Issue Description

Final issue! Aquaman and Aqualad reunite just in time to battle Ocean Master, who has found his way to some super-weapons hidden in the original city of Atlantis.

Ocean Master, riding atop a hideous sea serpent, arrives in Atlantis to once again threaten Aquaman. Closing on the Ocean Master, Aquaman underestimates the ferocity of the sea serpent, and ends up in it's jaws. Aquaman quickly beats his way free, then continues his attack on the Ocean Master. The two adversarial brothers become locked in mortal combat. Aquaman is close to victory when his long absent sidekick, Aqualad, joins the fray. Aqualad is struck hard by the sea serpent's tail, leaving him too stunned to avoid the falling debris the sea serpent rains down upon him. In the seconds it takes for Aquaman to rescue Aqualad, the Ocean Master makes his escape. Aquaman, Aqualad, and Mera pursue the Ocean Master to an oceanic fissure, one opened by Seaquake's recent attack on Atlantis. Deep within the fissure lies the crumbling ruins of the ancient city of Atlantis, long buried beneath the domed undersea kingdom of Atlantis. Aqualad leads the charge down into the fissure's depths.

The heroic trio split up to cover more ground in the search. Aquaman locates the Ocean Master's ship. Searching what's left of the building the Ocean Master parked his ship next to, Aquaman comes under attack. Using an ancient Atlantean weapon, the Ocean Master keeps Aquaman at bay while he explains his scheme. The Ocean Master has returned to the ruins of Old Atlantis in search of a super weapon, one that will make him not only master of the seas, but of the world as well. Having heard enough, Aquaman blocks the Ocean Master's attack rod with a crumbled section of wall, disarms his brother, then beats him into the sea floor. The Ocean Master hurls a handful of sand into the Sea King's face, then flees. The Ocean Master is able to make it back to his ship, and releases the sea serpent. The creature is quick enough to get in one hard strike on Aquaman, with it's tail, before Aquaman overwhelms it with an armada of telepathically summoned sea life. Aquaman then directs octopi to obscure the Ocean Master's ship's view ports with ink, causing the villain to blindly steer into an Atlantean structure.

The Ocean Master exits from his crashed vessel, only to find Aquaman bearing down on him. Aquaman commands the same octopi to take hold of the Ocean Master, binding him with their tentacles. This time, though, Aquaman's telepathic powers generate a piercing feedback that nearly drive the Sea King into unconsciousness. The surrounding waters around ancient Atlantis are suddenly teeming with strange, mutated sea life. Somehow, their immunity to Aquaman's telepathic control is creating the psychic feedback. Aquaman issues one final call to arms, and pits his marine life army against the ancient, marauding fish. In the melee, Ocean Master breaks away, and, quickly ferrets out the ancient Atlantean super weapon. Turning the weapon on Aquaman, the monarch of the seas feels his will slowly being subjugated. Unlike other men, though, Aquaman's will is indomitable. He resists the weapon's effects and jumps the Ocean Master. This time the Ocean Master can offer no defense, as his older brother lands blow, after blow, after blow, until the Ocean Master succumbs. Dragging his defeated brother out of the fissure, Aquaman is met by his wife, Mera, and Aqualad. The young hero declares his intention to rejoin Aquaman, as his sidekick. Unaware of the passing of Aquaman's and Mera's infant son, Arthur, Jr., an innocent inquiry from the teen hero opens fresh emotional wounds. As Aquaman moves to comfort his wife, Aqualad wanders away, realizing that it is not yet the time from him to resume his place at Aquaman's side. 

Note:  This issue was a cancelation related to the DC Implosion.  The story for the following issue was later printed in Adventure Comics #460.

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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