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Sunday, January 24, 2010

More Fun Comics #93 - Sept. 1943

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Comics Weekend "Convoy to Murmansk!" by Joe Samachson(?) and Louis Cazeneuve.

More fun with More Fun!

Aquaman encounters something he didn't expect, in more ways than one this time:
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Aquaman decides to keep an eye on this ship, and make sure it finishes its mission. He commands a group of whales to act as a convoy and provide safe transport for the ship.

One of the whales attacks a Nazi gunboat, nearly toppling it. The Nazi boat captain exclaims, "Whales! Der whole vorld is against our Fuehrer, even whales! Ve are der only vuns dot love him!"

Even odder is the thought bubble response by one of his underlings: "Who says ve love him?"

Anyway, a bunch of the Nazis have been dunked into the freezing waters, but the Russian crew shows mercy and picks them up. But once they're aboard, the Nazis are up to their old tricks, with a healthy dollop of misogyny thrown in:
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...er, why do I get the feeling this Aquaman never had a Mera?

Moments later, some Nazi airships attack the Russian ship. Between the Russian's anti-aircraft guns and a huge waterspout courtesy one of Aquaman's whale friends, the Nazi airships are destroyed.

Aquaman picks up two survivors from another ship torpedoed by the Nazis, and brings them aboard the Russian ship. But what Aquaman doesn't know is that they are Nazi spies!

Meanwhile, Aquaman comes across an abandoned freighter, floating aimlessly. As he gets near, it hits an undersea mine, exploding, nearly knocking Aquaman out!

Moments later, back on the Russian ship:
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Aquaman escapes, and the Nazis have to try and repair their stolen ship. Its a long, hard slog, and it leaves almost all the Nazis' eyes infected and inflamed from the chlorine.

The Nazi captain checks the periscope, and sees another ship, not too far away. They quietly approach, planning to torpedo it. But, strangely...as they get closer, their target seems to keep its distance!

Suddenly, the ship lists to one side--it has hit an iceberg! How has this happened? Aquaman, that's how:
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...and with that, Aquaman learns a valuable lesson!

Quite an unusual story, with a lot of characterization crammed into a measly eight pages. On top of the plot, you've got the whole Women's Lib angle, plus a little scene suggesting that not all the Nazis are blind worshippers of Hitler! Pretty progressive, for a 1943 comic book story.


Even after all these decades, there still doesn't seem to be a definitive answer as to who wrote this story, the GCD credits Joe Samachson with a ? following it, so I followed suit.

1 comment:

Josh Hill said...

as you pointed out, this one is a bit of a surprise, given the time period it's from. I really hope DC plans on reprinting these someday.