Aquaman (1994) #72
Title: Worlds Apart
Cover Title: King of the Saurian Seas!
Cover Date: October 2000
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Pencils: Steve Epting
Inks: Norm Rapmund
Colors: Noelle Giddings and Digital Chameleon
Lettering: John E Workman
Editor: Tony Bedard
Cover: Mike Kaluta
Cover Price: $2.50
Release Date: 16 August 2000
Order Code: JUN00 0257
OVERVIEW:
Aquaman and Mera have vanished, and Garth still feels a threat to the city, so he goes to investigate. He finds dead and dying fish, and a pit of poison. He enters the pit, hoping to find Aquaman and Mera.
Aquaman and Mera, meanwhile, are dealing with an evil sorcerer named Valgos, and with Travis Morgan's ego. They attack Valgos' citadel, but Aquaman's golden hand takes over his body, and Mera is disabled.
Back in Poseidonis, a strange visitor checks on Ian while Dolphin sleeps.
COMMENTS:
The cover, though striking, features very small main characters, and so it's not what I'd call a good cover. I do like the colors, the shades of blue.
There are three plotlines in this issue. We start with Garth investigating the disturbance that Aquaman and Mera went to look at, and finding something very different than they did. I would guess that Garth was detecting the real evil, and not the spell that took Mera and Aquaman to Skartaris.
Skartaris is the second plotline. Aquaman and Mera show why they make a good team, even if Mera always seems hesitant to use her powers. I find Mera's disbelief at the existence of another dimension extremely silly, since she's FROM another dimension herself. Arthur sums up Morgan's personality for those of us who came in late: The bold warrior who lives to fight.
The third plotline is subtle. Starting with the American Ambassador's suggestion that Dolphin take Ian to a photo op so the surfacers will go crazy. For the first time in years, Dolphin acts in character when she turns away and says No. But then, on the very last page of the issue, a stranger visits Ian while Dolphin sleeps. Who is the stranger? Is it Berra, Garth's mother and Ian's grandmother? Is it Atlan? Is it the Ambassador? Definitely a nice mystery.
CONCLUSION:
A strong middle issue to a short arc.