OVERVIEW:

As Aquaman and Aqualad approach a house-boat on the open sea, they are warned away by an old man who claims he's been cursed by an Aztec sorceror. When a sea-plane approaches the boat, it's bottom is torn off. Aquaman rescues the plane, then he and Aqualad attempt to approach the boat. They are caught in a maelstrom and barely escape. That night, Aquaman and Aqualad try to sneak in for a closer look, but the water around them boils. They dive, and Aquaman hears machinery in the ship. Coming up from below, they break into the boat and find the remaining members of a gang they had broken up, trying to outlast the statute of limitations on their crime.

COMMENTS:

Several things about this story don't make logical sense. Why would crooks hang out alone on the open sea to outlast the statute of limitations? Why not go to ground somewhere on land where Aquaman won't find you? And why does Aquaman want to bring them in? They are punishing themselves quite nicely.

The machinery apparently caused a maelstrom powerful enough to cause Aquaman problems, and boiled the water around the boat. But how did it rip the bottom off the plane?

The artwork doesn't show the maelstrom very well. Looking at it, you can't really tell why Aquaman and Aqualad are in trouble. Topo pulls them free.

CONCLUSION:

A mediocre story, not the best of the lot.