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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2017 20:18:10 GMT -5
 Script by Paul Levitz and Gerry Conway. Art by Jim Aparo. While returning to Atlantis Aquaman encounters his half-brother the Ocean Master. Orm wants Serum X which can mutate people into water breathers. If he doesn't get it Orm will destroy Monaco. In Atlantis Aquaman discovers he is no longer king & Karshon is the new king. When Aquaman goes to the arsenal to get the serum he is attacked by Karshon. Aquaman gets away but leaves the serum behind. Aquaman then stops the Ocean Master with Mera's help. However Karshon frames Aquaman with the theft of Serum X. The last page shows Aquaman, Mera & Arthur Jr going into exile. With this issue Karshon sets his plans in motion. These plans will all be revealed by Adventure #448. It has been nice to see some of Aquaman's other villains other than Manta. We also see Karshon can command sharks in this issue.  |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2017 10:37:22 GMT -5
Plot by Paul Levitz. Script by David Michelinie. Art by Jim Aparo.
Aquaman takes Mera & Arthur Jr to his Aquacave to live since they are exiled from Atlantis. While there Aquaman & Mera are captured by some orange skinned creatures. The creatures live in a village "protected" by a plant they named Toxxin. They have a prophecy of a woman & a champion that will overcome Toxxin & Aquaman & Mera fit the bill. Needless to say Aquaman & Mera overcome Toxxin but now the village is not protected from predators by the plant.
An interlude issue. Nothing really happens to advance the Karshon story except establishing where the Aquafamily will live. Aparo has a neat cutaway of the Aquacave.
Next issue: the return of Aqualad. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2017 18:37:21 GMT -5
 Plot by Paul Levitz. Script by Martin Pasko. Art by Jim Aparo.Robin calls Aquaman letting him know Aqualad is missing. Aquaman fills in Robin about Karshon being the new king of Atlantis. Meanwhile Aqualad & Tula are undercover looking into a diamond smuggling operation. They discover Black Manta is behind it & are captured. Manta does not know Tula is an Atlantean & throws her overboard chained to an anchor. Aquaman attempts to get a telepathic fix on Aqualad & finds Tula. The two of them go to rescue Aqualad. When Aquaman captures Manta he discovers Manta knows about Aquaman being deposed. He also discovers Manta has been supplying Karshon with machine guns modified to be used under water. The plot threads are starting to come together as this issue reveals that Manta is part of the plot to overthrow him as king. We also see Aqualad & Tula become involved. This arc made good use of Aquaman's supporting characters.   |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2017 15:56:18 GMT -5
 Plot by Paul Levitz. Script by Martin Pasko. Art by Jim Aparo.Outside the Aquacave Mera & Arthur Jr are overcome by sharks. Meanwhile Aquaman, Aqualad & Tula devise a plan to stop Manta's gun smuggling to Karshon. Aqualad & Tula go back to Atlantis & Aquaman traces the rifles back to their source. There is he is trapped by the Fisherman who has been supplying the rifles to Manta. Aquaman escapes the Fisherman's trap and subdues the Fisherman. Meanwhile back in Atlantis Manta & Karshon wait as the sharks bring Mera & Arthur Jr to them.  All the pieces start to fall into place for the showdown between Aquaman & Karshon next issue. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2017 22:27:14 GMT -5
 Script by Paul Levitz. Art by Jim Aparo.Aquaman returns to the Aquacave & finds Mera & Arthur Jr missing. Manta arrives & attacks Aquaman. Aquaman is overcome & wakes up in an Atlantean prison cell along with Vulko. We see Karshon reward Manta for capturing Aquaman. Aquaman is then brought before Karshon for sentencing. Meanwhile back in the cell Vulko is freed by Aqualad & Tula. Aquaman & Karshon fight until Karshon traps Aquaman in a cage. However Vulko, Aqualad & Tula show up to denounce Karshon & free Aquaman. Karshon them appears to commit suicide but instead transforms into The Shark (see my next post for more detail). The Shark confesses to his plan using Aquaman's villains to manipulate him & break him. Now he has Mera & Arthur Jr in a tank that will blow up in 60 minutes unless Aquaman can avoid being caught by The Shark hunting him. Aquaman finds the Shark his equal in power. However Aquaman gets the upper hand by tricking the Shark into radioactive waste at the bottom of the ocean. He triggers an explosion turning the mutated Shark back into a normal tiger shark. Three days later Vulko is installed as the new King of Atlantis as Aquaman decides to "retire" his duties as King & focus on his family & his duties as a hero. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2017 22:46:37 GMT -5
  The Shark was a Green Lantern villain that first appeared in GL #24. His first cover appearance was GL #28. He was a tiger shark mutated by radiation into humanoid form with powers. He used those powers to hunt superhuman prey.  This issue wrapped up the Karshon story arc. It left Aquaman with a new status quo where he was no longer the King of Atlantis. The next few issues would start weaving new subplots with Aqualad & have Aquaman operating more as a superhero. Then Manta comes back & they set up the horrible confrontation that will lead to the death of Arthur Jr. Also Aquaman will get his own title revived. The Good: Karshon. Great use of a GL villain that easily fit into Aquaman's world. Great use of Aquaman's villains. Great use of Aquaman's supporting cast. The balance between heroics & Atlantis. Beautiful & dynamic art by Grell & Aparo. The Bad: The uneven nature of some of the stories. There were too many "interlude" issues that did not advance the main story. Of course this is looking back thru eyes that are now used to the modern style of "writing for the trade". At the time the story came out it did not bother me at all. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2017 8:39:47 GMT -5
In my own views - I felt that the Shark is better suited as a Villain for Aquaman than Green Lantern and that's bothered me for a very long time. I avoided these issues because of the awkwardness of Green Lantern fighting a Water Based Villain and sorry to say this the cover is great and full of action and I've just can't see myself reading these Green Lantern's books that featured the Shark.
That's how I see it @md62 and rightly so.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2017 8:50:14 GMT -5
 Script by Steve Skeates. Art by Jim Aparo.A quick recap then a new villain called the Marine Marauder steals a shipment of swine flu vaccine for ransom. Flash asks Aquaman to help. General Horgan (from #442) is attacked transporting the vaccine. Aquaman & Mera go into action but find that the Marauder can control whales/dolphins. Aquaman discovers that whenever the Marauder is around it messes up sonar. He deduces that this may be how Marauder is affecting the sea mammals. Aquaman saves the vaccine shipment but the Marauder gets away. Skeates returns for one issue. Next issue David Michelinie will take over scripting duties.  |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2017 9:00:31 GMT -5
In my own views - I felt that the Shark is better suited as a Villain for Aquaman than Green Lantern and that's bothered me for a very long time. I totally agree. I loved that Levitz took a lame GL villain & made him worthy of being an awesome Aquaman villain. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2017 9:07:19 GMT -5
In my own views - I felt that the Shark is better suited as a Villain for Aquaman than Green Lantern and that's bothered me for a very long time. I totally agree. I loved that Levitz took a lame GL villain & made him worthy of being an awesome Aquaman villain. Thanks appreciate your thoughts on this! |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2017 9:24:02 GMT -5
 Script by David Michelinie. Art by Jim Aparo. General Horgan asks Aquaman to look into the disappearance of a NATO plane carrying a new weapon. Aquaman runs into an air pocket in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The Weather Wizard has stolen the weapon to stop the Flash. Aquaman & Mera are overcome by the Weather Wizard. Aquaman sends an unconscious Mera back to Vulko via some fish & goes after the escaping Weather Wizard & defeats him. Meanwhile Aqualad & Tula are accosted in Atlantis by Mcann. Aqualad discovers he may not be an orphan & agrees to go with Mcann to look into his past heritage. Michelinie comes on as writer & sets up some plotlines that will be the focus in upcoming issues. Great use of a Flash villain in this issue.   |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2017 10:21:29 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2017 7:31:50 GMT -5
 Script by David Michelinie. Art by Jim Aparo. Continued from last issue. Topo has taken Arthur Jr to the same place that Aqualad is being held. Aquaman is overcome by sentries guarding the place & wakes up in a cell with Aqualad & Mcaan. Mcaan is looking for his missing son Syan. He thinks Aqualad can help him. Aquaman then discovers Manta is behind the capture of all of them. Manta also has Arthur Jr. He forces Aquaman & Aqualad to fight to the death to save Arthur Jr's life. Aquaman loses it & attempts to kill Aqualad to save his son. During the fight he comes to his senses & uses Topo to overcome Manta while he is distracted. He rescues Arthur Jr from the chamber where Manta pumped out all the water. But Aquaman is too late. Arthur Jr has died by suffocation. Manta gets away. Aquaman commands Topo to watch Arthur Jr's body while he & Aqualad go after Manta. However Aqualad refuses. He is upset that Aquaman tried to kill him even though he understands why. He decides to go with Mcaan to locate Syan. Aquaman is angry & goes after Manta. To be continued in Aquaman #57. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2017 7:41:19 GMT -5
  A powerful issue. A few years ago Gwen Stacy died in Spider-Man but this was even worse. This was a child. This issue broke my heart then & still does today as a parent. Next issue the showdown between Manta & Aquaman. Then in the final issues the aftermath as Mera discovers her child has been killed. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2017 10:26:06 GMT -5
Interlude: With Adventure Comics #453 Superboy became the lead feature. Aquaman's solo title was revived with #57 picking up the old numbering. The back ups in Adventure #453-455 were Aqualad looking into his past. Paul Kupperberg & Carl Potts were the creative team. The stories were mostly forgettable with the end result that Aqualad realizes Aquaman was more noble than his (Aqualad's) own father.
Also in Aquaman #58-60 Mera had a back up tale by Kupperberg & Juan Ortiz. She returns to her home in Xebel to retrieve a device that may be able to revive Arthur Jr. Again a forgettable tale because Mera is unsuccessful & Arthur Jr remained dead.
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