OVERVIEW:

Part 1

While on patrol, Aquaman receives a signal that he is needed by surfacers, and goes to find out what's up. His contact tells him that OGRE is trying to take the UN hostage. His contact tells him that he needs to put up a barrier of water around the UN to protect it from OGRE's ray. Aquaman agrees, and goes to save the world.

He successfully puts the wall of water around the UN, only to learn that he just carried out OGRE's plan for them. Aquaman is put under arrest for helping OGRE, but escapes and disguises himself, hoping to put it right.

Part 2

The water around the UN, artifically accelerated by a device Aquaman used, is truly impenetrable. Aquaman, disguised, blows his cover when he rescues a drowning child. He's chased by OGRE agents... right into government agents. They concentrate on each other, allowing Aquaman to escape.

Aquaman dives at the UN building, and is carried up and over Manhattan into the Statue of Liberty. Where he is attacked by yet more agents...

Part 3

Aquaman follows a stream of water being blasted at him down from the statue's torch. An OGRE agent in the crown fires at him and hits him. He falls into the water and more OGRE agents throw grenades at him.

The United Nations agree to pay OGREs ransom, and the general populace blames Aquaman. He goes to stop OGRE from picking up the payment, and manages to get into the UN building with the ransom.

Outside, a strange girl uses her hard-water powers to stop the water shield around the UN. The hostages in the UN called in Mera to rescue them. Mera's actions save the day, and government agents round up the OGRE agents they find.

COMMENTS:

The cover has Aquaman being threatened by a tank. Gotta love that.

I didn't like OGRE is their first appearance, and they don't get any better in this issue. The OGRE agents inside the UN wear turtlenecks with OGRE stenciled on them...

Why didn't Aquaman think of calling in Mera? Her powers made more sense than anything Aquaman could've tried.

The letter column is entitled "Down to the Wire" and has nine letters. One of the letters mentions the Atlantis of the Superman comics, and the editor's reply is that there are two cities on the continent of Atlantis, and the mer-folk come from the other one.

Shorts and notable ads in this issue: A one-page Captain Action ad, including the Aquaman disguise, a half-page "Cap's Hobby Hints" cartoon, a half-page Direct Currents column, and a one-page public service cartoon about heroes who had handicaps.

CONCLUSION:

Rating: 8

Another good set-up ruined by an abrupt ending.