The true mettle of a leader is tested when they are in the heat of battle. Being in the military, I saw how so many people in leadership roles would fail on a consistent basis. It would infuriate so many of us, even when we got in those roles, as we saw the true failing came from the top down. These missteps and just plain poor decisions would often put us in some dangerous situations. Often the major root cause being the personnel who were making these decisions had no idea what the job truly entailed.

Being a civilian now, I see that the problem is not isolated to the military but is widespread to just about every workplace. What is true no matter where you work is that when an uncomfortable situation presents itself only a true leader will emerge. Others cower and tend to blame their subordinates for any blunders. Many men and women have become who they are when they are faced with a crisis. In the second issue of Atlantis Chronicles, we see how King Orin responds now that Atlantis has sunk beneath the sea.

We find the kingdom in a state of chaos as the Technocrats and the Shalakites, followers of Prince Shalako, fight each other, blaming each other for the fall of the kingdom beneath the sea. As Orin attempts to quell any disagreements within the kingdom, Shalako delves deeper into his connection with the dark forces, making a sacrifice of his own wife. Eventually the air within the dome begins to dwindle and the dome gets cracked, and the discontent amongst the people rises to an all time high, leading Orin to direct creating a serum which allow his people to breathe underwater. By issue’s end, a new age of Atlantis has spawned, but Shalako’s time has ended as his followers turn on him, destroying the castle and leaving the kingdom in tatters.

Overall, another entertaining chapter in this thrilling prequel, as the saga of Aquaman’s ancestors is simply exhilarating. The story by Peter David is smart, well developed and action packed. The art by the creative team is simply beautiful. Altogether, a grand entry in this beautiful story of how a society adapts when all they know is no more.

Story: Peter David Art: Esteban Maroto and Eric Kachelhofer
Story: 10 Art: 9.5 Overall: 9.4 Recommendation: Buy