Ripples Through Time - 116

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 #192 (September 1953) - Murder in the Fish Preserve!

Aquaman puts off finding the Wheeler gang when a series of fish murders happens in Aquaman's Fish Preserve.

Remember how I was complaining about Aquaman's odd view of the world of fish? Here it is right from Aquaman's own mouth: "I want people to learn about all the wonderful things in the sea... and the realize that fish, like animals in the forests, are out friends, who should only be killed for food --- not just for sport!"

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides a whale at the beginning of the story, when the first group of tourists arrive at the Preserve. A giant Leatherback Turtle swims by for the tourists. An oarfish is seen "tugging" a sea cow to the infirmary. Lantern fish and electric eels provide lighting as the tour finishes up. The murdered fish are a sergeant fish, a tarpon, a rare angler fish, and a rose fish. The final victim is an opah fish, but Aquaman rescues it in time. At the end of the story, Aquaman rides off on his sea cow.

Aquaman figures out that the fish being murdered spell out the name of an island in the fish preserve, but the tricky bit is that opah fish, which has an alternate name. The Coast Guard folks with Aquaman point out that the fish names spell out STARO, but Aquaman says an alternate name for the opah is kingfish. I think STARO is more interesting, personally. Another name for opah fish is moonfish. Maybe STARM?

Quotefile: Opening text box,

You've all heard of Yellowstone National Park, where animals may roam freely for all to admire, safe from the menace of hunters' guns! Now you're about to see a similar haven for fish on the high seas, run by Aquaman, monarch of the deep!

Have you read this story? What do you think?