Issue Description

Continued from ADVENTURE COMICS #452. Aquaman will not let the murder of someone close to him go unavenged, and so he takes the fight to Black Manta, the murderer himself!

The Black Manta has killed Aquaman's infant son. On the hunt for his old enemy, Aquaman is ambushed by the Black Manta's henchmen. As quickly as Aquaman puts one man down, several more appear. Aquaman summons an armada of marine life to even the odds. The Black Manta's men are pierced by sea urchin spines. Their air hoses are cut by sand dollars, thrown by octopi. They are then battered by whales. The Black Manta follows the action on a view screen, within his hidden lair. One of his men, Cal Durham, finds his politics at odds with the Black Manta's methods. Durham is seeking only a place where black men can live in peace and pride. His alliance with the Black Manta was never meant to include murder. Durham attempts to abandon his part in the Black Manta's revenge scheme against Aquaman, but the Black Manta threaten to kill Durham if he tries to leave. Having dealt with the Black Manta's men, Aquaman closes on a barnacle encrusted, World War II era, German submarine. It's hull is emblazoned with the words, "The Conqueror", in fresh paint. Aquaman determines that it is the likely location of the Black Manta. As if to confirm the Sea King's suspicions, Aquaman is attacked by robot manta rays. Aquaman destroys the manta drones easily enough, but falls prey to an enormous robot squid. Held fast in it's mechanical tentacles, Aquaman again summons an armada of marine life to aid him. This time, though, his fish army are intercepted by the Black Manta's robot fish drones. Stalemated, Aquaman finds himself being slowly crushed to death by the robot squid. Meanwhile, in a far away grotto, General Horgan, an officer in the employ of NATO, awakes to find himself the prisoner of the Fisherman. Horgan is not alone, as the Fisherman is also holding several influential statesmen, from countries around the world, in cages. The Fisherman is seeking information regarding the location of a sunken vessel, the Bellerophon. He tricks Horgan into revealing the Bellerophon's location, and makes plans to retrieve it.

Aquaman manages to tangle the robot squid's mechanical tentacles up in knots, effecting his release. With his fish army keeping the rest of the Black Manta's robot drones at bay, Aquaman boards the German submarine. He discovers the Black Manta, waiting for him, on the bridge. As Aquaman rushes to attack his old enemy, the Black Manta electrifies the floor plates, shocking Aquaman into unconsciousness. As the Black Manta moves in for the kill, Cal Durham draws down on his former ally, holding him at gun point. The Black Manta merely snaps his fingers, and several more of his men arrive to subdue Durham. The Black Manta has Durham loaded into one of the submarine's torpedo tubes, then launched into the ocean. Within minutes, Durham, seemingly, drowns. Aquaman is lashed to a large crescent-ended shaft and catapulted into a floating mine field. Still fighting the effects of the massive electric shock he sustained, Aquaman is unable to free himself as he hurtles towards the mines. Before he can hit, a laser blast cuts Aquaman loose, allowing the Sea King to swim away before the explosive impact. Cal Durham has saved his life. Earlier, the Black Manta had subjected Durham to an experimental process, one designed to turn Durham into an amphibian. He survived the drowning attempt, when his gills finally started processing oxygen from the sea water. A brief battle between Aquaman and the Black Manta ends with Aquaman triumphant. Just as he prepares to execute his nemesis, for the murder of his son, the Black Manta cries for mercy. Aquaman finds that he is too noble a hero to act out in vengeance. He spares the Black Manta, turning the villain, and all his followers over to Naval authorities. Durham is among the men Aquaman turns over to the Navy. Upon surfacing, however, Durham finds that he is not truly amphibious, like Aquaman, but can only breath underwater now. A special holding tank filled with water is hastily constructed to hold Durham. Aquaman departs for Atlantis, faced with the uneviable task of telling his wife that their son has died.

Note: The previous issue having been published March 1971, DC relaunched Aquaman with this issue, six-and-a-half years later, as part of the DC Explosion.

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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