Thursday, April 19, 2007

Ripples Through Time - 119

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 #195 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #195 (December 1953) - The River Gang!

Joe Moxie moves his crime operation to the water, including a protection racket, but didn't count on Aquaman.

Quotefile: Bix, "For a guy that's supposed to have brains, Joe, you surprise me! Our last 30 grand, and you spend it on a boat! What are we gonna do, go fishing?" Joe Moxie, "Could be! Got any better ideas on how to stay out of jail, Bix, with all the cops looking for you? C'mon down, before I shove off without you!"

Finny Friends Report: A swordfish tells Aquaman, riding his usual sea cow, that Yegar's tug is in trouble. Aquaman gets a cuttlefish to repair the cable while whales hold the barge steady. A hammernosed shark rivets plates while giant sea molluscs plug other holes. Going after Moxie, electric eels electrify the boat while dolphins leap across the boat until the crooks give up. A whale finishes the story by pushing the iceberg where Aquaman wants it to go.

Captured/Knocked Out report: When the crooks give up, they are actually luring Aquaman in to capture him with a net. They tie an anchor around his legs and dump him overboard.

Aquaman doesn't show up in the story until the third page, after the Moxie gang have already started their protection racket. Aquaman gets involved when he goes to rescue a ship in distress that also happens to be a target of the Moxie gang. He first saves Yegar's ship, then goes to find the gang. He's drawn to the sound of dynamite exploding, but then gets captured. Through a series of remarkable coincidences, Aquaman is saved and the bad guys are caught.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

0 comments: