Review by Win Wiacek

As fondly remembered as they are by fans of a certain age, by the late 1960s Aquaman’s quirky adventures seemed too staid, and his title was in danger of cancellation.

With nothing to lose, new editor Dick Giordano replaced outlandish crime and sci fi yarns with a gritty hard-edge steered by new talents Steve Skeates and Jim Aparo. There’s an argument to be made that they instituted the first sallies of comics’ landmark socially conscious “relevancy” period. This compelling compilation covers 1970 to 1971, and is available in hardback and digital formats, offering potent dramas that changed perceptions of the amiable aquatic avenger forever.

Skeates and Aparo began their assignment with an epic extended tale as the Sea Lord abandons kingly duties to hunt for his beloved wife Mera after she is abducted from his very arms.

In ‘Sorcerers of the Sea’ Mera is brutally whisked away, leaving Aquaman and Aqualad to search for her. In the interim, royal heir Aquababy is left in the care of loyal comrade Aquagirl (her actual name is Tula) while the kingdom of Atlantis devolves to the ministrations of top advisor Narkran. Their first encounter is with a village of mystics whose queen is Mera’s doppelganger, yet a threat. Barely escaping, Aquaman’s resources are further taxed when his faithful sidekick is gravely wounded, but the raging Sea King cannot wait for him to heal.

His only clue is distinctive jewellery assailants wore and ‘The Trail of the Ring’ eventually leads to a deep-sea realm of barbarians known as Maarzons. To reach them Aquaman has to traverse unexplored depths, facing monsters with telepathic powers similar to his own and escape a super civilised micro-culture with some repellent ideas on the price of survival.

On finally reaching Maarzon country, Aquaman confronts warlike primitives who somehow worship his greatest enemy and is forced to ask ‘Is This My Foe?’, before realising he is being played for a fool. Meanwhile, in Atlantis Aqualad has taken a turn for the worst and Narkran doesn’t seem completely stable.

Despite physical injuries and mental confusion, Aqualad absconds from hospital to aid his friend, only to be captured and forcibly turned into a monster-slayer by a dying subsea race in ‘To Win is to Lose!’ Aquaman has since encountered helpful surface-man Phil Darson who provides a clue changing everything and sends the Sea King swimming for the sunlight lands above.

Resolution begins in ‘Underworld Reward!’ as Aquaman exposes American gangsters. It leads to a bounty on his head before ‘Underworld Reward! Part 2’ sees a partial resolution and fraught reunion. ‘The Explanation!’ fills the blanks on a bizarre and complex scheme highlighting high level treachery in Atlantis and collusion between the subsea corridors of power and the back alleys of American crimelords.

Back home, Aquaman and Mera save embattled Aqualad as ‘Come the Revolution’ finds Aquagirl and the city’s youth taking on the usurpers until the Royal Family return in climactic earth-shaking conclusion ‘A Kingdom to Re-Build!’

This bombastic thriller forever ended the genteel, anodyne days of the B-lister Aquaman, reforging him into a passionate, questioning, forceful champion in keeping with the turbulent times. It’s a total joy to find how readable they still are.

The reprinting of Skeates and Aparo’s run concludes in Deadly Waters.