Friday, January 11, 2008


Ripples Through Time - 186

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 #263 Aquaman Splash Page
Adventure #263 (August 1959) - The Great Ocean Election!

Vic Wake is trying to become governor of Comstock, to replace the corrupt Big Jim Mason, but Big Jim has other ideas.

Glove Color: Yellow.

Regular Supporting Cast: Topo.

Aqua-Exclamations: "Great Neptune"

Quotefile: Opening text box, "Sinister forces are at work to prevent an honest election in the sea-bound country of Comstock, and Aquaman temporarily deserts his own domain to help elect honest Vic Wake!"

Finny Friends Report: Aquaman rides on Topo at the beginning of the story. Aquaman has electric eels form a giant billboard for Vic. He has octopi toss shells with Vic's election message on them into town. Topo comforts Vic when that effort fails. Sea gulls carry a banner through town announcing the gala fish show. Seals and octopi balance beach balls with "Elect Vic Wake" written on them. A swordfish takes the knock-out pills out of Big Jim's hands. Whales and octopi create spouts to knock Big Jim and his spear gun down. Topo holds up Big Jim as he confesses his crimes to the people of Comstock.

I adore the look on Topo's "face" in the third panel on page six, as he holds up Big Jim. It's notable that Big Jim is threatening to poison the fish in the opening splash page, but later on he is using knock-out pills.

The country of Comstock is described as an island nation. But we have no idea where it is. Everyone apparently speaks English, and they wear normal clothing of the era. Comstock is big enough to have a navy, as we see the battleship. The Department of Sanitation also runs around armed for some reason. I have to wonder if this country didn't later change its name to Cerdia.

Have you read this story? What do you think?

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