Ripples Through Time - 094

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 #170 (November 1951) - Mutiny Under The Sea!

Aquaman is stunned when his fishy friends start stealing cargoes and refuse to obey his commands.

This is the 10th Anniversary Aquaman story, showing up in November 1951.

Aquaman doesn't lose his powers in this one, but we learn that they can be replicated with a machine. Tom Lariar's telepathic machine fits into a 1950's camera, and has vacuum tubes in it. Lariar speaks into it to give fish their orders. He has to be within sight, apparently, for his commands to work. The fact that Lariar shows up at all the crime scenes, gloating that he's taking pictures of Aquaman's failures, is the hint that breaks the case.

Finny Friends Report: Two whales attack a ship and steal oil drums. A group of swordfish cut holes in a ship to make it list so the pearl cargo drops off the deck. A shark bites through the line connecting a tug to a barge of cargo, then sea cows haul off the barge. Aquaman is attacked by an octopus, "once the best of friends... n-now... choking the l-life out of me!" Aquaman is attacked by whales, and uses the spout to knock the telepathic machine out of Lariar's hands. Aquaman's finny friends then return all the stolen cargo to make up for stealing it in the first place.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is held captive by an octopus until the telepathic machine is out of range.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "Is it possible that I have been deposed as King of the Seas... and that the fish have taken up a life of crime?"

Have you read this story? What do you think?