History: (Sea Devils #22 (fb)) - John Payton was a famous oceanographer idolized by his young son Dane Dorrance. After WWII he went on an expedition to the South American coast to test sea survival techniques when he was captured by a technologically advanced Nazi sub. The Nazis were holdouts from the war that planned to terrorize America. John foiled their schemes by activating the sub’s molecules, which flooded the sub with radiation and forced the Nazis to flee. The molecules irradiated him, and he found that he could not live outside the sub. He took the identity of Captain X, and explored the seven seas. He secretly followed his son’s career, and was proud to see him grow up as a deep-sea adventurer and leader of the Sea Devils. A diver discovered the sub and forced his way onboard, but the molecules turned him into Man-Fish, a being capable of shape shifting into any aquatic life. Man-Fish blamed Captain X for his loss of humanity, and sought the coral jade of the sea monster Horro, which he believed would undo his curse. X knew that to awaken Horro would be to rain down terror on humanity, and he repeatedly clashed with Man-Fish to dissuade him.

(Sea Devils #22) - The Sea Devils investigated the war between Captain X and Man-Fish that threatened the seven seas, and X fired a steel net at the Sea Devil’s deep-sea submersible the Crab, warning them not to interfere, but they were rescued by Man-Fish. Dane Dorrance went off solo in pursuit of Captain X, and learned that he was his long lost father John. X told Dane his reasons for battling man-Fish, and Man-Fish convinced the rest of the Sea Devils to help him steal the coral jade from Horro. Man-Fish woke Horro, who quickly defeated him and attacked the Indian coast until Captain X and Dane retaliated and forced him to flee. X and Man-Fish went their separate ways, but the Sea Devils were split in their loyalties. Dane wanted to find a cure that would let his dad leave his sub, and the rest of the team were still awestruck by Man-Fish.

(Sea Devils #24) - Man-Fish pursued Captain X again, and breached his sub’s hull, forcing him to hide in a torpedo. Man-Fish swam off, but Dane Dorrance found the sub and assumed Man-Fish had killed his father. He swore vengeance, and recruited the Sea Devils to help him hunt down Man-Fish in X’s sub. They pursued Man-Fish into a coral cave, and despite Judy Walton’s pleas that Man-Fish deserved a trial, Dane collapsed the cave with a giant drill. Man-Fish escaped, but the collapse woke a giant-crab-like sea monster that Dane assumed was Man-Fish. Dan was mad for vengeance, and risked the Sea Devils lives repeatedly to kill the monster until he found Captain X’s hiding spot. The monster had enough of being hounded, and was ready to tear the sub apart when Man-Fish reappeared and saved them by turning into a giant swordfish and battling the monster. The fight tumbled Man-Fish and the monster off into a deep-sea canyon to their apparent demise. Dane was overjoyed that his father was alive, and begged forgiveness from his teammates for losing his head.

(Sea Devils #26) - Gamester sought the magnetic warp, which he believed could restore his youth, and threatened Captain X, who knew its location. Captain X warned that it was folly to seek the warp, and dove his sub into deeper waters where Gamester’s submersible couldn’t follow. Gamester followed X’s communications with Dane Dorrance, and deduced that they were family. He kidnapped Dane, and recruited Man-Fish, who he knew wanted to exact revenge on X. Gamester broadcasted to X, threatening Dane’s life, but Captain X refused to give up his secret,. Hoping Dane would find a way to win the day. Gamester let Man-Fish take Dane away, and he tied Dane to a target in a naval firing range. Captain X followed close behind, and with the help of the Sea Devils he saved Dane. Man-Fish was furious that the naval torpedoes didn’t blow Dane up, so he took him elsewhere to dispense punishment. Captain X broke down and agreed to lead Gamester to the magnetic warp, and Gamester followed Dane and freed him. Man-Fish felt betrayed, so when Gamester approached the warp he attacked his submersible. The warp created an explosion that seemingly destroyed Gamester.

(Sea Devils #28) - Captain X observed Sea Devil Judy Walton being abducted by the prehistoric Manosaur, but was unable to save her. Dane risked his life for her, and Captain X joined the Sea Devil’s battle with the creature, ready to sacrifice his own life for that of his son. The Sea Devils used underwater grenades to kill the Manosaur.

(Sea Devils #30) - Captain X was ducking Man Fish, who was trying to destroy him, when he learned that aliens had put Man Fish in their thrall to destroy the Sea Devils. He contacted Dane, who called up the International Sea Devils, and the heroes were able to chase the aliens off Earth

Comments: Created by Robert Kanigher & Russ Heath.

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