Showcase - Volume 01 Issue 79

My Rating

“Dolphin – The Fantasy at 14 Fathoms!”

Two U.S. Navy scuba divers have just reached the wreck of the USS Arabesque, a Destroyer sunk in the South Pacific during World War II. The ship means little to the admirals at fleet command, only its secret contents lost years before. Chief Petty Officer Chris Landau and Seaman 1st Class Ben Harkley are tasked with gaining access to the hidden vault located somewhere within the wreckage. Inside the ship are twelve sealed documents with information still important to this day. The two men begin cutting their way through the starboard bulkhead in an attempt to access a stairwell section undamaged by the Japanese attacks.

With a limited supply of oxygen Chris and Ben only have forty-five minutes to make their way to the documents. As the two men work their cutting torches on the steel plating a sudden movement catches Ben’s attention. The Seaman 1st Class motions to Chris and both men stop to see what is lurking behind them. To their surprise, a young woman in jean shorts and a t-shirt swims quickly away from them. Within seconds the woman reaches a hatch near the upper bridge section, then disappears through the doorway. The two divers stop their work and begin pursuit. .

Minutes tick by as the divers search the mangled upper decks of the Destroyer. Then through a darkened hallway the Chief Petty Officer sees a low glowing light coming from the interior of the Captain’s quarters. The two men swim in haste to reach the cabin. Inside they find a recently redecorated motif of pink and white shells illuminated by glass containers filled with glowing bacterial organisms. It’s an underwater princess’ dream come true. Seaman Harkley readies his camera and takes several photographs of the interior. The captain is never going to believe this one.

Who is the mysterious young woman haunting the waters around the USS Arabesque? Will Chris and Ben retrieve the classified documents before the Typhoon pushes the sunken Destroyer off the edge of the underwater trench? How long can an Atlantean breath air while visiting the surface world?

“The Origin of Aqualad!”

In the darker days of Atlantis the underwater nation would exile their young to the surface world if deemed unfit. In the case of Aqualad, his phobia of fish would be his downfall. Once an Atlantean child was evaluated for the human world he or she would be placed into a capsule and launched out toward the nearest populated landmass. Aqualad was one of the unlucky few who never made it to safety.

One morning on his daily sea patrol, Aquaman spotted a young boy cowering against the side of a large underwater boulder. Surrounding the child was a school of friendly mackerel. Puzzled by the boy’s actions the Atlantean royal approached to provide assistance. For the next few days Aqualad would have to face his fears with a little help from Aquaman.

How many eels does it take to form a Hula Hoop? Do all Atlanteans possess telepathic abilities? Will Aquaman succeed in reintroducing Aqualad to underwater society?

Reviewer Notes

Ah, the 1960s, it was a time of innocence. Sailors could kidnap naive women from the bottom of the sea, and Atlanteans could exile unwanted children to the air breathers. Wow, those were the days.

DC Comics Showcase 79 is a major key for collectors as it marks the origin for both Dolphin and Aqualad. I did enjoy the Dolphin story even though the “love at first sight” angle seemed unrealistic to me. I would compare it to the Taylor and Nova relationship from the Planet of the Apes movie released the same year. Dolphin must have suffered from acute Stockholm Syndrome.

On the other hand, the Aqualad story is written for much younger readers. If you’re buying this comic for detailed origin stories you may be disappointed. The silver age art was the main draw for me. Overall I give DC Showcase #79 three out of five stars. If you’re into Aquaman, Aqualad, or Dolphin you should pick this up, otherwise the cost to value ratio may not be worth it to you.