New "Facts Page" for this issue

SUMMARY:

A group of poachers attack Seal Island, but are soon in trouble when Aquaman is warned and comes to stop them.

OVERVIEW:

Poachers use electric guns to kill seals on Seal Island, but help is on the way as Aquaman is warned by a fleeing seal. He throws a polar bear among the poachers to start, then invades their boat with walruses. He warns them away, and they pretend to leave only to capture him and strand him on an island. They threaten to shoot him if he tries to leave or get water. He digs his way out and sinks their ship.

COMMENTS:

The splash page shows Aquaman throwing a polar bear at the poachers on the island. In the story, he actually gets in a fight with the bear and has to throw it using underwater Jiu-Jitsu. The electric guns, which shock the seals to death without damaging their pelts, have no effect on the polar bear.

The poachers' ship is invaded by walruses, who go to the poachers bunks and wake them. They scare all the poachers overboard, and Aquaman goes aboard and dumps their guns in the water. He leaves a threatening note for them: "Get off Seal Island before you have worse luck! If you think walruses are bad, you should see some of the whales I know! - Aquaman" Instead of being sensibly scared, the poachers vow to get rid of him.

The poachers seem overly worried about killing Aquaman. They decide to make it look like an "accident" by broiling him on an island. But these guys are hunting on a protected island. Why are they worried about the law coming after them for killing Aquaman? And the plan is flawed. They plan on leaving him on an island until he dries out, then no one can prove they are responsible. Well, what if he were to leave some sort of message before he died?

For that matter, why didn't Aquaman make a run for the water during the rain storm? Visibility couldn't be very good, he should've been able to make the safety of the seas before they could see him to shoot him.

Ark the sea lion makes a second appearance, translating for a seal.

This review was made possible by the Microcolour microfiche reprint of this issue.

This story's title was taken from the opening text box.

Other notables about this issue: Superman's Secret Message (Code Saturn No 5) XYWJSLYM, HTZWFLJ FSI OZXYNHJ BNQQ XJJ ZX YMWTZLM!, a message in "Starman" code (which has greek letters, or I'd put it here too, a call) for book reviews (with a five dollar reward if you are printed), a short text story "Trick Flight" by Tex Dowd, a Chief Hot Foot and a Jerry the Jitterbug comic, both by Henry Boltinoff. Two of the super-hero stories involved plastic surgery, which was probably a coincidence, but certainly was an interesting one.

CONCLUSION:

Plot holes make this one hard to swallow.