Aquaman (1994) #1,000,000
Title: The Banks and Shoals of Time
Cover Title: One Million
Cover Date: Nov 1998
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Pencils: Tom Grindberg
Inks: Bill Anderson
Colors: Tom McCraw
Lettering: Albert DeGuzman
Asst. Editor: Chuck Kim
Editor: Kevin Dooley
Cover: Tom Grindberg and Pat Garrahy (background)
Cover Price: $1.95
OVERVIEW:
Ignoring the events of last issue, Aquaman is transported to the year 85271 to participate in the great celebration surrounding the return of the Prime Superman. He is greeted on the planet Neptune by Pilot, a sentient interactive protocol construct. Pilot explains that Aquaman's basic duty during the celebration is to impress to citizens of this century.
He meets the dignitaries waiting for him: Ha-Foth and Na-Tinth, the 853rd century equivilants of Iquila and Sona. He meets Tempest, a woman who has control over the weather on the planet Neptune. Then he prepares to demonstrate his telepathic abilities.
In the 853rd century, Neptune is a planet completely of water, and the creatures of this vast ocean respond to Aquaman. He performs in an amazing dance of sea life that impresses all the spectators.
But there's something rotten on Neptune, as a tesseract releases the deadly Kraken. It interrupts Aquaman's dance, and Aquaman faces off with it, only to find he's unable to communicate with it. In the meantime, a rumor has hit the net that Aquaman and his fellow Justice Leaguers are Bizarro clones sent to destroy the celebrations. This turns Tempest against Aquaman, and while he tries to stop the Kraken, she tries to destroy him.
Pilot stops her by showing her Aquaman's efforts, and then advises Aquaman to talk to the Reefs. He does so, and the Reefs calm the Kraken, which is then transported away.
Aquaman then starts his journey to Jupiter to join the other time-lost Justice Leaguers.
COMMENTS:
Really not bad for a crossover. Except for the abrupt beginning and the lack of conclusion to the overall plot, the story holds together well.
The cover is nice. I was expecting something more impressive from the computer generated covers, but this wasn't bad. Tom Grindberg draws a decent Aquaman most of the time, and the one on the cover is pretty good.
I wouldn't mind seeing more of pilot. Unfortunately, stuck in the 20th century he'd be pretty boring. No access to the entire solar system's wealth of knowledge back here in time.
The wrecks on Neptune were a nice touch. Obviously planted to make Aquaman feel more at home, as they seem unlikely to be wrecks of real ships.
The Tempest in this issue bears more than a slight resemblance to Dolphin.
A tesseract is a fold in space. Apparently, the Kraken was planted in one by Solaris as part of his master plan to destroy the Justice League. It was released at a time that would implicate Aquaman in it's arrival. Pilot explains to Aquaman that the Kraken's biology is incompatible with the oceans on Neptune, and that it's in incredible pain. Which is why it's trashing about destroying everything in sight.
Aquaman asks Pilot what his Aquaman would do, since the 853rd century Aquaman was stuck back in the 20th century, and that's when the Reefs are suggested. The Reefs are a very old, very slow collective that has vast telepathic powers.
CONCLUSION:
A surprisingly good issue for a crossover.