OVERVIEW:

Chapter 1: The Doom From Dimension Aqua

On a routine patrol, Aquaman and Aqualad notice an abandoned ship running wild. They go to stop it, but are attacked by a strange pincer. Then a wave is suspended over the ship like a magnifying glass, and blows it up. They spot a woman swimming away at a fantastic rate, and follow. When they get close to her, she uses her powers to create a floating bubble, but it bursts as she weakens and loses her powers.

They accuse her of destroying the ship, and she explains that she was nearby when the crew abandoned it due to a fire in the hold, and she was only trying to save the pair. She explains that she is Queen Mera, from another dimension where everyone has the power to make the water do their bidding. She fled for her life using a dimensional gate her chief scientist, Xebel, created when an evil pretender, Leron, took the throne. She has no idea why she has lost her powers.

As they talk, submarines start being thrown from the sea at them. It's Leron, and he's come to make sure Mera doesn't return to her kingdom. He traps the three in hard water, and demands they turn over Mera, or die.

Chapter 2: The Super Sea Sleuth

Aquaman calls fish in to distract Leron, and the three escape. Leron retreats to bring in some of his followers. Aquaman has a plan, and goes off while Mera and Aqualad watch for the return of Leron. When the followers return, the three meet, and the followers trap them in a giant whirlpool.

They escape, and Aquaman challeges Leron directly, displaying similar hard water powers as Mera and the others. Leron and his followers retreat, and Aquaman reveals the source of his powers: Quisp. Quisp goes off to gather an army of Sprites to defeat Leron, not realizing that Leron himself overheard their conversation and is now chasing him.

Chapter 3: Prisoners of the Water World

Leron knocks Quisp unconscious, then goes after Aquaman and company. He easily captures them, and takes them back into Mera's dimension. There he threatens them in front of Xebel, trying to get the secrets of the dimension warp from him.

But he doesn't know about Aquaman's powers, or has forgotten. Aquaman calls in lots of fish, who free the trio. They flee back through the warp, where Aquaman wipes a smudge from Mera's arm. They are trapped, when Mera uses her newly returned powers to escape.

Aquaman gets an idea, and dumps oil on their pursuers, who are stopped cold, unable to use their powers. Mera doesn't understand, staing that only lead can weaken them. Aquaman explains that refined oil has a high percentage of lead. The prisoners are returned to Mera's dimension, and she returns too. Quisp arrives, too late to say good-bye.

COMMENTS:

The cover of this issue has an interesting motif, with the heroes and a strange woman (familiar to us later readers) falling down a whirlpool through the dark.

Aqualad shows a great deal of compassion as Mera tells her story, relating how he was exiled from Atlantis, but visits it often now.

It's a surprising moment when Aquaman single-handedly defeats Neron and his followers, but it only makes sense that he ran to call Quisp in. And this is right up Quisp's alley, tormenting bad guys.

When Aquaman calls fish in to help free the three in Mera's dimension, he has an octopus spin them around. Mera is alarmed, and Aquaman says "Yes, Mera -- Hold onto me tightly!" Hmmm...

Aquaman spills a lot of oil into the ocean. Lets pretend he cleaned it all up nicely, okay?

Shorts in this issue: one-page text piece on "The Fantastic Frogmen", and a half-page "Homer" strip.

CONCLUSION:

Rating: 9

A great introduction story for one of the best characters in comics.