Aquaman (3) #17
Title: Numbers
Cover Title: Up From The Depths!
Cover Date: February 1996
Writer: Peter David
Pencils: Jim Calafiore
Inks: Peter Palmiotti
Colors: Tom McCraw
Lettering: Dan Nakrosis
Asst. Editor: Eddie Berganza
Editor: Kevin Dooley
Cover: Jim Calafiore and Peter Palmiotti
Cover Price: $1.75
Continuity: IN
OVERVIEW:
Aquaman has nightmares again, this time of a pure white being who attacks when it notices him. Dolphin and Arthur start on their quest to save the world.
Admiral Strom goes into a meeting with some strange beings, and tells them to turn back and wait another millennium. They tell him that they will do what they want.
Arthur takes Dolphin down to a ship and they take off from the mother ship. They are going to the first of the five cities.
J'onn tells the council of Admirals (including Strom) that the Justice League feels that Aquaman is no threat and that the transmission was faked. Strom tells the admirals that now it is up to them.
Arthur bring Dolphin up to speed by letting the ship talk to her. It tells her that tens of thousands of years ago, a race of alien beings arrived on Earth. They were the Hunter/Gatherers. They had been on Earth before, and had hunted the dinosaurs into extinction. They eventually regretted what they had done, and colonized the Earth by interbreeding with the inhabitants. Then they were conquered by another race, and the conquerers decided to also conquer the colonies.
When they reach the first city, Hy-Brasil, Aquaman meets the creature from his nightmare, an amalgam of human and manta. It tells him to go away. They fight.
Others emerge from Hy-Brasil to watch, and Dolphin gets nervous.
The Queen intercedes on and declares Aquaman the winner. Aquaman's opponent, the King, commits suicide. The Queen declares Aquaman to be the new King, and he will rule, or else her people will tear him limb from limb...
COMMENTS:
Aquaman sleeps with his hook retracted. I wonder if dreams can trigger it, making it extend. If so, Dolphin is braver than I thought.
Strom is an alien operative. That explains his actions.
Aquaman wears yet another outfit in this issue, black shorts. He looks really good in them. No wonder Dolphin likes him.
On Page 13 we get a good view of the regal outfit again. This one is slightly different, but just as wonderful. Put the sword with this outfit and I'll take two or three of the action figure. Yum.
Hy-Brasil is an interesting place. The people are not exactly the most welcoming. And I'm sure Dolphin doesn't like the way the queen is looking at Arthur.
CONCLUSION:
A new undersea race, an exciting fight... Not bad.