Who's Who: Atlantis

With Who's Who back in the news (DC dusting off the format for the New 52), now's the perfect time to post this gorgeous triple-fold-out shot from the "loose-leaf" edition of the series, drawn by Estaban Maroto, who was doing the honors on the Atlantis Chronicles mini-series at the time.

Maroto never got to draw Aquaman per se in that series (only a one-page shot of Arthur as a baby), so it's cool he got to try his hand at the Sea King here. Click the image to really appreciate all that's going on in there!

This was sent in by Shrine Correspondent Russell Burbage (him again?). Thanks Russell!

Aquaman Shrine Interview with Bob Greenberger - 2010

The Shrine is thrilled to run this chat with Atlantis Chronicles editor Bob Greenberger, who worked at DC for many years and is author of numerous comic-related books like The DC Comics Encyclopedia. Here's his recollections regarding this unusual series:

The Aquaman Shrine: How did the idea of the Atlantis Chronicles series come about?

Bob Greenberger: At the time, I was editing numerous titles and was thinking about what was not being done by DC. Both Dick Giordano and Paul Levitz were encouraging editors to think about subjects that we could be passionate about, which would translate into an exciting creative team and readership.

A popular staple of mainstream paperback originals at the time were things like the John Jakes massive generational history volumes and one day, walking home from the train station, my mind somehow wandered from The Kent Family Chronicles to translating that to Atlantis. It was more than just Aquaman, but to me, it would be a way to link from Arion to Aquaman with elements of high fantasy and adventure.

My first thought for the writer was the team of Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway, since they were trying to work as a team in Hollywood and this had that sort of Hollywood scope and feel. They weren't interested so I decided to work with someone I had a personal connection with, someone who could think beyond pure comics and that led me to my pal Peter David. We were already working on Star Trek together so I mentioned it and the novelist in him leapt at the chance.

TAS: Whose idea was it to get Esteban Maroto for the art? I think its obvious he was a perfect choice, but it certainly was a relatively off-the-beaten-track pick, as opposed to a more traditional superhero artist.

BG: Since this was spanning the generations and was more fantasy than heroic adventure, I selected Esteban. He had done some things for DC but as a reader I had loved his artwork dating back to discovering it in the Warren magazines. We needed some translation help, which he received on his end, and I wound up spending time on the phone with his daughter Gemma. It wasn't until the series was just about wrapped that he brought the family to America and we finally got to meet. He was genuinely delighted to have drawn the book and gifted me and Peter with two of the covers.

The only serious error in communication occurred in issue #3 when Peter wrote a character named Cora. He imagined it as a male but in Spain, names ending in "a" are female. When the full 48 pages of finished art arrived (which is how we worked), we were surprised but Peter mulled it over and decided this was a nice idea and he could run with it.

TAS: How was the unusual format--seven 48-page issues--arrived at?

BG: At first, I pitched it as a twelve-part maxiseries but Marketing had less confidence in its sales across a year. Since they liked the idea, we kicked ideas around until someone (I honestly forget who), suggested six double-sized issues. As we broke it down, it became clear we needed a seventh issue and the Powers that Be approved it. We decided to give the series a rare mid-run push with a recap and some addition marketing but I have no idea if that really helped or not.

TAS: So there wasn't much resistance at DC to doing this series? Kind of surprising, since it features no recognizable characters, is fairly complex, and is essentially a long form prequel for a character who never sold that well to begin with!

BG: No resistance whatsoever. Within editorial, there was some genuine excitement for trying something new in terms of content and format. Marketing supported us in an above the norm way so I have no complaints with what happened.

Remember, this was at a time when the titles that became the first Vertigo books were gaining traction as being different and experimental. This could arguably be lumped in the same way and given its limited nature; everyone was comfortable with trying the concept.

TAS: Several issues have a text feature which has comments from a supposed Atlantis expert, "Dr. R.K. Simpson." Its done so straight that if you didn't know it was really Peter David, you'd think this was a real guy. Whose idea was this?

BG: Entirely Peter's. To this day some people think Simpson is a real person and I usually don't have the heart to prolong the myth.

TAS: Unlike almost any DC comic I can think of (other than Watchmen and other non-DCU series), Atlantis Chronicles features a fair amount of nudity and sex. Was it decided this series simply wasn't going to appeal to the younger end of the comic book-reading crowd, so why edit some of the more adult material out?

BG: The Atlantis Chronicles had the freedom to be a little more "adult" thanks to being a Direct Sales-only title that was higher priced given the page count and Baxter format. That meant we knew 10-year olds were not likely to buy it. Peter wrote his story thinking about the great European family dynasties that were filled with betrayal, politics, sex, and war. Add magic and stir.

In the final issue, our in-house coloring department thought they were doing me a favor by adding in nipples to one panel, which made me, the retailers, and management flip. There was a glitch along the way that prevented me from seeing the final proofs so we were shocked when the book was printed. Thankfully, this was before DC began its "pulping mistakes" phase.

TAS: Was there any attempt to market this series to non-regular comic readers, like the sci-fi and fantasy community? I would think this would have been very popular to people who read R.A. Salvatore, Terry Goodkind, Robert Jordan, etc.

BG: Honestly, at the time we weren't thinking of anything but the Direct Sales market so comparisons with the fantasy fiction authors were not on our minds. However, once DC began entering the bookstore trade I had been regularly arguing this could be sold alongside those authors. I even lobbied for the book to be considered by the Science Fiction Book Club. Given how little Arion and Aquaman had to do with the series, it really could work as a standalone fantasy about the fabled continent.

Unfortunately, through the years, DC surveyed retailers and the numbers never seemed strong enough to support collecting this. I would lobby for it at the annual Collected Editions planning meeting to the point where I was ridiculed and people saw the title more as a punch line than as a viable candidate.

I've been gone from DC staff for four years now and they still have yet to take the title seriously and get it out there.

TAS: Arrgggh! There were no letter columns in Atlantis Chronicles, and this was pre-internet. What was the general reaction to the series? Did it sell well?

BG: It sold well enough that no one complained to me about costing the company money. It received nice reviews in the fan press and on the early message boards such as CompuServe and Genie.

What mail we did receive was largely positive and I don't recall anything overly negative.

TAS: You told me that Atlantis Chronicles is one the series you're most proud of. Can you expand on that a little bit? What do you love about it so much?

BG: Peter and I both still point to this miniseries as a highlight of our comics career and I think a lot of that has to do with the freedom we had to tell a story about a previously undocumented portion of the DC Universe. There was nothing to contradict and we wound up adding the Chronicles and some characters that have since endured.

We enjoyed telling a slightly more mature story, doing something beyond heroic adventure with cliffhangers every 22 pages and working in a different genre. There was excitement every six weeks or so when Esteban's artwork would arrive, which we found very encouraging.

That we could generate something out of thin air, gain administrative and marketing approval, and do it with no interference whatsoever was a rare and unusual set of circumstances, allowing Peter and Esteban to work unfettered with results that still hold up today.



As I said during my recap of the seventh and final issue, I think Atlantis Chronicles stands as one of DC's finest--and most unusual--achievements of the last few decades, and it adds immeasurably to the rich history of Aquaman, even if he only appears in the final page. Thanks so much to Bob for giving us some info on how the series came out!

Atlantis Chronicles #7 - Sept. 1990

Comics Weekend "The Atlantis Chronicles" by Peter David and Esteban Maroto.

After suffering a defeat in Egypt, the Atlanteans moved onto Greece where, weakened, the Greeks fought so effectively that many of the Atlanteans wanted to give up.

Honsu wanted the battle ended quickly, so he offers to put up their greatest warrior versus the Greek's. In this case, Honsu's son Kraken:

It looks as though Kraken is going to make quick work of his opponent, until the Greek warrior jabs a jagged stone into Kraken's head, killing him. Honsu is reduced the tears--the first time an Atlantean has ever had the ability to cry--and the masked warrior reveals himself to be...Honsu's other son Haumond!

Haumond admonishes his father, saying he has caused enough destruction to both worlds. He will stay on land, while his father and his army return to the sea.

We then learn that the old priest telling the story this whole is time is Haumond himself. He is visited by Atlan (who still looks young, thanks to his living under the sea all this time), who tells his brother the sad history of Atlantis in the intervening years--more betrayals, more murders, more intrigue. Haumond responds woefully, "How very much the same."

Manuel's shipmates laugh at him when they cannot find the mermaid he swore he saw, but we know he's right.

Under the sea, more time has passed, and we have a new historian, Atlanna, who also happens to the queen of Atlantis. We get a sense of where we are in human history when an Atlantean brings a sort of good-luck charm to his king Trevis--a life preserver marked "U.S.S. Titanic."

The conservation is halted when a young boy is brought in, clinging to life after a barrel of toxic chemicals spilled on him. Despite all their attempts to save him, the young boy dies.

This causes another rift in the Atlantean power structure--one of the ruling council, a man named Kalandro, insists that the surface world is infringing more and more on their world, and they must do something to stop it. He is countered by another member of the council...named Vulko.

Meanwhile, Atlanna is haunted by the fact that she has not been able to provide her husband--and Atlantis--with an heir:

Atlanna gets her wish, and finds herself back in bed next to her husband. Atlan has told her what will become of her son, about how he will have wisdom and leadership, how he will be a great warrior, how he will produce a child, and how he is destined to battle with his half-brother, who Atlan will also sire: "Their final battle will decide the ultimate destiny of Atlantis. Either it will rejoin the surface world...or be destroyed...forever."

Atlanna thinks she may have dreamed the whole thing, and that its Trevis who is the father. But when fish begin accosting the now-pregnant Atlanna, she starts to have her doubts.

Eventually, the child is born, but all is not good: the child bears the birthmark of Kordax, which many of the royal council think is a harbinger of doom. Vulko thinks that is ridiculous, insane even. They turn to their king Trevis for a decision.

Trevis quietly takes the child and plans to abandon it in the sea. After doing the ugly deed, he writes in Atlanna's journal how sorry he is for what he's done, and how unworthy he is of her. He takes a knife, and opens his veins, dying almost immediately.

Atlanna, having recovered from giving birth, returns to her journal:

...the end!

And so we've come to the end of the Atlantis Chronicles: a sprawling, hugely complex series, wonderfully realized by Peter David and Esteban Maroto.

As most of you know, I'm generally not a huge fan of the "hook for a hand", more mystical/fantasy era Aquaman that Peter David ushered in in the 90s. And while I have a greater appreciation for it now than I used to, a lot of it still leaves me cold.

That said, I can say without a doubt that I think this series is David's single greatest contribution to the Aquaman character. Combining elements from history, mythology, and of course comics, David weaves a complex, human tale that, to me, gives Aquaman the character a mythological heft that leaves almost all the other DCU characters in the dust.

He's helped of course by the superb work of Maroto, who gives the whole series a classic, adult look, something really out of step with 90s-era comic books. How this series has not been collected in some more deluxe format yet is baffling to me.

This is a truly wonderful series, and it works whether you're a big Aquaman fan or not (of course, you wouldn't be here if you weren't). These issues can be found very cheaply on eBay, and the Shrine recommends them to anyone interested in a really good story, brilliantly told.



I enjoyed this series so much, and as I read it certain questions about it popped into my head. So I contacted my friend--and Atlantis Chronicles editor--Bob Greenberger for an interview about the series, which we'll see here tomorrow!

Atlantis Chronicles #6 - Aug. 1990

Comics Weekend "The Atlantis Chronicles" by Peter David and Esteban Maroto.

In a change of pace for this series, this issue opens up on land, with a great priest telling a younger man the story of when their people were attacked by whom they called "The North Sea Peoples", who came from a "hidden place", known as...Atlantis:

With Atlan's evidence (the dead bird he brought back with him), the peoples of Atlantis now know that all life on Earth was not obliterated in the great cataclysm--so the question is, what next?

Atlan's father, Honsu, suggests attacking the surface world before they can attack Atlantis. Other members of Atlantis' ruling council thinks this is madness, but Honsu, reminding them all he is descended from Orin, insists this is the thing to do:

A splinter group, called The Idylists, refuse to participate, so they pack up and leave Poseidonis, choosing to live in a small valley far away from the dome. Haumond, brother of Atlan, agrees with the Idylists, but feels compelled to stay near his family, despite the consequences.

We see that Honsu is partly being goaded into war by his queen, Lorelei, who talks of great glory for her husband. And if he is killed, so be it...since that would allow her favorite son, Kraken, to rule Atlantis.

Atlan is the point man for the invading army, and after showing his fellow Atlanteans how to avoid the bends, he makes it onto the shore:

War comes to the surface world, and the Atlanteans generally make quick work of their adversaries...until they set their sights on Egypt. The battle seems to go in the Atlanteans' favor at first, until they go further in-land, and the searing heat weakens them so severely that when Egypt really fights back, they are decimated.

Honsu's son Haumond is captured, and he is brought before the shrine of the Egyptian god No-Amun, who comes to life when Haumond begs for water:

No-Amun provides Haumond with all the water he wants, and tells Haumond a secret: that he, a god of Egypt, is a descendant of Atlantis! His ancestors, decades ago, went looking for the meteor that caused the great destruction. Their ships were thrown out of control, and they landed, lost, onto shore. These Atlanteans were thought of as gods by the indigenous people, and the Atlanteans quickly became the rulers of the land, resulting in the seemingly magical monuments Egypt became famous for:

...to be continued!

Atlantis Chronicles #5 - July 1990

Comics Weekend "The Atlantis Chronicles" by Peter David and Esteban Maroto.

Once again we flash forward many years, and the young man we knew as Regin is now elderly, telling Atlantean children stories from history. They all want to hear about "the great battle", and after increased hectoring, Regin gives them what they want:

The two cities of Poseidonis and Tritonis are at war, with Orin and Bazil leading one side, and Korax and Dardanus the other. Kordax seems to have the ability to communicate with sea life, but his command of them is tenuous at best.

When Orin and his army fire upon their enemy, the blood spilled drives the various sharks crazy, and they start to attack everything in sight. Dardanus is furious at this loss of control, and takes it out on Kordax.

Bazil's left arm is bitten off by a shark, and then Dardanus stands over him, ready to strike the killing blow. But before he can, he is stopped by Orin. Kordax, watching all this from afar, is taken by surprise by Fiona--his competitor for the throne--who Korax sics an octopus on:

Korax gets in close, hoping Fiona's confusion will give him the upper hand. But she's a good warrior, and a swift kick to the...lower stomach has Korax doubled over in pain.

Orin and Dardanus continue fighting, all the way to The Cave of Death, a mysterious spot known for its evil energy. Emerging from it is something no one expected to see:

Shalako seemingly has returned, and is prepared to exact revenge on the son who betrayed him. Dardanus, looking to please his father, stabs Orin in the back with his sword! But Shalako is indifferent to the act, grabbing Dardanus and crushing him.

Then, a ghostly spirit rises from the dead body of Orin, and the two spirits--looking like fire and water--fight one another, their battle taking them all the way into the mouth of the cave, where they both disappear.

Later, a grand funeral procession for Orin is held (Dardanus' body is left on the sea floor for sharks to nibble on). Afterward, Queen Cora has Kordax brought in front of her. She can't bring herself to put Kordax to death, but nevertheless dispenses punishment:

The children ask what happened to Kordax, and the historian Regin admits he doesn't know. We see Kordax climb aboard a shark, and they swim off into the distance. And so ends the first age of Atlantis.

Some time later, we see a hawk felled by a rock. It falls to land, and its body is picked up by a hooded man, who is then chased by a gang of armed men. The hooded man fights with ferocity, keeping his attackers at bay, then diving into the sea, escaping.

We find ourselves back in Poseidonis, but obviously many years later. We meet a new historian named Helios, and a young man and woman named Haumond and Dona. They discuss the relative lack of dress Tritons carry themselves in, but their thoughts are interrupted when they hear Atlan has arrived at the city gate!

We then see that the man who escaped his attackers earlier is Atlan, and he comes baring startling news:

...to be continued!

Atlantis Chronicles #4 - June 1990

Comics Weekend "The Atlantis Chronicles" by Peter David and Esteban Maroto.

More years have passed, and Bazil is now a full-fledged adult, with King Orin having moved into late middle age. There's a new record keeper, Regin, who starts this new chapter talking about his mother, who has died that day:

Regin's mother was Illya, killed in battle in an attempt to reflect the most accurate history possible. Regin has no such intention to put himself in harm's way, historian or no.

By now, Poseidonis and Tritonis are in full-fledged, open war. Bazil is the new king, but everyone still follows Orin, who is a living legend.

We then flash back to right after Bazil and Cora's wedding. Cora is having nightmares about a baby growing inside her, even though she is no longer pregnant. Her one child, a daughter named Fiona, is a young teen.

The next morning, Dardanus arrives to Orin's court, to show him what the Tritonis' newborns have become:

Orin, preparing for something like this for months, decides to finally open the gates of Poseidonis to the sea permanently. This means the citizens of each city now begin to intermingle, and it doesn't go well at first--fights break out, tensions rise, but Orin tries to keep the peace.

Later, when some Tritons were out catching food, they ran afoul of some being of enormous strength. They catch it in their net, and begin to beat it to death. Dardanus stops them, and takes a look at the creature. It responds with, "Hello, father."

Orin decides to step down as king, appointing his daughter Cora to take his place as Queen. There's an official ceremony, and the people of Poseidonis are thrilled. Cora announces her first official act is to appoint her daughter Fiona as the official heir.

She is interrupted by Dardanus, who claims the right to ascension over Fiona. When Fiona angrily states she is the oldest child, the mysterious hooded figure behind Daranus speaks up:

Cora nearly collapses in shock, but when confronted tells the story of when Dardanus raped her, and Kordax is the spawn of that union, abandoned by Cora as an infant.

Kordax accuses his mother of being the true monster, but she defends herself by showing that she tried to care for the baby...who mutilated her as he suckled for sustenance. Orin and Narmea are in tears, and Bazil steps forth to admit it was he who abandoned the baby. It was Cora, desperate to prevent a civil war, who implored her husband and parents never to reveal what Dardanus did.

Despite all this, Dardanus claims Kordax is next in line to the throne, a remark Cora ignores with a slap to Dardanus' face. If this means war, then it means war!

The battles begin, and many are killed on both sides, including Regin's mother Illya. At that moment, Regin decides that if the front lines of the battle were good enough for his mother, then they are good enough for him. As Orin and Bazil stand on the battlefield, they are alerted to even more trouble:

...to be continued!

Atlantis Chronicles #3 - May 1990

Comics Weekend "The Atlantis Chronicles" by Peter David and Esteban Maroto.

This issue of Atlantis Chronicles with a group of Atlanteans having acclimated to life under the sea, as we watch them sneak up on a giant denizen of the deep and attack:

Its apparent a few years have passed, for now the children Cora and Bazil have grown into young adults. Bazil is adventure-happy and a little reckless, risking his life to grab a shark's tooth as a birthday present to Cora.

He reveals to his friends he doesn't love--or even like--Cora, and resents being trapped in an arranged marriage. But for now he's willing to fake it to please his father and the king, Orin.

One of Bazil's friends, a woman named Illya, is the new chronicler of Atlanean history. After Shalako's death, a new ruler for Tritonis, an old man named Stearn, was put in place. Some of Stearn's advisers talk to him, wondering why the citizens of Poseidonis seem to hate them so much.

Suddenly, a voice yells out, "Because they are jealous!". And that voice belongs to:

Dardanus tells his friends to spread the word--quietly--that the son of Shalako isn't dead. The news travels back to Orin, who is skeptical.

The official "coming out" of Cora arrives, and a huge party is thrown. Bazil gets his first glimpse of Cora after many years, and he's stunned at what he sees:

Bazil's earlier unwillingness to be with Cora seems to dissipate nearly instantly. Meanwhile, Orin is shocked to see Dardanus arrive at the party, and is overjoyed. That reaction is not shared by some of the other citizens of Poseidonis, who derisively called Tritons "fish-heads." They even call Dardanus that, despite his lack of mutated legs.

Dardanus is not the same person he was as a young boy, however--after spending some time talking with Orin, he demands to cut in on Bazil and Cora's dance, much to both of their annoyance.

As they dance, Dardanus tells Cora how much he desires her. As she tries to free herself, he only holds her tighter. Bazil steps in, and a fight breaks out. Bazil gets the first punch in, but then Dardanus retaliates by stabbing Bazil in the chest!

Dardanus is dragged away, and later Cora tends to Bazil personally, and they consummate their relationship. Similarly, Orin begins an affair with the very frisky Gulacia, a woman of seemingly unending passion and beauty. Orin is none too pleased to learn that Illya is including all this in the official history of Atlantis.

The night before the wedding, Cora is woken by Dardanus, undeterred by what happened at the party:

Dardanus rapes Cora, and as he preens afterward, Cora grabs her necklace of shark's teeth and slashes Dardanus' face with it. Bleeding and enraged, he leaves.

One of Cora's royal handmaidens discovers a bruise on Cora's face, but Cora lies to cover it up, refusing to tell anyone what happened. The wedding takes place, but its a much more somber affair:

...to be continued!

Atlantis Chronicles #2 - April 1990

Comics Weekend "The Atlantis Chronicles" by Peter David and Esteban Maroto.

Much time has passed since the first installment of the Atlantis Chronicles. The man then in charge of keeping Atlantis' history, Albart, has killed himself. His nephew, Britton, has taken up the task and was the one who found the second volume of official history in the lap of Albart's corpse.

Albart committed suicide because he felt cut off from the world, trapped, he felt, in the domed city of Atlantis:

After the great cataclysm, things in Atlantis have not been so peaceful. Factions have broken out--people of a more secular nature, and those who are the devout followers of Shakalo.

Orin breaks up a fight personally, telling all his subjects he will making a formal pronouncement that night (an arbitrary construct, ever since the cataclysm). The time arrives, and Orin announces what he plans to do:

Shalako says that using a series of underground tunnels that have remained intact, he and his followers will travel to Atlantis' other main city, Tritonis, and take up residency there. Orin reluctantly agrees.

Days later, Shalako and his people arrive at Tritonis. When a giant barrier is opened for the first time since the meteor, water comes pouring in--but Shalako turns to the gods:

Shalako's wife Loma cannot believe her husband's power, thanks to the god Suula. Shalako admits that he has forsaken Suula, ever since she allowed the great destruction. He know communes with other beings, ones that "have no easy names."

Shalako says its these gods who have given him power, but at a price: his wife, Loma! Plunging a dagger into her chest, he leans in for a goodbye kiss. Loma spits in his face, enraging Shalako, who slaps her and then delivers another, final, blow.

As Shalako's people emerged from the tunnel, they see a miracle: a dome over the city! The people also see the dead Loma, but they believe Shalako's story that the gods took her. The only one who is suspicious is their son, Dardanus, who eyes his father with great suspicion.

Back in Poseidonis, Orin's wife Narmea is sure that Shalako turned Loma. Orin tacitly agrees with her, but says he cannot interfere lest a civil war break out, the exact thing he has been trying to avoid.

As time passes, things get worse in Poseidonis. The people, stuck with each other, start to turn violent, even insane. Meanwhile, outside, the denizens of the deep circle Atlantis' dome like the target it is. In between fighting each other, they even start to work towards a common goal: smashing the dome open, to get at the meaty center!

The dome gets cracked, and Orin sends his men to repair it and fight off the seaq creatures struggling to get inside. Some are killed in the effort.

Orin consults with Alloroc (whose son Bazil has become betrothed to Orin's daughter), and shows him what he and his scientists have been experimenting on: the ability to breathe under water!

Having successfully experimented on a dog, they now move on to a human trial: Orin himself! Orin's wife is horrified he would take such a risk, but Orin looks at it as the duty of a leader to lead, despite the risks.

The next day, in front of his citizens, Orin heads outside the dome, and:

In what seems like a miracle, volunteers line up to be given the serum. The citizens of Poseidonis begin to grow comfortable living under water--working, playing, living.

Orin and some others travel to Tritonis, where they offer to show Shalako a miracle of science. Some of Shalako's people like what they hear, but Shalako is having none of it: he says this is another affront to the gods!

Shalako's people break with him, and line up to take the serum. Eventually, Shalako is left in his palace, all alone, with no one to lead. In his chambers, he communicates with the gods:

Some of the mutated people of Tritonis turn to Shalako for help, but he dismisses them, saying this what they get for defying the gods. But he is countered by his son, who tells them his father is at fault, for bringing a curse down upon his people.

The people of Tritonis go mad, and attack Shalako. Not content with that, they destroy everything in the city connected to him--including members of Shalako's family, who they butcher. The only one to get away is Dardanus, who knew where to hide.

Shalako tries to escape himself, but:

...to be continued!

Atlantis Chronicles #1 - March 1990

Comics Weekend "The Atlantis Chronicles" by Peter David and Esteban Maroto.

Of all the Aquaman comics that the Shrine has not yet covered (and that's a lot of books, despite almost four years of continuous posts), no series or run has been as requested as the 1990 maxi(mini?) series Atlantis Chronicles...which is a tad ironic, since Aquaman isn't even in it!

No, for those of you not familiar with the series, AC takes place hundreds, if not thousands, of years in the past, showing how the original people of Atlantis came to their tragic end, and how it all led, eventually, to the birth of the King of the Seven Seas, Aquaman.

This was a series I've always wanted to get to on the Shrine, but AC's sheer complexity of plot and length (seven double-sized issues featuring all unfamiliar characters) kept me from starting, since it was such a large undertaking. But now that I'm about to start picking up with our weekly examination of the Golden Age Aquaman's adventures (in...Adventure) I thought now was the time to go way, way back in Atlantean history:

The story of Atlantis is initially narrated by Albart of Ancinor, who is the first official keeper of the history of their civilization. This first issue with Albart being given the official designation by the King of Atlantis, Orin.

Albart is sure that Orin gave him the job to glorify Orin's exploits, but Albart--similar to Claudius in our history--is determined to tell the real story, warts and all. He also intends to reveal how much influence Orin's brother, the fair-haired Shalako, had in royal affairs.

Later, we see Orin and one his advisers, Rajar, talking. Rajar has been having visions of a great disaster in Atlantis' future, but Orin dismisses him (probably because he's busy getting a royal bath by several mostly-naked female servants).

But when an arrow arrives out of nowhere, plunging into the back of one of the women, Orin declares Atlantis is under attack!:

The Atlantean army attempts to hold off the invading horde, but Orin is furious when he sees Shalako using his seemingly magical powers to communicate with the gods, who send bolts of lightning down from the heavens, immolating most of the invaders. Orin doesn't like his brother involving the higher powers in such a manner, but Shalako convinces Orin he was right to do it.

Later, Orin convenes a meeting of his advisers, and suggests using the vast deposits of pumice in the area to build a giant dome over Atlantis, keeping their enemies at bay. Everyone goes along with it, except Shalako, who thinks it will only anger the gods. Dismissed, Shalako storms off, to fume and then pray to the gods to turn his brother from "this suicidal course."

Meanwhile, Orin concentrates on the other major thing on his mind: bearing a royal son:

As the dome is being built, Orin gets good news: his lover, Narmea, is pregnant!

Even more goods news: Shalako returns to the royal court, having seemingly decided to go along with the building of the dome:

The dome now constructed, the leader of the nearest adversaries arrives to make peace. Orin is willing to listen, but Shalako wants nothing to do with the savages. Orin prevails, saying he'll agree to peace...but he'll be watching.

The tribe's leader returns to his home, but Shalako, using the dark arts, sends down another lightning bolt, immolating him. Meanwhile, Rajar is more sure than ever that Atlantis is facing a catastrophe.

Later, Narmea gives birth to a daughter, Cora. To celebrate, he throws a week-long, city-wide party. Even though Cora is still a newborn, Orin is made an offer by Alloroc, the wealthiest man in the city: to betroth her to his son Bazil.

Before Orin can answer, a huge quake sends the people and buildings of Atlantis into chaos:

It ends quickly, but Rajar emerges to explain this is just the beginning: a giant meteoroid is headed for Atlantis, and its sheer gravity has already begun to affect them.

Shalako takes this a sign that his people have angered the god Suula, who is now taking her vengeance. Orin won't hear of it, and concentrates on the meteor. Rajar tells him it will arrive in less than a week.

Orin thinks Atlantis' high-powered laser cannon could destroy it, but calculations reveal it would have to be fired from outside the city, in the middle of the "savage"'s land. Orin doesn't think this will be a problem, since he agreed to peace with their leader...who hasn't been seen since he left Atlantis. Rajar offers to go there and try and make the deal.

The next day, Orin is awakened by a scream. He emerges from his bed chamber to see the savage's answer: Rajar's head on a spike just outside the city limits. Orin orders the cannon to be moved into position, and if the savages object? "Kill them...kill them all!"

The savages are suitably dispatched, the cannon is fired...which does nothing:

...to be continued!