Aquaman (1991) #9
Title: Eco-Wars: Part One
Cover Title: Eco-Wars: Part One of Two
Cover Date: August 1992
Writer: Shaun McLaughlin
Pencils: Vince Giarrano
Inks: Vince Giarrano
Colors: Tom McCraw
Lettering: Dan Nakrosis
Editor: Kevin Dooley
Cover: Vince Giarrano
Cover Price: $1.25
Note: Special Thanks to Richie and Bango and Kathleen Dunn
OVERVIEW:
The Sea Devils attack an oil rig on a South American river. Former Sea Devil Biff Bailey is working on the rig, trying to make a difference from the inside. As the Sea Devils attack, the rig explodes.
Aquaman flies down to Bogota to help deal with the situation. He's been having trouble with King Thesily, who thinks Aquaman has been overstepping his bounds. Aquaman arrives and dives into the river from the plane. The oil slick is spreading, and there is a city downriver...
Biff and Dane get in a fight. Aquaman arrives, covered in oil, and tells them to start cleaning up. Then he uses his telepathy to try to warn all the animals. He sends a message of fear to all animals in the area, land and sea, and feels the fear reflected back at him.
Dane asks if he's OK, and in response, Aquaman shoves Dane into the spouting oil to give him a clue. Dane, Judy, and Nickey then go off to try to contain the spill while Aquaman and Biff cap the well. Once it's capped, Biff notices that the evidence is that a bomb was placed inside the well sometime before, and that the Sea Devils did not blow the well.
At the UN, the vote for Poseidonis is moved up.
A Dr. Percy from the Merrevale oil company arrives with a microbe that eats oil. Aquaman gives him the go ahead to use it. Dane sees the Merrevale unit and newscopters, and realizes that he was set up.
When Wylie, Merrevale's executive in charge of the operation, hears of the presence of Aquaman, he orders Aquaman killed.
The microbes are poured into the water, and Aquaman notices the sea life dying. He jumps in to try to help, and finds that he can't breathe. He's drowning.
COMMENTS:
Guest artist, and guest stars.
The story is more about the Sea Devils than Aquaman, and has a lot about their interpersonal relationships. I wasn't terribly interested in them, and so they came across as mostly boring filler.
Aquaman covered in Oil is a sight to see. Yuck.
CONCLUSION:
Rating: 6
Ok, but nothing to write home about.