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

More Fun #96 (March 1944) - Champion in War!

Lun Ming, an Olympic swimmer, fights the Japanese invaders in China by smuggling messages from his home island to the mainland.

I have a soft spot for this story, despite the stereotypes in it. It was the first Golden Age Aquaman tale I ever read, on a really low quality photocopy made from a microfilm of the book. In addition, my husband loves the Olympics and this is an early mention of the Olympics that shows that people didn't understand the Games much.

Aquaman first meets Lun Ming when both of them are on missions. Aquaman says he would help, but is on a mission of his own. He comes back later during a storm and saves Lun Ming. Even later, Aquaman is visiting the island and learns that Lun Ming was captured.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman gets no assistance from sea life in this tale.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is never caught or knocked out, but he does break into jail.

Quotefile: Lun Ming: "Can't a man go for a swim in the moonlight here without being threatened?"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time, WWII

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

More Fun #95 (January 1944) - Guerrillas of Fen-Shu!

Aquaman assists a group of Chinese guerrillas working to drive the invading Japanese out of their land.

This is one of those fairly rare Aquaman stories that is so offensive in its stereotypes that I find it difficult to read. Oh, the Chinese are strong and smart and brave, but they speak broken English. The Japanese are horrible caricatures of people, with extreme features and broken English that attempts to be pointedly polite and formal. It's a good primer on what kind of propaganda was being spread at the time, but it's difficult to read from a modern viewpoint without cringing. A lot. I'll note that the stereotypes of the Nazis and Japanese throughout these early stories are all offensive, but this one goes a bit beyond the usual, in my opinion.

If you can't tell what's happening on that splash page: Aquaman is dumping out a ship full of weapons and planes and such which the guerrillas are rushing to collect. In the lower left corner, a Chinese guerrilla is pulling a Superman by lifting a tank and dumping the Japanese soldiers out of it... Aquaman's domain is the waters of the entire globe, which is why he swims up the Yangtze in this story (and the Mississippi a few stories ago)... When the Japanese catch Aquaman they refer to him as a famous American... Aquaman marches all night with the guerrillas, for hours, without water. Another sign that he didn't have any one-hour weakness... Aquaman sort of explains the concept of breaking step when marching over a bridge so you don't cause it to collapse. Good physics lesson here... Aquaman goes undercover twice in this tale, once as a guerilla when he joins their troop, and once as a regular Chinese loading ammo onto a ship... When captured in Chinese disguise, he begs the Japanese not to throw him in the water because he'll drown. Naturally, the Japanese throw him in the water... The artist didn't know the difference between a rudder and a propeller. Aquaman talks about damaging the rudder while the art shows him damaging a propeller.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman has a group of river fish pull on ropes to cause a vibration in a bridge that brings it down. Later, a group of river fish pull pieces of wood dressed as guerrillas so the Japanese will waste their ammunition.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is caught in a steel net as he swims up the Yangtze. Later he is caught while in disguise as a Chinese worker by Japanese soldiers with guns.

Quotefile: Guerrilla soldier: "This is Aquaman! I recognize by pictures! Hello, Aquaman!"... Guerrilla soldier, bopping enemy on head: "We bow respectfully to new order in Asia!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time, WWII

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

More Fun #94 (November 1943) - Battle of Italy!

Aquaman helps an American general in the Mediterranean to steal a Nazi ship to get to London.

Aquaman is enjoying the peaceful Mediterranean when he witnesses a battle between allied forces and Nazis... Aquaman can't turn the torpedo around, but he uses his body weight to make it go under the ship... General Lundigan has an important mission, and must get to London. As soon as he sees Aquaman, he enlists his help... The radio reports of the British and American attack are hilarious, with reports that il Duce was so confident in his troops that he was hastily going on vacation... Aquaman goes undercover again, and apparently speaks perfect Italian as nobody confuses him for the Americans they are waiting for... The Italian civilians are gathering to present flowers to the invading British and Americans... The Nazi captain thinks Aquaman is "a mere nobody" out of water, and Aquaman is happy to let him believe that as it helps him escape... Lundigan and Aquaman learn that they actually set off the rumors of an American attack by stealing a Nazi ship. Lundigan explains to Aquaman that he was sure there wasn't a real attack because Lundigan himself is planning the attack.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman gets no assistance from sea life in this tale.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is shot by Nazis when he attacks them for shooting at Italian civilians. He only gets a flesh wound, but is somehow knocked out by it.

Quotefile:

"The Yanks are coming! The cry rings out, sweeps through the tortured but still hopeful peoples of occupied Europe, and then dies down... for the Yanks have not come... yet! But some day, perhaps even as you read this, they will arrive..."

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time, WWII

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

More Fun #93 (September 1943) - Convoy to Murmansk!

Aquaman goes to help a convoy, and discovers that a Russian ship, the Neva, is crewed entirely by women.

I grew up in the 70's and 80's, and to me the Russians were always the bad guys. They were the ones who hated us and wanted to kill us. It's very strange to read a story in which they are our allies. As usual with the allies, they are portrayed as noble and strong, while the Nazis are weak cowards.

Very interesting opening text box, talking about a woman's place in war (the hospitals, a sniper's perch, a pilot, and even on a ship's deck)... Aquaman is stunned to learn that the Russian ship is crewed by women, and even more stunned once he learns it's a munitions ship, and they are fighting to save the ship despite the danger of it blowing up... Once they save the ship, the captain refuses to try to rejoin the convoy, explaining that they would slow it down and put more lives in danger. Aquaman then decides to provide his own escort... The Nazis have thick accents, the Russians speak perfect English... The women save the sailors from the ship Aquaman's whale sinks... They also "save" the Nazi spies, who claim their ship was destroyed by Nazis. The spies release the other prisoners, but the readers are left hanging for awhile while Aquaman has his adventure with a Nazi submarine... When Aquaman leaves the Nazi sub, he puts a silhouette of a ship on their periscope so they will chase something that doesn't exist... The women of the Neva have no problem dealing with their escaped prisoners, which again surprises Aquaman... When Aquaman goes to say good-bye to the captain of the Neva, he finds her at a dance. He stammers a bit and asks for the next dance.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman calls on a group of whales to act as escort to the ship. One of the whales sinks a Nazi ship to protect the Neva. Later, a whale uses his water spout as a weapon to knock a bomber out of the sky.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is injured when a mine goes off near where he's swimming, while he's unconscious a Nazi sub picks him up.

Quotefile: Nazi Captain: "Whales! Der whole vorld is against our fuehrer, even whales! Va are der only vuns dot love him!" Thought balloon from a crew member: "Who says ve love him?"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time, WWII

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

More Fun #92 (July 1943) - Saga of the Seven Sisters!

This story follows the "life" of the Yankee Clipper Seven Sisters, launched in 1878, until her end at the hands of the Nazis.

This story plays with the format a little, following the ship's adventures meeting Aquaman, after a short history of her life until the WWII era. We get three short stories. First Aquaman defeats pirates on the ship when it is owned by a millionaire. Then, after the war starts, the ship becomes a freighter and Aquaman defeats a group of opportunistic sailors who intend to sell the cargo to the Nazis. Lastly, Aquaman helps the ship defeat Nazis on the ship's final voyage. Three stories in eight pages. Wow.

Aquaman has no fire weakness in this story, as he uses the boiler to build up a fire and send smoke signals... Aquaman traps sailors in mercury to prevent them from taking the ship... For her final mission, the Seven Sisters is meant to explode in a channel, blocking the Nazi fleet. The mission is interrupted by the Nazis, who intend to aim her at a British warship instead... The Nazis get onto the Seven Sisters by air - yes, they parachute onto the ship. At night. With the ship running silent and showing no lights. It's a wonder that Aquaman only finds one drowned Nazi who missed the ship... Aquaman again addresses the readers directly at the end of the story, to explain that the ship that the Seven Sister blew up was a Nazi warship, and not the intended British Battleship, because of a compass problem caused by Aquaman's escape.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman gets no help from finny friends in this story, but the ship itself seems to be communicating with him.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is locked in the boiler room when he runs in there by mistake. Later, Aquaman is hit on the head from behind by a Nazi soldier, and chained up.

Quotefile: Sailor, after Aquaman throws mercury on him: "Ouch! That water hit me like a load of bricks!"... Aquaman is interrupted in his escape attempt by a Nazi soldier: "Just when I was getting along so well!"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time, WWII

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

More Fun #90 (April 1943) - Somewhere in the Pacific!

Aquaman helps a US Marine scout patrol battling the Japanese on a small Pacific Island.

This is the first story in which Aquaman is explicitly referred to as American, although it has been inferred before. At the end of the story, as he's being awarded the Navy Cross, the officer tells Aquaman that he's getting the award "for valor and distinguished service in the cause of your country." Also, at the end of this story, Aquaman addresses his readers and asks them to buy war bonds and stamps.

Aquaman doesn't get involved in the war effort much in these first stories. This was only the third time he gets involved directly. The War is a big part of the background of his stories, but direct involvement has been fairly rare so far.

Besides commander Bob Crane, the only named characters in this story are "Tex" and "Yank". I don't think the writer was trying very hard... The porpoises are poorly drawn, I don't think the artist had any reference for them... When they spot Aquaman, one of the Marines says, "Another legendary tale come true!" I wonder what other tales have come true for these guys... Aquaman dresses up as a sea monster to scare away the Japanese, and it works... Aquaman apparently abandons the Marines as the fight starts, but he's gone to deal with the mini subs.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is never captured or knocked out in this story, but he's nearly accidentally shot by the US Marines.

Finny Friends Report: A porpoise leads Aquaman to a safe cave on the island. Another porpoise helps him out of the water to where the scout patrol is holed up. A group of electric eels powers the patrol's radio for Aquaman. Aquaman leads "an armada of giant squid" against the Japanese baby subs.

Quotefile: Aquaman, after nearly being shot by the Marines: "That was a mighty warm reception, boys!"... The Japanese threaten torture: "must we use unpleasant inducements?"

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time, WWII

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

More Fun #86 (December 1942) - Race Around The World

A movie producer gets Aquaman to swim around the world in seven days, and Black Jack offers a half million dollar reward to the pirate who kills Aquaman.

On the splash page, Aquaman is walking down a street in Hollywood and is at least a full head taller than anyone else, showing off his heroic proportions... Someone named "Hedy Hepburn" asks for Aquaman's autograph... A swimming champ asks Aquaman for swimming pointers... The movie studio is named Pariversal Pix and the President's name is Mr Smith... Aquaman agrees to the challenge because the profits will go to the Navy Relief Fund... Aquaman's exact route is publicized, leading Black Jack to declare the reward... Lots of inset maps so the readers could follow along Aquaman's journey. Readers got a tiny bit of geography from this one... The Japanese are horrible stereotypes, as is common in Golden Age tales. However, they are also the only group that even comes close to killing Aquaman... The pirates at the Cape of Good Hope drop depth charges on Aquaman, and he off-handedly explains how they work to his readers... Aquaman makes a baseball reference, "No hit, one error!" the pirates miss him and he sinks them instead... The Japanese capture Aquaman, hoping to use him to sink American ships... Aquaman is stuck in a muddy channel when six Japanese bombers attack him. A single American fighter arrives and shoots down two of the bombers, rescuing Aquaman, then helps him out of the mud... Aquaman makes it in less than six days, breaking all records... When asked what he's going to do next, Aquaman says he's going home to take a bath.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman gets no help from sea life in this story.

Captured/Knocked Out report: The Japanese pirates drug the water in the Indian Ocean that Aquaman is due to swim through to capture him, but the drug wears off fast and he escapes.

Special Note: This story's script is later re-used in the Silver Age, one of two instances of re-used scripts I'm certain of in Aquaman's history. When I reach that story, I'll be sure to link back to this one.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time, WWII

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.

A lot of people have asked me how I got all these stories. The short answer is that I spent the last 10 years collecting them. Most of the earliest stories I have on microfiche. Others I have in paper. I've also been asked how to get these stories. That I cannot answer, but I have a suggestion. Pull together your best writing skills and write a paper letter to

Dan Didio, Executive Editor
DC Comics
1700 Broadway
New York NY 10019

and ask very nicely for a reprint of Golden Age Aquaman stories, starting with his first appearance. If you aren't feeling as devoted to the idea, you can write an email, but a paper letter is more likely to get attention. You can also grab a copy of a recent DC book and write to the first few names after Dan Didio in the masthead. The more the merrier.

More Fun #82 (August 1942) - King of the Convict Island

When the prisoners on Convict Island see the allied fleet defeated in the distance, they overthrow their guards and declare Yascom the giant to be their king.

The artwork changes in this story, and I can't say it's an improvement. Oh, it's not bad, but the previous artist had the ability to draw faces that looked different from one another. The faces in this story fit certain types. Adams is a dead ringer for Leef, except Leef has a moustache and a pith helmet. Yascom looks the same as most of the other prisoners, except for his silly crown.

Aquaman takes Adams to his headquarters. But it's made absolutely clear in the opening that this is in the Pacific. That argues that Aquaman's home, and the city of Atlantis, are in the Pacific ocean. This would work with the third story, in which Aquaman brings Keoki of Pearl Island to his home as well.

Yascom is a blacksmith, and a moment is spared from the story to show him making his crown... Aquaman comes to the island after an off-page adventure: "Having saved survivors of a sunken warship, he turns his attention to the drama on shore!"... The warship might have been from the battle the prisoners see at the beginning of this story... Aquaman and Adams first undermine Yascom's authority with tricks, then start a full-on rebellion... Yascom is very surprised that Aquaman survives being hit on the back of the head by Yascom's hammer, but he's smart enough to figure out that dry heat will kill Aquaman... This is the second time that heat/dryness are used as weapons against Aquaman, but there is no indication of any time limit... Adams tells Aquaman that his crime was stealing "some funds" and that he had repented and was willingly serving out his sentence. Why would a white collar criminal be sentenced to hard labor on an island in the Pacific?

Finny Friends Report: A lobster grabs Yascom's crown when Aquaman sends him out on a line. A swordfish cuts the rock Aquaman is tied to away from the cliff, so Aquaman ends up in the water. A lobster cuts Aquaman free from the rock.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is knocked out from behind by a blacksmith's hammer. Ouch.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time, WWII

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.

In the future, if I don't want to vote for any of the offered choices, I think I'll write in "Arthur Curry". Of course, in some places up here in Washington state, you needed to be Aquaman just to get to the flooded polls today.

More Fun #79 (May 1942)

After an iceberg attacks and sinks an American destroyer, Aquaman dives in to solve the mystery.

The Berg-Battleship was created by a Nazi scientist named Krutz whose mind is described as warped. It's made of shatteproof glass on the inside with an ammonia freezing system on the outside. The floors are fairly thin with no armor, only ice underneath. The ship has a submarine escort and some sort of airfield with a bomber. Krutz's lab has a heat-ray he's invented in it, which Aquaman uses to sink the ship.

Great exchange between the Nazi captain and Aquaman. The captain slaps Aquaman for being insolent: "You dare bandy words with me, you Yankee pig? This is your payment!" Aquaman responds by punching him back: "And this is your change!" He continues the theme into the next panel: "Now that this has come to trading wallops, we'll operate on the barter system -- giving you good measure!" The guard just runs for help.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman gets no help from sea life in this story.

In this story Aquaman is knocked out with a blow to the back of the head with a rifle butt... Lieutenant Adams, a survivor from the sunken destroyer, does not recognize Aquaman... The opening text panel reiterates Aquaman's origin, "His power is great and just -- trained by his scientist-father to plumb the depths or cross the vast stormy stretches, he knows and guards the seven seas..." The Nazi captain goes down with his ship rather than be captured by Aquaman, who attempts to save him... Krutz the warped scientist is the only survivor, and his brain is apparently addled by the narrow escape. He ends up a prisoner working on a perpetual motion machine.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time, WWII

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story. This will no doubt evolve as I continue reading for the year and a half required to get through all the Aquaman tales.

I've gotten a lot of suggestions for the name of this feature, and I'm mulling them over now. Feel free to add more if you think of any. Suggestions so far: "Curried Tales", "Aqua-blogging", "Aquaman through the Ages", "Writing the Waves", "Past Ripples", "Talking to Fish", "Waves of Time, Time of Waves", "EYWTKAA,BWATA", "Fish Stories", "Sea Tales", "Water Log", "Charting the Course", "Deep Sea Thoughts", "Deep Thoughts", "Fish Tales", "Water Lines", and "Strait Talk".

More Fun #74 (December 1941)

Aquaman stops pirates from attacking a yacht, then fights the pirates and sinks their ship, but the captain of the pirates survives.

The first appearance of Black Jack the Modern Pirate! Yay! Black Jack captures Aquaman (using gas this time, not a sledgehammer to the head like the Nazis in the last story) and asks him to join the crew. Black Jack explains that by wearing old-fashioned pirate gear, the ships he attacks know exactly what they are in for as soon as he appears.

Lots of really amusing banter during the fight scenes in this one. The language is just lovely! "Into the cradle of the deep you go, Lubber! Sleep well!", "Bust his binnacle for him!", "I don't like your faces - think I'll scramble them a little -", "If I knew the swab that did this, I'd keel-haul him from here to Singapore!", "Here, let me part those whiskers in the middle!", "I'll gouge out your headlights!" While the art was excellent, and the story ok, the dialogue really made this one shine.

Black Jack's ship is the Nemesis... The splash page is signed "by Paul" (Paul Norris)... Black Jack's crew wear green shirts with black horizontal stripes... Depending on which view we get of it, the Nemesis looks like everything from a motorboat to a destroyer, but it has metal sides and torpedo tubes, so I'm leaning towards a destroyer-type vessel... Aquaman is more clueful in this story about the ways of the the surface. He knows what a torpedo is, when in the first story he didn't recognize a grenade.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Black Jack, Ripples Through Time, WWII

Starting today, I'm going to read 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. These aren't going to be reviews, just impressions with maybe a short summary.

I was utterly unable to come up with a good name for this feature, so if you have any suggestions, post them in the comments. Be nice. Now, to start:

More Fun #73 (November 1941)

Aquaman rescues some refugees, introduces himself, then attacks and defeats the Nazis who sank the refugee ship.

Man, I wish I had this story in the original colors. The differences in Aquaman's costume alone would be worth the sight. ... Aquaman is tied up by the Nazis and apparently cannot escape, but shortly later he is able to burst the same bonds. Hmmm. ... Who was Aquaman's mother? Aquaman claims that his father is famous, but says very little about his mother except that she died. If I were to revisit the Golden Age Aquaman, I'd love to explore his heritage. ... Aquaman sinks a u-boat with one punch. He is, however, knocked out when the Nazis drop a sledgehammer on his head. ... Aquaman claims no country as his heritage, and makes that clear. I wonder where his well-known father was from? ... I love the artwork. It's very dynamic and as simple as it needs to be.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

Labels: Ripples Through Time, WWII

Aquaman was born in WWII, and fought in the pages of propaganda comic books against the Germans and the Japanese. He spent a significant amount of time protecting Allied troops and people (he rescued refugees from German subs in his first story).

I don't have a lot of desire to search for an appropriate image today. Go out and spend time with your family, and just remember. That's all, just remember.

Labels: WWII