OVERVIEW:

Part 1

Aquaman and Aqualad save passengers from a jetliner from drowning. Aquaman gets lots of praise, both on land and back in Atlantis, and Aqualad feels left out. As he wanders alone and forlorn, hands grab him and a girl plants a big kiss on his very surprised lips.

It's Tula, a girl who he's known for some time, but she's grown up now and wants adventure. Aqualad agrees with her, and the two go off for their own adventures, after first telling Aquaman and Mera.

They find an underwater Discoteque in the coastal waters, and join the scene. The owner of the Disco offers them a job as house dancers, and they accept. After the air-breathers leave, they learn that the owner himself is a water-breather...

Part 2

Dr Dorsal, the water-breathing owner of the underwater Disco, hypnotizes Aqualad and Tula. They participate in a robbery at King Pier, one which the patrons of the disco think is a joke. But they continue to commit crimes, and a coast guard helicopter manages to get pictures of both Tula and Aqualad, and Aquaman is notified.

Aqualad and his friends are on a beach when a shellpicker wanders into their area. They threaten him, but he warns them of a coast guard vessel come to get them, and they dive into the water...

Part 3

They take the beachcomber back to Dr Dorsal with them, and he gets suspicious. Dorsal catches him in his office and starts watching him closely. Dorsal announces that the next target is an Atomic Submarine Base. When one of the teens protests, Dorsal lets him know that they didn't return the stolen goods, and they are all criminals.

The beachcomber turns out to be a spy for the coast guard, and Dorsal intercepts his message and, after ripping the bottom off, gives it to Aqualad. Aqualad promises to take care of him.

The attack on the base goes badly: after getting through an electrified net the kids end up in a minefield. Tula pushes the beachcomber into a mine... and the man's mask comes off. It's Aquaman, and the sight of him, dead, wakes Aqualad from his trance. He and Tula go after Dorsal as Navy Frogmen arrive to round up the kids.

Dorsal escapes from Aqualad and Tula, back into his own dimension, and Aquaman arrives to take Aqualad and Tula home. The mine only stunned him. Mera praises Aquaman on his wisdom in letting the kids go out and learn the hard lessons for themselves.

COMMENTS:

Groovy cover this month, with Aqualad and Aquagirl running loose and causing havoc, with Aquaman in the lower corner moaning that it's all his fault.

Aquagirl kisses with her eyes open. Aqualad was too surprised to close his.

Aqualad decides to call Tula "Aquachick". She doesn't protest.

Dr Dorsal is a water breather from another dimension who has a two-headed eel that hypnotizes people.

In Aqua-Mail this issue: a part of a previously-printed letter was reprinted. Leonard Rosenberg wrote the first letter in last issue's column, and part of it got a second printing in this issue.

Shorts and notable ads in this issue: a half-page "Cap's Hobby Hints" cartoon, a full-page Direct Currents column, and a one-page public service cartoon about using all your assets.

CONCLUSION:

Rating: 9

Tula! What more do I need to say?