Black Manta’s recent assault on Atlantis forced Aquaman and Vulko to initiate Project X, turning every Atlantean into an air-breather. Since then, Aquaman and his family have faced a number of deadly threats, but now someone’s gunning for Atlantis once more. Could Black Manta be behind Mera’s kidnapping?
Minor Crossover: The main story runs through Aquaman’s solo title, while the tie-ins are not essential to the main story.
Must Reads: Story arcs marked with a ✔are must-read stories.
Anthology Issues: When an issue contains multiple stories, the relevant story is denoted with square brackets. For example, [2/5] refers to the second story of the five stories in that issue, so you don’t need to read the other four.
Spoilers: The issue descriptions and fallout section contain spoilers, so be warned!
Want to keep it simple? Here’s the chronological reading order without story descriptions, or spoilers:
- ✔ Aquaman #40-42
- Teen Titans #19
- ✔ Aquaman #43
- The Brave and the Bold #82
- ✔ Aquaman #44-46
- ✔ Aquaman #47 [1/2]
- ✔ Aquaman #48 [1/2]
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| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Aquaman #40 Mera is kidnapped by mystery assailants while her husband Aquaman is knocked out by an attacker wearing a ring with a five-sided stone. When Aquaman regains consciousness, he and Aqualad give chase. The trail leads them to a strange city where Mera appears to have been crowned queen. Their presence is far from welcome and Aqualad is injured in conflict with the citizens. After returning Aqualad to Atlantis for urgent medical attention, Aquaman makes it back to the other city and confronts ‘Mera’ who turns out to be a lookalike. Fleeing the scene, Aquaman has no clue where Mera might be… |
| ✔ | Aquaman #41 Aquaman continues the search for Mera alone, seeking out the undersea kingdom of the Maarzons who wear similar rings to his attacker. He takes a short cut through the dangerous Depths and is chased by mind-controlled man-eating fish. He then comes across a subdued undersea kingdom where his attempt to save a woman from a strange sea creature upsets their society and he’s forced to flee again… 1st appearance: Narkran |
| ✔ | Aquaman #42 Aquaman locates the undersea realm of the savage Maarzons and finds the fighting-mad warrior race has named Black Manta their ruler. Black Manta insists on a duel with Aquaman over the fate of Mera, despite having no clue where she is. Aquaman wins, though he injures his arm. Black Manta rapidly departs, leaving Aquaman just as clueless about Mera’s whereabouts. Back in Atlantis, the power of the throne turns Narkran – Aquaman’s second-in-command – into a tyrant. The infirmary refuse to let Aquagirl see Aquaboy… |
| ✔ | Aquaman #43 (pp.1-2) Days later, water is pumped back into Atlantis as the citizens are transformed back into water-breathers. Aquagirl deduces Aqualad has escaped the infirmary… |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| Teen Titans #19 (tie-in) Speedy returns to the Teen Titans. The team split up to handle two requests for help. Punch lures Wonder Girl and Speedy into a gravity trap in New England. Aqualad rejoins the Titans, only to fall into a second trap with Robin and Kid Flash in San Francisco. While Punch calls Headmaster Mind to report on his victory, the Titans escape and knock him out. Aqualad departs to resume the search for Mera… Also see A MATTER OF MENACE! 1st appearance: Punch/Sylvester Sebastopol | |
| ✔ | Aquaman #43 (pp.3-23) Aqualad returns to the ocean, only to be captured by brutish humanoid creatures and forced to fight in an arena. But these creatures of Elfdur actually want him to defend them from the monstrous Bugala. Meanwhile, the King of Atlantis finds a realm of undersea giants. He’s helped by a human diver who bandages his arm. Aquaman believes surface-dwellers are responsible for Mera’s disappearance. Back in Atlantis, an earthquake threatens to destroy the city… |
| Brave and the Bold #82 Batman intervenes in a kidnapping, disrupts the theft of a kraken talisman, and witnesses a murder! But it’s all foiled by the assassin and his unlikely accomplice, Aquaman. Bruce Wayne investigates model Ailsa Dubois who also has a talisman. She pushes Bruce over a balcony before returning to her employer, Orm Marius. Bruce survives and confronts them, so Marius unleashes the near-mindless Aquaman on him. When they’re out of sight, Aquaman reveals Orm Marius is his half-brother and deadliest enemy – the Ocean Master. While searching for Mera, Aquaman accidentally killed a marine biologist and the guilt has broken his spirit. Batman proves Aquaman’s innocence and they disrupt Ocean Master’s plans for Project Kraken. Ocean Master escapes with Aquaman in pursuit… | |
| ✔ | Aquaman #44 Days pass and Aquaman heads to the surface to find Mera, only to witness a gangland killing. Mobsters chase the price on Aquaman’s head. He passes information to a woman who helps him return to the sea, only for her to be kidnapped by the mob. Aquaman returns to the surface to take on the gangsters. Beneath the waves, the creatures of Elfdur take Aqualad to face the Bugala… 1st appearance: Bugala |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Aquaman #45 Aquaman finds out the woman has been kidnapped. He follows the mobsters and frees her, then tracks down the mob boss who’s building a large technological machine in an undersea hideout. In the fracas, the machine explodes and Aquaman makes his escape. After getting sucked into a whirlpool like the one that masked Mera’s kidnapping, the injured Aquaman is reunited with the Queen of Atlantis, herself, only to fall unconscious. In Elfdur, Aqualad continues to fight the Bagala… |
| ✔ | Aquaman #46 Mera recalls how Atlantean exiles and criminal surface-dwellers were hired by Narkran to kidnap her. It was all part of his plan to work with the mob boss Aquaman recently fought to weaponise her ‘hard water’ powers against incoming cargo ships. Aquaman’s clash with the boss led to her escape. Mera takes Aquaman to a hospital on the surface. In Atlantis, Narkran prepares Atlantis’ prophesied return to the surface. Aquagirl joins a band of revolutionaries intent on overthrowing Narkran. 1st appearance: Mupo |
| ✔ | Aquaman #47 [1/2] Aquaman finds Aqualad just as he’s overpowered by the Bagala. In Atlantis, the revolution begins! Narkran orders it to end or he’ll kill his prisoner, Aquagirl. She’s wounded by his sword, so the rebel leader Mupo confronts Narkran. |
| ✔ | Aquaman #48 [1/2] Aquaman sees off the Bugala and returns to Atlantis with Mera and Aqualad. He orders everyone in Atlantis back to their homes and defeats the Atlantean kidnappers. Aquaman takes down Narkran and berates the lead revolutionary. Days later, despite the continuing earthquakes, Aquaman orders Atlantis to be rebuilt …only shorter. |
| Must Reads | Issue & Fallout | Event/ Crossover |
| Justice League #69 (1969) Headmaster Mind is revealed to be the one who rejected Punch’s plans to destroy the Justice League. | A MATTER OF MENACE! | |
| ✔ | Aquaman #48-53 (1970) Ocean Master seeks out Aquaman, revealing his memories have returned and that he’s aware that they’re brothers; Black Manta unleashes a new plan to destroy Atlantis. | DEADLY WATERS |
| Aquaman #55 (1971) Aquagirl parts ways with Mupo when she becomes tired of his ranting. | ||
| ✔ | Adventure Comics #436 (1974) The Atlantean traitor Weisbogg creates a robotic version of the Bugala for Black Manta to use as a weapon against Atlantis. |
| Collected Edition Title | Collects… |
| Aquaman: The Search for Mera – Deluxe Edition | Aquaman #40-48 |
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