sea creatures and you can live underwater! Tell me your secret!" Aquaman, "I wish I could, doctor, but I really don't know it myself! I only know that I have strange powers!"

Captured/Knocked Out report: Dr Rush traps Aquaman in a folding cage of steel placed where Aquaman dives from the doctor's dock.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman is on patrol riding Topo at the beginning of the story. He has a giant manta ray jump into a waterspout to destroy it by cutting off its suction. A flying fish tells Aquaman of an iceberg that must be destroyed. A swordfish and "the strongest octopus in the sea" attempt to get Aquaman out of Rush's cage. A flying fish spots Rush in distress and reports to Aquaman. Whales go to support Rush's ship while Aquaman summons jellyfish to help him. The jellyfish form a mirror over the cage, allowing Aquaman to see how to open it. Shell-cracker fish act as wrenches and open the cage.

Doctor Rush has his own marine laboratory, and works on extracting drugs from sea vegetation. When Aquaman rescues him from a waterspout, he becomes obsessed with learning the secrets of Aquaman's powers. Eventually he cages Aquaman to allow more time for experiments. At which point Aquaman calls Dr Rush a crackpot. Heh.

Great artwork in this one, as is usual for this era of Aquaman. Seriously, DC should reprint more of these stories just for the Fradon art.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 7:49 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Friday, October 05, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 172

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 #249 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #249 (June 1958) - Wanted - Aqua-Crook

Aquaman loses his memory and is convinced he is a secret agent.

Quotefile: Topo (yes, Topo), "Attention, fighting forces! Board our battle-craft! We must rescue our beloved monarch!"

Aqua-Exclamations: "Suffering Seaweed!" "Great Catfish!"

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is hit by a missile (luckily with no warhead) and loses his memory. He later hits his head on the steering wheel of a car by braking too hard and regains it. Of note: Topo is also knocked out by the missile, but doesn't lose his memory.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides Topo. He uses a lantern fish to illuminate the spilled gems. He uses hammerhead sharks to shape a magnetic lodestone, then has a whale pull the suits of armor up to the surface. Topo realizes that Aquaman has lost his memory and decides to do something about it. Aquaman has electric eels replace the spark plugs on the car engine, and drives it to the surface. Topo gathers an army of fish: a whale, lobsters, seals, giant sea turtles, flying fish and swordfish. Seals "shell" the bad guys' boat, and swordfish torpedo it. Flying fish drop lobsters on the gangsters, with the predictable results. The turtles act as tanks, and Topo ties up the bad guys. A whale tows the boat to the coast guard. Aquaman rewards Topo by making him a Five Starfish Admiral in the sea kingdom.

Another amnesia story! Aquaman lost his memory in Adventure #127, and was convinced to work for bad guys. Not quite the same, as Aquaman served as the lowly cook on Black Jack's ship in that tale, and in this one he's convinced he's a secret agent! Another amnesia story: Aquaman was hit on the head and forgot how to talk to fish in Adventure #176.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 8:14 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 171

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 #248 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #248 (May 1958) - The Traitor of the Seven Seas

Undersea explorer Jim Ward is surprised to find Aquaman capturing fish for aliens to get a great reward.

Aqua-Exclamations: "Great Flying Catfish!"

Glove Color: Yellow.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Quotefile: Old man reading newspaper report, "Shiver my timbers-- I never expected to read that Aquaman would someday turn on his sea subjects!"

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is threatened with death if he doesn't help the aliens, and promised a handsome reward if he does.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman battles and captures a monkfish. An octopus is already in the alien tank. In a flashback, Aquaman rides on Topo. Aquaman captures two swordfish by making them run into a bell buoy. Aquaman uses a chain of electric eels to allow him to capture a torpedo ray. The fish in the tank also include a seal, shark, and electric eel.

We never actually see the aliens in this story, only their ship. Aquaman describes their communication as being by "some telepathic device".

As is so often the case in these stories. Aquaman's actions are reported to the newspapers, who waste no time in tarring his name. I'll note that in a story less than a year previous, Aquaman is also accused of abusing his fishy subject. For all that the folks in the DCU seem to like Aquaman, they really don't trust him deeply.

Jim Ward, the diver who witnesses Aquaman's capture of fish and is basically the narrator of the story, hears Aquaman say that the aliens want Aquaman to help them or die, but focuses on the point that Aquaman will get a reward. C'mon, man! The aliens threatened to kill Aquaman! Aquaman even told you that!

In the end, of course, Aquaman is really being a good guy. The only fish that actually goes with the aliens is an "adventuresome" octopus by the name of Lopo, who Aquaman says wanted to be the first fish in outer space. So Lopo isn't Laika, but his fate is probably better.

More hostile aliens! Aquaman himself was collected for an alien aquarium in Adventure #234. Aquaman also met aliens in Adventure #196, Adventure #216, and Adventure #222. The tally so far is three hostile alien races, and two friendly. Two were collecting specimens, one was invading, one needed help to get home, and the first aliens were actually visited by Aquaman.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:42 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 170

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 #247 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #247 (April 1958) - Aquaman's Super Sea-Squad

A nuclear projectile designed to explode in outer space lands in the ocean, and Aquaman must deliver it to the Army before the timer runs out.

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Quotefile: Aquaman, losing hope, "It... It's a losing battle! Unless I find some way to cover the last few miles faster than I or any creature can swim! I won't get there in time! I -- I must think!"

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides on Topo. A group of octopi carry the missile off the ocean floor. Two whales tow the missile for many miles. Electric eels build up a charge and create a channel for Aquaman. Giant lobsters carry the missile over miles. Swordfish carry the missile on a platform. Whales tow it again with phosphorescent fish indicating the whales' place in the fog. A giant clam squeezes green pigment over the missile to disguise it. The sea monster carries the missile to its nesting grounds. Octopi lift the missile onto an ancient catapult in the Sargasso Sea. A whale prevents the missile from being jolted when it lands.

I love discoveries like this: Aquaman describes the Maracot Deep as a bottomless pit that descends from the ocean floor. He knows that a sea monster lives in the pit. But over here in the real world, The Maracot Deep is a novel by Arthur Conan Doyle written in 1929... about the discovery of Atlantis!

Aquaman has to go through an area with "a terrible whirlpool on the right... and to the left, a strong backwash that would smash us into those rocks!" In other words, the Scylla and Charybdis. Well, sort of. Eh, I was amused at least.

There's something really pleasant about three Army soldiers terrified to see a nuclear missile that they launched headed right toward them. I almost expected Aquaman to chew them out for letting such a dangerous bomb land in the ocean. Instead he simply talks about how wonderful his sea friends were for coming through and getting the projectile safely to the Army base so it can be disarmed.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:18 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 169

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 #246 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #246 (March 1958) - The Town That Went Underwater

Aquaman opens an amusement park in Beachcroft, and insists that EVERY citizen go underwater to experience it.

Quotefile: Mayor of Beachcroft, "Aquaman sure has been barking it up great! Half the town is here!" Aquaman, "Only half, Mr. Mayor? I'll double that figure! I want the whole town underwater!"

Glove Color: Yellow.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Finny Friends Report: Topo hands out tickets while a swordfish holds up the roll of tickets. Aquaman rides Topo. A giant octopus becomes an underwater whip ride. Porpoises slide along tracks made of eels as a roller-coaster. Aquaman uses a whale to hide a treasure chest. Seals hold up signs, while Aquaman rides a giant tortoise down the street.

Aquaman gets the news of the problem at midday, and immediately sets about trying to get every citizen of the town underwater. Before that, the whole amusement park was just a promotion for a future mechanical underwater amusement park the city intended to build. That all changed when Aquaman got a phone call.

A twist to the story is the various disasters/pirate attacks that Aquaman ignores in order to continue running his amusement park.

The science of this one really sucks, as is often the case in Silver Age tales. The Army officer tells the people of Beachcroft, "At 12 noon the Meteorological Bureau in Washington alerted Aquaman by phone that the tail of a comet would pass through BeachCroft a 2 P.M. sharp! The gases in the comet's tail would poison Beachcroft's atmosphere!" Oooh, how many errors are in that explanation? And the illustration is even sillier, showing a tiny comet racing through the town just above the surface of the streets (luckily not hitting any of the buildings). The plot isn't bad... Aquaman getting an entire town's inhabitants to go underwater to protect them from poison gas without causing a panic... but a comet?

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:50 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Monday, October 01, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 168

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 #245 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #245 (February 1958) - The Sorcerer of the Sea!

When Aquaman tells Jason Deeter he's a phony and needs to clear out of the shipping lanes, the sorcerer gets revenge by controlling Aquaman and making him look like a fool.

Aqua-Exclamations: "Leaping Catfish"

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is apparently under Deeter's control for much of the story.

Quotefile: Deeter, "Eny-o-tahal-eetyo" "Siddi-Fo... Ralvo... Sirada... Fo..." "Eny-ota-wadda-lo-ka!" "Etyo-- Siddi-Fo... Talu-no-wa!" "Siddi-fo-ralvo-- Etyo-Kalu!"

Finny Friends Report: Two swordfish leap out of the sea and cross swords, apparently at Deeter's command. Aquaman rides on Topo. A whale blasts the gun out of a pirate's hand. An octopus punches two thugs at once ("That octopus is the only one I know who can throw an uppercut and a roundhouse at one and the same time!").

Deeter's hair is made of seaweed and he has sharpened fingernails. He wears a blue business suit with a red cape. His first outing is on a barge in the waterway, but after Aquaman tells him to clear off, he casts his magic from the shore. He tells Aquaman that he has "Voodoo power". He recites a lot of unusual "mumbo-jumbo" as he casts his spells, which turns out to be important to the plot. Deeter also has a cool Aquaman doll (the voodoo doll), and an octopus doll as well!

Deeter's tricks: He forces Aquaman to act like an octopus and become the propeller for a stalled ship. He has Aquaman put a sword in his mouth and act like a swordfish to carry lost cargo back to a ship. Then, after the pirates are involved, he makes Aquaman rob gems from a ship.

As is usual, the press gets ahold of the story right away. We see three headlines: "Sea King Dethroned" "Aquaman Meets His Match!" and "Aquaman Under Voodoo Control!" As is often the case with Aquaman, he's willing to destroy his own reputation to get the crooks.

The ship that Aquaman is forced to rob is the Santa Anna, and this is the fourth time a ship with that name has shown up. Either it's one ship that really gets around, or the writers really liked the name. Three of the Santa Annas, including this one, were robbed. One of them was a smugglers' ship.

The artwork is truly lovely in this tale.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:17 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Monday, September 24, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 167

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 #244 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #244 (January 1958) - The Copy Cat Creature

A sea monster encased in ice returns to life and becomes Aquaman's pal.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "Ha-ha! You're a friendly cuss, aren't you! And since all your old pals have been gone for centuries, you can be my friend!"

Aqua-Exclamations: "Galloping Typhoons!"

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman again rides on Topo. Aquaman has a school of flying fish eat the locusts that threaten the farms on shore. He has a group of octopus link tentacles to create a living net for the pilot whose plane Myron destroyed. Aquaman has swordfish cut down burning trees near the shore to prevent the fires from spreading. He then has to call in whales to put out the fire that results when Myron knocks down a burning lighthouse into an oil slick. Aquaman has dolphins pull a stranded ship out of the Sargasso Sea, then has to create a lasso made of eels to pull the sailors to safety when Myron tows an old wreck and swamps the original ship. Aquaman rides a whale to rescue the sailors. Aquaman sends a legion of giant blowfish down to the South Pole, where they inhale the freezing air, then gets some fish to play in a waterfall. As Myron copies the fish, playing in his own waterfall, Aquaman has the blowfish exhale the freezing air, trapping Myron in a new iceberg which he then leaves in an icy sea somewhere.

The most basic premise of this story, "sea monster preserved in ice wakes up and becomes Aquaman's friend," is very similar to Adventure #193, but the structure and events in the stories are completely different. In this tale, Myron the monster doesn't attack ships for no reason. And the solution that Aquaman came up with in the earlier story is completely different to the one he comes up with here.

Lots of goofy science here, like blowfish being able to freeze water by bringing cold air from the South Pole. Aquaman himself says that Myron is apparently related to the cat family, because he has a somewhat feline face. It's all pretty typical bad Silver Age science.

Aquaman leaves Myron in another iceberg... but doesn't make sure the iceberg is secured in a climate where it will stay ice. What if Myron floats to warmer climes, like the first time?

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:45 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Friday, September 21, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 166

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 #243 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #243 (December 1957) - Aquaman's Amazing Bets

Kipp, first mate on the Frisco Dawn, keeps winning unlikely bets, even once Aquaman gets involved.

Aqua-Exclamations: "Suffering Sharks!" "Jumpin' Catfish!"

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Finny Friends Report: Topo helps Aquaman save the crew members from the waterspout. Aquaman summons a whale for the "biggest fish" bet. Aquaman puts his head in a shark's mouth for the "fearful sea creature" bet. Aquaman has giant squid friends bring up a sunken Man-of-War for the "man overboard" bet. Then Aquaman wins that bet by having his swordfish rescue Kipp.

Quotefile: Kipp, thinking, "I'd recognize Aquaman anywhere, even under that thin disguise!"

After Aquaman rescues the sailors from the Frisco Dawn, they tell him about Kipp's bets. He agrees to go undercover and teach Kipp a lesson, but Kipp sees right through his disguise. He may be a scumbag, but Kipp is nobody's fool.

In the story we learn of two bets Kipp made with the crew. He then makes three bets against Aquaman and wins the first two. He tends to win his bets on technicalities and by cheating. The first bet we learn about is his bet that a turtle can win a race with a fish. The fish was a wind-up toy that ran out of juice before the finish line. The second bet he made was that a hurricane would arrive in five minutes. The hurricane was a squadron of hurricane fighter planes. The bets against Aquaman are won in similar fashion.

In the end, Kipp sinks himself by running away with the loot. He didn't want to face the wrath of the crew and Aquaman, but ended up losing the final bet by his action.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:43 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 165

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 #242 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #242 (November 1957) - The Amazing Feats of Aqua-Melvin

A blood transfusion gives vaudeville clown Melvin Aquaman's powers, making him Aqua-Melvin!

Aqua-Exclamations: "Diving Dolphins!"

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Captured/Knocked Out report: While Aquaman isn't captured or knocked out, he is constrained in what he can do by a looming threat.

Quotefile: Doctor, "The effect should wear off in 24 hours, Aquaman -- but you'd better watch him! Melvin is a vaudeville clown -- and quite a jokester!"

Finny Friends Report: On the splash, Aquaman rides Topo while Aqua-Melvin rides a swordfish. Aqua-Melvin gets two eels to make him look like an odd sea-creature. Aquaman and Melvin ride dolphins. Melvin moves to a whale to "rescue" an actor who really doesn't need rescuing. Melvin has a squid draw a caricature of the governor on an iceberg. Aquaman cleans it up with sea sponges while Melvin gets a whale to move the iceberg out of the sea lanes. Melvin spots a boatload of pretty girls and tries to impress them by riding a chain of flying fish into the air. Aquaman repairs the lighthouse on a living ladder of swordfish. Aquaman rides a swordfish. A lantern fish turns out to have helped Aquaman's plot along.

The second of the two clown stories this year. Aqua-Melvin is much more annoying than Wackyman, who at least had some skill. But Aquaman takes advantage of Melvin's timely acquisition of powers to get out from under a dangerous situation.

Paging Polite Scott! Here's one of those blood transfusion stories, which suggests that Aquaman's power is entirely in his blood. Uh, right. Melvin's injury is never described... the doctor says, "my friend was knocked unconscious and needs a blood transfusion at once!" No explanation is given as to why Aquaman must be the donor and not the doctor himself. For that matter, Melvin recovers very quickly after the transfusion, and his clothes are clean... he wasn't bleeding before. Melvin, who "can't swim a stroke", can suddenly swim perfectly and even communicate with sea life. Wow, Aquaman's blood is COOL!

In some ways, this story slightly echoes the recent Sub-Diego story, in which Aquaman's DNA is used to give his ability to survive underwater to normal people. Or am I just reaching on this one?

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:34 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 164

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 #241 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #241 (October 1957) - The Mutiny Against Aquaman

Roger Curtis, Jr will inherit his father's million-dollar circus only if he can train four dangerous fish to do an act in a tank under the big top.

Quotefile: Aquaman, in a punny mood, "This's one mutiny that paid off in plenty of bounty!"

Aqua-Exclamations: "Suffering Sea Cows!"

Glove Color: Yellow.

Finny Friends Report: The splash page shows sea life, including a squid, shark, whale, swordfish, and another small fish, attacking Aquaman. Aquaman rides Topo. A shark attacks Curtis and is chewed out by Aquaman (unfairly, more on that later). Aquaman helps Curtis train a squid, shark, whale and swordfish. Curtis will put his head in the shark's mouth, then box with the squid. The swordfish and Curtis will act out a bullfight, then Curtis will float between the whale's jaws as the whale dances. After being drugged, the shark attacks Aquaman, who creates a whirlpool to make it dizzy and knock it out. The squid then attacks, and Aquaman tangles up its arms. The swordfish plays bullfight, and Aquaman covers its eyes, then knocks out the whale by covering its spout holes.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo, but only in one panel as a silhouette.

Topo in Silhouette

Curtis is trying to capture the dangerous creatures at the beginning of the tale, in order to start training them, but isn't having any luck. He stuns a shark with an electric shock, then aims a spear gun at it. Naturally, it attacks him. Then the shark is chewed out by Aquaman for it, even though the attack was completely justified. Way to support your finny friends, Aquaman!

Curtis' father thought that training sea creatures would interest his son, who loved the sea more than the land, but didn't realize just how difficult the task would prove. If not for Aquaman, Curtis would have lost his inheritance.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:13 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 163

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 #240 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #240 (September 1957) - The Alphabet Book of the Sea

Aquaman helps write the A-B-C of the Sea, but they get stuck on the letter "X".

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Finny Friends Report: On the splash page, seals are carrying letter-blocks to a giant book. Aquaman rides Topo. A cutlass fish slices through the anchor rope so Aquaman can save Sinker. Whales carry Blackbeard's boat from Madagascar to Christmas Island so Sinker can take a picture of it. Aquaman brings up a catfish and dogfish for Sinker to photograph. Electric Eels spell out their own rhyme. Flying fish pose, as do guppies and kissing fish. Aquaman retrieves a Latimeria (Coelacanth) for Sinker to photograph. Also a manta ray, needle fish, oyster, and porpoise. Starfish pose with eels as an American flag. Viperfish and walking fish fill out the finny friends report.

Quotefile: Sinker, "Thanks for saving my life, Aquaman! I'm J. Oswald Sinker! I write children's books! I'm the author of "The A-B-C of Animals," "The A-B-C of Birds," "The A-B-C of Stars," and others! Now I want to write an "A-B-C of the Sea"! In fact you're my first letter!"

Oh man, this story is FULL of information and fun. And while every letter is not represented, we get a lot of them and quite a few of the awful rhymes as well. While I'm tempted to inflict them on you, I think I'll spare you the worst. Here's one for you, "'C' is for Catfish, with whiskers so slim! Who is the fool who said cats can't swim?"

Aquaman goes to the Tuscarora Trench and uses an infrared camera to take pictures.

Aquaman goes after the letter "I" by taking a picture of the "Island of Atlantis"... and he specifically says, "These will be the first pictures of the sunken island ever taken! Who said Atlantis doesn't exist?" But back in Adventure #224, Aquaman took a picture of Atlantis for the Seven Wonders pictures. That was only a year and a half previous. He's going to reveal Atlantis as a living city in less than two years. That doesn't quite contradict this story, as Atlantis is more than just a city.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:50 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Monday, September 17, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 162

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 #239 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #239 (August 1957) - The Voyage of the Good Ship Aquaman

Captain Wakely builds a rescue ship which he names "Aquaman", but the ship can't seem to rescue anyone.

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo. Aquaman has started to ride Topo standing up on Topo's tentacles.

Quotefile: Captain Wakely, "I spent every cent I own to fit this ship with electronic devices to save lives as sea. I only hope I do as good a job as my friend, Aquaman!"

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides Topo. Aquaman calls a bunch of whales to create a runway for the plane to get back into the air. He has a swordfish and octopus to rescue victims of a collision, but it's the electric eels that give him the hint to fix the problem. He has two octopus steal Captain Wakely's Aquaman figurehead off his ship.

Wakely's figurehead is an important part of the story. It's a carving of Aquaman hand-carved from a large piece of rock Wakely found on a deserted island. I'm a little confused why he'd make a figurehead out of stone... aren't they usually carved from wood so as to be light? Maybe it was a very lightweight volcanic rock or something.

Wakely's failures: his portable runway shatters with the plane on it. The electronic flame-thrower blasts everything but the iceberg. His giant scoops, designed to get people out of the water, fall apart. Luckily, Aquaman is around for every disaster on this first run of the ship, and is able to help out where Wakely's ship fails.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:04 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Friday, September 14, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 161

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 #238 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #238 (July 1957) - The Floating Doom

Aquaman stops some men from laying mines, only to learn that they are scientists studying ocean currents... or are they?

Aqua-Exclamations: "Great Catfish"

Glove Color: Yellow.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Finny Friends Report: Hilarious splash page with four finny friends sunning themselves on mines: A sea cow that barely fits, a seal, an octopus that appears to have it's "legs" crossed, and a swordfish! Aquaman rides Topo up to the ship laying mines. A whale helps him board the ship. An octopus throws the first mine out of the way of the Santa Anna. Later, a whale, swordfish, octopus, and shark all push mines out of the way. An octopus throws Aquaman onto the ship. The octopus then knocks away the gun of the boss. Aquaman rides a dolphin and lassos the bad guys with a lasso of electric eels. Swordfish punch holes in the ship's hull. And octopus and swordfish round up the bad guys.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "Well... you must admit you certainly looked suspicious -- wearing masks that aren't really masks -- and launching mines that aren't really mines!"

The mines being laid are plastic bubbles containing scientific instruments used to measure the speed of ocean currents. The guys are wearing masks because the instruments use radium, which the masks supposedly protect them from. Uh-huh. The men on the ship convince Aquaman to tell sea captains that the mines are harmless. Of course, as soon as Aquaman leaves the ship, the men start laying some alternate instruments.

Aquaman realizes he's been had when he sees a pieces of metal sticking to one of the "plastic bubbles".

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 11:03 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 160

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 #237 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #237 (June 1957) - The Secret of the Sea King

Magazine Editor Roy Mason sees Aquaman acting strange and decides to expose Aquaman's crimes to the world.

Aqua-Exclamations: "Great Catfish!"

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: None.

Finny Friends Report: On the splash page, Aquaman has a whale chained down, a swordfish stuck sword-first in the seabed, and an octopus pegged down. In the story, the same fish are in much the same situation, but the swordfish is stuck into a sunken ship. Aquaman has three whales secretly push a ship clear of some dangerous rocks, even though the captain doesn't want Aquaman's help. On another ship, Aquaman has "a whole squadron of octopi" become the propellers for a ship, getting it away from a storm. In the flashback, Aquaman has two whales and two octopi subdue the maddened whale, octopus, and swordfish.

Quotefile: Roy Mason, "Aquaman! Lucky for that plane's crew that he's around! But why is he wearing that black mask?"

As usual, Aquaman doesn't worry about his reputation. This time it really bites back, though, as ship captains refuse his help. Mason reported seeing Aquaman bury cargo, and so, despite YEARS of contrary evidence, all the ship captains on the water assume Aquaman is a thief. This is yet another example of how fickle and easily led by media the public is in the DCU. We'll avoid talking about how that compares to the real world.

The irate sea captains of the DCU's oceans gather at Lighthouse Island to vote on banning Aquaman from the sea. I wonder just how they planned to enforce their ban?

Among those who believe Mason's story over years of precedent are the members of the Aquaman Fan Club, who change their name to the "Neptune Skin Diving Club". There's no indication that they ever changed back.

As usual, there was a good reason for Aquaman to not explain what he was doing, and in the end it's the Coast Guard that clears Aquaman's name. Let's hope Mason printed a retraction, eh?

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:52 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Monday, September 10, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 159

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 #236 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #236 (May 1957) - The Iceberg of Doom

Aquaman becomes suspicious when a single iceberg hits and sinks three ships owned by the same merchant.

Finny Friends Report: On the splash page, Aquaman clings to a chain of octopi. When the first freighter hits an iceberg, a seal uses the Sea Siren to alert Aquaman. Aquaman rides Topo to the scene of the sinking, then Topo helps rescue the people on the overturned lifeboat. At the second sinking, Aquaman ties old leaky lifeboats to the back of a whale for the rescued sailors to ride to safety on. At the third sinking, Aquaman has sharks, swordfish, and octopi help rescue the cargo and deliver it to port. To save the fourth ship, Aquaman has thousands of sponges fling themselves onto the iceberg to cushion the ship. Electric eels "blast" a path through the iceberg into its core. Flying fishes drop a giant lariat over the iceberg, and whales pull the berg into another iceberg, smashing it. Dolphins rescue the bad guys.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is captured when he enters the iceberg, and thrown in a crevice on the edge of the iceberg with walls too slippery to climb, and from which he cannot summon his fishy friends (apparently the telepathy is still not quite developed).

Quotefile: Aquaman, "There's something mighty fishy about this "jinx" operating against Porter's line! How can the same iceberg run down just those ships and no others?"

Aqua-Exclamations: "Great Neptune!"

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Just an idle thought: Why are some of the sailors that Aquaman rescues from the first freighter wearing suits and ties?

Aquaman faced a very similar problem back in the Golden Age in More Fun Comics #79. Yeah, right at the beginning of his career!

Have you read this story? What do you think?

NOTE: there will be no Ripples Through Time tomorrow

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posted by Tegan at 9:21 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Friday, September 07, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 158

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 #235 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #235 (April 1957) - The Show-Off of the Sea

While performing historical re-enactments for a TV show, Aquaman can't seem to resist having his finny friends save him instead of sticking to the script.

Captured/Knocked Out report: As Aquaman approaches the pirate ship prop, he is nearly blown up by a floating mine. He is apparently undamaged.

Quotefile: Mr Stone, "Aquaman, this is the second time you've ruined a show, just to prove how cleverly you've trained your fish!" Aquaman, "All I can say is, I'm sorry! I... uh... just couldn't resist the temptation to put on my own act!"

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo (misindentified as "Toco").

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides up on Topo (Toco). A swordfish frees Aquaman during the Captain Kidd sequence. In the Count of Monte Cristo scene, an octopus unties Aquaman then throws him to the deck of the ship. The whale pushes him out of danger during the Moby Dick sequence.

Only nine months previous to this there was a story called "The Showoff of the Seven Seas". Like in that story, Aquaman has a secret. And, again, he doesn't care what people think about him... he does what needs to be done. Other than that, the two stories have nothing in common.

Aquaman last appeared on live TV over ten years previously. That wasn't a planned show, though. The opening text box says, "The famed Aquaman has always lent his expert assistance to TV shows wishing to film sea stories." That may be so, but we haven't really seen much.

This story also brings to mind Adventure #217. Only in this one, Aquaman keeps the problem secret. Well, mostly secret. Captain Wood, another consultant on the set, figures out what Aquaman is hiding, and why.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:48 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 157

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 #234 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #234 (March 1957) - The Super-Aquarium

Aquaman is collected for an alien Aquarium.

Quotefile: Alien, "We have gathered the most amazing creatures of the seas on all the planets -- and you are the one we have chosen to represent Earth!"

Aqua-Exclamations: "Great Sailfish"

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: none. Although octopi show up in this story, Aquaman never calls any one Topo or rides one of them.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman is attacked by a swordfish with two swords, an octopus that has elastic tentacles, and a flying whale. He shows the aliens a Bahamian Scallop, but they aren't impressed. He also shows them a Giant Bat Fish. Finally he shows off a "tank fish", an armored fish with electrified feelers, multiple tentacles, and a sword. The aliens take the tank fish, but the electric eels, the octopi, and swordfish that were filling the shell drop away before the ship takes off.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is captured by a giant pincer and put in a holding tank. He talks his way out of the tank, but has to trick the aliens into letting him out of the pincer.

There just isn't a lot to say about this one. If my rule about the Silver Age starting just a few months previous to this story, then this is the first "alien visitors" story of Aquaman's Silver Age. There have been three space stories so far, in Adventure #196, Adventure #216, and Adventure #222. Aquaman is running 50/50 with aliens so far. The first ones he met were friendly, the next were invading. The third was also friendly, but these ones are hostile.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:11 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 156

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 #233 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #233 (February 1957) - The Sea Clown

Wackyman uses mechanical fish to duplicate Aquaman's feats in his comedy act.

Glove Color: Yellow.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides Topo throughout the story. A signal fish sends a special signal. Swordfish, eels, and a whale pretend to attack Aquaman. Topo disarms the crooks.

Quotefile: Wackyman, "*gulp* I--I never dreamed that my mechanical fish would someday be used for crime!"

I am not a big clown fan, thus I'm a bit creeped out by the character. Worse, this is only the first of TWO clown stories this year. Wackyman dresses exactly like Aquaman, except he has clown makeup on his face, a bald cap, and a big red nose. At the very end of the story he removes the fake nose.

Wackyman's comedy act includes dancing on an octopus, riding a swordfish that hits a target (and falling off the swordfish), writing his name with electric eels, and sitting on a whale's spout. The replica fish are good enough that Aquaman can't tell them from the real thing while they are in action.

Aquaman isn't a big clown fan either. At the end of the story he asks Wackyman to tone down the act.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:43 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 155

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 #232 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #232 (January 1957) - Aquaman Joins The Navy!

Aquaman temporarily joins the US Navy as part of recruitment drive, but doesn't tell his immediate superior officer who he is.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides Topo to the Navy fleet. A bunch of octopuses help swab the decks. Whales rinse them. Eels create a chute for the dishes to slide into the water, and sponges wipe the dishes clean. Octopuses toss the dishes back aboard... and other octopuses safely catch and stack the dishes. Swordfish punch holes in the dangerous wreck to sink it. Aquaman rides Topo again to direct whales to create a breakwater on all sides of the destroyer.

Quotefile: Sailor, "This is sure one for the books! Say, who are you anyway -- Aquaman?" Aquaman, "Do I look like Aquaman?"

Aqua-Exclamations: Freems: "Great Seahorses!"

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Aquaman is assigned by Admiral Hanley to the USS Clay, a destroyer. Aquaman serves under Chief Petty Officer Freems, who isn't informed that his new recruit is Aquaman. Admiral Hanley has a "secret signal" to reach Aquaman, three rocket flares shot at different levels.

Topo is identified in the second panel: "...Aquaman patrols the waters aboard his trusted sea steed, Topo the Octopus..."

Note: Aquaman is a recipient of the Navy Cross in the Golden Age, and has always worked closely with the Navy and the Coast Guard.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:21 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Monday, September 03, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 154

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 #231 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #231 (December 1956) - Three Fates For Aquaman

A computer predicts that Aquaman will die at the hands of a fish.

Aqua-Exclamations: "Great Catfish!"

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo

Quotefile: The Think Machine's predictions: "You will soon be 1,000 feet high in the air... you will sink a ship... and dying at the hands of a fish will be your final fate tomorrow!"

Finny Friends Report: On the splash page, Aquaman is menaced by a swordfish, octopus, whale, and shark. He rides his "pet octopus". Sea eagles lift Aquaman above the action so he can attack from the unexpected direction. Sponge fish block up the cracks in the ship, making it water-tight, and whales pull it out of the way of the typhoon underwater. Aquaman dodges a swordfish trying to deliver a message to him, then avoids a shark, whale, ray fish, and octopus on his way to the event. An octopus is using dye to write the words "Welcome Aquaman" in the water.

The computer is never referred to as a "computer" in the story. It's a "Think Machine". Like all good Silver Age computers, it has dials and knobs and lights and switches and a white-shirted balding scientist working the controls. It is apparently voice-activated, and also responds vocally with the predictions. Aquaman laughs off the predictions... until the first two come true.

The computer seems like a fairly logical tool. You feed it the "essential facts" and it responds with information about what will happen in the next 12 hours. I can see computers being used to model the weather, and assist with routes and such. But all Aquaman says is, "I'll be patrolling the East Coast, then I'm to be guest of honor at a seamen's benefit fair..." and he gets the detailed, if slightly misunderstood, prediction. Of the three predictions, the computer might have been able to make the last two if it had enough data about the weather conditions and what was planned for Aquaman at the fair. But the first prediction involved a hijacking, and unless whoever programmed the computer was in on it, that data shouldn't have been available. It's a magical computer.

Like in The Ocean Restaurant, Aquaman pulls a ship underwater to protect it from a typhoon.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:12 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Saturday, September 01, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 153

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 #230 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #230 (November 1956) - The Tom Thumb Aquaman

While chasing smugglers, Aquaman is shrunk to the size of a doll.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides the octopus (still not named) at the beginning of the tale.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is shrunk by the boss of the smugglers and nearly stepped on. The remainder of the story is about his efforts to get to normal size by reaching the shrink ray equipment.

Aqua-Exclamations: "Great Catfish!"

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo

Quotefile: Aquaman, thinking, "...I'll have to find liquids on the way, since I can't live out of water too long!"

This is the first ever story that makes the claim that Aquaman cannot live out of the ocean for very long. That statement is contradicted many times before in the Golden Age, with Aquaman even visiting a desert to get away from water in one story. This is just another data point that strengthens the argument that this is the Silver Age Aquaman, instead of the Golden Age version.

Please note that there is no actual amount of time indicated, but Aquaman goes from one liquid to another as quickly as possible so as to stay immersed as much as possible. His travels take him from a tropical fish tank, to the drinks in a mobile hot dog stand, to the milk a milkman is carrying, into a blast from a water hose, then up the gutters of the house in the rain.

This is the second time Aquaman is shrunk, as we saw that theme before in Adventure #212. In that story he thought he might have been dreaming. In this story he's not only well aware what happened, but he even knows about the shrinking ray having been stolen. And he demonstrates it for the coast guard officers who arrive to help him by making the ship full size in a suburban backyard. It obviously wasn't a secret shrinking ray.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:09 AM - permalink - 0 comments

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 152

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 #229 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #229 (October 1956) - Aquaman's Undersea Partner

Inspired by the horses of some Mounties, Aquaman decides to choose a partner from the creatures of the sea to assist him regularly.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "It's certainly going to be tough deciding which of the three fish should be my permanent assistant!"

Aqua-Exclamations: "Great Catfish!"

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo

Finny Friends Report: The fish in contention are an octopus, a swordfish, and a whale. Aquaman rides the octopus to the ship of the fleeing crooks, which is racing past a steamship near an iceberg. The octopus flings Aquaman onto the crooks' ship, then vanishes. Aquaman spots him moments later on the propeller of the steam ship. Aquaman turns the two captured crooks over to the octopus to take to the Mounties, then summons the swordfish. He rides the swordfish after the crooks' ship. The swordfish punches holes in the rudder to disable the ship. Aquaman sends the swordfish off with one of the captured crooks. The whale sends a spout to the ship, which Aquaman rides, then sends another spout when Aquaman is in danger... which Aquaman swims up to safety. The whale also knocks out a couple of thugs with a blast. The whale then pushes the crooks' boat back to shore.

The twist in the tale comes when we learn that the octopus did not get tangled in the propeller of the steam ship, as Aquaman assumed, but instead realized the ship was in danger and acted as the propeller to drive it away from the iceberg. When Aquaman finds out the facts, that cinches the decision for him, and the octopus becomes his new partner.

And with this story, the Silver Age of Aquaman begins! At least by my reckoning, and by the same reasoning by Mike's Amazing World of DC Comics. This story marks the first regular appearance of a standard Silver Age character, Topo the Octopus. He isn't actually named in this tale, but it's undeniably Topo. It could be argued that Topo appeared before, as Aquaman says, "You've always been one of my most valuable helpers, octopus", but this is when Topo actually becomes a part of the official cast. From here on out, if Aquaman rides an octopus, it's Topo. The Golden Age Aquaman had a sea cow that he rode... from here on out... it's Topo.

To strengthen the argument that this is the start of Aquaman's Silver Age, another development takes place in the next story which is unique to the later version of Aquaman. I'll make a point of it, in tomorrow's Ripples.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:03 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 151

Ending the Golden Age...

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 #228 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #228 (September 1956) - The Floating Hall of Fame

Captain John is surprised when his contribution to charity, a series of carved driftwood figures, is purchased in advance by a rich Mexican.

Quotefile: Captain John, "*Gulp* Aquaman must be half fish himself, the way he gets these marine creatures to do anything!"

Glove Color: Green. With one panel yellow.

Aqua-Exclamations: Captain John: "Jumpin' Jellyfish!"

Finny Friends Report: Octopuses hold luminous squid above the water to light up the area of the fleeing robbers. A whale lifts and stops the boat. Later a flying fish takes Captain John's signal and a group of flying fish form an SOS. Aquaman rides a swordfish after the bad guys. A wall of turtles stops them. Octopuses return the carvings to Captain John's boat.

There is a small flaw in this story, as there's no indication of how the robbers duplicated Captain John's carvings nor how they made the originals sink. The carvings were made of driftwood, after all! You would think that John would take one look at the replacements and realize they were fakes.

Not all of the carvings are named, but I identified Hanno, Noah, John Paul Jones, and Columbus. Reese says that Noah, Columbus, and John Paul Jones hold the stolen and smuggled diamonds. Hanno just doesn't get any respect.

I love the shadow on the wall in the splash page. True, nothing like that happens in the story, but the menacing shadow is pretty cool nonetheless.

To earn money for the charity, Captain John and Aquaman prep his carvings and set them up as a Floating Hall of Fame, then Captain John sails from port to port charging admission for people to see them. Reese offers John $50,000 for the entire collection after the tour is completed.

Special Note: This story is, by my count, the final Golden Age Aquaman tale. It is now official: The Golden Age Aquaman had no one hour time limit. He could exist indefinitely on land. More on the Silver Age changeover in the next Ripple.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:30 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 150

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.

YAY! One Hundred and Fifty stories!

Adventure #227 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #227 (August 1956) - A Day In The Life of Aquaman

A film crew asks to film Aquaman's daily routine, but there's a sinister plot behind their actions.

Finny Friends Report: On the splash, an octopus serves Aquaman his meal. A razor clam shell shaves Aquaman. An octopus creates a shower curtain out of ink (!) and blowfish squirt soap flakes so he can clean himself. Electric eels heat up Aquaman's meal. A sponge works as Aquaman's pillow. A sub-marine band plays for Aquaman: an octopus plays a xylophone of empty conch shells, trumpet fish, and violinist-swordfish fiddle at the spines of sea urchins. A swordfish traps one bad guy while an octopus knocks the guns out of their hands. Whales spray the bad guys until they give up.

Aquaman's communication system: A lantern fish follows the ship waiting for a signal, the fish signals to a sea hare which sends up an inky cloud. A flying fish spots the cloud and relays until a giant boxing shrimp signals to Aquaman from a reef. The final, unrevealed, link is a seagull that checks for breaks in the system.

Quotefile: Bad guy boss, "Ha, ha -- He's sure wasting a lot of good acting in front of those unloaded cameras!"

Glove Color: Yellow.

This was a really fun little tale. I'm particularly amused by the "shower curtain", like he needs to take a shower... and the panel in which he's washing his hair. He looks like he's really enjoying himself there, and it also appears that he was meant to NOT have his uniform on, but the colorist erred on the side of modesty. The sub-marine band is a nice foreshadowing of The Little Mermaid.

Aquaman finally figures out the plot by discovering that the cameras aren't waterproof and have no film in them. He leaves out a crucial part of his sea life communication system in order to make sure he catches the bad guys in the act.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:45 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Monday, August 27, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 149

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 #226 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #226 (July 1956) - The Showoff of the Seven Seas

Aquaman's jealousy when another swimmer wins the Seaman of the Year award distracts him from his crime fighting.

Quotefile: Aquaman's Advertising, "Come to derrick 1 mile south of Keel Lighthouse on May 5, and watch Aquaman in action!"

Glove Color: Green.

Finny Friends Report: On the splash page, two seals hold up Aquaman's sign. Aquaman writes "This is Aquaman Greatest Seaman of the Year" on a whale in squid ink, then has the whale cruise along the beach while he balances on an octopus balanced in the whale's spout. The octopus later holds Aquaman's bucket of luminous oil paint. Seals toss around a ball with Aquaman's advertising message on it. Sea eagles carry a banner with Aquaman's message. At the derrick itself, seven whales spout water up the derrick, which Aquaman explains that he plans to dive into. Aquaman rides his trusty sea cow (still unnamed). The whales dive when the derrick explodes, and there's no indication that they were hurt... but they should have been, as the explosion was at the bottom of the derrick, where the whales were positioned.

Once again Aquaman ignores his reputation in order to catch the bad guys. And, as usual, the Coast Guard is in on the trick. But everyone else assumes that Aquaman is a conceited show-off and begin to despise him.

The bad guy is named T.N.T. Dillon, and has sworn to get Aquaman back for putting him in jail. People wonder why Aquaman is ignoring his threats while playing around at advertising his own greatness... but it's all a huge effort to get Dillon to play his hand. A mega-sting operation.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:48 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Friday, August 24, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 148

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 #225 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #225 (June 1956) - The Undersea School

Aquaman runs a school for his finny friends, but a pair of seals are upset when only one of them can be in the class.

Aqua-Exclamations: "Great Catfish"

Glove Color: Green.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is held at gunpoint for a moment before being rescued.

Quotefile: Aquaman, on splash page, "Well, I see the seal has brought an apple for the teacher -- I mean, an oyster with a pearl in it!"

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman puts the fish through a whole bunch of tests and training. Eels spell out "catfish". An octopus thwacks a sea-otter and has to write "I am a bad fish" out 100 times. The octopus later supplies ink for a written test.

A swordfish, octopus, and seal are all shown taking a marksmanship test. The seal fails. A swordfish, giant sponge, and the seal are shown taking an accuracy test. The seal fails. A panel shows the seal failing every other test as well.

During the graduation ceremony, a signal fish alerts Aquaman to a pirate attack on the surface. A whale helps Aquaman reach the pirates. The failing seal rescues Aquaman by taking the gun from the thug and knocking out other thugs. The octopus tells Aquaman why the seal was intentionally failing all the tests.

A cute sort of filler story. I wonder if readers were writing and asking how Aquaman's finny friends always knew exactly what to do? There's the added plot twist of the failing seal and the pirate attack to add some action, but it's a fairly weak tale.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 6:12 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 147

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 #224 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #224 (May 1956) - The Seventh Wonder of the Sea

Jim Travis is mugged and loses his portfolio of pictures of the seven wonders of the sea, but Aquaman decides to help him retake all the images in one week.

Glove Color: Green.

Finny Friends Report: A sea turtle protects Jim from the propeller. Aquaman has tons of lantern fish and luminous squid light up the first wonder. A chain of octopi hold Aquaman steady in a strong current so he can take a picture of the second wonder. Two sawfish cut down a coral tree (!) that is blocking Aquaman's perfect shot of the third wonder. Whales create a spouted platform that Aquaman uses to take an image of the fourth wonder. A eel wraps around Aquaman to protect him in the depths where the fifth wonder is.

Quotefile: Jim, after explaining that he was attacked, "Metropolitan Studios are offering a $100,000 prize for true photographs of the Seven Wonders of the Sea! I had six pictures and their negatives -- the only ones I own -- in that briefcase!"

This story is the first one to be interrupted by ads and have a "Continued on 3rd Page Following" notice.

I have to wonder, considering the lengths Aquaman has to go to in order to get some of these photos, whether Jim Travis had a completely different set of wonders in mind, and thus won the contest entirely due to Aquaman's intervention.

The first wonder is an underwater mountain range that is "greater than the Rockies, deeper and wider than the Grand Canyon". The second wonder is the Lost Continent of Mu. The third wonder is the Great Barrier Coral Reef. The fourth wonder is the wrecks in the Sargasso Sea. The fifth wonder is the ruins of Atlantis. The sixth wonder is Port Royal. As for the seventh wonder... well, Jim provides that photo and here's Aquaman's reaction to it:

Bemused Aquaman

Going back to the fifth wonder, Aquaman says, "The remains of Atlantis are so deep that even I'd need some special equipment to reach them without getting crushed!" Apparently by this time his origin has been completely unlinked from Atlantis, and the previous adventure with Atlanteans forgotten. In only three years, that will change again.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:12 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 146

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 #223 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #223 (April 1956) The Sunken City of Gold

When an undersea eruption reveals a city of gold, Aquaman is asked to lead the expedition to explore the place.

Quotefile: Aquaman, aiming a gun at attacking fish men, "Must scare them off! I don't like doing this -- but my first duty is to protect the scientists I'm leading!"

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman saves a scientist by covering the gills of the prehistoric fish attacking the man. He also ties up an octopus-like creature that looks a bit like an amoeba.

Aqua-Exclamations: "Suffering Sea Cows!"

Glove Color: Yellow.

The story begins with a diver in a standard diving suit witnessing an eruption undersea. As the ocean floor moves, a jungle and golden city rise into sight, along with some scary-looking fish. The diver promptly evacuates.

Of note: the eruption was big enough to expose some amazing hidden part of the ocean. But the standard diving suit had a line going to the surface where a ship had to be feeding him air. What did the ship see? And was there enough of a seismic event to cause tsunami? None of that is addressed in this tale.

It takes "top scientists" a few weeks to get an expedition together, which is no doubt what allows for the other side of the plot to happen. The name of the scientists' boat is "City of Gold". Optimistic, aren't they?

Where did the strange fish and underwater jungle come from? Was it simply a section of the ocean floor that was deeper than people had investigated before, or was it a truly hidden area, protected by something? The story itself argues for the second option, as Aquaman says of the fish, "now that they have been exposed to the open sea, they won't live much longer!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:48 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 145

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 #222 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #222 (March 1956) - A Rival For Aquaman

A stranger, who calls himself the Seaman, asks for Aquaman's help.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is pushed down by a swimmer who then quickly poses for a picture of himself "saving" Aquaman.

Quotefile: Life Guard, "You must be used to pests like him looking for publicity by getting next to you, eh, Aquaman?" Aquaman, "You're not kidding! That's why I rarely let strangers get too close to me!"

Glove Color: Green.

Aqua-Exclamations: "Great Catfish"

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides a sea cow. He has Octopuses bring up the ship.

Aquaman starts the story annoyed because people want their picture taken with Aquaman... but do so in a sneaky way. The two doofuses that conspire to get a picture of one of them "saving" Aquaman are lucky to not end up with black eyes... but then, this was a gentler time. Aquaman wasn't an anti-hero yet.

Aquaman thinks that the Seaman (stop giggling) also wants publicity, and it takes him entirely too long to figure out that publicity is the last thing the guy is looking for. You would think Aquaman would catch on a bit sooner, but apparently he had publicity hounds on his mind that week.

The Seaman performs three stunts that Aquaman would have found difficult, if not impossible. The first was to create a channel of water flowing over a fire that Aquaman can swim on to rescue a sea captain. The second is to single-handedly steer a large ship away from a collision. The last, and most impressive, is to swim up a heavy rainfall to save a lighthouse keeper who has fallen from his lighthouse.

This is another "alien visitors" story, and like the first aliens Aquaman met, this one is friendly. He's also following the Prime Directive: "...our civilization is far ahead of yours! We have been observing you for years and do not feel that you are ready for outerspace visitors! My leaders felt our presence would only cause panic -- and that is why I had to avoid all publicity!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:41 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Monday, August 20, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 144

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 #221 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #221 (February 1956) - The Boy Who Refused To Swim

Not even Aquaman can teach Johnny Hartley how to swim, or so everyone thinks.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides his sea cow at the beginning of the tale. Whales help him show Johnny how to float. Whales also prevent Captain Hartley's ship from approaching the island in the flashback.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman hits his head on the pier and apparently is knocked out.

Quotefile: Aquaman, sneaking into Johnny's tent to go through his personal effects, "That photo of Johnny and his father... I-- I think I get it all now! And I'd better do something about it at once!"

Glove Color: Green.

Perhaps Aquaman deserved to be taken down a peg or two. He's convinced that the camp instructors just aren't doing a good enough job teaching Johnny how to swim, "There's no reason why anyone shouldn't be able to learn how to swim-- if he's taught properly!" Ooh, way to insult the instructor, Aquaman!

Johnny is actually an excellent swimmer, but he's angry at Aquaman and wants to disgrace him. He's successful, as he continues to pretend he cannot swim after getting personal lessons from Aquaman. Somehow Aquaman doesn't figure out that the kid is upset at him despite the sullen one word answers during the lessons. The other campers and the instructors are very upset at Aquaman for endangering Johnny's life by making him think he could swim.

Johnny's father attempted to claim a remote Northern island for the United States, but Aquaman wouldn't let him and couldn't explain (at the time) why. Apparently the elder Hartley complained about Aquaman's actions in the hearing of his son.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:52 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Friday, August 17, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 143

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 #220 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #220 (January 1956)

Jim Blake, who looks just like Aquaman, is too afraid to swim despite being an expert swimmer.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides his sea cow at the very beginning of the tale.

Glove Color: Green.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "That man... he look amazingly like me! ... I seem to remember him from somewhere!" maybe your mirror?

Aquaman last ran into a perfect double in Adventure #177. Whatever happened to Tommy Leeds, I wonder?

Johnny Blake is a retired Navy pilot, and Aquaman's memory of where and when he met him is triggered by seeing that Blake is wearing a purple heart. I don't know of many vets who actually wear their medals unless required or requested to do so. The art also doesn't show a purple heart.

The other people who witness Blake's inability to save his own girlfriend from the water shun him and tease him mercilessly. This is why Aquaman intervenes. The folks discover that it's Aquaman pretending to be Blake, though, and so Aquaman tells them why Blake is afraid. That shuts them up and shames them.

Aquaman takes advantage of a later situation to attempt to cure Blake of his water phobia, and it apparently works. Again, Aquaman ignores his own reputation in order to help someone.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:38 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 142

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 #219 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #219 (December 1955) - The Greatest Show on Water

When a barge hauling amusement park rides to children on an island sinks, Aquaman takes it upon himself to provide replacement rides.

Quotefile: Amazingly erudite child who appears to be toddler age, "It's sure nice of Aquaman to arrange this ocean amusement park for us!" Fellow genius toddler, "Yes... but I still don't see how he can give us all those rides on the sea!"

Aqua-Exclamations: "Great Catfish!"

Glove Color: Yellow.

Finny Friends Report: In the opening splash, lots of kids are riding lots of different sea creatures. Aquaman rides his trusty sea cow. Octopuses become The Whip ride. Whales are the Virginia Reel. Seals carry the Parachute Jump sign. For the Parachute Jump, giant sea eagles carry the kids up, and blowfish act as a chute on the way down. Aquaman performs acrobatics with some seals. For the roller coaster, whales bring up a sunken ship, and an octopus supplies giant empty shells for coaster cars. Flying fish carry the cars up the lines. Whales propel Aquaman up to save a child when the masts of the ship break. Sponges line the bottom and protect one of the kids when he falls.

I'm not entirely sure what a Virginia Reel is, although it looks a bit like the spinning teacups ride in the sign. The whales seem to just be providing blast of water for the kids to ride around on.

Three children are on the roller coaster when the mast breaks. Aquaman leaps to save one, is assisted by whales to save a second, and makes sure the third lands on soft sponges instead of striking the water. In today's world, Aquaman would be sued by the kids' parents for traumatizing their children. In this story, the kids say the experience was their favorite ride.

Aquaman says the giant shells are "the safest coasters you'll ever find!" But they have no seats, no handles, no safety bars of any type... and sure enough, the kids fall right out of them. Safety standards in the mid-50s must've been pretty lax.

I can't quite figure out how blowfish are supposed to provide a parachute. In fact, I'm pretty sure they'd just make the kid fall faster. Suspension of disbelief is sometimes hard in these "Look what Aquaman can make the fish do!" stories.

There are no villains in this story, unless you count the reef that the barge struck.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:21 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 141

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 #218 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #218 (November 1955) - Aquaman, Outlaw of the Sea

The folks at a diving convention believe Aquaman has swallowed a chemical that makes him temporarily insane, and Aquaman's unorthodox life-saving techniques simply compound the problem.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman gets a group of eels to form a lasso to pull a diver away from a whirlpool. A whale diverts the knock-out darts so Aquaman can escape.

Glove Color: Green.

Quotefile: Guy at diver convention, "Looks like a big turnout this year! We'll be able to start the program at once!" Guy holding large wooden crate, "Yes, but not until we drop this packet of dangerous experimental drugs into the ocean, as we promised the government we would!"

I admit, I laughed out loud when I read the second panel of this story, the one with the quote up there in it. Back in 1955 people weren't nearly as conscious of environmental concerns yet, and the ocean seemed infinite. A lot of the current problems in the ocean spring from that attitude, which is thankfully mostly gone from the modern world. I wish it were completely gone.

Aquaman's rescues include sticking his head in a hole a log has poked in an inflatable rubber raft to block it until it can be fixed, lassoing a diver who has strayed too close to a whirlpool, and breaking a diving bell that cracked on a jagged rock to save the occupants. Each rescue was misconstrued by the rescued folks as attacks by Aquaman.

Aquaman's origin is recapped again in the opening text box of this story: "Many years ago, a scientist gave Aquaman the amazing power to live and breathe under water... and it was this remarkable gift that led to his becoming the ruler of all the beings that dwell in the sea, and the protector of all men who work on the sea!" A sign, perhaps, that readers were asking about how Aquaman came to be? He hadn't had an origin story in 14 years at this point, I'm sure the current readers had no idea how Aquaman came to be.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 5:22 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 140

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 #217 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #217 (October 1955) - The Day Aquaman Couldn't See

Aquaman is blinded after being hit on the head by falling rocks.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides his trusty sea cow steed throughout this story. Aquaman has two whales propel him at the motorboat so he can take out one of the hijackers. He has a swordfish cut him free from the net. A sea eagle takes the club from the hijacker.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is hit on the head by rocks from a landslide, which knocks out his vision. He's captured in a net by the hijacker boss. Later, he slips on the wet deck of the hijackers' boat and hits his head again... restoring his vision.

Quotefile: Hijacker, "Hey-- look... Aquaman's lost his eyesight! This is our big chance... Elmo, hop into that small speedboat!" Elmo, "I get it, boss! I'll run him down so hard he'll never know what hit him!"

How the bad guys figure out that Aquaman has lost his eyesight simply by viewing him from a distance is never explained.

Aqua-Exclamations: "Great Catfish!"

Glove Color: Yellow.

Another in a long line of stories that take away Aquaman's abilities. Some examples: can't swim, can't touch water (twice), can't breathe air, attacked by fish (twice), and can't talk to fish.

The boss of the hijackers is never named, but his two companions are Elmo (who Aquaman gets rid of first) and Joe... or is it Charlie? The second hijacker is named twice, both times by the boss, and both different names. We could explain this by saying that the boss doesn't care about his hired help enough to even remember his name. So I get a no-prize?

You can tell which hijacker is the boss by his nifty hat, which is knocked off his head by the sea eagle. After that you have to look for just the stylish yellow tie and red jacket.

I'm kind of sad that Aquaman's sea cow is never named. He's been in lots of stories.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 3:24 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Monday, August 13, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 139

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 #216 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #216 (September 1955) - The Invasion of the Sea-Men

Aquaman witnesses a UFO arrive in the water, and learns that the occupants intend to conquer the oceans of Earth.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman is riding a sea cow at the beginning. Aquaman sends an octopus then a whale against the invaders. He then has a gold fish pose as the king of the sea. Electric eels protect the gold fish. A giant lobster poses as a subject of the king riding a giant sea horse (actually a coral shell shaped like a sea horse), while Aquaman lassos the invaders.

Quotefile: Invader, "L-look what's on the throne -- a gold fish! ... er -- Don't tell us you're the king?" Gold fish, "That's right! Down here, it's the little fish who rule -- not the big ones you handled so easily!"

Aqua-Exclamations: "Great Salmon" yeah, salmon is lovely, particularly when smoked.

Glove Color: Yellow.

Aquaman handles his first alien invasion. He's already visited an alien planet, but he thought that adventure was a dream. This one has no such escapes from the silliness. Aliens actually invade.

As usual, Aquaman uses his brains to get rid of the threat, not brawn. In fact, this story emphasizes that brawn isn't the right course by having the large fish easily defeated by the invaders. It also has Aquaman playing tricks on the aliens, by setting up the gold fish as the king.

This might be the first time that Aquaman refers to his own powers as telepathy. When the aliens land, he can hear them easily and realizes that they are using telepathy to talk. He then uses his own telepathy to speak for the gold fish: "They think the gold-fish is talking to them! Actually, what they hear are the telepathic thoughts I am projecting!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 7:47 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Friday, August 10, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 138

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 #215 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #215 (August 1955) - The Aqua-Mailman

Some crooks learn that Aquaman is helping a postal carrier make ocean deliveries and decide to take advantage.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman has a whale carry the quonset hut out of the harbor under water. Aquaman has swordfish drill a hole in the iceberg so Aquaman can reach the bridge of the sunken ship.

Also, while not specifying what sea creatures he's referring to, Aquaman threatens to throw the bad guys to his finny friends if they don't talk.

Glove Color: Green.

Aqua-Exclamations: "There's more than one way to skin a catfish!"

Quotefile: Opening Text Box: "Neither wind, nor rain, not the dangers that teem within the seven seas can stay that new and unique service, the Marine Mail Delivery, from making its appointed rounds... especially when Aquaman, king of the waves, trades in his sea-crown for a postman's cap, to become... The Aqua-Mailman"

Aquaman last delivered mail in Adventure #131. That plot also involved a postal carrier attempting to win a franchise to deliver the mail, but the motives of the bad guys in this story were completely different.

Aquaman first becomes suspicious when the bad guys set up a weather station in an area surrounded by mountains. Then he figures out something is up when he notes the sunken ship that was supposed to be a two-master actually has a third mast that was knocked away and not easily visible to divers. It's a thin thread, and that makes the story a bit hard to buy.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 8:07 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 137

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 #214 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #214 (July 1955)- Station Neptune

A TV station starts broadcasting an underwater variety show from the entrance of a busy harbor, distracting Aquaman from a case of hijacked cargo.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman receives a message about a hijacking from a signal fish. To audition for the show, he juggles shellfish. Then he gets eels to create an underwater trapeze. Then he pretends to be a cowboy riding a sea cow and lassoing another sea cow. He then captures the bad guys by lassoing THEM with an octopus.

Glove Color: Yellow.

Quotefile: TV Announcer, "Corny! Swim away, sea man -- your act is all wet!"

Aqua-Exclamations: "I'll be a sea cow's uncle!"

Great images of the Coast Guard captain tearing out his hair when he sees Aquaman apparently ignoring the ongoing hijacking case to audition for a bad variety show. But, of course, Aquaman already had the case solved and just was trying to make sure the bad guys were caught in the act.

Some fish came out to do tricks on the show without any prompting from Aquaman. You have to wonder how the TV guys contacted the fish, and what other programming they had.

The TV crew, when trying to escape, consists of four guys. One of them, the announcer, has underwater gear on. The other three are swimming underwater without any gear at all. True, they were racing to a midget sub to escape, but there's no indication that they left an airtight base.

Nice symmetry in this tale. The bad guys are using the TV show as an excuse to hang around at the mouth of the harbor. Aquaman uses efforts to get onto the TV show as an excuse to hang around the TV show. Heh.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 6:37 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 136

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 #213 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #213 (June 1955) - The Court-Martial of Moby Dick II

When a whale rams a ship and sinks it, Aquaman has to act to defend the whale in court.

Finny Friends Report: A swordfish brings up a stave from a barrel as evidence. When Aquaman goes to get the rest of the barrel, two other whales help lift the wreck off the barrel. A conga line of octopuses help Aquaman pull it out of the mud. A dolphin brings up a parka and helmet that the fish report to Aquaman came off the same ship. Aquaman gets a whole bunch of swordfish to clear the ice from the trapped ship so the icebreaker can come back to testify. In the end, Aquaman rides off on Moby Dick II.

Glove Color: Green.

Quotefile: Captain Broome, "How dare you save the life of a killer whale, Aquaman?" Yeah, Aquaman, how dare you save any sea life!

Wrong-doing whales are common in Aquaman tales, like the one in The First Undersea Jail and Black Beauty from another tale. Usually they aren't guilty, but whales do tend to get into trouble in the DCU.

This is a rare story that has a date. The whale rammed the ship on the afternoon of April 5th.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:42 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Friday, June 01, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 135

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 #212 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #212 (May 1955) - The Giant Tropical Fish!

Aquaman goes on a mission to an inland lake to destroy a secret shipment of rare chemicals.

Finny Friends Report: The giant fish pull Aquaman out of the whirlpool, then pull the packet into the whirlpool to get rid of it. Another fish helps Aquaman jump out of the lake.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "Great scott! Look at the size of that angel fish! But that's impossible -- angel fish never grow larger than four inches at the most!"

Aqua-Exclamations: "Holy Mackerel"

Glove Color: Yellow.

Deep inland, Aquaman has to jump from the plane because there aren't any landing fields nearby. You have to wonder how he gets back to the sea. The packet of chemicals was dropped because the plane was having engine trouble... but based on the size of the packet, that doesn't make a lot of sense unless it was dropped along with a lot of other stuff. Another issue is how Mr. Orwell is able to raise tropical fish in an inland lake somewhere in mid-America. But hey, let's not get too picky.

This is yet another story which ends with Aquaman wondering if he dreamed the whole thing. Aquaman doubts his fantastic reality an awful lot.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:39 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 134

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 #211 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #211 (April 1955) - The Mystery of the Seven Sea Statues!

After a statue of Aquaman in Ocean Square is left unfinished due to lack of funds, Aquaman goes around planting statues of himself.

Finny Friends Report: On the splash page, Aquaman rides his sea cow and a turtle, octopus, and seal carry his other statues. Later he rides the sea cow. He also rides two whales and has them form a wave to reveal one of the statues. Aquaman rides to the treasure ship by holding ropes carried by two huge sea eagles.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is put on trial for being a public nuisance in this story.

Quotefile: Text box, "Is it possible that Aquaman's disappointment has brought out a secret side of his nature?"

Glove Color: Green. This is the first time Aquaman's gloves are shown as green instead of yellow.

The ultimate explanation of why Aquaman put up the statues isn't very convincing or satisfying. It does show that Aquaman doesn't really care about the public's opinion of him, which is a recurring theme among these older stories. In this story he allows the public to think that he's vain and upset about not being properly honored, all to allow the Navy to conduct some secret tests.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:12 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 133

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 #210 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #210 (March 1955) - The First Undersea Newspaper

The Log, a newspaper for sea-faring folk, is attacked and Aquaman must get to the bottom of the mystery.

Finny Friends Report: To create his edition of The Log, Aquaman has a giant clam act as the press, while an octopus supplies the ink. Aquaman summons two sea cows to carry the Cooks to the island. A whale helps him into the air to attack the smuggler, while a porpoise takes out the final guy. An octopus holds them, and the porpoise brings up the cargo for the Cooks to rebuild their press with.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is temporarily stopped when approaching Bajorka Island by the threat of the Cooks being shot.

Quotefile: Aquaman, rescuing a couple, "Don't worry -- we'll reach the top safe and sound!" Man being rescued, "I can hardly wait! I want to write a first-hand account of this experience for The Log!"

A fairly basic story, with Aquaman involved in the media. With an obvious advantage, in that his newspaper is waterproof.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:32 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Saturday, May 26, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 132

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 #209 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #209 (February 1955) - The Island That Vanished!

The Science Academy accuses George Rogers of stealing valuable scientific equipment which he insists he left on an island, but the island doesn't exist.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman has octopi become propellers when the ship's propellers are sheared off by an ice pack. To get the ship off an ice raft, Aquaman has swordfish cut holes which he threads ropes through, then whales rock the ship off the ice. Whales brought the island back so Rogers would find it.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "Rogers is an intelligent man, captain! I'm sure I can talk him out of going on that wild-goose chase!"

If you are thinking this story sounds slightly familiar, you're right, the premise of a disappearing island also showed up in Adventure #175, only three year ago. The situation is very different, but again legal action is involved in it. Unlike the earlier story, there is no "bad guy" but the elements themselves. And thanks to Aquaman, there is a happy ending.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:20 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Friday, May 25, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 131

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.

There was no Aquaman story in Adventure #207.

Adventure #208 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #208 (January 1955) - The Mystery of the Aqua-Dolls!

After being followed around by a strange photographer, Aquaman learns that an inventor has created an Aqua-doll toy that can duplicate his aqua-feats.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides his sea cow in one panel, but otherwise gets no help from finny friends.

Quotefile: Coast Guard Captain, "Hi, Aquaman! You've been a-sea so long, I'll bet you don't even know about the new craze that's sweeping the nation!" Aquaman, "Craze? What craze?"

Aquaman learns about the dolls from the Coast Guard Captain who shows him a figure and even finds the inventor's name and address (on the feet of the toy). Aquaman checks in with the inventor, who is donating 50% of the profits to found a home for sailors, so Aquaman is ok with it in the end.

The life-size Aqua-doll that robs ships has a fatal flaw that allows Aquaman to figure out the mystery. Or should we say, it doesn't have a fatal flaw that it should have?

On the splash page, the Aqua-dolls have wind-up keys in their backs, but in the story they are radio controlled.

Aqua-Exclamations: "Well, I'll be a sea cow's uncle!" "Holy catfish!"

I want one. Of the toys, really, not Aquaman. Though I wouldn't say "no" to my own Aquaman.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:19 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 130

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 #206 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #206 (November 1954) - The Haunted Island!

A group of kids going to Fun Island get stuck on a reef, canceling their excursion, until Aquaman gets involved.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides to the rescue on his sea cow. He gathers turtles to serve as bases on the baseball diamond, and has sea eagles hold up a fishnet as a backstop. The children ride their own sea cows as they play. An octopus serves as the umpire, and whales serve as the walls of the "yard". To play basketball, eels mark the court and seals balance the baskets on their noses. The kids continue to ride sea cows, and an octopus serves as referee.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "Now, now, we all know there's no such thing as a sea monster! It must've been your imagination! Come on back and resume the game!"

This story could have held its own without any bad guys, and just been a tale of Aquaman saving the kids outing with his finny friends. But the sea monster angle is neat, and makes for a fun splash page (that's definitely not in the story). The plot is slight, but it's fun how Aquaman gets the kids involved in capturing the villains. All-in-all, a cute story.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:47 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 129

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 #205 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #205 (October 1954) - The Emperor of the Sea!

Aquaman's supremacy of the oceans is challenged by the mysterious Mr. Neptune, who claims to have the powers of the ancient god.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman again rides his sea cow in this story. Aquaman calls in whales to get a ship off a reef, but Mr. Neptune pushes the ship off by himself. Aquaman brings a squad of fish to take out the criminals, but Mr. Neptune jumps into action and takes out the criminals instead. Aquaman's octopi jump in to hand the criminals to the police. A flying fish steals Mr. Neptune's trident, then an octopus manhandles him as Aquaman explains the whole story to the captain of the Marovian ship.

An oddity in the artwork, when Mr. Neptune describes his abilities (turtle shell to protect from bullets, electric eels to shock the criminals) the abilities are drawn on him. By the end of the story we learn that was artistic license, because he didn't actually use magic.

The manic look on Mr. Neptune's face when he finally shows his true colors is a thing of beauty. He really looks like a villain at that point. However, I could do without the scene of Aquaman holding the trident with Mr. Neptune in the background with a "if it weren't for those meddling kids" look on his face.

That trident would come in handy in Aquaman's line of work. If this story had shown up 20 years later, it would have become a major plot point and an ongoing item of power in the Aquaman stories.

Quotefile: Mr. Neptune, while flinging whales around on the splash page, "Begone, deposed monarch of the deep, and your silly subjects of the sea! I'm ruler of the deep now!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:28 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 128

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 #204 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #204 (September 1954) - The Lagoon of Doom!

Aquaman appeals to a group of men emptying a lagoon of water to stop before they kill the fish, but when they don't... he starts to help them.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman originally appears because he's heard that a lagoon was being emptied, endangering the fish living in the lagoon. He gets a number of fish in the lagoon to make a net and drag it along to the bottom to see if he can find what the men are looking for. He rides his sea cow in the lagoon, then gets whales (must be a big lagoon) to spout water out of the lagoon. Octopi holding paddle fish push water out of the lagoon. The whale line up and create a wave getting more water out of the lagoon. Swordfish and sawfish then break the dam when the men who own the lagoon say they need more water in the lagoon. An octopus and the sea cow rescue the men after their barge is swamped.

I'm not sure that Aquaman was entirely in the right in this adventure, as he interferes with the men's business and sinks their barge. True, if they'd simply told him what they were up to and worked with him to help the fish in the lagoon, they wouldn't have had a problem, especially as what they were doing was completely legal. But then there wouldn't have been a story.

Quotefile: Man on ocean liner, "Holy cat, look at that man go! He must be tied to a speedboat or something!" Captain of liner, "No, my friend-- that's Aquaman, the fastest thing on water... and he sure looks in a hurry to get some place!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:02 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 127

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 #203 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #203 (August 1954) - The Shark With The Human Brain!

When Shark Wilson escapes from prison, Aquaman is called in to help find him, but instead spends his time fighting a shark that looks a lot like Wilson.

Finny Friends Report: As usual, Aquaman rides his sea cow to the location. He has two octopi try to stop the shark, but it slips away. A swordfish fares no better. The shark calls in more sharks, which attack Aquaman. Aquaman escapes by riding a school of flying fish. He then dives deep and brings up giant boxing shrimp that battle the sharks. A giant blowfish then attacks the original shark, poisoning it.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is surrounded by sharks, but just escapes.

Quotefile: Guard, "Don't jump, shark! Remember, the sand on the beach is believed to have magic powers that'll turn you into a fish!" Shark, "Ha, ha -- don't make me laugh! That's just a superstitious story to prevent convicts from breaking out!"

This is another story that leaves the reader wondering if Aquaman experienced magic. It doesn't say outright that the shark was Shark Wilson, but it certainly leaves it as a possibility. I like the end, when Aquaman talks to the readers and asks what they think happened.

For a long time, this was the earliest Aquaman story I had read, because it was one of the rare Aquaman stories that had been reprinted. Of course, in the reprint the colors were incorrect, as Aquaman's gloves appeared as green instead of yellow.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:06 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 126

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 #202 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #202 (July 1954) - Menace of the Freak Fish!

After the US Navy tests a bomb, sea creatures entering the area of the test mutate into hybrid monsters that ignore Aquaman's commands.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides his sea cow through the story. He warns fish out of the area when the bomb is tested, but allows them back in after the explosion. An octopus with electric tentacles attacks, but Aquaman can't command it and has horseshoe crabs subdue it. A whale that squirts ink link a squid attacks a ship. Aquaman battles a shark with a sawfish's beak. Three other mutant fish attack: An 8-foot sailfish with the daggers of the scallop, a 20-foot manta with the teeth of a sea urchin, and a pipefish with the pincers of a giant crab. When Aquaman gets the word, all the hybrid break apart. The whole thing was a ruse to keep ships out of the area of the test bomb until the contents of the bomb had dispersed enough in the water to prevent any foreign enemy from discovering the bomb's secret.

Aquaman has no problem whatsoever in tricking people, and many of his adventures involve him pulling fast ones on large audiences of the general public. Aquaman is constantly manipulating the media and fooling reporters.

I enjoyed seeing the various hybrid monsters. It had to have been fun to come up with some of those combinations, many of which aren't obvious. The octopus with electric tentacles is just great. I want a pet one.

Quotefile: Navy scientist to Aquaman, in front of reporters, "I'm afraid I have bad news for you, Aquaman! That bomb affected the water in such a way as to give certain fish the properties of other fish!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:52 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 125

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 #201 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #201 (June 1954) - The Stars Who Couldn't Swim!

When Aquaman recommends a down-on-his-luck swimmer to help out a movie producer, he doesn't quite get what he expects.

Plot-holes you could steer a freighter through on this one. Aquaman recommends "Channel Charlie" to the movie director to teach the stars how to swim, but a fake Charlie shows up instead. Fake Charlie's make-up is based on an old photo, but they kidnapped the real Charlie to make the switch, so why not just use the real thing instead? And Aquaman doesn't realize that Charlie is fake, which has to mean he never met the guy during his original English Channel swim. But he later figures out that Charlie should be 60 years old, and thus look completely different. Why did it take him so long? And the make-up on fake Charlie... how did it stay on when he was doing so much swimming?

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman has whales hold up the non-swimmers, while whales help propel them along.

Quotefile: Joe, "You doublecrosser! You actually taught them to swim!" Fake Charlie, "Take it easy, Joe! They think they can swim, but take my word for it, they can't! You'll see!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:34 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Monday, May 14, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 124

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.

This review is dedicated to Polite Scott, who is a medical blogger as well as a comic book blogger. I kept thinking of him while reading this story with all its ridiculous medicine. Get well soon, Scott!

Adventure #200 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #200 (May 1954) - Aquaman, Microbe Hunter!

Aquaman is called on a mysterious mission inland: to rid a famous scientist of a dangerous virus by being shrunk and injected into the victim's blood.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides his sea cow in this one, but otherwise his finny friends don't help him. He does manage to communicate with Welky's white blood cells, though, and gets their help.

Quotefile: Aquaman, as he's shrinking, "T-this reminds me of Alice in Wonderland! I--I hope my story ends happily, too!"

Man, how many problems are there with this story? Aquaman is summoned because he can breathe liquid, but he's being shrunk to the size of cells. Um. When he gets into the body, he see (and describes for the curious young readers) "red corpuscles" and "white-celled phagocytes", but there's only one virus cell. A single virus cell caused sleeping sickness? To trap the virus cell, he closes a valve in the heart then sneaks up from behind by going through the entire circulatory system. Wouldn't that kill Welky? I mean, closing the heart valve can't be good for his health. How exactly does Aquaman communicate with the white blood cells? And seriously, what happened to the poor rabbit?!?

There's a strange sequence at the beginning in which Aquaman is setting up a "shell-speaker" that will allow him to listen for danger signals on the surface. No sooner does he have it set up than he hears cannon fire and learns that he's being summoned by the Navy for a secret mission.

I thought the plotline might be based on Fantastic Voyage, but this story came out over a decade earlier than the film.

Aqua-Exclamations: "Holy Herring", "Holy Catfish"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:54 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 123

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.

Want to read these stories yourself? Write to DC: Dan Didio, Executive Editor, DC Comics, 1700 Broadway, New York NY 10019 and ask for a reprint of Aquaman's Golden Age tales.

Adventure #199 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #199 (April 1954) - The Fire-Fighter of the Seven Seas!

When Jim the fireman loses his nerve and runs off to sea to forget, it takes Aquaman's fire crew to snap him out of it.

Aquaman has his own nifty fireman's hat AND a fireman coat that he wears while performing his duties as firefighter of the sea. Aquaman has tons of roles in the DCU's oceans... so many that there's no way he could possibly fulfill them all. He's a banker, a cop, and now a firefighter. Each role has it's own bases (Aquaman tells Jim that he has firehouses strategically placed so that ship fires can be answered at once). Aquaman is either superfast or he's got a whole lot of clones. Or the DC oceans are really really small.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman firetruck is a whale carrying a platform, with a seal ringing the bell. He has swordfish cut into the hold to get at the fire in the ship, then whales spout water into it. Tortoises enter the hold and pass the burning bales to an octopus, who flings them into the water to put them out. Later, a group of seals catch the lighthouse keeper in a net to re-create Jim's failed rescue and make him remember that the man didn't die.

Quotefile: Jim, to Aquaman after the fire on the ship is out, "Yes, it was the most amazing exhibition I've ever seen-- and I ought to know-- I-- I used to be a fireman myself!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:31 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Friday, May 11, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 122

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 #198 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #198 (March 1954) - The Daredevil of the Seven Seas!

Aquaman vouches for an ex-PT Boat captain who gets a job as master of a cargo boat, but then becomes dangerously reckless and requires Aquaman to rescue him.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides his sea cow again in this story! Yay! Aquaman has octopi replace the broken propellers on Alan's ship after he breaks them by racing into an ice field. When a waterspout threatens the ship, Aquaman has jellyfish seal the boat and whales drag it underwater to protect it from the storm.

Quotefile: Opening text box, "Alan Doktor had been the bravest and boldest PT Boat pilot in the service! That's why Aquaman King of the Seven Seas, personally recommended Alan to become the skipper of a cargo ship! But the sovereign of the deep was soon to regret his kindness, when the ex-hero became... "The Daredevil of the Seven Seas!""

As is often the case in these old tales, things are not what they seem. And when down-on-his-luck Alan mopes around the docks after being fired for recklessness... well, that's when the real story starts. Aquaman never worried about maintaining his reputation in the pursuit of justice, and it seems that Alan is cut from the same cloth.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:22 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 121

Sorry about the delay. I burned out a bit on the stories, and decided to take a break after the first "Aquaman on another planet" tale. I really hate the alien planet stories with Aquaman... anyway. As you recall, Aquaman visited a planet where the seas were like land, and the earth was ocean. He received a "compressed air" gun from the aliens, which he still possessed at the end of the story, despite being uncertain if the trip was real or just a dream. In this tale, we get back to more normal adventures... whalers and Aquaman in disguise.

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 #197 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #197 (February 1954) - Aquaman Walks The Plank!

Aquaman goes undercover to stop whalers from hunting endangered whales... but his identity is soon discovered.

Another story in which Aquaman goes undercover. He infiltrates the crew of Captain Samson to try to come up with a way to stop Samson from killing the camel-back whales. All of Aquaman's action scenes are in normal clothing, blue pants and a white shirt.

Captain Samson styles himself as a pirate captain, which his crew apparently puts up with. He has a magnificent moustache and wears an eyepatch on his right eye... which he apparently doesn't need because he has it raised in the final panel and his eyes are perfectly normal.

Finny Friends Report: A tortoise bumps a whaling boat to throw off the aim of the harpoon. A sea eagle snatches another harpoon from the sky. Giant clams snip off the ropes that tie Aquaman. Electric eels trap Captain Samson.

Captured/Knocked Out report: When Aquaman comes back on board after saving the whales, he's forced to walk the plank for deserting the vessel. When he jumps back aboard after being freed, he's chained up and forced to walk the plank again.

Quotefile: Captain Samson, "Did you say "Aquaman?" Listen to me, you lubber, I never saw that fish-man, and if he knows what's good for him, he'd better stay off my course!" Amusingly, he's making this comment to Aquaman, who is undercover.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:18 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Friday, April 20, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 120

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.

Want to read these stories yourself? Write to DC: Dan Didio, Executive Editor, DC Comics, 1700 Broadway, New York NY 10019 and ask for a reprint of Aquaman's Golden Age tales.

Adventure #196 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #196 (January 1954) - The Topsy-Turvy World!

Aquaman is sent to a planet where the oceans are made of earth, and the land is made of water.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman is riding his sea cow at the start of the story. Aquaman has the whales on Sea break up a tidal wave that threatens the city.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is captured and forced into a stolen Navy rocket, which is then launched. Aquaman blacks out during the launch.

Quotefile: Alien, "You're on the planet called "Sea!" We saw you being shot into space with our Super-Telescope, and attracted you her with our Super-Magnet!" Aquaman, thinking, "*Whew* I must be having a nightmare!"

Yay, Aquaman goes to outer-space! For the first time! But not the last! While Aquaman says he thinks the whole adventure is a dream, he has the gun the people of Sea give him, which he uses at the end of the tale. Which implies that the story actually happened.

While on Sea, Aquaman must wear chains to hold him down and a helmet so he can breathe. But at least he's able to talk with the local... um... earth life. While look identical to Earth sea life. Right down to the whales.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:50 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 119

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 #195 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #195 (December 1953) - The River Gang!

Joe Moxie moves his crime operation to the water, including a protection racket, but didn't count on Aquaman.

Quotefile: Bix, "For a guy that's supposed to have brains, Joe, you surprise me! Our last 30 grand, and you spend it on a boat! What are we gonna do, go fishing?" Joe Moxie, "Could be! Got any better ideas on how to stay out of jail, Bix, with all the cops looking for you? C'mon down, before I shove off without you!"

Finny Friends Report: A swordfish tells Aquaman, riding his usual sea cow, that Yegar's tug is in trouble. Aquaman gets a cuttlefish to repair the cable while whales hold the barge steady. A hammernosed shark rivets plates while giant sea molluscs plug other holes. Going after Moxie, electric eels electrify the boat while dolphins leap across the boat until the crooks give up. A whale finishes the story by pushing the iceberg where Aquaman wants it to go.

Captured/Knocked Out report: When the crooks give up, they are actually luring Aquaman in to capture him with a net. They tie an anchor around his legs and dump him overboard.

Aquaman doesn't show up in the story until the third page, after the Moxie gang have already started their protection racket. Aquaman gets involved when he goes to rescue a ship in distress that also happens to be a target of the Moxie gang. He first saves Yegar's ship, then goes to find the gang. He's drawn to the sound of dynamite exploding, but then gets captured. Through a series of remarkable coincidences, Aquaman is saved and the bad guys are caught.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:57 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 118

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 #194 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #194 (November 1953) - The Outlaw Navy!

"Admiral" Duko gathers a fleet of surplus war vessels and commits piracy on the high seas in force, until he meets with Aquaman.

The villains have an interesting slant in this story. I can think of a lot of reasons it wouldn't work in the real world... including the pain that would be inflicted on them by regular navies once word of their exploits spread. But in the DCU Aquaman takes care of it really quick.

Lots of downsides to bad guys creating a navy. They have to get the ships, outfit them properly, train men, then drill discipline into thugs. The costs far outweigh the benefits, especially once they are split between the entire fleet.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides his sea cow to the action. An octopus snags a member of the outlaw fleet for Aquaman to question. Aquaman gathers his finny friends into a navy. Whales form the ships of the fleet. Eels send messages. Octopi spread ink which the whales spout into the air to form a smoke screen. Pilot fish re-aim torpedoes back at the outlaw navy. Eels guide sea turtles painted as mines near the outlaws to scare them into giving up.

Quotefile: Ship captain, "Great scott, Aquaman... you can't fight a whole naval force by yourself! What are you going to do?" Aquaman, "I... er... was just asking myself that same question!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:20 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Monday, April 16, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 117

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 #193 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #193 (October 1953) - Secret of the Sea Monster!

While freeing a ship from a field of icebergs, Aquaman discovers a giant sea monster and revives it, only to have it attack passing ships.

Ah, one of my all-time favorite splash pages. Who doesn't love a giant sea monster hand attacking the confident hero from behind?

Finny Friends Report: Whales pull the icebergs away from the stranded ship. Aquaman rides his usual sea cow during the story. A dozen octopi and 20 whales restrain the sea monster for a short time. Electric eels supply power so Aquaman can repair the break in the hull the sea monster caused. Whales pull a ship the sea monster has damaged.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is "captured" by the sea monster after it breaks free from the whales and octopi, but it only wants to be friends.

Quotefile: Aquaman, on spotting the sea monster in the iceberg, "WOW! This is a new one... Even on me! I---I wonder if it's alive? I'll try feeding it some seaweed!"

This is a fairly cute little tale with a happy ending for everyone involved. Modern Age Aquaman also runs up against sea monsters who bear a resemblance to this guy, so it's just not unusual for Aquaman to meet strange giant beasts in the sea. Even so, this story is slightly more fantastical than the ones that came before.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:38 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Friday, April 13, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 116

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 #192 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #192 (September 1953) - Murder in the Fish Preserve!

Aquaman puts off finding the Wheeler gang when a series of fish murders happens in Aquaman's Fish Preserve.

Remember how I was complaining about Aquaman's odd view of the world of fish? Here it is right from Aquaman's own mouth: "I want people to learn about all the wonderful things in the sea... and the realize that fish, like animals in the forests, are out friends, who should only be killed for food --- not just for sport!"

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides a whale at the beginning of the story, when the first group of tourists arrive at the Preserve. A giant Leatherback Turtle swims by for the tourists. An oarfish is seen "tugging" a sea cow to the infirmary. Lantern fish and electric eels provide lighting as the tour finishes up. The murdered fish are a sergeant fish, a tarpon, a rare angler fish, and a rose fish. The final victim is an opah fish, but Aquaman rescues it in time. At the end of the story, Aquaman rides off on his sea cow.

Aquaman figures out that the fish being murdered spell out the name of an island in the fish preserve, but the tricky bit is that opah fish, which has an alternate name. The Coast Guard folks with Aquaman point out that the fish names spell out STARO, but Aquaman says an alternate name for the opah is kingfish. I think STARO is more interesting, personally. Another name for opah fish is moonfish. Maybe STARM?

Quotefile: Opening text box,
You've all heard of Yellowstone National Park, where animals may roam freely for all to admire, safe from the menace of hunters' guns! Now you're about to see a similar haven for fish on the high seas, run by Aquaman, monarch of the deep!
Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:27 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 115

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 #191 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #191 (August 1953) - The Aqua-Cop of the Sea!

Aquaman makes a lot of people unhappy when he becomes a sea cop and starts handing out tickets for minor infractions.

Aquaman is originally called in after Sunday boaters start getting into accidents. But he's there for more than just the traffic problems, as we eventually learn. This is a case of Aquaman willing to destroy his public reputation to capture criminals, which becomes a bit of a habit with him. All the more reason to not worry about what folks think of Aquaman, as he never did. Well... ok, he did a little at the end of this tale: "I'm sure glad it's all over! I've made more enemies handing out phoney tickets than there are fishes in the sea!"

Finny Friends Report: On the splash page, Aquaman is riding what looks like a dolphin with teeth. Once Aquaman is called in, sea cows carry traffic signs and Aquaman rides a sea cow to write tickets. Mollusks attached to boat railings indicate the owners of the boats. To catch a speeder at the end of the story, he has a swordfish puncture the gas tank.

Quotefile: Female boater, "I think it's a shame, Aquaman! There've been 20 boat thefts this week, and all you're interested in is in issuing summonses for minor traffic violations!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:29 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 114

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 #190 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #190 (July 1953) - The Hunter of the Seven Seas!

Joseph Lundgren, a famous big-game hunter, has tired of the same old prey and decides to go bag some monsters of the deep.

Finny Friends Report: A whale is caught and shocked by Lundgren. A giant octopus is caught in a net. Aquaman is alerted by other finny friends, and approaches the ship on dolphin steeds. He has a turtle free itself by biting through a rope, then it smashes a tank with a sawfish in it who frees the whale by cutting through the electric cable. Aquaman asks the whale to not destroy the hunter's ship. When the typhoon hits, Aquaman's fish cut loose a lifeboat. Flying fish locate the crew members washed overboard. The whale frees Lundgren and his friend from their diving sphere tomb, and shelters them as they get into the lifeboat. A group of dolphins pulls the lifeboat to shore, while Aquaman and Lundgren ride on the whale.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is captured in a net with his dolphins as he approaches Lundgren's ship. He frees the dolphins easily, but chooses to stay captured to find out what's going on.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "Now-- Since the lives of these creatures are more important than any fun you get from catching them... you can let them go!" Lundgren, "Are you crazy? This voyage has cost me a fortune! If I return empty-handed, my reputation as a sportsman will be ruined!"

This is another story that illustrates Aquaman's fatal flaw in the Golden Age. He's a human. But he's friends with the fish. And he doesn't let people capture fish... except for aquariums and the like, which he supports. Oh, and he supported a whaler earlier, too. And obviously lets fishermen do fishing. So how does he justify stopping Lundgren and not stopping a fisherman? Are some fish his friends and other fish not? Does the Golden Age Aquaman have a double-standard?s

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:28 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 113

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.

Want to read these stories yourself? Write to DC: Dan Didio, Executive Editor, DC Comics, 1700 Broadway, New York NY 10019 and ask for a reprint of Aquaman's Golden Age tales.

Adventure #189 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #189 (June 1953) - The Nautical Treasure Hunt!

A plane having engine trouble dumps all cargo, including a chest of diamonds, setting off a massive treasure hunt.

Finny Friends Report: Excellent splash page of Aquaman riding a swordfish. Aquaman rides his usual sea cow out to the location of the cargo dump. A dolphin helps him carry a diver to the surface. Three swordfish help him refill the chest.

Quotefile: Newsreporter, "...and the insurance company has offered exactly half the value of the diamonds to anyone who succeeds in salvaging the chest! Here's a chance for all you folks to go on a genuine treasure hunt!"

This is not a very intelligent plot on the part of the bad guys. They sabotage a plane while one of them is ON the plane, all in order to collect some insurance money? The treasure hunt, nicknamed "The Great Diamond Rush of '53", is a giant run of ill-equipped people that make the extremely nervous Coast Guard call in Aquaman to help monitor the crowd. Aquaman is badly needed, as people use homemade diving suits that get tangled in anchor lines, overbalance them out of control, and cause them to black out from going too deep without protection. He finally decides to stop the rush by offering to find the chest himself and split the proceeds with everyone in the crowd. And as it turns out, finding the chest isn't the problem. Finding the diamonds is.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 11:00 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Monday, April 02, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 112

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 #188 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #188 (May 1953) - Calling Dr. Aquaman!

Aquaman has to capture bad guys without violating a quarantine.

Finny Friends Report: A whale is hit by a ship, and Aquaman is summoned. He arrives on an ambulance pulled by swordfish, and tows the whale to his clinic. A finger-squid cares for the whale. When a swordfish has an anchor dropped on his sword, Aquaman gets an octopus to sharpen the sword. A sea-lion is ailing, and Aquaman is called in and arrives on his sea cow. The sea-lion is contagious, and so goes into quarantine at the clinic. Also at the clinic is a turtle with a patched shell. A carrier fish brings news of the gold smuggler. Two whales launch Aquaman onto the bad guys' boat. He reveals that a lantern fish lured the smuggler into the quarantine zone while cuttlefish and blowfish created a black spray that hid the real lantern.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is limited by the quarantine zone.

Speaking of the quarantine zone, Aquaman keeps it even after he's captured the smugglers... which means the prisoners are tied up for several days before they can be turned in to the Coast Guard at the end of the tale.

Quotefile: Ship captain, "I sent for you as soon as I spotted this ailing sea-lion, Aquaman! Is he badly hurt?" Aquaman, "From the glassy look of his eyes, I'd say he's contracted fish-scurvy! It's a disease that's contagious to other fish, so I'll have to keep him isolated!" Um, "fish-scurvy"?

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:29 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Friday, March 30, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 111

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 #187 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #187 (April 1953) - The Queen of the Sea

When Aquaman chooses another woman as winner of the Queen of the Sea contest, Ann Collins vows to make him regret it.

Lots of great lines in this one, enough to fill a quotefile... Ann first shows up Aquaman during a test of an "atom-powered torpedo" that veers off target. Ann catches the torpedo before Aquaman can, and aims it back at the target. She then challenges Aquaman to a test of who can stay under the water longer... The newspapers get the story of Ann's success and run with it: "Extra!" "Queen of Sea Beats King of Sea!" "Girl Dethrones Aquaman" "New Sea Monarch" "[Aquam]an Beaten By Girl".

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman notices that fish are avoiding a certain area and discovers a bell jar with an air compressor, which is how he figures out how Ann stayed under the water. When Ann races her mini-sub toward the surface, she slows down so she won't kill a school of fish, so Aquaman allows her to win the race.

Quotefile: Ann, "My heart's been set on winning that crown, Aquaman! Why didn't you select me?" Aquaman, "Since you ask, miss... I've seen snails that swam faster than you did!" PWNED!

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?

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posted by Tegan at 9:34 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 110

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 #186 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #186 (March 1953)

Ambrose Weems is determined to destroy Captain Hoyle's Dive-In Theater using only legal means.

Weems is worried that Hoyle's theater will take away business from his Seaside theater. So he decides to take out the competition.

Weems claims that everything he's doing is legal, but I think most of it would fall under malicious mischief. First he throws bait into the water to attract sharks which go into a feeding frenzy in Hoyle's theater. He glues "inflated rubber baby swordfish" to the boats watching movies so adult swordfish will sink the boats. That's gotta be illegal. He deliberately cuts Hoyle's power cable with a propeller made of steel blades. Again, that must be illegal. Then Weems sets up a wind machine aimed at Hoyle's movie screen to knock it over.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman orders the sharks away after Weems lures them. When the swordfish won't listen to him, Aquaman has an octopus ink up the water so they can't see the fake baby swordfish. Aquaman rides his sea cow again, and uses electric eels to reconnect the power once Weems cuts the line. A number of Aquaman's friends scare off Weems and his hired help.

Quotefile: Customer watching a western at the Dive-In Theater, "This is a terrific idea! Imagine, we can enjoy a good movie and some cooling ocean breezes at the same time!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:05 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 109

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 #185 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #185 (February 1953) - The Five Lives of the Sea King

Aquaman goes undercover to find a treasure dropped by crooks, but the crooks learn he's after them and make other plans.

Aquaman undercover again! This time he's wearing a nice blue business suit with a red power tie. As a contestant in the swim meet, he wears red swim trunks. Apparently, the bad guys don't know that Aquaman has blond hair, as the other contestants all have brown hair. They decide to figure out who Aquaman is by dropping an eel in the water and claiming that the man who captures it will get the job.

Finny Friends Report: After the other contestants have tried for 15 minutes, Aquaman tells the eel to stop and grabs it, only to reconsider. Unfortunately, the other contestant then grabs the eel. In order to save his life, Aquaman has a sea cow rise up under one of the other contestants and tells Lansing that everyone knows Aquaman rides a sea cow. Then he has seals start pushing another contestant up and down out of the water, making it look like he's doing stunts. Then an octopus makes first one, then two, then three of the contestants swim incredibly fast. Then Aquaman rides his sea cow after retrieving the chest of gems. A whale holds the bad guy's boat long enough for the Coast Guard to capture them.

Quotefile: Lansing, "Get that engine started! A sea full of Aquamen! It's like a nightmare! Let's get out of here!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:02 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 108

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 #184 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #184 (January 1953) - At Sea in the Stone Age

Investigating a mysterious island, Aquaman sees a drawing of himself on a cave wall, then falls into a whirlpool that takes him to the past.

Another Time Travel story! Like the last one, this story leaves doubt as to whether or not it actually happened. Also like the last one, Aquaman falls into a whirlpool, which transports him back in time.

This time Aquaman is sent back to an island inhabited by cavemen. Oddly enough, the cavemen know his name and are depending on him to save them. The way he found the whirlpool in the first place was bizarre, as he found a cave on an island that he'd never seen before... and in the cave was a drawing of himself! This one is a twisty time travel story, and at the end Aquaman doubts that he really traveled in time, just like the last time travel tale.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman starts the story with his loyal Sea Cow mount. Aquaman believes he can control the sea monsters, but fails. He lassos and rides the sea horse monster and aims it at the giant sea lizard to get them to fight. Then, with the help of the cavemen, he ties up the octopus.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman falls into the whirlpool, twice, but isn't knocked out.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "Mmm... I-- I thought I had explored every remote spot in the seven seas-- but this island is brand-new to me! I-- wonder if it's inhabited?"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:38 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 107

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 #183 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #183 (December 1952) - The First Undersea Jail!

Aquaman puts a number of his fish friends in jail for various acts of mischief, but a pirate decides to engineer a prison-break.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman starts the story riding his usual sea cow. Jumbo the whale likes to tip boats over, but he'd been warned the first two times, so when he does it again Aquaman makes him right the boat then takes him along to go to jail. Spying a ship going in circles, Aquaman finds another culprit: an octopus who likes to remove one propeller from a ship. Aquaman makes him fix the ship then takes him to jail. A third ship is suffering from a power outage. Aquaman discovers a swordfish and electric eel team that like to short-circuit power systems on ships. They also end up in jail. Aquaman is stunned when he sees them free, but they get up to their usual antics on the pirate's ship, stopping him cold. A very smart sea eagle spots Aquaman and frees him.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is captured by the pirates and tied up so he cannot communicate with the fish.

Lots of fun in this one. First off, the fish are just wonderful. The whale looks genuinely contrite as he's going to jail. The eyes of all the sea creatures are expressive. But the whale is just the best.

Captain Fleet, the pirate, has Aquaman gagged so he can't communicate with sea life. And it apparently works. No telepathy here. Aquaman is lucky that a sea eagle spots him bound and gagged and frees him.

Quotefile: Captain Fleet, "When we sprung those ''convicts'' of yours, I figured you'd be too busy rounding them up to notice what went on here! But it's just as well! Tape up his mouth, so he can't communicate with his finny friends!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:22 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 106

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 #182 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #182 (November 1952) - The Ocean Restaurant!

Bill and Jane Wallace have a successful restaurant until their greedy landlord kicks them out of their lease, but Aquaman is willing to help the Wallaces out.

The landlord, Silas Flint, kicks the Wallaces out of their location because he plans to open his own restaurant there and capitalize on the business the Wallaces have built up. When Bill Wallace decides to try to buy another property nearby, Flint sells them a piece of land that's underwater. They don't discover it until after the purchase, when they go to inspect the property. That's when Aquaman arrives, and decides to help them out.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman arrives riding a sea cow. Whales, seals, and octopus gather the lumber for the new restaurant from wrecks on the ocean floor. Swordfish and sea cows join in for the building phase the effort, with seals hamming it up. Electric eels supply power for shore. A gull gives the inspiration for the name of the new restaurant, The Golden Gull. Whales ferry customers to the restaurant. When the typhoon approaches, sponges seal the windows and blubber fish seal the seams of the vessel, with the assistance of octopus. Whales pull the restaurant/ship under the waves where it's safe from the typhoon.

Cosmic justice strikes in the form of the typhoon, which spares the Golden Gull thanks to Aquaman's help, but doesn't spare their old property. Leaving Silas and his nephew out in the cold.

Quotefile: Bill, to Aquaman, "Aquaman, look! Coming right at our new restaurant... a typhoon! Do something, or I'll be ruined!" Aquaman, to himself, "I sure appreciate his confidence in me... but how am I supposed to stop a typhoon?"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:23 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 105

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 #181 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #181 (October 1952) - The Evil King of the Sea!

Jim Hall is a champion swimmer who isn't making much money winning meets, so he takes up a new profession.

This is a short, sweet story that is actually very slight in plot, but it's hardly noticeable. The artwork is fantastic, to the point where it's never difficult to tell Jim from Aquaman even though they are wearing the same uniform and have the same color hair.

The islanders of the South Pacific island are a bit stereotyped, but they are also smart. In the brief exposition we get about them, we learn they are being relocated to another island (willingly, apparently) by the Coast Guard and are awaiting Aquaman, whom they've never met, to assist them.

In a single very odd panel, all the islanders except one are dressed in loincloths or dresses, the one being an out-of-place man wearing a brown suit and green hat!

Finny Friends Report: In order to convince the islanders that he's the real Aquaman, Jim Hall has a shark do a somersault, and an octopus become a merry-go-round. Aquaman is unable to get his finny friends to help because of chemical pills that drive off fish. So Aquaman calls seagulls down to remove the pills, then challenges Jim again. Jim has a whale do a dance, but Aquaman's finny friends rip the fake whale to pieces to show the bad guys inside.

Quotefile: Islanders, to Jim, "Forgive us for doubting you, Aquaman! But we couldn't afford to take chances, for our collection of coral is the most valuable in the whole world!" Jim, to himself, "You're telling me!"

Aqua-Exclamations: "Well, I'll be a splintered whalebone!" (at seeing the shark do a somersault).

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:14 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 104

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 #180 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #180 (September 1952) - The Bank Beneath The Sea!

After giving a tour of his underwater bank to a young fan, the boy accidently tells a member of a pirate crew about the tempting target, leading to an attempt to rob it.

Loose lips may not sink ships anymore, but they certainly give pirates ideas. Aquaman is confident that his bank is safe in part because only his friends know about it... until young Billy spills the beans. Still, all is well that ends well, and the bad guys would've learned about the bank eventually anyway. You'd think. Considering how they never seem to have any trouble finding out about Aquaman's health.

Finny Friends Report: A giant clam serves as Aquaman's main vault. An octopus helps stack new deposits. When Aquaman is away, a chain of electric eels acts as an early warning system, and rouse the octopus to throw up an ink screen. A school of phosphorescent fish alert a swordfish that attacks the pirates.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "I've installed a number of devices that would foil any burglary attempt! Besides, only my friends know of the existence of this undersea bank... so why worry?"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:05 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Friday, March 16, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 103

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 #179 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #179 (August 1952) - The Raft of Doom!

Five men, sailing on a primitive raft to prove a migration theory, are attacked by criminals intent on stopping their voyage.

Can you say Kon-Tiki? Thor Heyerdahl's famous journey took place in 1947, the documentary of the voyage was awarded an Academy Award for 1951... in early 1952. This story came out in August of 1952. Hmmmm... wonder if there's any relation?

I was fascinated by Kon-Tiki as a child, so this story hit a special spot in my heart. Sadly, the plot isn't terribly good. It's almost as if someone said, "Hey, let's do a story about those guys in the primitive boat!" then figured that would be enough. The bad guys seem partly tacked-on and pretty lame, and Aquaman figures out their whole motive without any hints in the story itself. Nice artwork, yes, but not the best Aquaman tale.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman attaches the raft to some porpoises to pull it into a mist so that the criminals cannot find them. When Aquaman decides to help them over the reef, a group of whales gather and create a giant wave that carries them across. After Aquaman learns they lost their sails going over the reef, he has two manta rays hook up to the mast to become improvised sails. When the raft is attacked by a submarine, Aquaman has whales create a "smoke screen" of spouted vapor to block the view, then as he covers their periscope he orders octopus to surround the sub and "emit an inky black substance". Whales, turtles, and a sea cow tow the submarine to land.

Quotefile: Daily Herald reports on the voyage:
Scientists plan 3,000 mile raft voyage! Hope to prove ancient migration theory!

Five plucky men will set out in a raft today and let the ocean currents carry them into the vast Pacific. Their object is to prove that certain natives from the mainland performed this same feat hundreds of years ago and thus settled on remote faraway islands...
Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 8:55 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 102

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.

Want to read these stories yourself? Write to DC: Dan Didio, Executive Editor, DC Comics, 1700 Broadway, New York NY 10019 and ask for a reprint of Aquaman's Golden Age tales.

Adventure #178 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #178 (July 1952) - The Return of Captain Flint!

As Aquaman is assisting with a movie production, the main actor is hit on the head and starts to believe he really is a notorious pirate.

If you were a boy in 1952, reading this story, odds are good that you would be familiar with Treasure Island, thus you would recognize the names "Captain Flint" and "Admiral Benbow". Captain Flint is the name of the pirate who collected the treasure that was hidden on Skeleton Island. Admiral Benbow is the name of the inn that Jim Hawkins' family owns. Perhaps the movie was a prequel to Treasure Island?

This is a "detective" tale for Aquaman, in which he figures out that things aren't what they seem using the small clues. The unnamed doctor's diagnosis and recommendation seem really odd... play along with the delusion? But the final clue that Aquaman figures it out from isn't so clever, as ships have booms as well as camera rigs.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman directs whales to position a ship for a scene in the movie. At the end of the movie, the bad guys are rounded up by an octopus and sea cow.

Captured/Knocked Out report: As "Admiral Benbow", Aquaman is chained with heavy weights and forced to walk the plank.

Quotefile: Wally, as Captain Flint, spotting Aquaman, "Aha! So it's my arch enemy, Admiral Benbow, who has sworn to capture me! By the living thunder, this day shall be your last!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:17 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 101

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 #177 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #177 (June 1952) - The Man Who Was Aquaman's Double!

Tommy Leeds looks and sounds like Aquaman, only he can't swim.

Aquaman discovers, entirely by accident, a man who looks exactly like him. But the man, Tommy Leeds, can't swim and is therefore in danger of losing his girl, Ginny, to a rival. Aquaman helps Leeds out, then gets Leeds help to capture Spanner and his gang of pearl thieves.

It's kind of funny to see Aquaman and Tommy Leeds switching outfits. Tommy is wearing a pair of blue swimming shorts and nothing else. And Aquaman has one of those all-time classic kinds of lines: "Leave that to me, Tommy! Just hurry and get that suit off, while I arrange with one of my finny friends to help us out!" Oh really, Aquaman?

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides a sea turtle again. A shark carries Leeds as he's impersonating Aquaman. Sea Eagles beat the air and drive away the smoke. Whales put out the fire around Leeds. At the end of the story, Aquaman leaves on the sea turtle.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is corralled by Ginny who covers him with kisses. I'd call that captured. Tommy Leeds, as Aquaman, is trapped by the "Sea-Carpet of Daggers".

Quotefile: Ginny, "Don't be ridiculous, Tommy! If Aquaman can't beat those crooks, what can you do?" Aquaman, pretending to be Tommy, "I'm sure glad I'm going to be too busy for awhile to answer that question, Ginny!"

Tally: 101 stories down, 405 (and counting) to go...

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:35 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 100

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 #176 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #176 (May 1952) - The Ex-King of the Sea!

While stopping pirate Pete Desmond, Aquaman is walloped on the head and loses the ability to talk to fish.

We last saw a story along this theme in Adventure #134, but in that story the sea creatures attacked Aquaman. In this one he's simply forgotten how to talk to them. We've also seen the "amnesia caused by a bump on the head" before, in Adventure #127, but that was full-blown amnesia, and not simply forgetting how to talk to fish. However, the solution to both amnesia cases was the same: another bump on the head.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides up to the piracy on a sea cow. He attempts to order whales to capture Desmond after he's been hit, but cannot remember how to communicate with them. Aquaman uses food to get a whale to appear to heed his commands, but a wave washes the food away. Then he paints a baby cuttlefish on the propeller of Desmond's ship, causing a large octopus to think it's threatened and smash the propeller. After getting hit on the head again, Aquaman instinctively calls for help, and his finny friends rush to his assistance for the last two panels of the story.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is knocked out by Desmond to start the tale, then hit on the head again to end it.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "T-they heard me - and understood me! That blow on the head jogged my memory back -- and with it, the language of the deep! Now those crooks haven't a chance!"

HUZZAH! I've made it through the first 100 stories! While I'm still technically in the Golden Age tales, we're in that wavering period between the true Golden Age and the Silver Age. The stories are getting easier to find if you want to hunt them down to read along. And as I continue I will be skipping some tales that feature Aquaman... because I'm only reporting on Aquaman's solo stories, not other character's stories in which he appears. Before I reach story number 200, Aquaman will also join the brand new Justice League. I won't be covering those stories on this go 'round, but I hope to come back to them after I finish with the solo tales. That is, I hope to have finished collecting them by the time I finish my Ripples Through Time on Aquaman solo tales.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:10 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Monday, March 12, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 099

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 #175 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #175 (April 1952) - Mystery of the Disappearing Island!

John Preston is desperate to find an island that the sole witness who can save his son was reportedly headed to, and Aquaman arrives to help.

Captain Tom Preston rescued the survivors of a pirate attack, but because the attacking ship and the island it was headed to have vanished, Tom was accused of the piracy and sentenced to death. The one witness who could clear Tom's name was kidnapped... and that's where we come into the story, with Tom's father, John Preston, an old friend of Aquaman, looking for the island that disappeared.

This story has a few odd twists. It's possible that Aquaman never would have noticed the suspended island if the pirate himself hadn't led John Preston and Aquaman right to it. True, he was trying to get Preston's reward money, but it was still a dumb move.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides a dolphin up to John Preston's ship. He calls his finny friends to help when Captain Dirk threatens Preston from his island, and uses the whales to lighten the island so it surfaces. Sawfish cut a hole in the bottom of Dirk's base, freeing Saunders. Sea eagles carry Aquaman and Saunders to the court to save Tom Preston, while whales resink the island to make sure Dirk can't shot the elder Preston.

Quotefile: Aquaman explains the suspended island, "So all Captain Dirk did was fit the island up with regular submarine ballast tanks! When these are flooded, the island sinks... and from his water-tight compartment inside, Dirk can fill or drain those tanks!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:23 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 098

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 #174 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #174 (March 1952) - The Whale That Was Wanted For Murder!

Aquaman is rescued by Black Beauty, a giant whale, only to learn that a posse has been formed to hunt the whale for sinking ships.

Captured/Knocked Out report: At the beginning of the story, Aquaman somehow manages to get himself trapped between two icebergs that are moving together.

Finny Friends Report: Black Beauty helps push the icebergs away from each other, freeing Aquaman. Aquaman rides a shark to lead the hunt for Black Beauty. He finds the whale before the posse, and quickly figures out that he can't be guilty because his back is still sore from pushing the iceberg off Aquaman. So Aquaman's finny and feathered friends help protect Black Beauty from the posse. The shark pulls the depth charge away, and sawfish cut the whale free from a net. A sea eagle stops the first harpoon, and a group of hard-shelled turtles protect him from the rest. Meanwhile, Aquaman has fish hold up a shell that he rubs with silver nitrate, then 1000 glowing ray fish and a "battery of electric eels" help Aquaman create an x-ray machine, which he uses to discover the real reason Captain Verne is desperate to capture Black Beauty.

Quotefile: Aquaman's thoughts, "Verne, huh? I've always suspected he bought his fleet of merchant ships with profits he made from diamond smuggling! But so far, we've never been able to catch him with the goods!"

Another very straightforward little Aquaman tale, with Aquaman reluctantly participating in a hunt for one of his friends. Of interest is Aquaman's use of a shell tapping on the ice to attract help when he was trapped in the icebergs. Again, the whole idea of his telepathy hasn't yet been fully developed.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:32 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Friday, March 09, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 097

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 #173 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #173 (February 1952) - The First Underwater Gold Mine!

Luke Brady is sold a gold mine, not realizing that it's underwater... but for some reason the thugs who sold it to him want it back.

Captain Daggart is known to Aquaman for looting salvage ships... I presume that means that Daggart waits until the salvage crews have brought up the goods, then steals them.

This is yet another story that mixes cowboys and the ocean. I think the last one was Adventure #148. Once again, the cowboys continue to wear their totally inappropriate cowboy gear while hanging out on the ocean.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman defends Luke and his partners with a whale by aiming the spray from the spout at the bad guys. A crew of whales and octopus help to drop the mining shaft to the ocean floor, while a baby whale pumps the water out. When attacked, a couple of seahorses carry one bad guy away, then a sawfish cuts the bad guy's air line. A flying fish helps Aquaman jump from the water to attack bad guys in a boat, then tarpons take out another boat with the old rope trick. A giant sea turtle and eels help Aquaman attach to the final boat, then a shark helps get the odd group over rocks. At the end, octopuses bring up the gold.

Quotefile: Opening text box, "Remember the yokel who bought the Brooklyn Bridge at a bargain? And the sap who snatched up the Empire State Building for a song? Well, this is the story of rancher Luke Brady and his pals who shelled out their life's savings for a gold mine -- five miles out at sea! But the excitement mounts when the swindlers suddenly start a fight to get it back -- and almost succeed until, to the rescue, comes Aquaman, monarch of the seas, who helps the hoodwinked Westerners solve the puzzle of ... The First Underwater Gold Mine!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:11 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Thursday, March 08, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 096

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 #172 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #172 (January 1952) - Aquaman Leaves The Sea!

After a gang of crooks robs Captain Banks, Aquaman goes inland to capture them.

Now, you all know I've been looking for some time for the origin of the "one hour limit" in Aquaman's stories. So far I haven't found it. But this tale makes a LOT of the implication that Aquaman is weaker out of water, and the splash page actually has Aquaman getting groggy from being on land! The opening text box asks, "Does his strength ebb like the tide when he leaves his natural domain?" While the clear answer from the story is no, it's hard to not see this as the possible first cut into Aquaman's abilities.

Aquaman goes after the crooks on land because he made a promise to protect Captain Banks in some unrevealed story. Even after he's been shot, Aquaman continues to pursue the bad guys, and states that he owes Captain Banks a debt of honor. Like Captain Banks, the bad guys assume Aquaman is helpless on land, and are very disturbed when he shows up and easily takes them down. As in a previous tale, Aquaman rides in a train in a milk car.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman has a sea gull track the bad guys to their lair after he's been shot. He has a goldfish turn off the light in their hiding place to rattle them, then a sea eagle captures one of the thugs. At the end of the story, Aquaman rides off on his sea turtle.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is shot by the crooks as he follows them to shore, and his arm is injured for the remainder of the story.

Quotefile: Captain Banks, after Aquaman says he's going after the crooks on land, "But what good will that do? Your strength is in your sea power, where all your friends are! On land, you'll be all alone... and helpless!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:56 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 095

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 #171 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #171 (December 1951) - Mystery of the Disappearing Mermaids!

John Jenks' Aquacade is missing its performers, but Aquaman is there to help the show go on and figure out what happened to the girls.

This is the shortest regular Aquaman story, coming in at only four pages, and the last page is only 2/3 of the page. Despite the limited space, a lot of story is packed into it, starting with a tale of greed and sabotage, and moving quickly to Aquaman's innovation and a quick resolution.

Of course, lots of the action is left out. We never see Gropper kidnap the regular swimmers, nor do we see their rescue. The jump from Tate's attempt to electrocute the girls to him shooting at Aquaman is pretty abrupt, and there's no real indication of how the baby whales actually captured the bad guys. It's not bad for a quick tale, but I'm glad stories this short were very rare.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman is again riding his giant sea turtle, which seems to be his main mode of transport, at the beginning of the story. He sends out a carrier fish to get help for Jenks. Dolphins support the replacement performers in their opening act, then the girls balance on seals. An Octopus whirls the girls around in another act. Aquaman uses electric eels to ground the shock from the dynamo, then baby whales capture the bad guys.

Quotefile: Chorus girl, "But we thought we were wanted for a stage job! We can't swim!" Aquaman, "Don't worry, girls! We'll take care of that!"

I had to resist the temptation to make this the longest ever Ripples Through Time...

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 10:06 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Sunday, March 04, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 094

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 #170 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #170 (November 1951) - Mutiny Under The Sea!

Aquaman is stunned when his fishy friends start stealing cargoes and refuse to obey his commands.

This is the 10th Anniversary Aquaman story, showing up in November 1951.

Aquaman doesn't lose his powers in this one, but we learn that they can be replicated with a machine. Tom Lariar's telepathic machine fits into a 1950's camera, and has vacuum tubes in it. Lariar speaks into it to give fish their orders. He has to be within sight, apparently, for his commands to work. The fact that Lariar shows up at all the crime scenes, gloating that he's taking pictures of Aquaman's failures, is the hint that breaks the case.

Finny Friends Report: Two whales attack a ship and steal oil drums. A group of swordfish cut holes in a ship to make it list so the pearl cargo drops off the deck. A shark bites through the line connecting a tug to a barge of cargo, then sea cows haul off the barge. Aquaman is attacked by an octopus, "once the best of friends... n-now... choking the l-life out of me!" Aquaman is attacked by whales, and uses the spout to knock the telepathic machine out of Lariar's hands. Aquaman's finny friends then return all the stolen cargo to make up for stealing it in the first place.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is held captive by an octopus until the telepathic machine is out of range.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "Is it possible that I have been deposed as King of the Seas... and that the fish have taken up a life of crime?"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 8:45 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Saturday, March 03, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 093

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 #168 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #168 (September 1951) - Aquaman: One-Man Crew!

When Rogers bribes the crew of Captain Matt Cleary to abandon him right before a most important journey, Aquaman takes their place.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides a giant sea turtle at the beginning of the tale. Once he decides to be Cleary's crew, he calls in whales to haul to ship (thus saving fuel). Riding across the sky in a giant clam shell hauled by giant sea eagles, Aquaman goes to find an iceberg to keep the ship's cargo from spoiling. Dolphins bring him the giant clam shell, and sea elephants haul the iceberg back to the ship. Sawfish cut the ice into chunks to put on the ship. After Castaigne dynamites a hole in the ship, Aquaman has whales hold the ship steady, then "thousands of denizens of the depths" rise and lift the ship into a "fantastic floating drydock". Aquaman has dolphins help him pull the good plates off the wreck he finds, then sea elephants hold the plates steady over the hole until Aquaman can weld it on with power from electric eels. Two seals recognize Roger's torpedo as the threat and turn it around to sink Roger's ship.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "Folks, the crew has deserted -- but I'm going to help Captain Cleary get this ship safely to Singapore! Anyone who wants can go ashore now!" Passenger, "Not me! Let's go! I'd sooner trust Aquaman than any crew!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:39 PM - permalink - 0 comments

Thursday, March 01, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 092

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 #167 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #167 (August 1951) - Treasures of the Sea!

Captain Stillar blackmails Aquaman into helping search for treasures, but gets a lot more than he's bargained for.

New artist report! An artist by the name of Ramona Fradon took over the Aquaman feature with this issue.

Aquaman visits Captain Stillar to find out why Stillar harpooned a swordfish and brought it aboard his ship alive. Stillar explains that he has torpedoes aimed at Aquaman's friends, and will release them if Aquaman doesn't do exactly as Stillar asks. Aquaman agrees. Aquaman accomplishes all three tasks, with twists, but still ends up having to deal with the torpedo.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman visits the injured swordfish that Stillar captured, and is followed by an entourage of sea life that include whales, swordfish, dolphins, turtles, and an octopus. Aquaman fills the first treasure trunk with Jewel Fish to keep his word to Stillar but deny Stillar the reward. Aquaman gets oysters to give him tiny pearls to fill the bag Stillar gave him as the second task. For the third task, Aquaman has whales and the octopus pull apart the sunken treasure ships, then all his finny friends haul the gold up to Stillar's ship.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is trapped in the tank with the injured swordfish by Stillar who then reveals his threats to Aquaman's friends.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "Prisoner? Why, I'll rock this boat till it turns on its side... I'll signal my whale friends to ram and sink you if you don't release me, Stillar!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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posted by Tegan at 9:55 PM - permalink - 0 comments