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 (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?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 10:10 PM - permalink

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 (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?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 10:23 PM - permalink

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 (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?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 10:32 PM - permalink

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 (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?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 9:11 PM - permalink

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 (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?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 9:56 PM - permalink

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 (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?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 10:06 PM - permalink

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 (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?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 8:45 PM - permalink

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 (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?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 9:39 PM - permalink

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 (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?

Labels: Ramona Fradon, Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 9:55 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 091

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 #164 (May 1951) - The Strangest Questions in the World!

When Brad Jensen graduates from the Coast Guard Academy, he hopes for a sea job but it bitterly disappointed to be assigned to a department that answers questions from ships at sea.

I've got mixed feelings about this one. It's a cute story, but Aquaman's help for Brad seems a bit off. For the first problem, the dust storm, it's not bad. But the second problem... why didn't Brad ask Aquaman to save the burning ship?

Aquaman's goal is to make Brad look good so he'll get a sea posting. While Brad has "weeks of training" before he takes command of the department, it's only a few days before he's moved up. All well and good for Brad... except the Coast Guard wasted all that training on him, and what about the poor guy who has to take his place?

Finny Friends Report: On the splash page, Aquaman has squids releasing "Aquatic Ink" which is being provided in jars by a line of lobsters. Aquaman rides a giant sea turtle up to the dock at the graduation. Aquaman gives Brad some pilot fish in case he runs into any questions he cannot answer. In Brad's first problem, Aquaman calls in whales to clear up the dust storm. For the second problem, Aquaman has sawfish carve up blocks of ice, then has turtles move them close to the burning ship so the gold can be saved.

Quotefile: Opening Text Box: "What kind of noise annoys an oyster? How deep is the ocean? How do you stop a dust storm at sea? These and dozens of equally fantastic questions daily pour into a special department of the Coast Guard which prides itself on its ability to answer every query, no matter how bizarre!" I just want to note that they never do answer those first two questions.

We're getting into the stories that I'm really familiar with, because many of these late Golden Age/early Silver Age Adventure comics aren't hard to find in poor to good condition. The next few issues are ones that I've had longer than just about anything else in my collection.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 10:22 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 090

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 #162 (March 1951) - Under the Sea for Life!

Steve Sender wants to become like Aquaman, and Aquaman offers to make him able to breathe underwater, but he wouldn't be amphibious.

The splash page has nothing to do with the story. Aquaman, riding a whale, is going past a beach of surprised people who watch as his fishy friends frolic. I love the dancing fish that are riding the whale with Aquaman.

Steve begins his lifelong fascination with Aquaman when he sees Aquaman perform at a charity event, and dive into a pool with flaming oil on the surface. He immediately starts to practice, staying underwater in the bathtub as long as possible and trying to train sea turtles.

After many years, he becomes a strong swimmer who can hold his breath for nearly three minutes. He hangs out with the press so he can meet Aquaman, and nearly gets himself killed. After he rescues Aquaman in a later incident, Aquaman decides to give him the chance to live underwater, but through a series of tests that Steve can't possibly pass.

Steve's temporary Aquaman costume is a yellow scaled shirt, blue pants, and red belt and gloves. His diving helmet and tank are orange.

Finny Friends Report: Steve Sender trains sea turtle and dolphins with mixed results. Aquaman gets some "airfish" stationed under a stuck submarine, and uses reeds running to the surface to fill them with air, and free the sub. Aquaman has "Luminous X-Ray Fish" provide light while Steve searches the wreck. Aquaman chases off an octopus that broke an underwater warning signal. Aquaman uses a lobster to free Steve from the carnivorous plant, then has squid create a rescue signal for the wrecked pilots.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is caught by a giant clam when the electric fish trap paralyzes him temporarily.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "I'm giving you a chance to be my assistant, Steve! The operation my father performed on me is known only to one living surgeon! But he can't make you amphibious! If he operates, you must remain underwater the rest of your life!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 9:30 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 089

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 #160 (January 1951) - Aquaman's Sea Cops

Harbor Patrol chief Juan Jones resigned his position when he couldn't prove that Tim Weed was smuggling gold, but he's still certain of the crime and the criminal... and Aquaman is willing to help him prove it.

Aquaman alone could have wrapped this one up, but helping Juan get his job back, not to mention his self-respect, was an important aspect to the story. Juan used to be the chief of the Harbor Patrol at the International Port, and one aspect of the port is that the police are recruited from all over the world. The other three officers that help Juan are Angelo Caesar, Pierre Brunn, and Lee Chang.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman calls in giant sea turtles to act as "prowl boats" with swordfish escorts. Electric eels act as transmitters, and glowfish somehow receive their messages. A giant lobster opens the sub, and a giant sea-clam pulls the bad guys to the surface and the harbor patrol.

Captured/Knocked Out report: A depth charge knocks out Aquaman after he finds the sub, and the bad guys pull him into the sub as bait for the rest of the patrol.

Quotefile: The bad guys sum up the story: "That fool, Juan Jones, is back, and he and Aquaman stopped me tonight! But they had to let me go when I showed them our "ancient" coins! Haw!" "I'm running off "15th Century Florins" from our last shipment of gold bullion!" "This tarnishing acid really makes them look 500 years old!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 10:04 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 088

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 #158 (November 1950) - Portrait in Peril!

Tom Renfrew must paint an action picture of Aquaman to win a scholarship, but Aquaman is busy repairing an undersea cable, and Tom cannot dive after injuries in the War.

Aquaman founded an art college? Of course, one related to marine arts. Fascinating stuff. I wonder what the curriculum is like? In addition to the three previous scholarship paintings, the dean's office has paintings of eels and water plants and sculptures of dolphins and Aquaman.

Major plot hole... Tom dumps enough luminescent dye into the ocean to see Aquaman clearly enough to drop the diving bell on him. Why on earth didn't he just paint Aquaman once he had him visible? Another major plot hole, how can a man who did "lots of diving" during the War be unable to swim?

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman has ramoras attach to the diving bell and lift it away from him. Swordfish rip apart Tom's "portrait" of Aquaman (a caricature with water wings).

Captured/Knocked Out report: Tom traps Aquaman in a diving bell to get him still long enough to paint him.

Quotefile: The Dean and Tom, "The scholarship is yours, Tom -- on one important condition. Within three days, you must submit an original action portrait of our founder!" "You mean a portrait of Aquaman, sir?" "Yes... Each year, the student awarded the scholarship must complete this requirement! You see -- 1947 -- Aquaman captures Captain Skull. 1948 -- Aquaman subdues a waterspout. 1948-- Aquaman attacked by tiger sharks... but your job in 1950 may be the most difficult!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 8:44 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 087

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 #156 (September 1950) - Aquaman Versus The Sea!

Aquaman agrees to set a record for crossing the English Channel for charity, but learns that he's being used in a nasty swindle.

The new representative of the European Seamen's Charities convinces Aquaman to swim the English Channel for charity, and gets Aquaman to sign an agreement that also requires him to keep silent about his participation. When Aquaman learns that several young hopefuls trying to set the Channel Record are going to be in the same race, he confronts Hartwick and learns that the whole thing is a set-up, as Hartwick is betting that none of the favorites will win... since no one knows that Aquaman will be in the race. Hartwick reminds Aquaman that he signed the contracts, so Aquaman must compete and attempt to win the race. He does so, but alerts his finny friends to the fact that he doesn't want to win the race, so they stop Aquaman from winning.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman walks across a line of dolphins to get to Hartwick's yacht. Once Aquaman learns about the swindle, he tells his problem to a 200 year old turtle and a 100 year old whale, along with other fishy friends, and encourages them to help him without breaking the contract. During the race, an octopus drags Aquaman down and a whale forces him into the grip of a giant clam. After Aquaman frees himself, he gets swordfish to free Pierre from Hartwick's net. After Hartwick attacks Kathie, Aquaman decides the contract is broken and attacks with the help of swordfish and dolphins. At the end of the story he thanks his finny friends for helping him lose the race.

Quotefile: Text box, "Returning to his undersea palace, on a sunken island, he consults his friends of the deep..." Yes, another appearance of the pre-Silver Age Aquacave.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 9:49 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 086

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 #154 (July 1950) - Aquaman's Sea-Circus

Ichthyologist Enoch Druten summons Aquaman to Zero Island, then threatens rare species of fish with poison unless Aquaman performs in a sea circus.

Druten's motive is a bit weak. He just wants to be recognized as a genius fish expert, and decides the way to do so is to get Aquaman to perform in his sea circus with one of virtually every type of fish in the sea. This harkens back a little to Adventure #109, in which a man had spent his life gathering specimens of every type of fish, but Druten is a wee bit more insane and considerably less honest.

As usual, Aquaman outwits the bad guy with the help of some finny friends. In general, heroes of the Golden Age were simply smarter than their opponents. Despite being a self-declared genius, Druten was no match for Aquaman. Always be suspicious of people who call themselves smart.

Finny Friends Report: In the sea circus, Aquaman has four fish "sing" a quartet, two swordfish duel, flying fish perform on a trapeze, and an archer-fish spits at targets. As a finale, Aquaman enters a cage of "man-eating tiger sharks" to the awe of the crowd. To thwart Professor Druten, Aquaman sends pilot fish on a special mission. They summon sawfish, electric eels, and sharks who bypass Druten's poison system and free the threatened fish. Then Aquaman has dolphins haul Druten to the nearest Coast Guard patrol.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is "trapped" by Druten's threats to the fish in the electric cage.

Quotefile: Megomaniac talking, "I've sent over 2,000 message afloat. Aquaman is sure to find one! Wait until he learns that professor Enoch Druten, the world's greatest ichthyologist, has summoned him!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 10:02 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 085

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 #152 (May 1950) - Don't Go Near The Water!

Just as he's about to embark on a coast-to-coast swim across America, Aquaman is doused with a chemical that makes it impossible for him to touch water.

Another story in which Aquaman cannot touch water for over 48 hours! We last saw this theme in Adventure #107, when exposure to radiation made Aquaman unable to touch water.

In order to swim across the country without touching water, Aquaman first dives into a giant glass of champagne, then various vats of dye (blue, red, green), then caustic soda and sulphuric acid, then orange juice (freshly squeezed... er, crushed), then milk (which he churns into butter), then mercury (!!), then cactus juice, then crude oil. As he leaves the oil pipe, he stops some thieves and dives into water after them, much to the astonishment of the camera crew following his every move. Aquaman explains that the oil sealed him from the water.

Finny Friends Report: The splash page has a cute image of Aquaman on a rock surrounded by confused finny friends, and on the final page Aquaman is talking to a fish about his adventure.

Quotefile: Camera crew, as Aquaman dives into vats of dye, "Great stuff, Aquaman! You're graceful as a porpoise!" Aquaman, diving into red dye, "If you're calling me a poor fish, notice how read my face is about to turn!"

With the next issue of Adventure Comics, DC decided to try out alternating Aquaman with The Shining Knight. As it worked out, Aquaman and the Shining Knight alternated in issues of Adventures Comics until Aquaman's 10th Anniversary in Adventure Comics #170. Aquaman was meant to appear in the even-numbered issues, and did so except for Adventure Comics #166, which featured a second Shining Knight story in a row. The Aquaman story possibly meant for 166 was published in 167... with new Aquaman artist Ramona Fradon. Make of that what you will.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 10:10 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 084

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order. After I read each story I will post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #151 (April 1950) - The Biography of Black Jack!

After finding a book on famous pirates in the library of one of his victims, Black Jack decides he needs to have a book written about himself.

As far as I know, this is the last appearance of Black Jack. I'll continue to look for him while I read other stories, of course, but I think that this is the tale that finally sunk him.

Black Jack finds a book called "Lives of the Great Pirates" on a captured ship, and reads about Captain Bartholomew Roberts, Captain England, Captain Kidd, and Henry Morgan. He gets a bit jealous that they are immortalized in a book, and decides he has to be immortalized as well, so he orders his crew to find and capture an author.

The author he gets is a famous biographer, Derek Hartley. After hearing about the kidnapping, Aquaman decides to give Derek some material to work with. The end result is an entirely different book than the one ol' Black Jack wanted. And, apparently, the publication of that book marked the end of Black Jack's career.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman has some whales corral and polish an iceberg, which he uses as a mirror to fool Black Jack. He has some whales bring an old Navy ship used for target practice onto Black Jack's course, and Black Jack attacks the ship only to get used as target practice himself. Aquaman also has some sea creatures help him finish off Black Jack when he attacks the yacht.

Quotefile: Black Jack, "Not a word about me, Black Jack, the greatest pirate of them all! Ye might think people never heard of me!" Prophetic words indeed, Black Jack.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 10:26 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 083

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order. After I read each story I will post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #150 (March 1950) - The Boy Who Went to Sea!

Young Jerry Higgins wants to go to sea and become a sailor, but when he runs away to become a cabin boy, he has the misfortune of ending up on Black Jack's ship.

For a very long time, this was the earliest (by date) comic book I owned, so this story has a special place in my heart.

Jerry's luck is pretty awful. He gets on Black Jack's ship, witnesses the crimes of the crew, then is threatened to keep Aquaman in line. That's what you get for running away from home, kid! If it's a moral tale, though, it's not a great one. Jerry is rescued by Aquaman and rides a porpoise home.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman has a whale push Black Jack's ship off the rocks, then has a giant clam cover the hole in the hull. A school of whales hides Black Jack's ship from the Coast Guard cutter. Aquaman enters the ship with a seal through the hole by asking the clam to move aside. Jerry rides a porpoise to safety while the seal pretends to be him. Aquaman and the seal beat up Black Jack and his entire crew, with help from the giant clam who let the water into the ship.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is forced to do Black Jack's will, or see Jerry killed.

Quotefile: Jerry, leaving home, "If I expect to become a sailor, I'd better start now! I'll get on a ship as cabin boy, and learn the ropes... it won't be long before I become a captain!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 9:21 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 082

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 #149 (February 1950) - Undersea Artist!

Walter Mason uses the last of his funds to paint a seascape in the hopes of winning a big prize, only to have it stolen just as the exhibition gets underway.

The first panel of the story shows Walter's landscape, and why it becomes important later in the story... I fully expected the bad guys to be familiar, but they were just generic thugs... Walter has run out of money and needs to win the prize in the exhibition to keep painting underwater... Walter is delighted to find that the thieves didn't destroy his painting, and Aquaman figures out what Walter himself didn't while he painted, and there's the happy ending.

Finny Friends Report: A swordfish accidentally cuts the air line to the bathysphere Mason is in, so Aquaman has a group of seals push it to the surface. During the attack on Mason, an octopus is hit by a bullet and releases a cloud of ink that allows the bad guys to escape. Aquaman pursues them and has a sawfish cut a hole in their ship, then attacks them with giant lobsters and an octopus to get them off their ship. An airfish blows their boat over and they surrender.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "I've seen many odd forms of life under the surface of the ocean... but this is the first time I've seen an artist!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 8:49 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 081

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order. After I read each story I will post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #148 (January 1950) - Cowboy of the Coral Seas!

When Cheyenne Charlie has to leave his beloved Wyoming for moister climes, he takes up ranching sea life.

This one has more awful cowboy-speak than I've seen in many Western comic books. Cheyenne Charlie is a happy cowboy, enjoying life until a doctor tells him that he has six months to live if he stays in dry Wyoming. When Charlie learns that seals travel in herds and are valuable to circuses and aquariums, he decides to open a sea-ranch. Wearing the same gear he used to wear as a cowboy. I'm not sure how he stays on his surfboard with those boots.

Black Jack gets involved, as a seal rustler! Once again, Black Jack has Aquaman caught, but doesn't kill him, just puts him in a motor boat and expects him to die from the crash. Villains in the Golden Age never figured out that a bullet was better than rich revenge.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rounds up Charlie's scattered seals for him. A bunch of sea-horses chew through the ropes Aquaman is bound in. And octopus threatens Black Jack and his crew as Aquaman takes them underwater, and a sawfish destroys Black Jack's rifle. Aquaman ties up the bad guys with eels.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Black Jack throws a grenade at Aquaman, and he's too close when it goes off and is knocked out by the blast.

Quotefile: Black Jack, on his devious plan to get rid of Aquaman, "Look at that Bronc, bucking like mad! But Aquaman is staying on... till he crashes full speed into that coral reef! It'll smash him to bits!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 10:08 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 080

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 #147 (December 1949) - The Man Who Was Rescued 100 Times!

Aquaman rescues Dan Dunbar from different perils across the world, and eventually goes to find out why.

Finny Friends Report: A giant sea turtle gives Dan a resting place after his first rescue. Aquaman breaks up a fight between an octopus and a swordfish. He then has to save Dan from a group of sharks, using a giant squid to create a smokescreen. Aquaman rides a dolphin to the Sargasso Sea. He rescues Dan from a giant clam, an angry walrus, and a giant lobster. Aquaman rides a whale in his final rescue of Dan. He then allows an octopus to play with Dan after he learns the truth.

Dan Dunbar and his jet-powered blimp (!) claim to be mapping all the ocean currents. But Dan quickly arouses Aquaman's suspicions, as Dan has to be rescued three different times in three different parts of the world... all of which just happen to be near where Aquaman is. Hmmmm... Oddly enough, Aquaman allows the rescues to continue and doesn't confront Dan directly. He eventually climbs up to the blimp himself and finds a movie crew filming each rescue for "the greatest sea epic of all time"! A large donation to charity, and Aquaman allows the film to go ahead with his name on it.

Certainly not the best tale of this era. It does have the distinction of pointing out that Aquaman doesn't always control sharks. It's also the last of the 1940's tales, as the next story is cover-dated January 1950.

Quotefile: Text box: "Vicious sharks are the renegades of the sea, and Aquaman must outwit them with the aid of a friendly denizen of the deep!"

Aqua-Exclamations: "By Neptune's beard!", "Suffering Seaweed!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 10:34 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 079

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order. After I read each story I will post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #146 (November 1949) - Aquaman Loses His Powers!

Aquaman is stung by a strange deep sea creature and loses all strength in his muscles for a week.

Imaginary pitch for this story: "Hrm, we made Aquaman unable to touch water, and then we made all his finny friends attack him, then we made it so he couldn't breathe air... what do we do now? I know, let's make it so he can't swim!"

Lots of fun in this one. First off, the ship Aquaman helps is carrying a covered load marked "Top Secret U.S. Government, which falls overboard and sinks in a storm. Aquaman is called to salvage the lost cargo and does so... and we never get the slightest hint of what is in the package.

The cargo sinks to four miles deep, and Aquaman meets the rainbow stingray there, which gives him an electric shock that weakens his muscles. As in previous stories, the news that Aquaman is out of commission gets around entirely too quickly and Black Jack goes on the attack. His first target is a Sea Extraction Plant that pulls salt, iodine and kelp from the sea, but also extracts gold, silver and platinum. You can guess what Black Jack was after. Next, Black Jack attacks a bathysphere with men taking valuable deep-sea pictures. I admit, I can't quite figure that one out.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman gets two large fish that look a bit like killer whales to take the sunken item to the surface. Then he goes to examine the strange deep sea creature and is stung. After he learns of Black Jack's attacks, a dolphin and swordfish escort him to the area. The swordfish rips up the boat of the thugs, while electric eels make them drop their loot. Other fish return the loot. When Aquaman decides to convince Black Jack that he's back in action, he has two transparent fish push him to the scene of BJ's latest crime spree, then has an octopus create a smoke screen so BJ won't see another fish give Aquaman a push to go with his punch. Then a hammerhead shark attacks at the same moment as Aquaman and with enough speed to fool the criminals.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is zapped by the deep sea creature and has to be pulled aboard the ship he just helped out.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "By Neptune's beard! I never ran across that deep-sea type before. It gives off rainbow colors! I must examine it and... ugg! Worse than any electric eel!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 9:20 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 078

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 #145 (October 1949) - The Sea Hitch-Hiker!

Quentin Ward draws the comic strip Al's Adventures, and when a skeptical editor claims Al's adventure is impossible, Quentin sets out to prove it's possible by doing it.

Quentin has a neon outlined giant thumb which he uses to attract ships and rides. His goal is to get around the world, entirely by sea, by hitch-hiking the entire way. Aquaman meets Quentin and gives him assistance on some of the legs of his ride.

Quentin's character parallels the events that Quentin himself eventually goes through, including riding a turtle and scrubbing decks to pay his way... Quentin tells the editor, "I'm on my way! My assistant can fill in on the deadlines while I'm gone."... The story spells Sydney as Sidney, Australia... The canny editor uses Quentin's adventures to double circulation on his newspaper.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman gets a giant turtle to give Quentin a ride to Panama Canal. An octopus helps him free a boat, and a pod of dolphins pulls it to catch up with a ship bound to Australia. A whale gives Aquaman and Quentin a ride from the Cape of Good Hope back to New York.

Quotefile: A ship captain to Quentin, "You're a queer one! But come on, mister! We'll take you through the canal!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 9:09 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 077

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 #144 (September 1949) - A Martian Adventure!

The FBI calls in Aquaman to investigate an S.O.S. signal from the Himalaya Mountains.

I was born after the first Mars probe visited the red planet and proved that there were no canals on it. Thus, it's kind of hard for me to take the FBI agent and Aquaman very seriously when they look at a picture of the valley and immediately say, "That looks like the canals on Mars!" Luckily, the fact that there are no canals on Mars doesn't really destroy the premise of the story. The people of the valley looked at Mars, saw the same optical illusion that other astronomers saw, and got inspiration for their own canals. I can live with that.

There is one major contradiction in this tale. The people of the valley inform Aquaman that he cannot leave the valley because they don't want contact with the outside world, and its savage wars. But they lit a gigantic flaming S.O.S. symbol when a jet flew over! If they don't want attention, that's the worst way to avoid it!

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman notices a fish native to the Arctic Sea in a canal, and figures out that there is a subterranean river connecting it to the valley. He gets lobsters and crabs to weaken the wall blocking the water source, then gets some Arctic whales who live in the river to push the wall the rest of the way down.

Let's not go into the geography of a valley in the Himalayas being connected underground with the Arctic Sea. Nor should we worry overmuch about the fresh water/salt water issue. And I'm not going to wonder why the FBI is involved.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is told he can never leave the valley.

Quotefile: Opening Text, "Ever since the telescope was invented, the baffling canals of Mars have been a mystery to Earthly imagination! Are they the superb engineering feat of a valiant people, staving off the extinction threatened by dwindling water supplies? Nobody knows!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 9:48 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 076

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order. After I read each story I will post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #143 (August 1949) - The Second Robinson Crusoe!

Phineas Pike is stranded while out testing his new boat, but his deserted island turns out to be a hideout for Black Jack.

Strange splash page... it shows Robinson Crusoe stunned as he finds the footprint, but Black Jack is behind a rock aiming a gun at him while Aquaman leaps at Black Jack from above (not from the water). To finish off the level of surreal, the Sea Sleuth is watching the whole thing from a handy spot on a cliff. Crusoe himself never actually appears in the story, as Phineas takes that role.

Finny Friends Report: Phineas uses the beak of a dead swordfish as a saw, gets a turtle to haul logs for him, and somehow gets seals to assist in building a log cabin. He takes a shower by standing in a spot that a bull-whale like to "blow off steam" at. Aquaman has fish crowd around Black Jack's boat to stop it from moving, but is foiled when Black Jack's crew pours tar on him. Sharks chase off his fish. Later, on the island, he throws fish at Black Jack and his crew to attract sea gulls, then throws sea gull eggs at the crew. He has a walrus and giant sea turtle sit in Black Jack's rowboat to prevent escape.

Captured/Knocked Out report: None in this story, unless you count Phineas crashing his boat and saying "Glub!" a couple of times.

Quotefile: Opening text box, summing up the entire story, "Who can forget the thrilling saga of Robinson Crusoe, stranded on a deserted island, valiantly battling against all odds to survive? But his feat is now duplicated by none other than the Sea Sleuth, Mastermind of the Marine, Sherlock Holmes of the Sea! And as a crowning touch, he aids Aquaman, King of the Waves, in foiling notorious Black Jack! All this and more results when the Sea Sleuth becomes... The Second Robinson Crusoe!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time, Sea Sleuth

posted by Tegan at 9:51 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 075

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 #142 (July 1949) - Undersea Big-Game Hunt!

Two big-game hunters, tired of the same old boring hunts on land, take the hunt to Aquaman's private preserve.

Not one of Aquaman's finer stories. The fantastic fish are fun, but otherwise I'd label this one a miss. The family of fish on the splash page, a group of plesiosaur-like creatures with strange heads and stegosaurus-like plates on their backs, are pretty cool... but don't appear in the regular story.

Aquaman's marine preserve has signs to warn humans away, but of course the hunters ignored them. One of the signs is a bit amusing: "Last Warning/No Man's Water/Danger/Turn Back". I guess it couldn't be "No Man's Land".

Finny Friends Report: A porpoise warns Aquaman that hunters have entered his marine preserve. He protects the first endangered species, a sea serpent with a lion's head and walrus teeth, but putting a piece of glass coral between the creature and the hunters' electric guns. When the giant lobster/rhino attacks the hunters, Aquaman calms it down. Then he has an octopus steal the hunters' guns. A giant turtle with a horned fringe on its head chases them into a giant shell, which is inhabited by an irate giant snail. As a finishing touch, Aquaman has a small fish with very large teeth chase them the rest of the way out of the grotto.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is shot at by the hunters, but they miss and he escapes easily.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "You fools! Is there any sense in killing off rare creatures, for the sheer sake of killing? Get out of this marine preserve - or you'll be sorry!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 10:42 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 074

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #141 (June 1949) - Return of the Sea Sleuth!

Aquaman starts to teach Phineas Pike how to swim when he notices a stray fishing boat and goes to warn them, only to fall into a trap.

The opening splash page has nothing to do with the rest of the story, except that it shows all three principal characters. Aquaman is tied up and being guarded by two thugs, while Black Jack stalks Phineas Pike, who is studying footprints in sand.

Nice bit of wordplay between Aquaman and Phineas at the start of the story, as Aquaman comments on Phineas' sign ("Sleuth of the Sea/Marine Mastermind/Wizard of the Waves/Phineas Pike/Cases Solved--/Cheap") then tells Phineas he's going to learn how to swim. Aquaman starts to teach him to swim, and says, "Elementary, isn't it, my dear Phineas?" Apparently not, as Phineas still is unable to swim at the end of the tale.

Aquaman follows Black Jack and the phony Aquaman to a water carnival, where Aquaman (the double) is presented with a small box of pearls in honor of the work he does for all seafaring folk. The double was to bring the pearls back to Black Jack, but he's interrupted by the real Aquaman. Phineas figures out that Black Jack wouldn't bother with a disguise for his ship at the water carnival, since a pirate ship would only be expected at a carnival like that.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman sends a fish to find Phineas, as his sea friends apparently can't open the box he's in. Phineas rides his giant sea turtle, which he calls "Myrtle" in this tale, out to Aquaman's location. Aquaman rides a dolphin as he follows Black Jack's trail. Aquaman puts a lobster in the pearl box which pinches Black Jack when he opens it.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is captured in a fishing net when he goes to warn the stray boat that the fishing in the local waters is very poor. Black Jack shows Aquaman his double, then locks him in a steel fish-proof box, which he dumps into Black Bay.

Quotefile: Phineas, looking at a fish that just bit him, "But this is a corealis porcel, native only to Black Bay! Why did it come here, to strange waters? It must have been sent! Deduction -- Aquaman sent it!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time, Sea Sleuth

posted by Tegan at 9:45 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 073

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #140 (May 1949) - The Sleuth of the Sea!

Phineas Pike, a master detective who knows everything there is to know about the sea, is unemployed and looking for a job.

The introduction of a new repeating character happens in this story, as we meet Phineas Pike, the Sea Sleuth, for the first time. Phineas is a Sherlock Holmes wannabe, even down to wearing a deerstalker, who uses small clues to figure out details. Like figuring out where a ship docks based on the barnacles on its hull. He also knows how to ride a giant turtle by using a fish as a lure to keep it moving forward. He can tell the age of a fish by looking at its teeth. And figures out where a message in a bottle came from using a map of currents. Aquaman takes advantage of Phineas' skills, and they apparently work well together as a team.

Phineas likes using the Latin names for fish species. He refers to a salvelinus fontinalis, a coralima equatis, and the chelonia major he uses as a steed. He also inadvertantly reveals to Aquaman that he cannot swim.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman is visiting the Aquarium to deliver a rare fish from Madagascar. He has a clam squirt a thug in the face, then when they try to escape to a boat, he has two sharks stop them. Phineas rides a giant turtle, not under Aquaman's command, to stay with the action. Aquaman has an octopus throw him aboard the ship he's attacking. Then he has his fish friends weave a net, which he throws over the bad guys after electric eels shock the guns out of their hands. When Phineas falls off his giant turtle, Aquaman has an octopus rescue him.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Not in this story.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "The Sleuth of the Sea! The Wizard of the Waves! The Marine Mastermind! But he can't swim!?!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time, Sea Sleuth

posted by Tegan at 9:56 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 072

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #139 (April 1949) - The Man Who Owned The Sea!

Simon Drago claims to own the sea by virtue of a 2000 year-old document, but Aquaman is unconvinced.

The story is pretty basic... nasty pirate dude comes up with unique justification for his crimes, which Aquaman has to disprove. What's truly fascinating about this one is the undersea supreme court and its members. For the first time ever, we have Aquaman's undersea friends talking to a surfacer in plain English! Both the walrus and the large golden fish speak during the court session.

And there's even a merman! The first merman ever in Aquaman's history. Indeed, the first hint in the Aquaman stories that such a species exists, as he's said before that they don't exist. This remarkable character only shows up in three panels, is never given a name, and I don't believe he ever shows up again.

Finny Friends Report: A walrus acts as court clerk for Aquaman's undersea supreme court. A merman (!) is the prosecuting attorney, and a gold fish is the first witness. An octopus acts as guard, and a variety of other fish are the jury. In the flashback, Aquaman rides a whale and has the whale spout at Drago and his crew to stop the fighting. A large group of Aquaman's fish friends surround Drago's boat and create a whirlpool, making Drago and his entire crew too dizzy to fight.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman isn't captured or knocked out in this tale.

Quotefile: Aquaman, reading from Drago's document, "We, Augustus Rex, Emperor of the world, grant to the House of Drago, and all its heirs, full ownership of all the seas of the world!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Merfolk, Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 8:17 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 071

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #138 (March 1949) - Marooned in the Deep!

Aquaman is unable to breathe open air for a week after a dive six miles down into the Great Deep, and Black Jack gleefully takes advantage of the situation.

Aquaman's condition is leaked to the press very quickly, as in previous stories. Apparently there is no sense of doctor/patient confidentiality, or the paparazzi in the Golden Age DCU are particularly nasty and effective. They GA DCU paparazzi might well be paid a lot by the underworld to report on superheroes' conditions... anything that might give the bad guys an advantage.

Black Jack's ship has an electrified smoke-screen, to throw off radar as well as visual contact.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman starts the story assisting a fish who is trapped in the Great Deep, six miles under water. When he learns that Black Jack is raiding the Gold Coast, he has dolphin steeds take him to the area. Because he can't surface, he has a swordfish poke a hole in Black Jack's rowboat. An octopus grabs the thugs, but Black Jack fights it off and escapes. Aquaman uses a swordfish and turtle in a sword fight with Black Jack and his thugs.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is knocked unconscious by the pressure at six miles down, and is put in a pressure tank when he's found to prevent him from getting the bends. He wakes in the pressure tank.

Quotefile: Aquaman, walking through a polluted city at the end of the story, "Oh boy! Is it great to breathe in air again -- or is it? Cough... Choke!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 9:11 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 070

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #137 (February 1949) - The Undersea Lost World!

Aquaman is commissioned by the United Nations Marine Bureau to help Professor Peabody find valuable mineral deposits on the ocean floor.

Great splash image of Aquaman shoving a rock down the throat of a prehistoric-snake-thing that has Prof Peabody wrapped in its coils, with the UN flag in the background! Very exciting.

Aquaman and Peabody are considered explorers and compare themselves to Amundsen, Perry, and Byrd. Aquaman gets a ticker-tape parade and a medal for his efforts.

Peabody's pressure suit contains a supply of liquid oxygen, and allows him to stay down for days. That's some pressure suit! It's clearly got some level of robotics, or Peabody wouldn't be able to move at all. But there's no worries about the bends... Aquaman drags Peabody up from the ocean floor to an island to fix the suit very rapidly, as the oxygen to Peabody had been cut off. This story requires a little extra suspension of disbelief.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman gets some porpoises to pull a giant shell chariot that he and Peabody ride in. Aquaman attempts to stop the prehistoric monster from attacking, but says, "No use, this species doesn't know me! I'm not King of the Sea here!" Aquaman gets a sawfish to free him from the giant clam that Black Jack puts him in, and then the fish fights off monsters while Aquaman escapes to the surface. A large seal deals with Black Jack's crew while Aquaman beats up Black Jack.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Peabody is knocked out by Black Jack while working on his diving suit, then Aquaman is knocked out by Black Jack (in the diving suit) while claiming the copper bed for the UN.

Quotefile: Peabody, "Ever been here before, Aquaman?" Aquaman, "I doubt it! The ocean is three times the land area! It would take me ten lifetimes to see all of it!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 10:14 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 069

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #136 (January 1949) - Water Boy!

Chuck Finn is a fantastic swimmer who wants to become more like Aquaman, but a criminal gang sees potential is Chuck's skills.

Chuck is one of the first to want to be like Aquaman, but he's far from the last. There will be many other people who try to become Aquaman in the future.

The criminals have a decent idea for a job, robbing a riverboat at a point in the river that is apparently impossible to swim across. If Chuck hadn't already written to Aquaman, the plan would have worked. They convinced Chuck to participate by threatening to blow up the levees if he refused.

Finny Friends Report: An octopus delivers Chuck's letter to Aquaman. Aquaman later has fish retrieve the stolen gems and put them in the pockets of the thieves.

Captured/Knocked Out report: One of the thieves hits Aquaman on the back of the head with the butt of a pistol.

Quotefile: Chuck's letter, "Dear Aquaman, I love to swim. I swim to school every day, and to the store. I want to swim like you. Can you tell me how to do it? You are the best swimmer I know. Very truly yours, Chuck Finn. P.S. I can swim across the Mississippi now!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 10:02 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 068

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #135 (December 1948) - The Ship That Dared Not Land!

The Proteus is a strange ship that doesn't land in any port, and Aquaman's curiousity leads him to find out why.

Three scientists create new life, but it eats everything in its path and they cannot figure out how to kill it. They decide to ride around the ocean on their ship for ten years, trying to destroy it, while chasing away anyone who comes to investigate. This makes them a legend, and Aquaman goes to check them out.

The three scientists all have long beards, and they eat only fish, drink only rain water, and use whale oil to run their engines. Um. Ok. Aquaman just happens to stop by right when the Malignant Amoeba breaks free from its cage (killing two of the scientists) and heads out to sea.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides on a giant turtle as he approaches the Proteus. He sends his fiercest finny friends to attack the Malignant Amoeba, including a whale, but they are all eaten by it.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman apparently dies when he leads the amoeba into the area of Bikini, hoping that the radioactivity will destroy it.

Quotefile: Dr Blaine, "Artificial life, Aquaman! Then years ago we created it, and kept it alive! But then we found that it couldn't die! We named it the Malignant Amoeba!

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 10:18 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 067

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #134 (November 1948) - Exiled from the Sea!

Aquaman is attacked by all his marine friends after putting out a chemical fire, and is exiled from the ocean for 30 days.

Lots of newspapers in this one, all with headlines that shouldn't be announced to the world when Black Jack is about. The Bulletin says, "Aquaman Exiled From The Sea!" and The Trumpet says, "King of the Sea to Be Landlubber for 30 Days!" and The Star says "Monarch of the Waves "Grounded"!" No surprise that a later headline is "Black Jack Plunders Seven Seas, Unguarded by Aquaman!" Apparently, there weren't any medical privacy laws in 1948, much to the dismay of Black Jack's victims.

Chemical names on the barrels near Aquaman during the fire: Propylene, Ethyl Carbolate, Hexene Dichloride, Methylate, and Carnotite. No, I really don't know what they are, or why they'd all be on one ship next to one another.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman gets seals to help him put out the fire by forming a bucket brigade. When Aquaman enters the water, he's attacked by an octopus, giant turtle, sharks, dolphin, sworfish, and whales. When Black Jack knocks him into the ocean, Aquaman is chased out by sharks. At the end of the tale, we see Aquaman hanging out with all the fishy friends who attacked him except the sharks.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman has to be rescued by a passing ship after he first is attacked. After Black Jack knocks him into the water, he is forced to outswim the sharks.

Quotefile: Doctor, "I'm afraid it will take 30 days for a new growth of skin to replace your stained skin! There is no way of removing those chemicals from your skin!" Aquaman, "You mean--?" Doctor, "Yes, Aquaman! Stay out of the sea for 30 days!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 6:46 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 066

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #133 (October 1948) - The Great White Whale!

A whaler named Captain Mohab goes after the great white whale, and Aquaman gets involved.

This is a truly bizarre story. At first it seems to be a retelling of Moby Dick with Aquaman involved, but then you notice the different details... like Ahab changed to Mohab. But Mohab is missing a leg, just like Ahab... and blames the whale, just like Ahab... and this is an old-fashioned whaler, not a modern ship. And, of course, there's the whale itself.

There is never any indication that this is a dream, or a time travel tale like Adventure #121. The opening text box does say, "Fate plays strange tricks in the deep. This time a great sea-story - the tale of Moby Dick - is re-enacted when Aquaman runs afoul of the brutal Mohab"... so that seems to indicate that this is happening in modern times.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman never actually calls on fish in this tale.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Sharkey hits Aquaman from behind when he gets in a fight with Captain Mohab. Aquaman is hung from the mast as a storm is coming.

Quotefile: Aquaman, thinking, "This Mohab is made of iron - and hate! But iron man can be mastered by Aquaman!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 10:09 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 065

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #132 (September 1948) - The Aquagirl!

When millionaire Mark Windham sees a mermaid, he can't rest until Aquaman gets to the bottom of the mystery for him.

Back in Adventure #110, Aquaman says, "I've explored every ocean on Earth and never have I seen a mermaid!" In this story, Aquaman scoffs at Mark's certainty that he's seen a mermaid, and says "I've swum the seven seas and searched for all kinds of things, but this is the first time I've had to hunt for a mermaid!" No one is more surprised to find out that she exists than Aquaman.

Aquaman's suspicions are first roused when Thetis the Mermaid makes it clear that she has not "mastered the uncanny method of communication all sea creatures understand". He realizes that she's not a mermaid when her fishtail is caught by a stray fishhook and she doesn't feel pain.

Finny Friends Report: Porpoises bring word of a fire on a yacht, then carry Aquaman and Thetis to the disaster. A whale helps Aquaman put out the fire. Aquaman gets oyster friends to supply pearls for a priceless present for the bride.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman isn't captured or knocked out in this tale.

Quotefile: Mark's message in a bottle, "Aquaman: I have actually seen a mermaid three different times. My friends think I'm crazy - but I know I'm not. Please help me."

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Merfolk, Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 9:51 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 064

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #131 (August 1948) - The Undersea Post Office!

Cap'n Gregg is about to earn the mail charter for a remote island route after a year's trial, but his final trip runs into disruptions.

There's a map on the opening page, upon which someone is pointing out Cap'n Gregg's route, but for the life of me I can't figure out where in the world it's supposed to be. I think it's an attempt to draw Indonesia and the Phillipines, but not only does that not make a lot of sense, it's also missing a lot of key land mass.

The opening splash actually has nothing whatsoever to do with the rest of the story. It shows Aquaman with a trident attacking two men in diving suits opening a safe full of cash. No post office there, no mail, and there aren't any diving helmets in the rest of the story. This might be the first time a splash page for Aquaman depicted something completely different than the story. It won't be the last time.

Aquaman gets a whole sack of mail from Cap'n Gregg. Fan mail, "as usual". Heh.

Finny Friends Report: At the beginning of the story, Aquaman is riding on a giant sea turtle. He has a giant turtle, two octopi, and a swordfish fight off sharks to save a member of Cap'n Gregg's crew. Aquaman has a swordfish, flying fish, and a sea-eel deliver mail. When the flying fish and their mail bag are shot by Barton's crew, Aquaman has tiny squids plug the holes in the bag, then dolphins carry the mail to its destination while Aquaman takes a ride on another large fish to deal with Barton. Aquaman has a whale bump the ship then lobsters attack Barton and his crew.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Not in this story.

Quotefile: Opening Text box: " "Neither snow nor rain, nor heat nor gloom of night, nor undersea deeps and marine dangers, stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds!" Does this familiar quotation seem wrong with that underlined phrase? You'll see how right it is when Aquaman, the Sovereign of the Seven Seas, makes sure that the mails go through, by the victory of... "The Undersea Post Office!" "

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Mail, Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 10:33 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 063

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #130 (July 1948) - The Sweetheart of the Seven Seas!

Aquaman sees a movie starring Esther Grable and falls in love, so he decides to go to Hollywood and marry her.

The movie that Esther Grable is in is called "Swimantics of 1948" ("Swim Antics"?) and has two reviews that we can see, one from the Daily Bugle... Aquaman manages to watch a whole movie and spends the night in a sleeper car on a train without any special water help, so I think it's safe to say that he still has no "one hour limit" here... Once Aquaman finds Esther, he immediately has to save her from a gorilla in pants. No, I'm not joking. She's attacked by a gorilla in pants. Or maybe it's supposed to be Bigfoot. Wearing pants. I don't know... Esther doesn't want to give up her career to marry Aquaman, so she sets him some tasks. The first is to fetch Arctic ice for her "daily beauty refresher", the second is to get her a string of pearls, and the last is to jump over a rainbow. He manages all three feats... There's a bit of twist ending after Esther tells Aquaman that she won't go into the water because it would ruin her makeup, and also that she can't swim, but I'll leave that as a surprise for folks who someday get a chance to read this wonderful little story.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman's fishy friends tell him where to find pearls for Esther. He also has whales blow liquid into the air so he can jump over a rainbow for her.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman falls asleep on the train to Hollywood, and faints when Esther refuses to go into the water.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "Gosh, she's beautiful! And look at her swim! There's a pain in my head, a ringing in my ears, I'm seeing double, my feet hurt - Hey! I think I'm falling in love! There's a fit mate for the captain of the seven seas! I've got to see her - I've got to meet her - I believe I've got to marry her!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 10:33 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 062

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #129 (June 1948) - The Treasure Beneath The Lake!

When Aquaman and Ark go on vacation to a new lake created by Brentwood Dam, they quickly stumble across villainy.

I love the splash page on this one, with Aquaman (and Ark) inside a bottle with a model ship. I also like the implication that Aquaman goes on vacation to "new" bodies of water created by man. In this case, the lake created by a new dam. Aquaman tells Ark that there are still trees, roads, and houses in the lake.

Naturally, the vacation doesn't last long, as Aquaman spots a diver being attacked by three other divers. He rescues the victim, Frank, who tells Aquaman about a fortune in gold dust that his old partner hid before being murdered by Duke. Aquaman takes up the treasure hunt, and plays an underwater ghost to scare off Duke's thugs. But Duke himself isn't frightened, and Aquaman soon requires rescue.

Despite his problems, Aquaman spends a lot of this tale smiling. His grin after he scares off Duke's thugs is pretty amusing.

Finny Friends Report: Ark is the only sea-life assist in this story, and he helps Aquaman search as well as rescues him near the end of the tale.

Captured/Knocked Out report: After Aquaman scares off Duke's thugs and lets his guard down, Duke himself sneaks up and wallops him with a wrench underwater.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "Here goes my vacation - because crime never seems to take one."

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ark, Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 9:41 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 061

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #128 (May 1948) - The Sea Circus!

Aquaman starts a circus to raise funds for protecting fish.

Aquaman visits an area he hadn't been to for awhile, and discovers all the fish have left. He learns firsthand why, when a rockslide hits him. After getting free, he checks the hillside, and decides to hire an engineer to support the cliff. To raise the money, he puts on a Sea Circus.

The crowds are HUGE. In fact, we know how much the take is, because some thieves are stealing it while the show is on! Forty grand... but the thieves think that turning out the lights is enough to stop Aquaman. Ha. Aquaman puts aside his top hat and grabs a deep sea fish to light his way. The thieves are quickly stopped, and the show goes on.

Finny Friends Report: A dolphin helps get the boulder off Aquaman's leg. In the sea circus: Flipp the Flying Fish jumps through a flaming hoop. Louie the Leading Lungfish climbs a tree, two seals and a pod of whales put on a rescue show, and a balloon fish swells and deflates. When the lights go out, luminous fish spell out "Aquamans Sea Circus" and an unknown fish works as a flashlight for Aquaman. The criminals are attacked by an octopus, then a walrus bursts through ice at them. The ever-present electric eels shock one thug. The lungfish chases another thug up a tree. The trained seals throw things at another thug and the whales spout off to finish him off. As a final act, Aquaman has starfish do a water ballet.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Nope, not in this tale.

Quotefile: Advertising Sign: "Aquaman's Sea Circus! A whale of a show! Nothing fishy about it! See it, and you'll never crab!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 9:47 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 060

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #127 (April 1948) - A Fish Out of Water!

As Aquaman is fighting Black Jack, a depth charge goes off too near and Aquaman loses his memory.

Depth charges make a sound like "WHROOM!" ... Aquaman's suit was nearly shredded, and Black Jack's crew spot a piece of it and think they've finally killed Aquaman... The lighthouse keeper, Henry, apparently didn't know Aquaman because there was enough suit left to identify him as Aquaman, but he leaves the lighthouse without any clue to his true identity... Without any memory, Aquaman still walks directly to the docks as he wanders, leading him to conclude that "I seem to like water!" ... Without even thinking about it, Aquaman makes a very Aquaman-like rescue of some sailors from a burning ship... Despite the rescue, no one seems to realize he is Aquaman, except Black Jack... Black Jack immediately hires "Seven Seas Saunders" to work as a mess boy, which gives his crew endless amusement... We get to see Aquaman in a chef's hat.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides up to Black Jack's latest venture on a whale, but tells the whale to turn back once Black Jack starts attacking with depth charges. Once he's regained his memory, Aquaman has swordfish dismantle the hull of Black Jack's ship, then has whales capture Black Jack and his crew to turn over to authorities.

Captured/Knocked Out report: A depth charge knocks Aquaman for a loop and gives him amnesia. Later, as an inexperienced cook, the lid of a pressure cooker hits Aquaman in the head and he regains his memories.

Quotefile: Aquaman, as Seven Seas Saunders the mess boy, "Aquaman! That's a familiar name! Wonder who he is?"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 9:59 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 059

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #126 (March 1948) - The Man In The Iron Shoe!

When wanted criminals start committing suicide by drowning themselves, Aquaman is called in find out why.

We get lots of named criminals in this story, but the main character of focus is never named! We learn of Trigger Malone, a murderer, Mark Smith, a thief, Snatch Uzell, a kidnapper, and Tipper Dale, a jewel thief. All of them apparently commit suicide, always with a police officer as a witness. Well, except for Tipper Dale. His "officer" turns out to be Aquaman in disguise, who follows him into the water.

Once in the water, Aquaman learns that the criminals use iron shoes to drag them into a waiting sub, which then takes them to an underwater resort where they get plastic surgery from a gang doctor who runs the whole operation. Aquaman fights the doctor and his rescued criminals, and uses his knowledge to outwit them.

One big problem... Aquaman lets a lot of oxygen into a room. The doctor then fires a bullet into that room, which bounces off a metal wall. Aquaman (and the doctor) must be really really lucky that the bullet didn't cause a spark, leading to a deadly conflagration.

Finny Friends Report: No fishy help in this story.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman allows himself to be captured when he follows the sub, but escapes as soon as he's sized up the situation.

Quotefile: Narrator, "What's this? Aquaman using a gun, after having sworn never to kill or maim a prisoner? Then why should he reach for a gun now? Will he spurn his sworn code?"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time

posted by Tegan at 9:54 PM - permalink

Ripples Through Time - 058

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #125 (February 1948) - D-Day in Davy Jones' Locker!