Adventure Comics #260
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeAdventure Comics #260 is the foundational text of the Silver Age Aquaman, replacing the character's original Golden Age origin — in which both of his parents were fully human — with the now-definitive half-Atlantean, half-human identity that has anchored every major adaptation since. By naming the character Arthur Curry, establishing his parentage as lighthouse keeper Tom Curry and the exiled Atlantean queen Atlanna, and connecting his abilities to genuine Atlantean heritage rather than scientific conditioning, writer Robert Bernstein and artist Ramona Fradon transformed what had been a capable but conceptually thin backup feature into a mythologically resonant figure capable of carrying his own franchise. The issue hit newsstands the same month as Action Comics #252 — the debut of Supergirl — placing it squarely at the height of DC's Silver Age world-building surge, and the Atlantean origin it established directly seeded the supporting cast and storylines (Aqualad, Mera, the ongoing Atlantis setting) that powered Aquaman's solo series from 1962 onward.
In "The Kents' Second Super-Son!", the Kents welcome a mysterious child with powers beyond imagination—only to discover he may be more than just a miracle. Written by Robert Bernstein and illustrated with striking clarity by Ramona Fradon, this 1959 Adventure Comics entry explores the quiet wonder of a boy born with extraordinary gifts, set against the familiar backdrop of Smallville’s warmth. The cover, by Curt Swan and Stan Kaye, captures the moment of revelation with timeless elegance.
In "How Aquaman Got His Powers!", Aquaman shares his origin with Commander Haskel after halting a U.S. Navy atomic depth charge test—revealing that his mother, Atlanna, was an outcast from Atlantis who found refuge with lighthouse keeper Tom Curry. Their son, Arthur, was born with Atlantean abilities, a legacy that ties him to the lost underwater kingdom. When Aquaman learns the test site is directly above Atlantis, he intervenes to protect it.
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The story 'How Aquaman Got His Powers!' was scripted by Robert Bernstein — a prolific Silver Age writer who went largely uncredited during his career — and drawn by Ramona Fradon, who had been the character's primary artist since 1954 and would remain so through roughly Adventure Comics #280. Mort Weisinger, editor of Adventure Comics and one of the two creators of the original Golden Age Aquaman, oversaw the issue; his editorial fingerprints are visible in the way the revamped Aquaman was woven into the broader DC shared universe, echoing Weisinger's expansionist approach to the Superman family titles. The issue was published on-sale March 31, 1959, carrying a cover date of May 1959, and the framing device Bernstein chose — Aquaman recounting his origin to a U.S. Navy commander to persuade him to halt underwater atomic tests — connected directly to real-world headlines, as Operation Hardtack undersea nuclear testing had been announced and conducted in early 1958. DC signaled the story's importance by mentioning Aquaman on the cover, something that had not been done for the character in many years.
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- Contains the Silver Age origin of Aquaman ('How Aquaman Got His Powers!'), which is regarded as the first canonical appearance of the Earth-One Aquaman — a fundamentally different character from the Golden Age version whose powers came purely from scientific training.
- The origin story establishes Aquaman's civilian name as Arthur Curry, his father as lighthouse keeper Tom Curry, and his mother as Atlanna, an exiled Atlantean queen — the template for virtually every subsequent adaptation including Jason Momoa's DCEU portrayal.
- Script for the Aquaman story by Robert Bernstein; art (pencils and inks) by Ramona Fradon, who was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2006 partly for her definitive Silver Age Aquaman work.
- The issue contains three features: a Superboy lead story ('The Kents' Second Super-Son,' written by Jerry Coleman, art by John Sikela), the Aquaman origin story, and a Green Arrow backup ('Green Arrow's New Partner!,' written by Robert Bernstein, art by Lee Elias). The cover is by Curt Swan (pencils) and Stan Kaye (inks); editor was Mort Weisinger.
- The Aquaman story's framing device involves Aquaman stopping U.S. Navy atomic depth-charge testing — a plot detail mirroring real-world Operation Hardtack undersea nuclear tests conducted in 1958.
- The Aquaman story 'How Aquaman Got His Powers!' has been reprinted in: 80 Page Giant #8 (1965), Aquaman #48 (1969), DC Special Series #19 (1979), More Secret Origins Replica Edition (1999), Aquaman Archives Vol. 1, Showcase Presents: Aquaman Vol. 1, Aquaman: A Celebration of 75 Years (2016), DC Finest: Aquaman: The King of Atlantis (2025), and a direct DC Facsimile Edition (February 2024).
- The origin introduced in this issue directly enabled the creation of Aquaman's Silver Age supporting cast: Aqualad (Garth) debuted nine issues later in Adventure Comics #269 (Feb. 1960), co-created by Bernstein and Fradon, with the Atlantis connection established here providing the narrative foundation.
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↩ Reprints Everything Happens to Harvey #3 (1954)
Reprinted in Century, The 100 Page Comic Monthly #40 (1959), Superman Annual #1961-1962 (1961), Adventure Comics #18 (1961), 80 Page Giant Magazine #8 (1965), Superboy #129 (1966), Lynvingen Kjempe-album #[1968] (1968), Aquaman Classics #2501 (1969), Lynet #2/1969 (1969), Aquaman #48 (1969), Läderlappen och Robin jättealbum #[1970] (1970), Superboy #7/1970 (1970), Teen Titans #38 (1972), Flash #23 (1975), DC Special Series #19 (1979), More Secret Origins Replica Edition #1 (1999), The Aquaman Archives #1 (2003), Showcase Presents: Green Arrow #1 (2006), Showcase Presents: Aquaman #1 (2007), DC Universe Secret Origins #[nn] (2012), DC Universe: Secret Origins #[nn] (2013), Aquaman: A Celebration of 75 Years #[nn] (2016), Adventure Comics 260 (Facsimile Edition) #[nn] (2024), Superman Presents Wonder Comic Monthly #121, Top Comics #2
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