Writer – Hank Chapman
Artists – Bruno Premiani, Howard Purcell
Inker – Sheldon Moldoff

Two stories grace this issue of Sea Devils with the first being “The Strange Reign of Queen Judy and King Biff,” and strange it is indeed. While investigating an abandoned vessel, the team comes across an island they are positive was not there previously. While on approach, a strange wave carries off Judy and Biff and a barrier locks out Dane and Nicky. As one might guess, Nicky and Dane eventually find a way in and things are definitely not what they expect as the people on the island are straight from the past while Biff and Judy have somehow become their king and queen. What follows is a daring raid and escape by the Sea Devils before the island disappears for another hundred years and them with it. The second story to appear in the book is called “Sentinel of the Golden Head,” and it too is a little different than the fare which is normally featured. Here, the team is on vacation when they decide to rescue a girl that does not need rescuing. She is more than a little perturbed and takes off and when the crew goes ashore, they find her again, about to be sacrificed. The Devils speak up, admonishing the locals for acting as if they were living in the past. Despite all of that, they learn the reason as to why sacrifices are still made in this day and age and that leads to an adventure where they find the treasure of Tyla-Ta. Of course, things are not going to be as easy as they think and they face numerous creatures out of myth who test the team’s mettle and yet, in the end, they find what they are looking for and save the day for everyone. While the last few issues have been a lot of fun, having the DC artists tag along in the stories was getting a little long in the tooth, so it is good that, at least for now, that particular trope has stopped. While not highly unusual given the time period, the first story in this issue has an uncredited writer. It could very well have been Hank Chapman who penned the second tale or even artist Bruno Premiani who drew the adventure. Yet, at the end of the day, no matter who was the architect of the Devil’s first feature, it turned out to be a lot of fun as was Chapman’s outing which closed out the book. The artwork throughout was solid and both stories entertained from start to finish. As things move forward, one hopes that those who author future tales will continue to feature the outlandish and the ridiculous for as strange as it may seem, those are the stories where the Sea Devils thrive.

3.5 out of 5