Ripples Through Time - 168

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 #245 (February 1958) - The Sorcerer of the Sea!

When Aquaman tells Jason Deeter he's a phony and needs to clear out of the shipping lanes, the sorcerer gets revenge by controlling Aquaman and making him look like a fool.

Aqua-Exclamations: "Leaping Catfish"

Glove Color: Green.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Captured/Knocked Out report: Aquaman is apparently under Deeter's control for much of the story.

Quotefile: Deeter, "Eny-o-tahal-eetyo" "Siddi-Fo... Ralvo... Sirada... Fo..." "Eny-ota-wadda-lo-ka!" "Etyo-- Siddi-Fo... Talu-no-wa!" "Siddi-fo-ralvo-- Etyo-Kalu!"

Finny Friends Report: Two swordfish leap out of the sea and cross swords, apparently at Deeter's command. Aquaman rides on Topo. A whale blasts the gun out of a pirate's hand. An octopus punches two thugs at once ("That octopus is the only one I know who can throw an uppercut and a roundhouse at one and the same time!").

Deeter's hair is made of seaweed and he has sharpened fingernails. He wears a blue business suit with a red cape. His first outing is on a barge in the waterway, but after Aquaman tells him to clear off, he casts his magic from the shore. He tells Aquaman that he has "Voodoo power". He recites a lot of unusual "mumbo-jumbo" as he casts his spells, which turns out to be important to the plot. Deeter also has a cool Aquaman doll (the voodoo doll), and an octopus doll as well!

Deeter's tricks: He forces Aquaman to act like an octopus and become the propeller for a stalled ship. He has Aquaman put a sword in his mouth and act like a swordfish to carry lost cargo back to a ship. Then, after the pirates are involved, he makes Aquaman rob gems from a ship.

As is usual, the press gets ahold of the story right away. We see three headlines: "Sea King Dethroned" "Aquaman Meets His Match!" and "Aquaman Under Voodoo Control!" As is often the case with Aquaman, he's willing to destroy his own reputation to get the crooks.

The ship that Aquaman is forced to rob is the Santa Anna, and this is the fourth time a ship with that name has shown up. Either it's one ship that really gets around, or the writers really liked the name. Three of the Santa Annas, including this one, were robbed. One of them was a smugglers' ship.

The artwork is truly lovely in this tale.

Have you read this story? What do you think?