Atlanteans (DC)

The Atlanteans are an aquatic offshoot of Humanity that feature in DC Comics.

History

Origin

Atlanteans in Atlantis Chronicles v1 #6.

The Atlanteans were an ancient race that had developed on Earth and inhabited the city of Atlantis.

Magic was the heart of the Atlantean civilization millennia ago with Twelve Mystic Crystals being the source of this power. (Aquaman v2 #3) Under the direction of Orin the First, the doming of Poseidonis that was considered the greatest city of Atlantis. The process was opposed by Shalako who said it was incur the wrath of the goddess Suula but the construction continued where it took many long months where patrols protected it from barbarian hordes. (Atlantis Chronicles v1 #1)

Shalako would take his followers to the underground tunnels that connected Poseidonis to its sister city of Tritonis. (Atlantis Chronicles v1 #1) Meanwhile, Orin and his followers would seek to survive but ultimately thought to thrive whereby they create a serum that allowed them to survive as aquatic beings underwater. This heralded a new golden age for their people who went to Tritonis to offer this serum to Shalako's followers. Shalako would refuse claiming that this was the result of accursed science that angered the gods but his followers desired the serum. An angry Shalako would call them damned and in secrecy he cast dark magic to mutate his followers and cursed them with scaly fish legs. He would blame Orin's serum for this effect but his son Dardarnus would reveal his fathers treachery with the people turning him Shalako where they killed him. However, the people of Tritonis began to mutate slowly with their legs fusing into giant tails where they became a race of mer-people who were known as Tritonians. (Atlantis Chronicles v1 #2) They were content with the rule of King Orin but as he could not be everywhere - he would appoint a chief magistrate among the Tritonians to govern in his place. (Atlantis Chronicles v1 #3)

At some unknown point, the Atlanteans established some diplomatic relations with the undersea kingdom of Sareme that was the domain of the albino Pale People who had distinctive green fins by the side of their heads. Atlantis was noted for raising them to their own level but resented the Atlanteans for considering them their inferiors. (Justice League of America v1 #90) Centuries ago, an offshoot group of Atlanteans known as the Sher'hedeen who allegedly engaged in arcane rituals to gain power over the oceans and even the dead. As Atlantis entered into a period of enlightenment, the magic worshipping Sher'hedeen struck out on their own where they left the city and took up residence in the black depths. (Aquaman v5 #5) There were two outposts of Atlanteans with these being Aurania and Venturia. (Wonder Woman v2 #180) Long ago, a group of Atlanteans created the robotic Trinity Virus and tasked her with rebooting Skartaris. (Wonder Woman v2 #183)

In the year 1043 BC, a baby girl was born in Atlantis with the Mark of Kordax which was shown with her blonde hair. As her tradition, the child named Gamemnae was placed in a basket and sent to the surface with her being stricken from history as being cursed forever. However, the child survived and grew into adulthood in the net twenty three years where she had learnt fearsome magic. This saw her return to Atlantis and raise the city above the ocean once more. With her power, she turned the Atlanteans into air breathers and gave them a choice' either suffer from catastrophe or remain on the surface. Those that refused to follow her were not transformed and thus suffocated in the air whilst Gamemnae took over Atlantis. (JLA v1 #75)

When the Saremites Proof-Rock that was their god was destroyed accidental by surface dwellers, their Prince Nebeur Odagled declared himself their ruler that vowed revenge against outsiders. Using an American-based poison gas, the Pale People turned it on the Atlanteans forcing Aquaman to surrender rule of Atlantis to the Pale People. (Justice League of America v1 #90)

During the Mageddon crisis, Aquaman as King of Atlantis and protectorate assembled the over fifteen thousand submarine states to help quell the conflict that emerged in this time. (JLA v1 #41)

Following the disappearance of Atlantis, the deposed Venturian Queen Clea managed to acquire the Trident of Poseidon and sought to re-discover the fabled city. To aid her, she formed a new version of Villainy, Inc. and sought to find Atlantis only to instead discover Skartaris. Unable to find Atlantis, Clea instead decided to place her attention on the descendants of the Atlanteans. (Wonder Woman v2 #181)

The attack from the Spectre effectively destroyed Atlantis leading to the death of thousands with many of the ruling aristocracy and governing classes. (Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis v1 #42)

Post-Flashpoint

Following the Flashpoint, the Atlanteans emerged in the new timeline with a changed history. Their civilization grew millions of years after the fall of the older society of Nan Madol. (Justice League Dark v1 #26) In ancient times, the Dark Giants that were dark eldtritch deities preyed on mankind who they saw as vermin until the sorcerer Arion arose and sealed them behind the White Gate. He left behind relics that kept the evil contained behind the barrier for countless years. (Secret Six v4 #8)

Atlan was considered the first and greatest king of Atlantis who was the architect of their civilization when it was on the surface. (Aquaman v7 #24) When Atlantis ruled the surface, they established a distant colony on the surface that was known as Katangala with travel being achieved by way of mystical world gates. A desired good was a kelp that grew on the shores of Atlantis that boosted cerebral capability in animals. Such a capability led to the Atlanteans feeding it to aquatic creatures but at Katangala they would use it on the native gorilla's that populated the area. The minds of these apes thus arose and the became more capable leading to them being relegated into a servant class among the Atlanteans. In time, the apes came to believe that they were more than equals than their masters and rebel. Despite the kelp being kept from them, the gorilla's had achieved the highest state of intelligence among their kind that became permanent. The Atlanteans would drive the apes into the forest and would later pursue them but were brought down by their former servants with one ape making a meal of a general from Atlantis. By this point, the apes were still a developing society who had no place within the forests not did they have a concept of organized battle. However, the gorilla that consumed the brain of the Atlantean general absorbed his knowledge leading to them developing strategies after which they took Katangala as well as its secrets. Among the Atlanteans, many were killed by the apes but a few managed to escape through their portal and the gorilla's were unable to make use of the gateway. These apes would later form their own settlement that would become known as Gorilla City. (Aquaman v7 #38) At some point, they also discovered a realm called Pacifica but this land was inhabited by a fire elemental known as Karaku that forced the Atlanteans to abandon any plans to settle this area. During the battle with Karaku, the Atlanteans raised the avatar-beast Karaqan to fight the fire elemental who was defeated and imprisoned in Pacifica that was separated from the Maelstrom. However, this came at a cost as the Karaqan fell into the north sea into a deep slumber but the defeat of Karaku left the Fire Trolls leaderless allowing them to fall before the Atlanteans. (Aquaman v7 #40) Another threat that affected their kingdom was from the demonic Giant-Born of Greek myth who ravaged their people. Aid came from the Olympian Gods in the form of the son of Zeus namely Hercules. He worked alongside the Atlantean King to vanquish the threat but in a moment of fear the monarch of Atlantis triggered a trap that sent both Hercules along with the Giant-Born in a hell dimension. (Aquaman v7 #29)

At some point, warfare erupted among the realms of Alantis which was the work of the Coven of Thule that were a group of sorcerers that were powered by this strife. It was only under the rulership of the great king Atlan did the conflict with this threatening the powerbase of the cult of Thule. To avoid defeat, they escaped and forged a new land in a different realm with this land being known as Thule whose inhabitants suffered under the rule of the sorcerer-kings. (Aquaman v7 #43) During the reign of Atlan, the people of Atlantis were at war with the inhabitants of the desert until a peace was forged whereby the deserters would share their power of the sands. The king would seek to unite all nations of the worlds as Atlan had done with the old lands leading to him having a greater tolerance to outsiders as he invited all people to join this great nation. It was in this era that Atlan's brother Orin and his wife began to lead a sect that opposed the unity with other civilizations at it would destroy Atlantean culture. As such, he would led an attempt assassination over King Atlan who was wounded and managed to flee but his wife Sala along with his children were murdered. This forced Atlan to become a hunted man with his loyalists similarly being pursued. As a result, Atlan would seek the arcane knowledge of the deserters to forge the six Artifacts of Atlantis that took years to create. The deposed king would take a vow of silence and return to Atlantis where he slew his brother Orin and his wife whereupon he battled his followers where he broke his vow by uttering the word 'die!' and plunged his trident into the ground. Such was the power of the blow that it shattered Atlantis causing it to sink into the sea where 90% of the population was killed. The sinking led to the formation of the Seven Kingdoms of Atlantis with four being lost and the survivors each evolving under the ocean into new forms. Among these were the Atlanteans, the exiled inhabitants of Xebel and the beastial Trench. (Aquaman v7 #24)

Atlantean soldiers in Aquaman v7 #46.

Around this time, the realm of Thule began to impact on Earth once more threatening to consume it in its darkness. During this time, Aquaman consulted the god Poseidon for knowledge about the threat of the other realm. Aquaman sought to free the people of Thule before he was forced to destroy that realm and was blessed with power from Poseidon. Unknown to him, agents of Thule had used magic to make Siren appear as her sister Mera and used her to turn Atlantis against Aquaman. (Aquaman v7 #43)

In an effort to forge better ties with the surface, Atlantis established Spindrift Station that was to be an Atlantean embassy to meet with the rest of humanity with Mera in charge of this diplomatic mission. (Aquaman v7 #50)

Overview

Centuries of living under the sea led to a number of Atlanteans experiencing mutations and bio-adaptations as a result with these being seen as undesirable traits. (Aquaman v8 #26) Such members were discriminated against with some not considering them true Atlanteans and because of their forms due to generations of depth-living they were referred to as taint-bloods. (Aquaman v8 #27)

Atlanteans were divided into a number of subspecies that included:

• Poseidonians : these bipedal aquatic inhabitants of Poseidonis that resembled surface dwelling humans but were considered throwbacks by mer-people.(Aquaman v5 #12)
• Tritonians : inhabitants of Tritonis that neighbored Poseidonis who evolved into mer-people with fish tails but tended to be a superstitious group. (Aquaman v5 #12) They were held as being a high handed self-smug people whose bodies were mutated into a mer-form by dark magic whose 'deformities' allowed them to swim much father than other Atlanteans. (Atlantis Chronicles v1 #3)
• Lurkers : blue skinned humanoids greatly different from the other Atlanteans who lived for centuries. (Aquaman v5 #50)
• Neos : coleoid humanoid that had squid-like heads that could emit an ink cloud and who lived at Dyss until they could no longer serve the Deep Church whereupon they went to forge their own city of Neos as free citizens ad used teleportational pathways known as Hatches for quick movement. (Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis v1 #50)
• Thulians : Atlanteans that were taken by the Coven of Thule to another realm where they could rule before being returned to Earth when Thule began to invade the normal world again. (Aquaman v7 #43)

A number of the various Atlantean tribes had their own distinctive accents. (Aquaman v8 #10) As an ancient culture, they had engaged in a set way of life for thousands of years with it being bred into them. Thus, all Atlanteans were raised according to complex, formal codes and old traditions. (Mera: Queen of Atlantis v1 #4) One custom among their people was to betroth a princess to a naval captain in order to keep the royals and military bonded to one another. (Aquaman v7 #36) In Atlantis, it was not uncommon to have multiple wives particularly amongst the nobility. (Atlantis Chronicles v1 #3)

On a child's twelfth birthday, they young Atlantean went through their Meritunus which was a celebration of adolescent ascension. (Aquaman v7 #36) Atlanteans were taught under their lore to let eternal currents of the deep cleanse them of bitterness and ill will. Thus, they experienced a cleansing to remember their hopes and dreams. (JLA v1 #120) Tradition demanded that the betrothed of the ruler had to undergo a series of ceremonial ritual trials in order to determine their worthiness to marrying into the Atlantean dynasty. (Aquaman v8 #7)

There were a number of deities and figures worshipped by the Atlanteans that included

• Pallais : the goddess of the sea. (Atlantis Chronicles v1 #1)
• Suula : the goddess of the sky who was said to adore children. (Atlantis Chronicles v1 #1)
• Poseidon : Greek god worshipped by the Atlanteans though none believed in him anymore by the modern day. (Justice League of America v4 #2)
• Ilena : Mermaid goddess worshipped by the Atlanteans that dedicated shrines such as the Temple of Ilena to her. (Superman v1 #154)

A creature of fiction was a boogeyman that was a large clawed beast known as the Nykus. (JLA v1 #49) It was considered a fable about a creature that flayed its victims with coral and wore their hides. (JLA v1 #47) Atlantean myth spoke of the end of the world with this event called the Deluge that would wipe out the surface world and Atlantis. (Aquaman v8 #10)

As an ancient culture, Atlantean politics was governed by bloodline, heritage and complex tradition. (Mera: Queen of Atlantis v1 #1)

Governance was held by the Atlantean Sovereign Council. (Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis v1 #51) Another advisory body was the Atlantean Royal Council that advised the ruler of Atlantis. (Legends of the DC Universe v1 #27) Noted advisors and government officials were referred to as Elders that dominated different areas of management such as science or law. (Aquaman v8 #7) Royal princesses were expected to learn the arts of diplomacy and speaking to figures of state. (Mera: Queen of Atlantis v1 #1) Atlantean society was divided into a number of different social groups known as Trides. The Ninth Tride or Ninth House of Atlantis who were considered socially and literally at the lowest sector on the hierarchy. Members of the Ninth Tride referred to themselves as Hadalin that was an Atlantean term for organisms that were bottom feeders on the ocean floor. Such a word was not used as a slur as these creatures were seen as noble animals that kept the sea clean. (Aquaman: Rebirth v1 #1) Among the most sacred orders within Atlantis were the Widowhood that consisted of female Atlanteans that had lost sons or husbands in the service to Atlantis. They were considered an enlightened group who operated as spiritual mothers to the city that inducted the monarch's betrothed into the wisdom and traditions of Atlantis. (Aquaman v8 #8)

One group within Atlantean society were the Order of the Thorny Crown. Members were noted to had tattoos indicating their allegiance to the organization with it sometimes placed at the base of the skull. These also indicated the ranking of the person with some being High Priests. Long ago, they were once one of the great powers under the ocean who were behind the Knights of Tethys that kept the peace of Tethys in the centuries before Atlantis spread across the ocean floor. The Knights were responsible for enforcing Gods’ Laws where they protected the weak and served as champions of justice. They eventually vanished for reasons unknown with it prophecised that they would return. Meanwhile, the Thorny Crown survived where they operated in the shadows for their own mysterious ends and kept largely to themselves. (Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis v1 #46) There were numerous groups within the Atlantean civilization. Among them included the Nudibra Cults who sometimes traded fermented spinefish venom in exchange for scarce Narwhal marrow or the Pearling Tribes who highly prized klarps. (Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis v1 #46) There was a cult of shapeshifting spies known as the Shifters that were masters of deception and illusion with it being believed that they were destroyed long ago by the Sorcerer-Kings. (Aquaman v7 #45) A separate guild within their society was the Silent School that had adepts skilled in the arts of magic. (Titans v1 #7) There was also the Artisan Guild who used coral-form manipulation in order to fast grow structures. (Aquaman v8 #26) A terrorist cell known as the Deluge consisted of Atlanteans that were fiercely xenophobic and saw the human nations of the surface as pollution which needed to be cleansed. As such, they opposed any contact with the surface world. (Aquaman: Rebirth v1 #1) In the military, there were formidable warrior divisions such as the Kingsguard and the Drift. (Mera: Queen of Atlantis v1 #1) The Drift were a special forces unit in the Atlantean armed forces that were separate from the fleet. This group was not just skilled in combat operations but also in evading their foes. (Aquaman v8 #7)

In their language, there were numerous words and terminology that included:

• Molwark : word for a rogue fish that disobeyed the rest of the shoal. (Aquaman v8 #6)

In times of war, they made use of a range of war-beasts that were called upon the battlefield to aid them in combat. (Aquaman v8 #7) Among these included a large crocodilian-like grandsire saur. (Aquaman v8 #12) Another creature of the deep was the multi-tentacled gigantic Octodons. (Mera: Queen of Atlantis v1 #4) Stagfish venom was a rare form of Atlantean toxin that was deadly to humans. (Titans v3 #14)

Atlantean technology was noted for being more advanced than that of mankind. They were able to construct supercomputers that operated as a nervous system and drew from power sources that maintained an entire continent. (Wonder Woman v2 #180) Such intelligences were huge and had a personality that sought to defend itself. (Wonder Woman v2 #181) Atlantean war-tech made use of plasmid weapons. (Aquaman v8 #4) Another weapon was an Atlantean sonic blunderbuss that was powerful that had a number of charges. (JLA v1 #34) It had the technology that allowed Atlantis to generate tidal waves and oceanic surges. (Aquaman v8 #12) The High Artisans essentially grew their buildings using a bio-organic assembly with fabrication units able to create construction in the span of eight hours. (Titans v1 #7) This was through the use of hypergrowth malacolite construction that was a form of extruded coral used to construct buildings. (Aquaman v8 #16)

A form of melee weapon used were Atlantean war swords some of which dated to the fifth dynasty and were considered superb blades. Such swords were priceless heirlooms that no Atlantean would leave behind on the battlefield. (Aquaman v8 #4)

Royal Atlantean Submarine Bombardiers were another vessel in their fleets with these possessing teleporters. (JLA v1 #30) One class of oceanic craft were the Ichthys class war-mersibles. (Aquaman v8 #7) Another was the Sea Fury class war-mersible destroyers. (Aquaman v8 #12)

Within the Silent Armories, the Magisters knew of powerful spells that were hidden from the world. Among these were the Crown of Thorns that was ensorcelled that could make mystical thorns that could rise and surround a location to seal off a location from the rest of the planet. It could be used to protect a city and prevented individuals from escaping or enemies from attacking. (Aquaman v8 #24) A further relic of their ancient civilization were the Zodiac Coins that each contained the twelve powers of the Zodiac with them built alongside a statue. Wielders of a coin were able to mystically transform into the creature of the relic gaining its powers and strengths. (World's Finest v1 #268)

Members

• Atlan :
• Atlanna :
• Atlena : female Atlantean scientist from the time of Atlantis's sinking who intended to save the continent by creating a device to shift the land into a limbo dimension called Sargasso Sea but instead got trapped herself within it. (World's Finest v1 #262)
• Garth :
• Tula :
• Vulko :
• Arion :
• Thesily : He was also known as Thesily the Unready. (Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis v1 #43)
• Juvor : a previous monarch who Vulko served and was known as Juvor the Good. (Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis v1 #43)
• Jonar : eight year old son of Anigar Kalva who became a refugee after the destruction of Atlantis. (Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis v1 #44)
• Jesset Clesion : male who was the duly appointed trading agent and emissary of the Atlantean throne to the Coral Sea and Adjacent Waters. (Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis v1 #46)
• Juriti : a male member of the Mer who sought out Arthur Joseph Curry after he defeated the Aurati Raiders in order to bring him before Mera. (Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis v1 #41)
• Tejaia : a female Mer who seduced Arthur Joseph Curry with the intention of killing him. (Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis v1 #42)
• Raroq : an admiral that commanded the Atlantean submarine destroyer 'Leviathan' that supported Aquaman when the Crime Syndicate invaded the primary Earth. (JLA: Earth-2 v1 #1)
• Loska :
• Pirol :
• Karnea :
• Silva :
• Gurda :
• Felua : a female Atlantean scientist that was seduced by the Joker. (Legends of the DC Universe v1 #27)
• Piscator : (Suicide Squad v.1 #59)
• Clea : a female who was the deposed Queen of the Atlantean outpost Venturia. (Wonder Woman v2 #180)
• Haethmos : forged Atlantean royal chainmail in the 3rd century A.D. (Aquaman v7 #50)
• Groxo : a criminal who invented a growth ray that turned Jimmy Olsen into the Giant Turtle Man. (Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen v1 #53)
• Makaira : a black haired bipedal Atlantean woman that served as an attendant and aide. (Aquaman v2 #1)
• Koah : male Elder of Law in the Atlantean government. (Aquaman v8 #7)
• Rowa : female Elder of Science in the Atlantean government who had short brunette hair. (Aquaman v8 #7)
• Zeekil Neol : male High Lord of the Armies in the Atlantean government who had short white hair. (Aquaman v8 #7)
• Kae : a bald dark skinned male advisor. (Aquaman v8 #7)
• Carcharodor : a dark skinned female Mistress of the Fleet who had black hair. (Aquaman v8 #7)
• Jurok Byss : a bald dark skinned male who served as the Keeper of the Beasts who had a scar by the side of his face and had a moustache and beard. (Aquaman v8 #7)
• At-Phazel : a ancient male sorcerer who lived prior to the sinking of Atlantis where he devoted himself to the black arts with him creating a statue along with twelve coins that gave him the power to take each form of the Zodiac. After learning of his actions, the good wizards of Atlantis they tried to destroy his works but the sorcerer escaped with the statue along with ten of the Zodiac Coins. (World's Finest v1 #268)
• Merlon : (World's Finest v1 #133)
• Selena : (World's Finest vl 1 #133)
• Milo : male inhabitant prior to the sinking of the city who predicted a great flood and created an ark resembling a giant jar that saved himself along with his family and close friends when Atlantis sank. (More Fun Comics v1 #87)
• Krush : a male Atlantean mutant who had a giant crap-like form and served as an underworld baron and was in charge of an illegal operation in the deeper levels in Atlantis. (Aquaman v8 #26)
• Kadavar : a male Atlantean who had magic allowing him to manipulate coral forms on his body shaping them into any form as a weapon with him becoming a rogue magician that became an enforcer to the underworld baron Krush. (Aquaman v8 #26)
• Fallone : female mutant Atlantean that was part of the Trident Three and had been a student of the Silent School before her expulsion (Titans v3 #14)
• Sebrus : a female mutant Atlantean that was part of the Trident Three and had been a student of the Silent School before her expulsion. (Titans v3 #14)
• Kyella : a female mutant Atlantean that was part of the Trident Three and had been a student of the Silent School before her expulsion. (Titans v3 #14)
• Loke : a male Magister that headed the Silent School. (Aquaman v8 #24)
• Nargo : a bald male who was described as the greatest genius of all of Atlantis called the Brain who survived on a piece of Atlantis with his followers where he continued to live till the modern age. He possessed powerful telepathic abilities allowing him to command others through thought-orders and a range of advanced weapons such as a gravity gun rod that emitted energy which added atoms on a person to make them heavier. However, by this point, he was dying of a fatal illness and sought a human surgeon named Doctor Noonan to save him so he could rule the world leading to a conflict with the magician Zatara. (Action Comics v1 #47)
• Evanthe : a female Queen of Atlantis who ruled long ago. (Aquaman Annual v8 #1)
• Krano : an Atlantean Lord who was sent to the UN as representative from his king to serve as mediator in the conflict between Rhapastania and Turkey who had economic relations with Atlantis. (JLA v1 #43)
• Ar-Phazel : an ancient male sorcerer who lived in a time before the sinking of Atlantis where he practiced the darks and crafted the Zodiac Coins where he sought to attain supreme power but was forced to escape the city when it sank with his fate being unknown after leaving with 10 of the coins. (World's Finest v1 #268)
• Thaumar Dhai : a male Atlantean who lived 12,000 years ago where he was the mightiest of the sorcerers of Atlantis and wielded six powerful talismans. He survived the sinking of his home where he attempted to conquer the world only to be challenged by Doctor Mist over the centuries. (DC Comics Presents v1 #46)
• Goxo : a male criminal scientist who for his crimes was to be exiled to the surface but he hatched on a plot to control Jimmy Olsen who had been turned into the Giant Turtle Man. (Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen v1 #53)
• Vostar : a male merman Atlantean who was a brilliant biologist at the Atlantis Zoo who was discharged for forbidden experiments in using radiation waste to create ghastly mutations such as the monstrous Yarcan where he vowed revenge against Lori Lemaris as well as Jerro for testifying against him. (Action Comics v1 #302)
• Garr Rindaz : a tailed Atlantean merman noted for being a hero when a sea-monster was threatening Atlantis leading to him attaching an explosive to himself to destroy the beast along with himself leading to a statue made in his honour. (Action Comics v1 #286)
• Jesset Clesion : male duly appointed trading agent and emissary of the Atlantean throne to the coral sea and adjacent waters. (Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis v1 #46)

Alternate Versions

• In Action Comics v1 #18 (1939), the ancient Atlanteans were the precursors to modern humanity and lived on Atlantis when it resided on the surface. They were said to had been a great civilization that grew agricultural plants, raised the domesticated animal breeds, had the greatest legion of warriors in the world and were the first students of magic. The people of Atlantis knew of the colony of Ophir and the Atlanteans became the basis for the civilizations of Egypt along with Greece. Around this time, they came to worship an immortal octopus creature called Roor. By this point, Earth had two Moons one of which fell to the surface creating devastating storms that flooded the planet thus sinking Atlantis. The higher order Atlanteans survived in a subterranean cavern where they believed worship of Roor brought about the downfall of their civilization. Unable to slay the foe of life, the evil one was imprisoned in his temple and all were forbidden to enter the chamber. Over thousands of years, the surviving Atlanteans managed to create a garden city where they continued to remain isolated by the modern age. Zatara along with Setap arrived in Atlantis encountering the Atlanteans Gath and Loalla when Roor was accidently freed but the magician Zatara managed to defeat the evil one thus ending his threat.
• In Batman v1 #19 (October/November 1943), the Atlanteans were a hidden civilization who used their technology 10,000 years ago to hide their secret city underwater. Around World War II, their leaders were Emperor Taro, Empress Lanya and high priest Kano where their society was discovered by Nazi Germany. The Nazi's convinced the Atlantean rulers to allow them to use Atlantis as a secret base for strikes against Allied shipping. This was until Batman and Robin arrived to defeat them where they convinced Atlantis not to aid the Nazi's. The Atlanteans agreed but in exchange they wanted their existence to be kept secret from the surface world.
• In Superman v1 #67 (November 1950), their people lived in their glass-domed subsea kingdom that was populated largely by handsome muscular men that made Superman appear ordinary and were ruled by the beautiful blonde haired Queen Paralea. Superman, Lois Lane and Professor Hubble encountered their civilization where they helped stop the machinations of the power hungry warrior Hajar who sought to topple the queen's rule.
• In Superboy v1 #14 (1951), the advanced inhabitants of the continent of Mu learnt that their city of Atlantis faced destruction and long ago departed Earth on a rocket-ship for Mars where they made their civilization anew. One among their kind known as Sutri gained Superman-like powers from supra-universal rays from a meteor. Their society faced danger due to a lack of water on Mars and Sutri as the superhero Marsboy came to Earth to find a secret formula hidden within the Sphinx that could generate water for his world leading to his encounter with Superboy.
• In Superboy v1 #52 (1956), a character by the name of Zarl Vorne was shown as being an inhabitant of Atlantis who was rocketed from his home on Earth by his scientist father. He landed on an asteroid named Juno where he was frozen for 10,000 years until he was revived by the natives. Vorne gained abilities similar to Superboy and became a hero known as Power Boy who protected the civilization on the asteroid.
• In Strange Adventures v1 #129 (1961), an alternate version of Atlanteans called Atlantides was shown in a version of history where the world was ravaged by World War III. In the aftermath, Atlantis had arisen in the Atlantic with the Atlanteans intending to conquer the rest of the world. However, due to the radiation field surrounding it, the Atlanteans were unable to leave the island. When the Atomic Knights investigated the island, they were captured by the Atlanteans who want the secrets of their armor immunity to the radiation but they manage to escape from Atlantis.
• In Superman v1 #181 (1965), a future timeline was shown in the 30th century where they were shown to still operate in the oceans of Earth with them being allies of the era's Superman in the year 2965.
• In Superboy v1 #192 (1972), an alternate version of the Atlanteans was shown in the Pre-Crisis continuity. It was shown that the Atlanteans had evolved into sea-beings after the sinking of their island-continent. However, a group of them created a sea-ark that burrowed underground allowing these survivors to settle there in a city they called Atlantis II. These survivors developed into a new race that built an underground civilization consisting of the blind that thrived for generations as they evolved into subterranean beings. They came to fear the existence of the sun which was passed down their people as legends. Their city suffered catastrophe from a massive eruption at the Earth's core that destroyed their underground home. Only a single survivor of their people managed to escape with this being a white haired teenage scientist named Varx who had taken a craft that took him to the surface. He arrived in Smallville where he brainwashed Martha and Jonathan Kent where he had them distribute Solar Absorbers that he intended to plunge the area into darkness to protect him from the sun. However, Superboy delayed his plans causing the sun to rise with the light leading to Varx suffering from pain as it energised his optical nerves. The superhero made a truce and friendship with Varx who started a new life in Smallville after being adopted by a family.
• In Weird War Tales v1 #111 (May 1982), an alternate version of the Atlanteans was shown with these being known as Atlantides. They were an advanced civilization that thousands of years ago terrorized Europe and Africa until their prehistoric Athenian enemies turned against them. Atlantis later sank beneath the ocean but the Atlantides created a sanctuary known as Atlantis II. Over the centuries, the Atlantides began replacing their flesh with mechanical parts that resembled skin and turned them into a race of robots. They remained there for thousands of years until discovered by the Creature Commandos. The Atlantides intended to conquer the world and were ready to deploy their missile stockpile but G.I. Robot J.A.K.E. sacrificed himself by turning the weapons back on the city thus destroying it along with its inhabitants.
• In Earth 2 v1 (2012), Atlanteans were shown to exist in the alternate world of Earth-2 where they were once led by Queen Marella who was also known as Aquawoman. She was removed from power by the World Army until she was released by Batman during the conflict against Steppenwolf. Marella returned to take the throne of Atlantis and led the few survivors to leave their world during the planetary evacuation when Apokolips devoured Earth-2. The human survivors of Earth-2 settled on a new world with the Atlantean survivors colonizing it as well where they forged a secret alliance with Queen Fury's Amazons of Amazonia.
• In The Multiversity: Mastermen v1 #1 (2015), Earth-10 was shown as a world populating the Multiverse where the Nazi's won World War II and during that time they discovered Atlantis. Unlike with other civilizations, they allowed the Atlanteans to survive their purge as they believed Atlantis was the roots of the Aryan race.
• In Dark Nights: Metal v1 (2017), an alternate version of the world designated as Earth-11 was shown in the Dark Multiverse. On this world, the gender roles were reversed and the Atlanteans on this Earth were ruled by Aquawoman who was Queen of Atlantis. After years of self-imposed exile, she came to head her people as they approached the surface but violence broke out leading to hostilities with mankind with Bryce Wayne who was Batwoman battling Aquawoman who was murdered. In retaliation, the Atlanteans proceeded with drowning Gotham City leading to Bryce Wayne deciding to alter herself genetically to augment her abilities to fight them along with an army she called Dead Water. During this time, she was approached by the Batman Who Laughs who revealed that her world was doomed and that the only way to continue was to invade Earth-0 in the Multiverse as a member of the Dark Knights of Barbatos.
• In The Wild Storm: Michael Cray v1 (2018), there existence of Atlanteans were noted as being legends on a world based on the Wildstorm Universe. The Curry lineage believed themselves to be descendants of the original Atlanteans with them referring to themselves as the Lost Kings of Atlantis. They made their millions shipping tea from India to the West but their true goal was unlocking their divine connection to what they believed was the most superior race on the planet. Each generation attempted their own means to achieve this goal until the modern age when they reasoned it as a genetic factor as they sought to transform themselves into something greater than mankind. This led to the birth of Arthur Curry who was a half-aquatic being that preyed on the people of a fishing village who came to believe he was a god.

In other media

Television

• In The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure, Atlantis appeared as a domed city at the bottom of the sea populated by Atlanteans and ruled by Aquaman who was the sovereign of the seven seas. During ancient times, it was revealed in the episode "The Return of Nepto", a race of undersea Viking styled giants once lived underwater with their leader being a red bearded one called Nepto who once was a tyrant at Atlantis. However, by unknown means, he along with his three warriors fell into a deep slumber by a volcano until the modern day when they were awakened and defeated by Aquaman. In "The Rampaging Reptile-Men", the Atlanteans had established a power station to feed Atlantis energy until it was sabotaged by the villainous Reptile-Men who intended to conquer the city until they were sealed in their cave lair by Aquaman and Aqualad. The episode "Vassa - Queen of the Mermen" introduced a race of green skinned Mermen led by Queen Vassa who had constructed robotic whale ships that she launched to destroy Atlantis only for her forces to be defeated by Aquaman.
• In Justice League, the Atlanteans made a number of appearances through the show where they were linked to Aquaman. The episode "The Terror Beyond" showed that in ancient times their civilization was based on the surface where they were led by King Poseidon. During this time, their people came under attack from other-dimensional beings known as the Old Ones that were led by Icthultu. To defeat them, King Poseidon summoned all the mystical energy on Earth to create a powerful trident that he used to banish the Old Ones back to their realm. However, this came at the cost of the magic that kept Atlantis afloat causing it to sink beneath the ocean where in time they became aquatic Atlanteans. In the episode "The Enemy Below", a secret conspiracy in Atlantis was based in deposing Aquaman that was headed by Lord Orm who hired the surface dweller assassin Deadshot to eliminate the Atlantean monarch. After his plot was discovered, Orm kidnapped his nephew in order to force Queen Mera's cooperation and stole plutonium from a United States submarine in order to use it to arm a doomsday device to melt the polar ice-caps but were defeated by the Justice League whereupon Aquaman was restored to the throne. Notable characters in the series included Aquaman, Queen Mera, Orm and General Brak.
• In Teen Titans, Atlanteans made minor appearance in the episode "Deep Six" where the only representatives seen were Aqualad, Tramm and Trident. They were said to keep a low profile and kept their existence hidden from the rest of the world. Trident was a noted criminal among their kind who sought to conquer Atlantis and later the world. After attacking numerous shipping vessels, he stole chemicals that he used to replicate himself in order to achieve his goal. Aqualad would assist the Teen Titans and had his friend Tramm repair their vessel after it was damaged in a fight with Trident.
• In Young Justice, the Atlanteans were primarily represented on the Team by Aqualad with Aquaman being the king of Atlantis. The episode "Downtime" provided a more in-depth look at their people that had a variety of forms ranging from human looking with webbed hands, others that were mer-people that had fish-tails, others that had green scaled forms and some that had cephalopod heads. Known Atlanteans shown included Orin, Mera, Kaldur'ahm, Orm, Garth, Tula, Topo and La'gaan.

Films

Atlanteans from Justice League: Flashpoint Paradox.

Atlantean from Justice League: Throne of Atlantis.

• In Justice League: Flashpoint Paradox, the Atlanteans featured in the animated feature that was an adaptation of the Flashpoint storyline. Within this altered timeline, the Atlanteans were led by Aquaman who saved Wonder Woman's life after she nearly drowned in the ocean outside Themyscira. As a result of this encounter, it was decided that both the Amazons and the Atlanteans should unite their kingdoms to become a combined force in the world by marrying Aquaman to Wonder Woman. Mera who was in love with Aquaman would attack Wonder Woman but Diana would behead the Atlantean. As a result of her death, Aquaman became distraught and declared war on the Amazons which saw Themyscira sunk beneath the ocean but not before the Amazons fled it. This saw the Atlantean and Amazon war continue where it rampaged across Earth with Aquaman capturing Captain Atom to power an earthquake machine with the view of destroying Wonder Woman's empire now based in England. During their journey, the Atlanteans would encounter a ship crewed by Lex Luthor and Deathstroke who were overwhelmed and killed. Afterwards, the final battle would erupt in London between the Atlanteans and Amazons who both faced heavy casualties as Emperor Aquaman was killed by Wonder Woman. The Flash would go back in time to avert this timeline and return reality back to normal.
• In Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, the Atlanteans make an appearance where it was shown that they were an aquatic people whose kingdom of Atlantis long ago went beneath the ocean but the power of their king's magical trident allowed them to survive in their new environment. The Atlanteans became considered a myth as they sought to hide their existence from the surface world with magical seals preventing them from being detected with even the Amazons of Themyscira only told of the people of Atlantis as stories. Their kingdom faced a turbulent time as a result of Darkseid's invasion which led to the death of their king leaving his wife Atlanna as the ruling sovereign of their underwater civilization. She would champion co-existence with mankind but her second born son Orm desired war in order to conquer the surface. Atlanna ultimately believed that her firstborn child Arthur Curry born between her and a human would unify Atlantis with the rest of the world. To that end, she sent her guard Mera to find Arthur Curry but secretly Orm had his agents sent to assassinate him whilst having his bodyguard Black Manta use a holographic human submarine to attack Atlantis outskirts. This he intended to use a provocation for war but Atlanna saw through the ruse though Orm ultimately assassinated her where he blamed the surface dwellers. Orm would defeat his half-brother Arthur Curry, Mera and the Justice League where he sent the Atlantean army to exterminate mankind starting with Metropolis. They were opposed by the Justice League where Cyborg revealed a holographic recording of Orm confessing to the assassination causing his army to stop the war whilst Arthur defeated his half-brother. He would claim the trident and be accepted as the new king of Atlantis thus ending hostilities in order to unify the two worlds.
• In the DC Extended Universe, the Atlanteans made multiple appearances in the shared continuity setting:
  • In Justice League, the Atlanteans appeared in the 2017 live-action film. It was shown that long ago they lived on the surface where they were among the armies of Earth that gathered thousands of years ago to fight against the New God Steppenwolf. They stood alongside the old gods, the Amazons and a Green Lantern as they sought to fought against the Parademon hordes. Steppenwolf was defeated and forced to retreat leading to him abandoning his three Mother Boxes on the planet. One of the Mother Boxes was left in the care of the Atlanteans where they kept it in a temple that later sunk beneath the ocean as they became an aquatic based civilization. At some point afterwards, the Atlanteans were noted to had engaged in a war with the Amazons that became a source of bitterness between the two sides. The Atlanteans later engaged in a civil war under the reign of Queen Atlanna with Mera being saved and taken in the monarch's care. In the modern age, Steppenwolf was brought back to Earth by the Mother Boxes through a Boom Tube where he sought to reclaim the relics. He later attacked the temple in Atlantis where he massacred the Atlantean guards and departed with the Mother Box.
  • In Aquaman, the Atlanteans featured in the setting of the 2018 live-action film. It was shown that thousands of years ago they ruled the world from Atlantis when it resided on the surface and brought together by their King Atlan with hem developing into a highly advanced society. At their height, they attempted to harness a new form of energy but an explosion from the power source triggered a cataclysm that sank the city beneath the ocean. The energy transformed the Atlanteans turning them into a water-breathing civilization where they gradually fractured into seven kingdoms that each developed differently. These were the Atlanteans, the Xebellians, the mermaid-like Fishermen, the crab-like Brine, the monstrous Trench, the deceased Deserters and the Missing. It was said that highborne Atlanteans were able to survive both water and in air whilst those of the lower classes suffocated without water. They were shown as being far stronger than humans with greater endurance allowing them to swim in the depths of the ocean as well as survive the intense cold and their eyes could adjust to see in the darkness of the ocean's depths.
• In The Death of Superman, Atlanteans appeared in the setting of the 2018 animated film. When the meteor carrying Doomsday crashed into the ocean, a group of Atlanteans went to investigate only to be slaughtered by the creature. Afterwards, Aquaman arrived with other Atlanteans to the site only to find the deceased remains of their comrades with them tracking the perpetrator to the surface.

Video games

Atlanteans in DC Universe Online.

• In DC Universe Online, the Atlanteans feature as one of the factions that resided on Earth and were active during Brainiac's invasion of the planet. Hero players were called to help civilians being attacked by Atlanteans in Metropolis with these ones claiming war in the name of Aquaman and Mera. These Atlanteans consisted of Tigersharks, Kitefins, Cancer Makos and others where it was later revealed that they had been tricked into waging war against the surface world when Circe disguised herself as Queen Mera who enchanted Arthur into creating hostilities. During the Tides of War mission, Ocean Master incited a mutiny among the Atlanteans in an attempt to claim Aquaman's throne. Loyalist Atlantean and Mutineer firgates were battling once another in the strait between Metropolis and Little Bohemia. Oracle would instruct the new hero players in assisting Aquaman in quelling the coup whereas Calcaulator aids the new player villains in supporting Ocean Master's mutiny.
• In Injustice: Gods Among Us, the Atlanteans led by a ruthless Aquaman of a parallel Earth that was dominated by the One Earth Regime led by a tyrant Superman. These Atlanteans were shown as his allies in enforcing his rule over the world when the heroes of the regular Earth arrived on it. Their Aquaman would journey to Atlantis to consult their records to find the One Earth's version of history that led to a confrontation between the two Aquamen. Afterwards, the Atlanteans led by the One Earth Aquaman were dispatched by the corrupt Superman to punish the people of his Earth starting with Metropolis by drowning the inhabitants. They would be opposed by Wonder Woman from the regular Earth who had taken control of the One Earth's version of the Amazons who battled the Atlanteans.

Appearances

• Aquaman v1:
• Atlantis Chronicles v1: (1990)
• JLA v1:
• Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis v1:
• Justice League v2:

External Links

• DC Database Entry

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