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Cover of Aquaman #4
Aquaman #3 (1962)

Title: The Menace of Alien Island
Cover Title: none
Cover Date: August 1962
Indica Date: Jul-Aug 1962 (published Bi-Monthly)

Writer: Bob Haney
Artist: Nick Cardy
Lettering: Nick Cardy
Editor: Murray Boltinoff
Cover: Nick Cardy

Cover Price: $0.12
Page Count:

OVERVIEW:

Chapter 1: The Menace of Alien Island

On patrol, Aquaman and Aqualad see a tidal wave hit a coastal fishing village. They immediately set about rescuing the people, only to see a second tidal wave approaching. Lucky for them, Quisp shows up and stops the second wave. He vanishes, and the villagers see an island through the dawn mist that wasn't there before. Aquaman and Aqualad go to investigate.

On the island, they are attacked, then trapped in a hole. They escape, only to be approached by an alien complete with ray gun.

Chapter 2: Quisp's Last Stand

Quisp arrives and takes out the alien with a wave (and Aquaman's punch). Then Quisp informs them that there are more aliens under the water. They go down the tube the first alien emerged from, to find themselves in a spaceship. Some aliens who are trapped explain that the hostile aliens are searching for an invention. Aquaman and Aqualad go after the hostiles, but are quickly captured. Quisp frees them, apparently at the cost of his own life.

Aquaman and Aqualad follow the hostile aliens, who have found the invention, onto land. The aliens aim the machine at a stone hill and create a stone robot, who immediately goes on a rampage. Aquaman runs to save some villagers...

Chapter 3: The Undersea Trap

Aquaman ropes the stone robot's foot and gives the villagers time to evacuate. Then he has seagulls cast a net around it while he and Aqualad escape. To keep the aliens from destroying the village, he distracts them by having whales push their ship out deeper to sea.

They torment the aliens by sinking their boat and having octopus throw shells at them, then stealing the machine from them. Unfortunately, they are caught, and only the timely intervention of Quisp, not dead after all, saves them. With Quisp's help, they finish the round-up and everyone lives happily ever after.


COMMENTS:

Yeah! You can tell from the cover that Quisp is back for his second appearance.

The aliens are called Suvian. Some Suvian scientists trapped on the ship were kind enough to give Aquaman and Aqualad some plot details and direction.

The hostile aliens leave their stone robot near the village, where it remains at the end of the story as a tourist attraction. Imagine that town's motto: "Nearly destroyed by aliens!"

Short cartoons this issue: a one-page "Ollie", a good citizen public service announcement guest starring Superman, a one-page cartoon about the English Channel (now outdated), and a one-page text piece entitled "The Underwater Spaceship" (about a French submersible).


CONCLUSION:

Rating: 7

An enjoyable fantastical tale, told in typical Silver Age silliness.


Review Date: 24 June 1998, By Laura Gjovaag