New "Facts Page" for this issue

SUMMARY:

Three greedy men capture Aquaman to use in an exhibition, and use gas to control him.

OVERVIEW:

A scientist decides to capture Aquaman and have him perform in an exhibit, and recruits a shady sea captain to help him. After successfully capturing Aquaman, and gassing him so he'll obey orders, the captain kills the scientist with the help of his first mate. The two take Aquaman to land and make him perform for crowds.

But the captain didn't get the formula for the gas before killing the scientist, and Aquaman slowly grows rebellious. He finally overcomes his gas-induced programming when the captain tries to kill the first mate and they both fall into a tank of deadly sea creatures. Aquaman rushes to their aid, and the two accidently confess everything in front of witnesses.

COMMENTS:

The splash page has Aquaman showing his finny friends an exhibit of surfacer equipment. The scene doesn't happen in the book. The opening text box tells the audience what to expect from the story: "If the circus should bring Aquaman to you town... his salt water tank occupying the place of honor between the bearded lady and the india-rubber man, you'd lose no time joining the throngs goggling at the marine marvel of the age!" It also tells the readers that they would be uneasy with the situation, because Aquaman is no longer free. In the story, two boys represent the readers, and note that Aquaman doesn't seem happy when he's performing.

The art is better in this story than in the last. All the characters are distinguishable from each other, and the expressions change enough throughout the story. I miss the dynamic nature of Norris' artwork, but Cazeneuve does a good job making the story flow along.

Dr Coburn, the ill-fated scientist, takes Captain Jerrod right to where Aquaman's lair is located. It's never explained how he knows, but considering how many people have been there in the last few stories, it wouldn't be hard to find. Aquaman, hanging with his sea lion friend Ark (who returns in later stories), goes out to see what Coburn wants. Jerrod utters some prophetic words when he and Skol murder Coburn... he says that crime never pays, and had Aquaman not been captured, he might have save Coburn's life. Had Aquaman been fully gassed, he wouldn't have been able to save Jerrod and Skol later on.

This review was made possible by the Microcolour microfiche reprint of this issue.

This story's title was taken from the opening text box.

Other notables about this issue: Superman's Secret Message (Code Mars No 3) L QHHG DPHULFD. DPHULFD. QHHGV BRX. GR BRXU ELW!, a short text story "Fair Exchange" by Eric Carter, a half-page Shorty cartoon by Hanry Boltinoff, a half-page Laffs cartoon, a quarter page Scoopy comic, and a Baby Ruth Candy Bar ad with four soldiers in a Jeep (the ad compares Jeep fuel to Baby Ruth as fuel for humans).

CONCLUSION:

An interesting story.