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 ATLANTISATLAS 

The Original Universe

COUNTRY INFORMATION


Official Name: Atlantis
Location: Beneath the Atlantic Ocean
Prominent Inhabitants: (pre-sinking Atlantis): Warlord Vol. 1 #55 (March 1982)
(Aquaman's Atlantis/Poseidonis): Adventure Comics Vol. 1 #260 (May 1959)
(Lori Lemaris' Atlantis/Tritonis): Superman Vol. 1 #129/3 (May 1959)
(Poseidonis and Tritonis distinguished): Super Friends #8 (November 1977)



HISTORY

There is more than one Atlantis. The true Atlantis is an archetype, a legend of a lost civilization consumed by the sea ages ago, perhaps more of an idea than a physical place.

However, the Atlantis usually referred to today is a continent that sank into the Pacific Ocean circa 9,600 B.C. As early as 150,000 B.C., it was a highly advanced society. A focal point for magic, it was the birthplace of the Homo Magi. Over the millennia, they built a utopia based on a mix of magic and science.

50,000 B.C., Atlantis was ruled by the sorcerer Arion, the greatest hero in Atlantean history. Arion battled evils such as Garn Daanuth, but was not able to save his land from aliens who destroyed the City of the Golden Gate and sank part of Atlantis into the sea – perhaps an omen of worse things to come.

By 9,600 B.C., Atlantis was ruled by King Orin I. To protect his people from savages, Orin ordered a dome to be built over the capital city of Poseidonis. When a meteor sank the entire continent, the dome protected the Poseidonians, and Orin's scientists developed a serum that helped them survive underwater. However, Orin's brother Shalako was convinced that Orin had caused the cataclysm by angering the gods, and took a group with him to colonize the sunken city of Tritonis. When Orin offered his serum to the Tritonians, Shalako sabotaged it, which made the Tritonians develop fish tails instead of legs.

Until recently, Poseidonis and Tritonis remained two separate nations. Furthermore, Atlantean expeditions had spawned many colonies in the sea and on the surface – among them Thierna Na Oge, Hy-Brasil, Shayeris the Hidden Valley, the floating island of Basilia, and the Dreaming City of the Himalayas. Recently, most city-states and colonies were joined into one nation by Orin II, a.k.a. Aquaman, who also established contact between Atlantis and surface civilizations. The surface nation of Cerdia was also annexed into Atlantis. However, there are still many separate offshoots, like the New Atlantis of Skartaris, or such nomadic groups as the Sher'Hedeen and the Lurkers. Other colonies may not yet have been discovered – the hero Silverblade once visited an Atlantis that was not identical with any of the others.

Most of the history of Atlantis can be found in the so-called Atlantis Chronicles.


PROFILE REFERENCES

Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #1 (March 1985)

Who's Who in the DC Universe #1 (August 1990)