Black Manta shows up to take advantage of Aquaman's desperate situation after Mera, the queen of Atlantis, mysteriously disappearers.Black Manta shows up to take advantage of Aquaman's desperate situation after Mera, the queen of Atlantis, mysteriously disappearers.Fifty years ago, writer Steve Skeates and artist Jim Aparo began their acclaimed tenure on Aquaman with their epic nine-issue tale of Mera's disappearance and Aquaman's frantic quest to get her back, including issues #40-48. Now the next installment of classic Aquaman features Black Manta and Ocean Master. Collected for the first time in a new Deluxe Edition, which includes Aquaman #49-56.

Steve Skeates, born in 1943, is an American comic book creator known for his work on such titles as Hawk and Dove, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, Plop!, and extensive work on Aquaman.Born in 1932, Jim Aparo was a self-taught artist who first attempted to break into the industry in the early 1950s with the legendary EC Comics group. When his work was rejected, Aparo turned to advertising art in his native Connecticut, specializing in fashion illustrations for newspaper advertisements while he continued trying to break into comics. His dream was finally realized in 1966 when editor Dick Giordano at Charlton Comics hired him as a comic book artist; his first assignment was a humorous character called Miss Bikini Luv in Go-Go Comics. Sharpening his skills on such strips as the Phantom, Nightshade, Wander and Thane of Bagarth, Aparo followed editor Giordano to DC Comics in 1968. Jim Aparo quickly gained notice for his smooth, realistic style on such books as AQUAMAN, THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, THE PHANTOM, THE SPECTRE, BATMAN (including the seminal "A Death in the Family" storyline, depicting the death of Jason (Robin) Todd), DETECTIVE COMICS, BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS as well as countless stories for HOUSE OF MYSTERY and HOUSE OF SECRETS. An artist whose work is still considered a high-water mark for the industry, Jim Aparo died on July 19, 2005.