Aquaman (3) #23
Title: Deep Trouble
Cover Title: Now We Fight Back!
Cover Date: August 1996
Writer: Peter David
Pencils: Marty Egeland and Derec Aucoin
Inks: Howard Shum
Colors: Tom McCraw
Lettering: Albert De Guzman
Asst. Editor: Eddie Berganza
Editor: Kevin Dooley
Cover: Marty Egeland and Howard Shum
Cover Price: $1.75
Continuity: IN
OVERVIEW:
The President calls on Neptune Perkins to help the aliens, since they've been attacked by the inhabitants of the sea.
Aquaman arrives at Tritonis to find it destroyed. The Tritonians are hung on crosses, like Aquaman was in one of his nightmares. Aquaman frees Iquila, who begs Aquaman to save his wife.
In Basilia, Atlan is floating. He's talking to Arion, trying to gather some forces.
Aquaman goes through the city of Tritonis, spreading and angry silence as he goes. At last he goes face-to-face with Kordax, framed by Vulko and Koryak.
Kordax proposes a challenge: Koryak against Garth for the freedom of Iquila's wife, S'ona. Garth wins easily, using his new mystic powers against Koryak's hard water powers.
Aquaman and Kordax locked each other in mental battle, and as they do, waves of pain envelope all who are connected to the sea.
Aquaman breaks it off rather than let the pain kill his people. Kordax lets Aquaman have S'ona, and the four leave.
Kordax cuts Koryak for failing him.
Garth and Aquaman have a heart-to-heart.
The Aliens hold a press conference.
Tsunami arrives as Spought is helping Iquila.
The Sea Devils, injured when the sea went wild during Kordax and Aquaman's psychic fight, are helped by Aquaman and Power Girl.
Aquaman has his gathered troops: Atlan, The Guardian of Hy-Brasil, Arion, Garth, Tsunami, Nuada, Dolphin, the Sea Devils, and Power Girl. As they confer, Deep Blue (Tsunami's Daughter) arrives.
COMMENTS:
Iquila is a good character, and I actually felt tears come to my eyes when I saw him injured like that. He and Aquaman are friends, and Aquaman can't let him down on his request to save S'ona.
Atlan is gathering sea-going heroes, and Arion is slightly turned off by the news that Aquaman will be leading the fight. I guess Aquaman hasn't had a good rep in the DC Universe lately.
Seeing Vulko standing with Kordax gave me chills. It was not pleasant.
Dolphin recognizes Kordax as her controller, and he seems to be controlling her at during the confrontation.
Koryak versus Garth. Garth's experience added to his new powers... Koryak didn't stand a chance.
During Aquaman and Kordax's telepathic fight, even Neptune Perkins gets a headache.
The pencilling style changes abruptly on page 18 where Derec Aucoin takes over.
I love Aquaman's role call: Atlan, The New Guardian of Hy-Brasil, Arion Lord of Atlantis, Garth of Shayeris, Tsunami of Japan, Nuada of Thierna Na Oge, Dolphin of the Waves, Sea Devils of the Surface, and Power Girl... and Deep Blue. Whatta gang!
The cliff-hanger wasn't particularly good, but then, nobody had seen Deep Blue before.
Someone in the letter col agrees with my assessment of the outfit seen in Aquaman #17 page 13.
CONCLUSION:
Didn't really live up to the billing, but worth picking up for the collection of super-heroes related in some way to the sea.