OVERVIEW:

Story One: The Creature that Devoured Detroit!

Aquaman, due to appear on a talk show, instead learns that Detroit is being covered by wierd green algae from Lake Erie. The scientist blame the growth on a satellite that is causing the city to have constant daylight. Aquaman visits an old friend, Don Powers, to get help in destroying the satellite only to learn that Powers put the satellite up. After coming across the dead hero Crusader and finding out he was Powers, Aquaman destroys the satellite.

Story Two: The Cave of Death

Tula rescues a child playing too near a deadly cave.

COMMENTS:

Nice cover... except that the "creature" devouring Detroit is just algae. Horrible title, ok story.

Powers uses the satellite to cause constant daylight so he can fight crime at night. He is almost blind, and that makes him useless in darkness. His blindness eventually kills him, as he trips and falls from a building.

This issue unofficially crosses over with SUB-MARINER #72 (published by Marvel Comics).

Peter David later made use of the Cave of Death in his series.

Aquaman has no solo stories after this issue for three and a half years. His next solo appearance is in Adventure Comics #435. He does appear in a handful of Justice League stories during the interim.

There is a circulation statement in this issue. Here are the numbers: The first column is the average over the preceding twelve months, the second is the exact numbers for the issue nearest their filing date (October 1st, 1970). The total number of copies printed: aver=285,554 and exact=301,500. The total subcribers: aver=251 and exact=209, and through dealers: aver=140,959 and exact=159,390. Total paid circulation: aver=141,210 and exact=159,599. Free copies sent out for both columns was 122, which made the total number of copies distributed: aver=141,332 and exact=159,721. Leftovers: aver=144,222 and exact=141,779. Compare these numbers to today's sales numbers for a bit of a shock.

CONCLUSION:

Rating: 6

Not too bad, but not one indication that Aquaman had been cancelled in the book.