Friday, March 30, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 111

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order. After I read each story I will post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #187 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #187 (April 1953) - The Queen of the Sea

When Aquaman chooses another woman as winner of the Queen of the Sea contest, Ann Collins vows to make him regret it.

Lots of great lines in this one, enough to fill a quotefile... Ann first shows up Aquaman during a test of an "atom-powered torpedo" that veers off target. Ann catches the torpedo before Aquaman can, and aims it back at the target. She then challenges Aquaman to a test of who can stay under the water longer... The newspapers get the story of Ann's success and run with it: "Extra!" "Queen of Sea Beats King of Sea!" "Girl Dethrones Aquaman" "New Sea Monarch" "[Aquam]an Beaten By Girl".

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman notices that fish are avoiding a certain area and discovers a bell jar with an air compressor, which is how he figures out how Ann stayed under the water. When Ann races her mini-sub toward the surface, she slows down so she won't kill a school of fish, so Aquaman allows her to win the race.

Quotefile: Ann, "My heart's been set on winning that crown, Aquaman! Why didn't you select me?" Aquaman, "Since you ask, miss... I've seen snails that swam faster than you did!" PWNED!

Special Note: This story's script is later re-used in the Silver Age, one of two instances of re-used scripts I'm certain of in Aquaman's history. When I reach that story, I'll be sure to link back to this one.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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