Aquaman (3) #38
Title: Open For Business
Cover Title: Welcome to Poseidonis
Cover Date: November 1997
Writer: Peter David
Pencils: Jim Calafiore
Inks: Mark McKenna and Peter Palmiotti
Colors: Tom McCraw
Lettering: Albert DeGuzman
Asst. Editor: Dana Kurtin
Editor: Kevin Dooley
Cover: Jim Calafiore and Mark McKenna
Cover Price: $1.75
Continuity: IN
OVERVIEW:
Sam Gantz is struck and killed by a meteor while sitting in traffic.
Aquaman is presented with a proposal from a trio of surfacers who wants to introduce tourism to Poseidonis. In a conference after the trio leaves, Vulko and Dolphin are mostly mostly against the proposal, while Tempest, Koryak, and Arthur think it's worth considering. Deep Blue walks in on the conference, and gives her opinion ("Kewl!"). Arthur authorizes it, to Vulko's dismay.
Arthur finally decides to confront Vulko about his attitude, and the two of them have it out. Vulko leaves angry, Arthur is sad.
Up on the surface, Sam Gantz rises from the dead due to a gem that was in the meteor. Tsunami, far away in her home, wakes, recognizing that her old foe Rhombus has returned.
Poseidonis seems to be adjusting well to the tourism. The dome is filled with thirty feet of water, and the tourists hang out above the water line, or use scuba gear to mingle with the citizens. Koryak is liking it, especially when the tourists find out that he's "Prince of Atlantis" and treat him with the same awe as they do his father.
Aquaman and Dolphin discuss their relationship, and though Aquaman leaves peacefully, Dolphin is over-anxious about it.
Vulko and Tempest discuss the changes to the city, and Tempest now has doubts about it.
Aquaman goes outside the dome to ponder his life. Deep Blue finds him out there and they begin to discuss Dolphin's opnion that Aquaman needs a queen, when they are interrupted by Rhombus.
Rhombus thinks he's Deep Blue's father, and Deep Blue thinks she can handle him alone. she manages to knock him out for a second, but turns back to Aquaman and is hit from behind by a power blast. As she floats, badly injured, Rhombus turns his attention to Aquaman.
COMMENTS:
The cover is an all-time classic. I really want the Tempest squeeze doll and the Topo balloon and the "greetings from Poseidonis" hook, and the t-shirts, and the... er. You get the idea. This was my September 1997 Cover of the Month.
One of the surfacers aims his pitch at a crab, which later turns up and gives it's opinion on the idea... ug. You're killing us, PAD.
Vulko is in the air, and I just have to wonder exactly how long the average Atlantean can go without water. It's clear that they couldn't mix with the tourists very well if they couldn't live in air...
Stasy Russell, one of the surfacers, has red hair and seems to catch Aquaman's eye. Hmmm, Mera replacement? Maybe Aquaman just really likes redheads...
Koryak's expression when Deep Blue comes into the conference is classic.
Vulko and Aquaman finally have it out with each other, and it's much as we feared. Vulko doesn't trust this new Aquaman, and obviously thinks he's unfit to lead. Much of it stems from Aquaman no longer trusting him, after Vulko left him to follow Koryak. In the end nothing is resolved, Vulko still mistrusts the new Aquaman, and Aquaman now knows he must watch his back with Vulko. In addition, Koryak, Deep Blue, Dolphin, Tempest, and the crab heard the whole argument.
Rhombus is pretty scary. Not what I was expecting from a villain with such a silly name.
Koryak is definitely liking the attention he gets from the tourists.
Aquaman is at peace with himself, but those around him are dealing with turmoil now. First Vulko, now Dolphin. In the heart-to-heart with Dolphin, Aquaman is forgiving. Dolphin is the one suffering.
Deep Blue is badly hurt by Rhombus. I hope she recovers, she's one of the best characters in the book right now.
An Aquaman Mailing List member got a letter in the letters page. Congrats!
(And to my delight, my letter to DC about this issue was also printed, in Aquaman #42!)
CONCLUSION:
This is another filler issue, setting up several plots at once. It's done very well and has some very funny moments. Worth the cost.