OVERVIEW:

Part 1

One of the main attractions at Expo-21st Century is the Atlantean Pavilion, a scale-model replica of the city. Aquaman, Aqualad, Mera, Aquababy, and Aquagirl are in attendance. They put on a show for the surfacers, and enjoy the sights at the Expo for themselves.

While they are enjoying the Expo, though, a trio of robotic creatures attack and destroy the Pavilion. When Aquaman and his friends return to inspect the Pavilion, the threesome go on land and enter the science hall.

Part 2

The Threesome drive out the spectators from the science hall, and attack a device called the Gyro-Moleculizer, which makes people weightless. Aquaman and Aqualad hear of the attack and go to the science hall, where they recognize the Threesome and start to battle.

Aquaman and Aqualad are defeated, and the Gyro-Moleculizer destroyed. To make matters worse, a 12-foot alien has just popped up from under the Expo sidewalk. It attacks the monorail, and Aquaman and Aqualad run to help...

Part 3

Aquaman battles the alien while Aqualad rescues the monorail passengers. When Aquaman goes down, Mera and Aquababy use water from a fountain to attack with their hard-water powers. The alien breaks their hammers and attacks, only to be driven back by water from a hose wielded by Aqualad.

It then dives into the water and heads right for Atlantis, controlling the Kraken on the way. Aquaman and Aqualad follow, and battle the Threesome trying to reach the alien in time. But when it reaches Atlantis, it simply beams itself into a flying saucer and leaves.

Aquaman questions Torpedo, the leader of the Threesome, and learns that the alien was a convict whose punishment was imprisonment on Earth for five thousand years. The Gyro-Moleculizer was preventing it from making its rendezvous with its ship, so it used telepathy to control the Threesome into helping it.

Aquaman and friends return to the Expo, where they enjoy the rest of the show.

COMMENTS:

The cover states that "The King of the Sea is now King of TV!" in an announcement about Aquaman's new TV Show. Either this issue or the previous one would've been on the stands when the TV show first aired. This issue certainly bows a little to the TV show, from plot on down.

Aquagirl (who should be an air-breather, hmmm) and Aqualad do underwater dances with Topo the Octopus and Tusky the Walrus.

The Awesome Threesome consists of the leader, Torpedo-Man, and his cohorts Magneto and Claw.

The letter column has more praise for Aquagirl, lots of praise for Aquaman #34, and more questions from their "most ardent letter writer" Leonard Rosenberg.

Shorts and notable ads in this issue: a two-page spread advertising the Saturday morning CBS cartoon line-up (including Aquaman), a half-page Cap's Hobby Hints, a one-page Direct Currents (advertsing World's Finest #171, Justice League of America #57, and Teen Titans #12, among others), and a one-page ad about DC on TV, including photos of Batman, Robin, and Batgirl from the live-action series.

CONCLUSION:

Rating: 5

Not a lot to recommend this story.