Friday, December 15, 2006

Ripples Through Time - 041

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #107 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #107 (August 1946) - 'Ware Water!

Because of the uranium he was exposed to in his last case, Aquaman cannot touch water for 48 hours, and Black Jack decides to take advantage of the situation.

The story starts out with a doctor refusing to treat a gunshot wound because the patient refuses to allow the doctor to report the wound to the police. As the doctor is escorting the man to the door, Aquaman enters. The gunshot victim listens in to the case (no medical privacy here!) and learns that Aquaman can't touch water for forty-eight hours. He immediately goes to Black Jack with the information (still clutching his arm where he was shot). That's the last we see of gunshot wound guy.

Aquaman has to avoid water, so Black Jack floods a factory in order to steal the payroll. Aquaman has to save the workers and avoid being shot by Black Jack without touching the water. He doesn't catch Black Jack, though. And so Black Jack sets a trap for him on a yacht. Aquaman manages to win, then takes off for a desert for the remainder of the time he needs to avoid water.

I think this story pretty much establishes beyond any doubt that the Golden Age Aquaman had no one-hour limit.

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman isn't in the water, so no fish can help him.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Nope, not in this tale.

Quotefile: Sign in final panel, "Sandy Desert No rainfall in ten years! Absolutely no water in fifteen miles!"

Bonus: I found a 60-year-old typo: Aquaman says, "I can't follow him. And even if I could, it's getting to dark to find him."

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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