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Wednesday, July 18, 2007

View-Master Reel - "The Menace of the Land-Sea Beasts" - 1976

sgThe last of the Aquaman View-Master items is this single reel I have from 1976.

I did go searching for screen grabs of some of the stills, but I had absolutely no luck, so we're all stuck with this rather dull image. Sorry.

The story reads as follows:
1."Dr.Beard's atomic ray gun changes animals, Aqualad."
2."But the ray 'leaked' to the coast of Africa..."
3."...and changed land animals into savage sea creatures!"
4."'They attacked Dr.Beard's diving bell!'"
5."Aqualad seized Dr.Beard's raygun. He reversed..."
6."...the switch, and the beasts returned to normal!"
7."'Thanks!', said Dr.Beard. 'My invention worked too well!'"


...and with that, Aquaman, Aqualad, and the curiously-named Dr.Beard all had a good laugh. The end.
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Bonus: I recently came across this excellent article all about Aquaman's checkered publishing history by Greg Hatcher at ComicBookResources.com. While I don't agree with all of Greg's views on what went wrong with the character over the years, and what would make it "work" anew, his simple affection for the character shines through and he makes some superb points.

Having just discovered this piece, written on June 22, the news below makes Greg's article all the more poignant:
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Bonus 2: Thanks to a tip from F.O.A.M. member Vincent Paul Bartilucci, it seems that, yes, Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis is indeed cancelled with issue #57. This is the first time I've seen it mentioned, but since this rumor had been floating around for a while I assume its true.

Once again, Aquaman can't drag a solo title past seventy-five issues. And who has over at the DCU? Who gets to make fun of him at the DCU Christmas parties? To name just a few: Robin, Catwoman, The Warlord, Animal Man, and Scooby-Doo.

*sigh*

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

(sigh) Re: Bonus News Item #2 Not really the news I want to hear to start my day. Thanks for being the bearer of bad tidings, Rob. :-(

Anonymous said...

Isn't it a curious issue number to end on? Not that I'd wish to be deprived of an issue to match the numbering of the first series...

Dixon said...

I'm curious as to why this news-- that Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #57 is the final issue of the series--hasn't been noted anywhere else. Even the listing at DC's website fails to mention it.

Sigh. Don't mind me. I'm just in utter denial about the whole thing, and I will be until I receive that lousy letter from DC asking me to switch my subscription to another title.

We'll just have to remember that Aquaman is our "once and future king." Arthur will return... Someday.

Anonymous said...

The disc! Oh, how I wish i still had mine. I'm going to have to haunt eBay 'til I can bag one.

1 question Rob: Is the Aquaman featured on this disc similar in design to the Filmation version? Does he have the black boots and Cardy-esque facial features?

If I were allowed to re-launch Aquaman (hahaha, like that'll happen) the book would definitely have a touch of the Filmation series about it. Combined with the close ties to the surface world's Naval and Coast Guard forces that Artie displays in the early Silver Age.

Well, it looks like A.J. will be in The Outsiders for a little while at least. Another book I couldn't care less about that I'm going to wind up buying. sigh

rob! said...

Vince-

while the drawings are similar, Arthur doesnt have black boots so its an exact copy of the Filmation stuff.

i have SO MANY IDEAS for a new Aquaman series, and i told myself if ASOA got cancelled, i'd write it up and at least be able to say i tried! so i guess i should get on it...

Anonymous said...

I don't think A.J. is going to be in any save perhaps the first Batman & the Outsiders. There's two covers for the first issue: one with all the old and potential new Outsiders from the mini-series, and the one with the probable line-up that made the rounds earlier this month.