Happy Birthday Nick Cardy!

Today is the late, great Nick Cardy's birthday! Over on 13thDimension.com, I have selection of 13 Great Nick Cardy Aqua-Covers, so head on over there and check it out!

You can also hear the 2011 interview I did with the legendary artist over on FireandWaterPodcast.com!

Aquaman by Nick Cardy - 2004

Check out this masterful portrait of the Sea King by Nick Cardy from 2004. hAs you can see from this piece, even though it was many decades into the man's career, he had lost none of his skill.

(h/t: F.O.A.M.er Ilke Hincer)

Aquaman Art Gallery: Nick Cardy

F.O.A.M.er Ilke Hincer sent me a link to an online auction for this simply gorgeous Aquaman portrait by the late, great Nick Cardy. The piece is dated 2003, which means Mr. Cardy was 83 when he drew this--imagine being this good at anything when you're 83.

The auction starts on January 9!

World's Finest Comics #126 - June 1962

Comics Weekend "Aquaman's Super Sea Circus" by Jack Miller and Nick Cardy.

It's Adventure Sunday!

Aquaman just can't help performing charitable works for Surface Dwellers, even if it sometimes it causes trouble:

Aquaman and Aqualad get shot out of a cannon, only for Topo to do the same, where the three of them collide in the sky! Aquaman, unconscious, falls into the sea in front of the shocked spectators:

...and so ends another adventure for Aquaman and Aqualad!

I was kinda glad that there was nothing sinister behind Topo's behavior; as Aquaman said, he's just a big ham! But of course he gets to redeem himself, taking care of the bad guys with extreme prejudice. Crook-wise, I don't really think there's much shame being defeated by an octopus wearing boxing gloves, since how could anyone prepare for such an occurrence?

By the way, if this story title sounds a little familiar, it's because he participated in "Aquaman's Sea Circus" in Adventure Comics #154. I guess in the intervening decade, comic editors felt they needed the adjective to jazz it up a bit.

World's Finest Comics #125 - May 1962

Comics Weekend "Aquaman's Super-Sidekick" by Jack Miller and Nick Cardy.

It's Adventure Sunday!

After spending years in a support slot for Superboy, then briefly doing the same for Batman, DC decided Aquaman should back-up both characters simultaneously, moving him from Detective Comics to World's Finest Comics for one final stretch:

Later, on a nearby beach, locals see a giant shark heading for Aquaman, only to have the new-found bad-ass Aqualad punch the shark into submission! Of course, no one knows that Aquaman has instructed to the shark to fake being hit. Shortly, the newspapers are full of headlines about Aqualad's new powers, meaning the hoax is working! Or is it?

...and so ends another adventure for Aquaman and Aqualad!

The only difference between the story seen here and the ones in Detective is length: this adventure is one page longer, always a welcome change. Otherwise, it's another remarkably consistent installment, with some nice moments for Aqualad. I loved Aquaman being so worried for his kid sidekick when he thinks Garth is about to go splat onto the side of the submarine. Aquaman was always more in touch with his emotions than Superman or Batman.

The early 1960s was a great time for Aquaman in the comics, he was appearing here, his own series, and in Justice League of America. It would take over half a century for that to happen again!

Detective Comics #300 - Feb. 1962

Comics Weekend "The Mystery of the Undersea Safari" by Jack Miller(?) and Nick Cardy.

It's Adventure Sunday!

Just in time for Aquaman's final appearance in Detective Comics (and I pretty much mean that literally), he finally is involved in an actual mystery! Break out the magnifying glass and fingerprint kit, Arthur!

The treasure map points to the surface as the next stop, so Aquaman and Aqualad head there, finding their way to a cave at the far end of a lagoon. Waiting for them there is Professor Peters, who is confused when our heroes mention that his "friends" have been looking for him. In fact, these guys are crooks who have been on Peters' trail in attempt to steal the golden idols for themselves! Holy Belloch!

...and so ends another adventure for Aquaman and Aqualad!

Talking about going out on a winner! This was my favorite of all of the Detective Comics stories--first off, I'm a sucker for any Raiders of the Lost Ark-esque adventure, and all this particular story needs is Peters to have a hat and a whip. Secondly, Nick Cardy ups his game--if that was ever really possible--with some wonderfully dynamic sequences, like page two with the vines ("Vines, why did it have to be vines?") and page five, which is draped in shadow. Plus, I just plain love the fun of panel one on page six, with Aquaman and Aqualad just barreling into the bad guys like a couple of wrestlers. I could have seen a whole page of that.

After this brief run in Detective, Aquaman appeared "just" in his solo title and in Justice League of America. But DC wasn't done with him quite yet as a back-up star: a few months down the line, he started appearing in World's Finest Comics, which we will start covering next week, beginning our final stretch of Adventure Sundays!

Detective Comics #299 - Jan. 1962

Comics Weekend "Aquaman's Secret Teacher" by Jack Miller(?) and Nick Cardy.

It's Adventure Sunday!

Fresh off fighting the Fire Trolls in Aquaman #1--the first title the Sea King headlined in his then-twenty-year history in comics--Aquaman swam back to Detective for his penultimate adventure:

Mabel once again scolds her Grandpa for telling "tall tales", and once again he claims there's no harm done. But, suddenly, the real life Aquaman and Aqualad walk onto the beach!

The local kids are dying to hear from the heroes about their adventures with Captain Bean. When pressed, Aquaman is momentarily nonplussed, but a knowing wink to Aqualad suggests he understands what's happening. Then:

...and so ends another adventure for Aquaman and Aqualad!

A very charming adventure this time out, with a tremendous art job from Nick Cardy. In particular I love this panel from page four, where it's clear Aquaman is bemused by all this:

On another note, I love that DC ran an ad for Aquaman #1 right at the end of this story, a perfect piece of marketing: "Hey kids, you like Aquaman, right? Well, here's a whole book!" You've got my twelve cents, DC!


After this story, Aquaman appeared in Justice League of America #9 (the classic origin issue), then returned to Detective Comics for his last appearance in the title. Be here next week!

Detective Comics #298 - Dec. 1961

Comics Weekend "The Secret Sentry of the Sea" by Jack Miller(?) and Nick Cardy.

It's Adventure Sunday!

Aquaman holds the fate of two nations in his gloved hands!

Aquaman commands some squids to shoot their ink into the sky, causing the attacking plane to crash and the pilot to bail out. After he is apprehended, Aquaman is told by the two nations that the peace treaty has been signed. It seems all is well, until the Sea King sees a Lantern Fish sending an urgent message to him!

...and so ends another adventure for Aquaman and Aqualad!

Oh man, I love that Aquaman statue at the end! I want to see that worked into New 52 continuity!

After being gone last issue, Nick Cardy returns to the strip, doing his usual superb job. I love that panel of Aquaman smashing that "swordfish" to bits--it has such great movement and violence to it.

After this adventure, Aquaman guest-starred in yet another Superman-family title (this time, Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #30), and then headlined his first ever solo title, with the publication of Aquaman #1. But that didn't stop him from appearing in more issues of Detective Comics, which we'll see here next week!

Detective Comics #297 - Nov. 1961

Comics Weekend "Aqualad, Stand-In For A Star" by Jack Miller and Nick Cardy(?).

It's Adventure Sunday!

Aquaman becomes one the worst things in the world--a show-biz parent!

When it comes time to film the close-ups, Barry resumes his position on the whale. Aqualad is cheesed off that Barry is taking all the credit, but Aquaman explains that, of course, that's his job as the actor. This doesn't mollify the lad, and he gets so mad he decides to tell Barry that he can do his own stunts from now on!

But as soon as Aqualad jumps into the water, he's caught in the net that fell from the ship, and is stuck in the path of an old war mine!

...and so ends another adventure for Aquaman and Aqualad!

Of course, young Barry Blaine never appeared again. Let's hope he got out of the movie business and settled into a life a little less damaging for a young kid.

Mike's Amazing World credits the art to this story to regular Aquaman artist Nick Cardy, but one look can tell you this is clearly not his work. If anything, it looks a bit like Sheldon Moldoff, who was doing the honors on the Batman lead feature. I can't be sure, anyone have a better idea?

Next up, Aquaman teamed again with the JLA for Justice League of America #8, then came right back here to Detective. See you next Sunday!

Detective Comics #296 - Oct. 1961

Comics Weekend "The Mystery of Demon Island" by ? and Nick Cardy.

It's Adventure Sunday!

The fight you've been waiting to see--Aquaman vs. The Creature From The Black Lagoon! Well, sort of:

Aquaman sends his two whale pals to attack the Sea Demon, but they are equally terrified of its power, and retreat. The Sea King notices something about the sparks coming from the creature's trident, and gets an idea. Ignoring the warnings of the island people, he hops on a whale and charges:

...and so ends another adventure for Aquaman and Aqualad!

The industrious crook--who doesn't even get a name--was never seen again. By this point, Aquaman's Rogues Gallery was still pretty thin, so it might have been neat to see another crook steal the suit and become a super-villain. Nick Cardy's design--no doubt at least somewhat influenced by 1955's The Creature From the Black Lagoon--is fun as all heck to look at.

Aquaman next guest-starred in a smoocheriffic issue of Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane, then returned to Detective for another outing, which we'll cover next week!

Detective Comics #295 - Aug. 1961

Comics Weekend "The Curse of the Sea Hermit" by George Kashdan and Nick Cardy.

It's Adventure Sunday!

Are curses real? Aquaman doesn't think so, but his skepticism is put to the test when he meets...The Sea Hermit!

Aqualad notices that the maelstrom disappeared once they got free, so the curse must be real, right? Aquaman is of course skeptical, and makes plans to check back in at night.

Later that night, as they approach, the water around the ship starts to boil and glow! Aquaman is perplexed, and the "cursed" man warns them that the curse is very real:

...and so ends another adventure for Aquaman and Aqualad!

After a five-year gap, this is writer George Kashdan's last credited Aquaman comic book story. He would eventually write a number of episodes for The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure for Filmation. Never terribly influential on the character, Kashdan's history with Aquaman nevertheless spanned two decades! I love how this story hinges on Aquaman's knowledge of Maritime Law. he probably could have written a book or something.

I guess I should take all the superlatives I used when talking about Ramona Fradon's work and just move them over to Nick Cardy, because pretty much right off the bat he was doing outstanding work on this strip. He added a wonderfully illustrative, highly detailed sense of realism to the Aquaman strip, excelling at facial details so all the people in these stories really came alive.

After this, the Sea King would appear again in a Superman story (this time only for two panels), then helped the JLA take on some invading aliens in Justice League of America #7, finally swimming back to Detective Comics once again, so be here next week!