Aquaman #53

Aquaman #53 (On Sale: July 2, 1970) has another classic cover by Nick Cardy. Good lord they don't get much better than this!

It is 1970 and there is a rumor going around that California is going to have a major earthquake and sink into the Pacific. Kinda hard to believe these days, but this rumor got so much traction that then governor, Ronald Reagan found some flimsy excuse to be out of the state the day it was supposed to happen. Just a funny last minute schedule change his people said, but we all knew. "Is California Sinking?" by the SAG team (Steve Skeates, Jim Aparo and Dick Giordano) taps beautifully into this 1970 paranoia as only Steve Skeates could.


It opens on a mundane scene of a secretary typing away in an office, obvious until the last moment to what is happening around her. From that startling scene we flip the page to one of Jim Aparo's great splash (no pun intended) pages, showing the power of his triple-threat penciling, inking and lettering. IS CALIFORNIA SINKING?


Well, is it? Californian millionaire Elliot Harlanson (gotta love that name!) has just been told that it will and what that means to him is his beautiful home will sink with it. And Elliot is having none of that. But he is being told that he can save his home, and California in the bargain, if he just buys an atomic bomb and blows up Atlantis. Because, you see, it is the rising of Atlantis that will cause the sinking of California and if Atlantis does not rise, well then, California does not sink! Or at least that is the story being peddled by Elliot's visitor, a mysterious "scientist" who we shortly learn is actually an agent of O.G.R.E. (Organization for General Revenge and Enslavement), who can't afford to buy an a-bomb of their own. They plan on seeing that Aquaman is in Atlantis when Elliot's bomb goes off.

It is now two weeks later and on the east coast Elliot and is his ever-present girl-friend meet the "scientists" from O.G.R.E. on a dock, where Elliot's submarine, atomic bomb inside, await. We find out that O.G.R.E. has enlisted the help of Black Manta to keep Aquaman by Atlantis and preoccupied. They have given Manta a gun that scrambles brain waves and Manta uses it to thwart an attack of sea creatures on him orchestrated by Aquaman. As Aquaman leaves Atlantis to confront Manta, the sub leaves the Florida coast heading for Atlantis.

When Manta uses the gun on Aquaman, the Sea King is able to counteract the gun's affects by concentrating on getting Manta. While Aquaman takes care of Black Manta, Aqualad and some Atlantian police take care of Manta's men. When Manta mumbles something about "They said I'd have nothing to worry about," Aquaman wants to know who "they" are and sort of, well, beats the information out of Manta. When Manta confesses that he got the gun from O.G.R.E., Aquaman knows something bigger than Manta and a gun is going on and he begins scouring the area around Atlantis looking for danger.

Meanwhile on the shore the O.G.R.E. "scientists" have a run in with the feds. who take them down only to be told that they are too late to save Atlantis or Aquaman.

Back at Atlantis, Aquaman sees the sub coming in close and sends a giant squid to capture it. Caught in the squid's grasp, Elliot freaks out, "You act like you don't care what happens to my beautiful, spacious home!" and accidentally whacks a lever. The lever that releases the bomb! Learning what he has done a distraught Elliot proclaims, "I'm too rich to die! Do something!" But there is nothing they can do while caught in the squid's grasp.

Aquaman sees the bomb however and races toward it at speeds only the King of the Sea could muster. Alas, he is still to slow and the bomb hit the sea floor!

And bounces harmlessly away. It is a dud! Inside the sub, Elliot is furious! "Wait till I get my hands on the rat who sold me that bomb!" His girl-friend tells him to, "Just cool it!"

In the epilogue a few days later the feds tell Aquaman the O.G.R.E. are being taken care of by them and not to worry. They also tell him that they have let Harlanson go, as he was duped; he actually thought he was saving California from destruction and had no idea that Atlantis was populated. When Aquaman talks about the act a fate that resulted in a dud atomic bomb the feds reveal that they actually took care of that, or rather their agent on the inside did. That is when Elliot's girl-friend, in reality Agent 03, Honey James, shows up.

Aquaman says that he let Manta go, as the revelation that Manta was being duped by O.G.R.E. was more than enough punishment. After they leave the feds and head back for Atlantis, Aqualad wonders what will happen to Atlantis's people should it rise from the ocean depths. Aquaman says not to worry as that would not happen till well past the year 2000, so they have plenty of time to figure it out.

"And so our story ends. Yet, once question remains unanswered..." Shots of the secretary going under water... "Is California Sinking?" Shamefully, shamefully never reprinted.

Edited by Dick Giordano.

Tomasz Kackowski covers Batman: A Death in the Family

Original cover by Jim Aparo; DC 1988. Tomasz Kackowski's website is here.

Phantom Stranger #7

Phantom Stranger #7 (On Sale: March 12, 1970) has a great cover by Neal Adams. this is the second issue to use the Phantom Stranger as a passive part of the background, as a force maybe not controlling events, but watching them unfold.

This issue features "The Curse" by Robert Kanigher and Jim Aparo and the real news here is that in Jim Aparo the Phantom Stranger has found a champion, someone who will stay with the character as it develops and someone who as their own talent is exploding pushed that dynamic and exciting energy into the character. It is the perfect match. On one hand you have a character DC is trying to revive but having some conflicting issues on what direction the revived character should take, given the ever-changing environment of comics in 1970 and on the other you have an artist coming into his own, a burgeoning talent looking for an outlet in which to mature. A match made in heaven or wherever the Phantom Stranger comes from.

Since we still have Robert Kanigher we still have the loopy "teenagers" and Tala and multiple stories of no consequence and Dr. Thirteen saying the same lame dialog over and over. But, as it did with Neal Adams' artwork a few issues ago, it all goes down much better with Jim Aparo's wonderful dark and gloomy illustrations.

Jim Aparo's Phantom Stranger has that sort of domino mask like another character called the Phantom which Aparo was known to draw from time to time, but his pages and panels are much darker than the work he did on that other Phantom. His panels here are dense and full of detail and loaded with dark and unsettling corners where god knows what may be lurking. There is a rich yet claustrophobic feeling to the artwork in this book, very much at odds with the open feeling you get from his Aquaman pages of the same time. His visual voice fully secured in Aparo's hands, this is the point where the Phantom Stranger finally took root.

So the "teenagers" have come to the town of Seaview in search of Vulcan's Castle, invited by Vanessa Vulcan a chick they met at a folk festival. No one will rent them a boat but they find one unattended and decide to avail themselves of its services. It has a strange black sail, but that doesn't deter them. However, once at sea the sail turns into Tala and deserts them and the sea turns into a giant whirlpool and sucks them down to their deaths. Oh, so we hoped! The Phantom Stranger shows up and plays with Tala for a bit then saves the kids. When they get back to the surface, Dr. Thirteen arrives in time to call the Stranger a "stage charlatan" and to let us know that he is also going to Vulcan's Castle because billionaire Andrew Vulcan has hired him to break a curse which torments his daughter.

They all arrive at the castle in time to meet Vulcan, his gardener Thomas and to see Tala lure Vanessa off one of the ramparts to the peaceful "embrace" of the sea. The Stranger is there once again to save Vanessa and be called a "stunt man" by Dr. Thirteen. We learn that the supposed curse began when Vulcan bought the castle from old bankrupt Count Druga in Transylvania who said the curse would follow the castle across the sea. Dr. Thirteen then tells a story of a fake curse that he exposed, which includes the pretty cool scene from the cover of the tree branches attacking Dr. Thirteen himself. "The Curse of Shaft Seven" has to do with a cursed coal mine which was actually being haunted by the brother of a dead miner.

The Phantom Stranger then tells his story, "The Curse of the Sea Siren!" about a ship haunted by the figurehead on the ship (which bears more than a passing resemblance to Tala) and how the ship really was cursed. After those plot stretchers (and I give them such short shift because that is what they obviously are) we return to the real story and Vanessa and the curse that befalls anyone who loves her.

It started with Nicholas, son of Thomas the gardener we met earlier. Nicholas and Vanessa grew up together as children but as they grew older Vanessa became interested in other men and Nicholas wanted Vanessa to himself. One night Nicholas poisons himself and on his deathbed curses anyone who so much as kisses Vanessa (don't know why we had the Count Druga story if this is the cause of the curse!). Since then it has been one Lifetime Move of the Week romantic tragedy after another for Vanessa. Lee accidentally shot himself on their wedding day, Michael's boat was capsized at sea, William was thrown from his horse. Dr. Thirteen calls them all coincidences, but the Phantom Stranger sees something else.

He has Nicholas's body exhumed and though Dr. Thirteen proclaims him dead, the Stranger notes that he perspires quite a lot for a dead man. Thomas rushes in and commands Nicholas to awaken and to kill the Phantom Stranger for exposing their secret. Nicholas tries to kill Vanessa first, but one of the teenagers (where did they go during this story?) knocks her out of the way and Dr. Thirteen takes one in the arm. The Phantom Stranger explains to us that Thomas, in a fit of rage over Vulcan having so much and he having so little, placed his son into a hypnotic trance, simulating death, and would call him from his coffin to "off" Vanessa's beaus. But the power to do so was given to Thomas by none other than Tala.

Nicholas attacks the Stranger and falls to his death, Tala beats a hasty retreat, Dr. Thirteen says the whole thing was just coincidences and Nicolas was in too deep of a trance to do any of the killings and the Stranger says, "you be the judge of--The Curse!" We won't even attempt to go through all the holes in this one, just know that Aparo's artwork somehow makes all of this total nonsense work. Oh, and also know that it is reprinted in Showcase Presents Phantom Stranger Vol. 1 TPB.

Edited by Joe Orlando.

Aquaman #51

Aquaman #51 (On Sale: February 26, 1970) has another brilliant cover by Nick Cardy. This may be the Silver Age of comics, but it was the Golden Age of Comic Covers.

We begin with Aquaman in "The Big Pull" by Steve Skeates and Jim Aparo. Continuing from last issue, some alien creatures sent by Ocean Master have blasted Aquaman, well, somewhere unearthly. There he met a woman who lived in a strange city where their religion only allowed for communication in their sanctuary. Looking for information about Earth the woman has brought Aquaman to Brother Warnn and as we pick up the story this issue we learn that even this man has no concept of Earth. The people here only believe in the City and the Wilderness beyond; to them nothing else exists.

When Aquaman tells the woman that he intends to search for someone who knows of Earth, the woman warns him that there is nothing but the City and the Wilderness and to speak otherwise is blasphemy. Aquaman is overheard however by a Supreme Brother, one of the few allowed to communicate outside of the sanctuary. The woman tells Aquaman that if he leaves they will surely attack him, but Aquaman doesn't want to wait around any longer and bolts from the place. He is followed by a couple of warriors with the crazy bubble-guns seen last issue. Aquaman sneaks up on an unsuspecting guard, and knocking him out, uses his body as a shield from the bubbles. Escaping Aquaman soon finds that he is once again being followed by the woman.

Back in the City, on official turns on a machine which sends out huge telepathic waves into the Wilderness. The waves his Aquaman and his companion, causing extreme pain and knocking her out. Aquaman carries the woman and swims on. Eventually as he puts more distance between him and the City the pain eases.

Back in Atlantis, Black Manta is seen approaching the city and Mera, alone and in charge, wishes with all her might that her husband were back with her. At that same instance, somewhere else, Aquaman feels a strange force pulling him in a specific direction. His companion wakes up and seems unsure of what to do, but eventually decides to continue following Aquaman.

As they continue on they are seen by two strange little men toiling in a rock quarry. Jimm thinks he sees Aquaman, but Steev has never heard of Aquaman and thinks they better get back to work or Dikk will have their heads. This was a nice little inside bit by Skeates and Aparo.

Luckily the woman did not see Steev or Jimm for she would have surely freaked when she saw them talking, for a little later on Aquaman is drawn toward a large sphere, covered with cave-like structures. When the woman sees the cave-people communicating in the open she is shocked and pulls out her gun to shoot them. Aquaman stops her, but not before one errant shot is let loose. It hits near a child playing and the cave people head toward Aquaman with clubs at the ready. This story was reprinted in Adventure Comics #503.

The back-up is Deadman in "The World Cannot Wait for a Deadman" written and drawn by Neal Adams. If you remember last time, the same aliens that zapped Aquaman where ever the heck he has been zapped, let loose a cat-like creature when they realized a non-corporal being like Deadman was in their midst and said cat-like creature was flipping Deadman out! More like taking him for an inter-dimensional ride! Now as he lands on solid ground (hard for a dead man to do!), the cat-like create has turned into a beautiful woman who explains that in this dimension Deadman is real

The beautiful Tatsinda explains that in our world she can only exist as the "cat-like" creature, that the aliens captured her two years ago and that the only way she could get home was to "ride" a nonentity, such as Deadman, back to her dimension. Deadman says that she can just ride him right back then, "Look, just drop me off and you can come back here!" But of course, she can only make the dimensional jump with someone like Deadman to ride her through it.

Just then Tatsinda's brother and sister arrive and after a tearful reunion they all run underground to avoid a massive storm. As they near Tatsinda's underground home city they are attacked by two ugly-looking guys on a giant crab-like creature. The crab-like creature's eyes hold them all in a hypnotic trance as the ugly ones grab Tatsinda and scamper (scuttle?) away on a giant network of spider-like webbing. Once they snap out of the trance Deadman asks what is the best way to go after them and Tatsinda's brother says that there is no way, that no one has ever followed the depth crabs, "We'll never see Tatsinda again!"

Not the right answer for Deadman, who leaps into the depths and swings about on the webs like he once did the trapeze. He quickly finds the ugly ones and landing among them begins to open a can o' wup ass! He rescues Tatsinda and as he is taking her back to her home she says, "You've done what no man on this whole planet could have done! I've been thinking...about how your dimension needs you more than I need to go home! Don't throw up!" and she rides him once again through the dimensional barrier! This story was reprinted in Deadman Collection HC.

Edited by Dick Giordano.

Aquaman #50

Aquaman #50 (On Sale: January 3, 1970) has a cover by Nick Cardy.

This issue begins with our cover-story, "Can This Be Death?," (its second chapter has the Harlan Ellison-inspired title of "City on the Edge of Nowhere") by Steve Skeates and Jim Aparo. Aquaman awakens in a strange realm of storage floating geometric pink and purple objects and remembers back to how he came to this unusual place.

Returning to Atlantis from Alaska, Aquaman and Aqualad see Mera outside of the Atlantis dome talking to Ocean Master. Aquaman confronts Ocean Master who says that his mind is now clear and he remembers that he and Aquaman are brothers and that he is there to warn him about something. Just then a strange craft arrives and two aliens emerge and shoot Aquaman with some sort of ray gun, causing Aquaman to black out. When he awakens it is to the madness surrounding him.

Aquaman realizes that he can swim through the strange atmosphere and does so only to come upon a bizarre giant creature with one eye. The creature attacks Aquaman who is forced to retreat from it when the creature is shot with an arrow, delivered by a beautiful woman holding a strange-looking gun. Aquaman tries to communicate with her telepathically to shoot the creature in the eye to no avail, so he takes the arrow-gun away from her and scores a bullseye, or creatures-eye with his shot. The woman abruptly pushes Aquaman away from the creature as it explodes. Now he knows why she avoided the eye!

Aquaman picks up a hint of garbled telepathic communication and follows it. In a neat visual twist from Aparo, the communication takes the form of a large distorted word: GIORDANO.
He follows the communication trail and is in turn followed by the woman, to a city full of people. Once again he attempts telepathic communication with negative results. Continuing to follow the hints, Aquaman is led to a guarded building. Here there are more hints of communication and Aquaman is swimming in a sea of DC staff: ORLANDO, HEATH, PIKE, WRIGHTSON, TOTH, etc.

The guard shoots at Aquaman with a gun that emits green bubbles, which latch on to him sapping his strength. With the last of his energy Aquaman knocks out the guard and swims inside the building, where the guard does not give chase. Inside he finds people sitting around and communicating telepathically. The woman comes up behind him and explains that she too can now communicate with him now that they are in the "sacred place." Apparently the religion of these people only allow communication in there churches or sanctuaries.

Aquaman asks the woman what planet they are on and in what galaxy they are in, but the concepts are unknown to her. She knows only the city and the wilderness beyond. Aquaman realizes that he must be in another plane of existence and asks the woman if there is someone he can talk to. She says only Brother Warnn, but that no one dares talk to him. A voice asks Aquaman what he wants and when he turns around he is confronted by Brother Warnn. Obviously continued, and not just in the next issue, but in the next story, sort of. Reprinted in Adventure Comics #502.

The back-up is Deadman in "Deadman Rides Again" written and drawn by Neal Adams. In Nanda Parbat, Deadman has a meeting with Rama Kushna where Rama says that he will keep his "deal" with Deadman to allow him to attempt to balance the good against the evil of the world. To that end Rama sends Deadman out on a mission to discover the danger in a small deep-sea craft. Chasing down the craft, being driven by Ocean Master, Deadman watches as he places a small glowing device on the ocean floor. Staying with Ocean Master Deadman watches as he rendezvous with an alien space craft. There he learns that Ocean Master has made a deal with the aliens to plant their device for them in return for them killing Aquaman.

As Ocean Master leaves, Deadman attempts to take over his body only to find a portion of his mind blocked off. Needing full control of Ocean Master, Deadman breaks through the barrier, but finding himself weakened, leaves Ocean Master's body to "catch my breath." As he does so, Ocean Master regains control of his body and feels long forgotten memories flooding his mind and realizes that Aquaman is his brother and that he has sent aliens to kill him. He heads off to warn Aquaman leaving Deadman free to find out what the aliens are up to with the strange device.

The aliens converse telepathically and Deadman listens in as they discuss how the device, and others like it, will lower the mental capacity of humans by 25%. Deadman finds that he can take over the bodies of an alien just as easily as a human, but he walks through a restricted area and the other alien takes off as if he knows what is going on. When Deadman goes after his body the first alien says that he has "been under the control of a non-entity" as if Deadman-types are a known issue with them. Unable to control both aliens at the same time they make there way to a hatch where the let loose a "Sddrie," a small cat/rat-like creature with large ears and huge glowing eyes. As the creature looks at Deadman he feels himself slipping into another dimension.

This story, reprinted in Deadman Collection HC, sure had me hooked.

Edited by Dick Giordano.

Aquaman #49

Aquaman #49 (On Sale: November 6, 1969) has just an absolutely beautiful cover by Nick Cardy. What a great design and a powerful drawing. One of Nick's best for sure.

The feature-length "As the Seas Die" is by Steve Skeates and Jim Aparo and is some of their best work together to date. Jim Aparo is really changing before our very eyes; each issue is like looking at a different artist. His layouts get more dynamic, his people get more real, his story-telling gets more and this issue features some wonderful work. Aquaman and Aqualad are off the coast of Alaska investigating reports of schools of attacking fish, when they themselves are attacked. The fish don't respond to Aquaman's telepathic commands, so they must fight the fish. However, they get some assistance in that effort from Phil Darson, whom Aquaman (and we readers) met in Aquaman #43.

Phil is there investigating the fish as well, which he says are not only being driven insane, but are also dying. Aquaman and Aqualad go see Professor Davidson, who is the one who summoned Aquaman. The professor believes that the fish are being poisoned by pollution, but that none of the factories int he area will talk to him since a saboteur has been attacking the plants in the last few days. Even as they talk the saboteur is striking again, blowing up part of a nearby plant. Aquaman sees the saboteur jump into the water and gives chase, but is taken out when an explosive is thrown his way.

The next day reports want to discuss the saboteur with the president of the Leland Factory hit the night before, but he won't talk, saying that there was no saboteur, just a boiler malfunction. When they leave he explains to an underling that he doesn't want anyone snooping around and finding out that they are dumping chemicals into the ocean. Back at Atlantis Ocean Master arrives and demands a meeting with Aquaman, but Mera tells him that Aquaman is too busy to see him right now.

Meanwhile Aquaman and Aqualad have found evidence of pollution at both factories that have been hit by the saboteur. that is when Aquaman reads int he paper that Leland says that the explosion at his plant was an accident, which Aquaman knows to be false since he chased after the guy who planted the explosives. They begin to wonder if the Professor might not be involved. Aquaman decides to check out the Leland factory that night, while Aqualad keeps an eye on the Professor. Aquaman sees the saboteur returning to the Leland factory and follows him. The Professor leaves his lab and Aqualad follows him.

The saboteur breaks into Leland's factory only to find Leland waiting for him with a gun. The saboteur disarms Leland and explains that he had asked Leland earlier to stop polluting the ocean and Leland had refused; taking out Leland's plant had seemed the only way to stop him from killing the sea. Aquaman arrives before the saboteur can harm Leland, but he overpowers Aquaman and set the plant on fire. As Aquaman goes after him he is knocked unconscious by Leland who heads out after the saboteur. Meanwhile the Professor has been trying to reach Leland at his home with no success.

Aquaman awakes int he flaming building and staggers out as he hears gunshots int he distance. He sees two figures struggling on a cliff. When he gets there he finds they have fallen over, but the saboteur is still alive. He tells Aquaman he meant him no harm and considered him a friend. He pulls off his mask and it is Phil Darson, who explains that there was no legal way to stop Leland and his kind, so he resorted to the only method he knew would work. Darson then dies from his wounds.

Later they meet with the Professor who says he found evidence that chemicals from the Leland factory were killing the ocean and when to confront him. Aquaman says that he has already talked to the new owners and that they will stop dumping the chemicals into the ocean. They then head off, back to Atlantis. This story was reprinted in Adventure Comics #501.

Edited by Dick Giordano.

Aquaman #48

Aquaman #48 (On Sale: September 4, 1969) has another wonderful cover by Nick Cardy.

We begin with "A Kingdom to Re-Build" by Steve Skeates and Jim Aparo. Continuing from last issue, Aquaman helps Aqualad defeat the Bugala. The men of Eldfur celebrate the victory over their nemesis and resolve to handle their own problems in the future.

Aquaman, Aqualad, and Mera then return to Atlantis where a revolution is already underway. While Mupo the rebel leader battles Narkran, Mera spots the thieves that kidnapped her. Aquaman defeats them, then returns to the throne room. Before he can finish Narkran, an earthquake rocks the city. Narkran is taken into custody, and Aquaman is left to rebuild the Atlantis. Reprinted in Adventure Comics #499.

The back-up story is "How Aquaman Got His Powers" by Robert Bernstein and Ramona Fradon and reprinted from Adventure Comics #260. Aquaman prevents an atomic test by disarming the warhead on several bombs. He meets with the commander of the submarine to explain why he interfered with the testing. In doing so he reveals his origin to the sub commander.

Aquaman’s father was lighthouse keeper Tom Curry. Tom found a woman caught in a hurricane and rescued her. The woman was Atlanna, an exile from the undersea world of Atlantis. The couple fell in love, married, and had a son, Arthur.

As Arthur grew older, he displayed the ability to breathe underwater and communicate with fish. Atlanna’s secret past was revealed to Tom and Arthur on her deathbed. Tom trained Arthur to use his abilities to help others. In doing so he became a renowned friend of all sea life. After his father passed away, Arthur became Aquaman, King of the Seas.

The commander of the sub is still uncertain as to why Aquaman halted the test. Aquaman reveals to the commander that the test site is the location of Atlantis, his mother’s home. The navy agrees to conduct tests elsewhere and keep the secret.

Edited by Dick Giordano.

Aquaman #47

Aquaman #47 (On Sale: July 3, 1969) has another cover by Nick Cardy.

We begin with "Come the Revolution" by Steve Skeates and Jim Aparo. Aquagirl tries in vain to talk Mupo and his rebels out of starting a revolution to overthrow Narkran from power in Atlantis. As the revolt begins Narkran takes Aquagirl as a hostage. She is injured while escaping which triggers a fight between Mupo and the tyrant.

Meanwhile, Aquaman and Mera hurry home from the surface world to deal with the despot, but are temporarily side-tracked when they spot Aqualad battling the Bugala. This was reprinted in Adventure Comics #498.

The back-up story is "The Adventures of Aquaboy" from Adventure Comics #268 by Robert Bernstein and Ramona Fradon. Aquaman rescues a drowning blind man. The man has lived on a deserted island for years and does not believe in Aquaman’s powers. Aquaman recalls other men being sceptical about his existence when he was just a boy.

Years previous, Aquaboy rescues the man, Captain Harte, from a sinking freighter. Harte believed that the boy was a liar, and that he was saved by accident. Aquaboy had more difficulty in proving his existence, when he saved a town from a broken dike and also when assisting some treasure hunters.

A sea quake causes Harte to fall back into the ocean. Aquaman summons a whale to help him. Harte is convinced of Aquaman’s abilities because he can feel inside the whale’s mouth. He reveals the location of a missing chest of pearls which can be used to pay for an eye operation. Aquaman finds the missing pearls and gives them to Harte.

Edited by Dick Giordano.

Aquaman #46

Aquaman #46 (On Sale: May 6, 1969) has another wonderful, very dramatic cover by Nick Cardy. I would definitely buy a calendar featuring only Nick Cardy Aquaman covers. The problem would be narrowing it down to only twelve.

Our feature-length Aquaman story, "The Explanation," is by Steve Skeates and Jim Aparo. Continuing from last issue, Aquaman awakens following his rescue from the artificial whirlpool and finds Mera. She takes him to a hospital and tells him what happened to her. She was captured by Atlantean thieves who had been exiled from Atlantis. The thieves who worked for Narkran turned her over to surface criminals who intended to use her hard water powers to hijack cargo ships. Mera refused to help, but was forced to give in when the crooks claim they have Aquaman as their captive too.

Mera was being held in a tank in the crooks' underwater headquarters. When Aquaman broke into the hideout, he jarred the controls that kept Mera's cell closed. Once she got free, she was able to escape and help rescue Aquaman from the whirlpool. Aquaman completes his recovery in the hospital, then returns to Atlantis to confront Narkran.

Meanwhile, Aqualad continues his fight with the Bugala, and Aquagirl unites with a group of Atlantean rebels who wish to overthrow Narkran. This was reprinted in Adventure Comics #497.

Edited by Dick Giordano.

Aquaman #45

Aquaman #45 (On Sale: March 4, 1969) has a cover that just leaves me gasping in admiration. This is just one of those perfect covers that Nick Cardy was known to create in these years where he was given free reign. First it is impeccably drawn, full of all the emotional impact Cardy can give it. The sun rising on the body of Aquaman, awash in the surf, the grieving woman, fallen to her knees, her face buried in her hands, the sun rising behind her head. Second, look at the coloring; with the exception of the woman's dress, the entire cover is done in Aquaman's colors, orange, yellow and green. If you always wondered what perfection in a comic book cover looked like, this is it.

"Underworld Reward Part 2" is by Steve Skeates and Jim Aparo. Continuing his search for Mera, Aquaman tracks down a kidnapped woman who was taken by the underworld because they think she was given information by the Sea King. Once the girl is safe, Aquaman tracks down the head of the mob in an underground lair. A fight ensues which leads to an explosion. Aquaman escapes through a window to the ocean. Disoriented from the explosion he is caught in a whirlpool like the one that masked Mera's disappearance. When he finally breaks free and reaches a nearby beach he is shocked to find Mera standing in front of him.

Meanwhile, Aqualad continues his battle against the Bugala. The men of Eldfur, who were supposed to help him, panic and abandon the fight. Aqualad is left to fight alone. Reprinted in Adventure Comics #496.

Edited by Dick Giordano.

Aquaman #44

Aquaman #44 (On Sale: January 7, 1969) has a great Nick Cardy cover.

"Underworld Reward" is by Steve Skeates and Jim Aparo and continues the story of Aquaman's quest for Mera. Aquaman takes his quest to find Mera to the surface world. He witnesses the mob kill an informant. The killer thinks the informant passed information to Aquaman, so the underworld places a price on Aquaman's head.

Aquaman takes refuge in the apartment of a young woman. He gives her a note detailing the information he has and asks her to give it to the police. He then avoids the mob and returns to the ocean and his quest.

As he swims away, Aquaman has second thoughts about leaving the situation behind. He turns around and confronts the mobsters, who have now kidnapped the woman Aquaman met.
Meanwhile, Aqualad who is being held prisoner by the men of Eldfur is taken to face the Bugala, a creature that has been killing their people. Reprinted in Adventure Comics #495.

Edited by Dick Giordano.