Issue Description

The Big Pull

Searching for a way back to Earth, and Atlantis, Aquaman continues to find no answers in "The City". Even their leader figure, Brother Warnn, finds Aquaman's request incomprehensible. Aquaman elects to leave "The City", hoping to find some other civilization, one that can help him, in "The Wilderness". The very concept that anything else exists other than "The City", and "The Wilderness", is considered blasphemous to the inhabitants of "The City". Aquaman's female companion warns him against thinking such thoughts, but it is already too late. "The City" guards move in to apprehend Aquaman. The guards' weapons coat Aquaman in enervating bubbles that sap his strength, but the KIng of the Seas is able to scrape the majority of the bubbles off, by swimming through a narrow opening. Taking out one of the guards, Aquaman uses the man as a human shield, until he can swim outside "The City" limits. His female companion follows. Within "The City", a switch is flipped that sends out psychic waves of pain. The girl is immediately overwhelmed by the telepathic torment, and lapses into unconsciousness. It is all Aquaman can do to fight the pain, and swim himself, and the girl, out of range of "The City's" telepathic emitter.

In Atlantis, Mera is distraught over Aquaman's disappearance and fears that her husband has died. Aqualad tries to console her. Aquaman had been attacked by aliens, working in concert with the Ocean Master. The undersea villain had a change of heart, though, and had tried to warn Aquaman of the coming attack. He was too late, however, and it appeared that the aliens had disintegrated the monarch of Atlantis, with their hand weapons. Outside the Atlantean dome, the manta ship is sighted. Mera orders Aqualad to put the guard on alert, as she prepares to confront Aquaman's nemesis, The Black Manta, alone. Within "The Wilderness", Aquaman feels a telepathic "tug", one that eventually draws him to a pale blue sphere. The sphere is covered in intertwining structures and inhabited by a race of primitives. Aquaman's female companion is shocked to see another society existing outside of "The City". Judging the primitives to be immoral heathens engaged in sacrilegious activities, she fires upon them, nearly slaying a child. Enraged, the primitives mount an attack on Aquaman and his companion. Aquaman realizes that whatever help he may have been able to garner from these people has been forever lost, due to his companion's unprovoked attack on them. He steels himself for the fight of his life.

The World Cannot Wait For A Deadman

Caught in the hypnotic alien stare of a creature called a "Sddire", Deadman is wrenched from his home plane of existence, and hurled into another. Shaking off the ill effects of traveling between dimensions, Deadman finds himself in the presence of a beautiful young woman. The woman, it seems, is the Sddire. In Deadman's world, she appears as an alien feline creature, but in her home dimension of Dano, she is, essentially, human. The woman, Tatsinda, was abducted, by the aliens that Deadman was investigating, for her power to banish non-entities, like Deadman, into other dimensions. In this instance, she took the opportunity to "ride" Deadman back to her home dimension. Deadman demands to be sent back, but Tatsinda refuses. In short order, they are joined by Tatsinda's brother & sister, D'Ronal and Liana. The reunion is brief, however, for moments later, an immense storm begins. To escape the sudden, epic deluge, Deadman flees underground with Tatsinda and her siblings. The group makes their way down through the subterranean catacombs, until they reach Tatsinda's city. Just outside the city limits, they are attacked by two riders, atop a giant crablike creatures. The "Depth Crab", as it is called, hypnotizes the party, long enough for the riders to abduct Tatsinda. Deadman goes after her. Using the skills that once earned him the title "The World's Greatest Aerialist", Deadman avoids being hypnotized by the Depth Crab again, while taking out the two riders. In gratitude for rescuing her, Tatsinda first kisses Deadman, then sends them both back through to his home dimension.

Aquaman

Publisher

DC Comics

Volume Description

Aquaman (Volume 1)

Starring: Arthur Curry as Aquaman and Aqualad.

Aquaman, the King of the Seven Seas, takes the plunge into his very own series. As the King of Atlantis, Aquaman protects not only his people but also all of Earth's oceans from any threat! This volume was important for a number of reasons. Mera was introduced as a character and a Superhero wedding (Aquaman and Mera) occurred in issue 18. Aquababy (Arthur Jr) was born in issue 22. Aquagirl (Tula) was a new character (33) and she became a love interest for Garth. Ocean Master was introduced as Aquaman's Half-brother in issue 29 and Black Manta became one of Aquaman's greates villains starting with issue 35 which included the Manta Men. Issue 40 began a multi-issue stor arc entitled the Quest for Mera and it concluded with issue 48. Aquaman had journey's to the land of the Maarzon's and to the surface world during his quest. Aquaman put Narkron in charge and he became a dictator which led to a Revolution in issue 47. The Bugala was introduced in issue 43 as was Aqualad dealing with the creature without Aquaman. Issue 46 was unique becaus it presented the same story as issue 45 but from Mera's perspective. Issue 49 reintroduced Phil Dawson, whom Aquaman met in issue 49 and very shrewdly had a picture of Deadman carved into the rocks under the ocean as a shadowing of his back-up role in issues 50-52. Those issues offered us the artwork of Neal Adams and the Deadman stories crossed over with the Aquaman lead story. Issue 54 brought Aquaman against the Crime Organization he battled in issues 44-46 and a new villain was unleashed, Thanatos. Issue 56 ended Aquaman's Title but when he was given it back in 1977, it started with issue 57. This storyline picked up where Adventure 452 left off. Aquaman went after Black Manta, thinking his son was dead. Cal Durham has a change of heart and starts turning for the good. Issues 58-60 had a Mera back-up story as she went to her own dimension of Xebel to find a device to safe Arthur Jr. Vulko told Mera in issue 58 that he was still alive. When Mera returned in Issue 60, Vulko told her that Arthur died. Issues 58-60 included such villains as Fisherman, Scavenger, and Kobra. It also included the origin of Aquaman in issue 58. Issue 61 had Batman and Green Lantern guest star as they battled Kobra. The issue ended with Batman yelling at Aquaman because Kobra got away and Aquaman swimming away from him. They later came to blows in Brave and the Bold 142. The funeral happened in issue 62 and Aqualad (after uncovering issues from his past in Adv. 453-455)

decided that he needed to meet with Aquaman face to face. Mera blames Aquaman for the death of their son but the reconcile at the end of the story and after the robot villain was defeated. The last panel left the cliffhanger that Ocean Master was behind the robot. Issue 63 ended this solo run which included a reunion with Aqualad, a journey to the ancient city of Atlantis and a battle with Ocean Master. When DC expanded the pages of their books, the Martian Manhunter was going to back-up Aquaman, but with the cancellation of half of DC's line of books, the Sea King lost out.

Collected EditionsShowcase Presents: Aquaman Vol. 1 (Adventure Comics #260-280, 282, 284; Aquaman #1-6; Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #12; Showcase #30-33;Detective Comics #293-300; Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #55; World's Finest Comics #125-129)Showcase Presents: Aquaman Vol. 2 (Aquaman#7-23, World's Finest #130-133, #135, #137 and #139 and The Brave and the Bold #51)Showcase Presents: Aquaman Vol. 3 (AQUAMAN #24-39, THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #73 and a story from SUPERMAN'S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #115)Aquaman: Death of a Prince (Adventure Comics #435-437, 441-455 and Aquaman #57-63)

Note: Although canceled in the early 1970s, the series was subsequently revived as a part of the DC Explosion. It was canceled once again approximately one year later.

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