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Saturday, April 10, 2010

Adventure Comics #462 - April 1979

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Comics Weekend "Executive Action!" by Paul Kupperberg, Don Heck, and Bob Smith.

Picking up from last issue, Aquaman found evidence that the deal Vulko made with the UFP to farm some of the land around Atlantis will end up doing unimaginable harm to the underwater kingdom.

Aquaman has headed back home, and is attempting to get inside one of the UFP's atomic generators:
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Aquaman wakes up in the Royal Palace, surrounded by Mera, Aqualad, and Vulko. Vulko is less than pleased by Aquaman's actions, and admits that he is aware of the environmental damage that will result.

Aquaman is shocked, but Vulko defends himself, saying that the UFP is working "around the clock" to correct the problem. Aqualad, once again, tries to play peacemaker, but Arthur is having none of it.

Taking off, he sneaks into the UFP's control ship:

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I never have been a big fan of Don Heck's work, but once in a while he'll surprise me--that far left is panel is fantastic. Wonderfully composed and colored, combined with the lack of dialogue, it helps make this short sequence perfect.

Aquaman overhears the head of the UFP, a guy named Judd Amos, talking to some of his employees. They admit that Atlantis' soil will be depleted in less than a year if they keep going the way they're going!

Amos is indifferent, his only concern is the UFP's profits. Aquaman, hearing all he needs to, shows himself. Accusing Aquaman of breaking and entering (three times!), he ignores the Sea King's own accusations.

Aquaman grabs Amos, but then some of UFP's armed guards arrive. Aquaman knocks them both out quickly, then Amos' other underlings gang up on him. He sends out a command to some of his finny friends:

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...to be continued!


Jim Aparo got tapped to do both covers for this issue, and aside from the unfortunate smiling heads above Batman's coffin, both of them were pretty solid:
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...each of these stories looks so exciting, don't they?

2 comments:

Bribaby said...

I have to admit, that Aquaman story made even agri-crime seem exciting. I remember owning this issue and I really loved the front and back covers; too bad the interior artwork didn't make good on the promise. Like you, Heck was never a favorite for me. Neither was Staton on the JSA. The Wonder Woman/Sargon story is, I think, best forgotten, and I did indeed forget who drew the Flash story. The Deadman story I believe was Aparo, and well worth reading.

Ron said...

Wow - that was a flashback (and yes, those smiling faces above a funeral do seem kinda odd). We'll just forget how long ago that cool comic was. --And finally saw "Crisis" DVD: Aquaman can kick some butt!